
S100B Kinetic During the Occurrence and Treatment of Delayed Cerebral Ischaemia After a Subarachnoid...
Subarachnoid HemorrhageNearly half of the survivors of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) retain irreversible neurological damage resulting from the early lesions associated with the initial bleeding, and the occurrence of possible delayed cerebral ischaemia (DCI). The early diagnosis of the occurrence of an DCI is therefore a major challenge in order to optimise management before irreversible lesions are formed. However, the means of diagnosis are often not available, and up to a third of DCI are discovered on follow-up images when the lesions are already present. Among the markers of brain injury, S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B) is an astrocyte protein released into the bloodstream at the time of the appearance of a brain lesion. Its short half-life makes it a prime candidate for patient follow-up to diagnose a new ischemic lesion and assess the effectiveness of its management. Among the elements at the origin of DCI, the occurrence of proximal vasospasm is the main element on which we can have a therapeutic action. The strategy implemented in the department consists of performing a mechanical angioplasty when proximal vasospasm is detected with a decrease in downstream cerebral perfusion. Nevertheless the benefit of this therapeutic action is discussed and there is currently no early marker of the effectiveness of this procedure.

Diagnostic Tools to Establish the Presence and Severity of Peripheral Arterial Disease in People...
Diabetic FootPeripheral Arterial Disease5 moreIn the UK there are over 7,000 leg amputations each year because of diabetes. The most important cause of this is poor circulation. The detection of poor circulation in patients with diabetes is difficult. A number of tests exist to detect poor circulation (known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD)). However, there is confusion as to which is the gold standard. The DM PAD study aims to determine the diagnostic performance of index tests (audible handheld Doppler, visual handheld Doppler, ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI), exercise ABPI and toe brachial pressure index (TBPI)) for the diagnosis of PAD in patients with diabetes as determined by a reference test (CTA or MRA).

Variability in Transcranial Doppler Technique in Neuro-Critical Care Patients
Cerebral AneurysmStroke6 moreThis study aims to determine the inter- and intra-variability of Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound in neuro-critical care patients who are planned for consecutive daily TCD evaluations.

Circulating Non-coding RNA in Acute Ischemic Stroke With Endovascular Treatment (EVTRNA)
StrokeAcute3 moreEVTRNA is to analyze the differentiated expression pattern of circular RNA (circRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and micro-RNA (miRNA) by next-generation sequencing in acute ischemic stroke patients before and/or after endovascular treatment. The candidate circRNA/lncRNA/miRNA will be verified as the biomarker and regulator for progression and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke with endovascular treatment. Further, the candidate non-coding RNA will be used to evaluate the effect of endovascular treatment on both peripheral and central immune after stroke.

Cysteinyl Leukotriene Antagonist in Atherosclerosis Inhibition in Patients After Endovascular Treatment...
Peripheral Arterial DiseasePeripheral Vascular Diseases2 moreAtherosclerosis is a civilization disease, which pathophysiology is based on chronic inflammatory response in the wall of vessels that is caused by increase of pro-inflammatory substances. It is a significant challenge for diagnostics and pharmacology. This disease occurs in over 60% of the population over 70 years old. There are many factors that are responsible for this process including group of the arachidonic acid metabolism products - leukotriens, especially leukotriene E4 (LTE4). The effect of these factors was described as the base of pathology not only cardiovascular diseases but also the base of development of asthma and other allergic diseases. The substance which blocks the activity of these factors - montelukast - is a common method of treatment in asthma. The aim of this project is to investigate the influence of cysteinyl leukotriens receptor antagonists on lower limb arteries reocclusion rate in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) after endovascular treatment. During previous years we conducted a prospective study, which helped us evaluating the dynamics of leukotriens and thromboxane levels in patients with PAD, who underwent endovascular treatment - peripheral transluminal angioplasty (PTA). We established for the first time the dependence between the increased level of LTE4 in urine (uLTE4) and restenosis or reocclusion occurrence, which translates to the necessity of further procedures and a decrease in the quality of life. We should ask ourselves a question: Is blocking of cysteinyl leukotriens reaction as proinflammatory and proliferative factors, by the use of receptor CysLT1 antagonists going to decrease the quantity of restenosis and reocclusions after endovascular treatment? Within the project performed in the Angiology Department of Jagiellonian University among the patients suffering from PAD and fulfilling all inclusion criteria, the randomized double-blinded clinical study will be performed. Patients will be assigned to two groups: Treatment Group (which will be receiving cysteinyl leukotriene antagonist (montelukast) in a dose of 10mg/day for 12 months) and Control Group to which placebo will be administered. Among all patients population, at every visit at 1., 3., 6., and 12-month clinical state, ultrasound, hemodynamic parameters, and endothelium imaging will be performed as well as uLTE4 measurements. A comparison of the results between both groups will give us an answer if blocking uLTE4 receptors may become a breakthrough in future atherosclerosis treatment. The mechanisms, which lead to restenosis is still not fully understood, and currently used methods of treatment - antiplatelets, anti-proliferative drugs, and anticoagulants - are not fully effective. Thanks to this research the knowledge about treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis will be increased, which will be connected with future better patient care, especially patients with PAD.

Factors Affecting the Quality of Life After Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults
Ischemic StrokeDespite a generally favourable 3-month functional outcome and a very low mortality, young ischemic stroke (IS) patients face to reduced quality of life associated with a complexity of problems or "invisible dysfunctions" after IS. Better identification and understanding to these factors may improve stroke rehabilitation and stroke self-management programmes, wich will lead to better stroke recovery. The aim of the study is to assess the predictors of the health-related quality of life in young patients under 50 years after ischemic stroke, and to to evaluate specific changes in different dimensions of health-related quality of life during the first year of post-stroke recovery using a standardized battery of neuropsychological tools and stroke specific health-related quality of life measures. In the first phase of the study, 300 IS patients will be enrolled for the validation of the Czech version of the the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0. In the second phase of study, 200 enrolled IS patients (100 young IS patients < 50 years and 100 IS patients of 50-65 years) will undergo a serial of structured and standardized questionnaires during scheduled outpatients' controls three, six and 12 months after IS. In the third phase of study, twenty young IS patients < 50 years will undergo an in-depth, semi-structured interview with explanatory questions that will allow a detailed understanding of the patient's experience. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study design will be used.

Safety and Feasibility Evaluation of Planning and Execution of Surgical Revascularization Solely...
Coronary Artery DiseaseMyocardial Ischemia6 moreTo assess the feasibility of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and fractional flow reserve derived from CTA (FFRCT) to replace invasive coronary angiography (ICA) as a surgical guidance method for planning and execution of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in patients with 3-vessel disease with or without left main disease. The FASTTRACK CABG study is an investigator-initiated single-arm, multicentre, prospective, proof-of-concept, and first-in-man study with feasibility and safety analysis. Surgical revascularization strategy and treatment planning will be solely based on coronary CTA and FFRCT without knowledge of the anatomy defined otherwise by ICA that will be viewed and analyzed only by the conventional heart team. Clinical follow-up visit including coronary CTA will be performed 30 days after CABG in order to assess graft patency and adequacy of the revascularization with respect to the surgical planning based on non-invasive imaging with functional assessment and compared to ICA. Primary feasibility endpoint is CABG planning and execution solely based on coronary CTA in 114 patients. Primary safety endpoint based on 30-day coronary CTA is graft assessment either at the ostium, in the shaft or at the anastomoses of each individual graft either single or sequential. The FASTTRACK CABG study is the first study to assess safety and feasibility of planning and execution of surgical revascularization in patients with complex coronary artery disease, solely based on coronary CTA combined with FFRCT.

Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke
StrokeIschemicTaiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke is a multi-centers registration. It starts in Jan 2019. The key items in the registration form include basic demographic profiles, past medical history, time of stroke onset, stroke severity (NIH stroke scale), whether to have rt-PA treatment, pre-EVT imaging, type of devices, status of recanalization, complication and other associated parameters for EVT, and 3 months post stroke outcome. The study also includes a standardized imaging analysis for the quantification of the de-identified imaging data from participates. In summary, the registry will provide the valuable information for AIS patients receiving EVT in Twain.

The Role of Ischemia Modified Albumin in Patients With COVID-19
COVID-19The purpose of the study is to recognize the diagnostic and/or prognostic value of IMA, as It reflects the degree of ischemia regardless of the affected organ. Our sample, which will be taken from the Pulmonology/Covid-19 Department and the Outpatient Clinic of the Pulmonology Department of University Hospital of Larissa, will be divided into two groups. The first group will be the study group, which will include patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection, while the second group will be the control group, which will include healthy volunteers. From the study population will be collected demographics, medical history, medication, symptoms, vital points, arterial blood gases, viral load from RT-PCR for SARS-COV2 and findings from imaging and laboratory assessment. On a daily basis, during their treatment, their vital points, their laboratory tests and the presence of possible complications will be recorded. Expected results are: 1) Comparison of IMA levels between COVID-19 patients and healthy volunteers, 2) The IMA contribution, during their admission to the hospital, to the prediction of the risk of deterioration and severe respiratory failure, 3) The increase of the predictive accuracy of SuPAR as a risk stratification biomarker, after its combination with IMA, 4) The estimation of IMA on the 10th day of illness in patients with severe respiratory failure, 5) The possibility of predicting with greater accuracy the probability of admission to the ICU, by measuring the IMA on the 10th day of illness compared to the IMA of admission.

Translational Immunodiagnostics in Stroke (TrImS)
Acute Ischemic StrokeHaemorrhagic Stroke10 moreIn adult patients presenting to emergency departments within 24 hours of symptom onset with suspected acute stroke, we aim: to identify early brain- and pathology-specific circulating, whole blood, plasma and serum panorOmic biomarkers that enable early acute stroke detection, diagnosis, dynamics, differentiation, monitoring, prediction and prognosis. to identify early brain- and pathology-specific, panorOmic biomarkers in saliva that enable early acute stroke detection, diagnosis, dynamics, differentiation, monitoring, prediction and prognosis. to derive biomarker platforms of models for early acute stroke detection, diagnosis, dynamics, differentiation, monitoring, prediction and prognosis to validate these models in independent and external datasets