Active clinical trials for "Syndrome"

Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes produce many virulence factors. Some of them are responsible for severe infections in humans. Superantigen toxins synthesized by S. aureus or by S. pyogenes, are responsible for toxic shock syndromes (TSS) which lethality can attain 25% in children with validated criteria of septic shock. Previous studies, performed in vitro and in vivo in animals, have shown that Intravenous immunoglobulins [IVIG] contain antibodies [Ab] against these toxins and, when used at high concentration, IVIG are able to neutralize their toxicity. However, in all these studies, IVIG administration has been preventive and there is no reliable data demonstrating their therapeutic efficacy in vitro or in vivo in humans or in animals, once the disease is present. The efficacy of IVIG is established in other pathologies for which the role of the superantigens [superAg] is suspected, like Kawasaki disease in children. The mechanism of action, although not perfectly known, involves at the same time a direct effect on superAg (Ag-Ab complex) and indirect effects like the neutralisation of superAg within the network of anti-idiotype Ab or the neutralisation of the T-cells receptors. Staphylococcal and streptococcal toxic shocks imply bacterial exotoxins that are superAg. It seems thus consistent to imagine a same type of treatment with IVIG. However, there is currently no evidence of the efficacy of IVIG in this indication. One of the explanations relies on the lack of statistical power of previous adult studies, which principal objective was to show a reduction of the mortality. Taking into account the low prevalence of TSS, it has been hard to recruit enough patients to have the required statistical power. Moreover, some works have been extracted from larger studies on septic shock and the definitions of the TSS were nor always very reliable. Lastly, if the investigators consider the definition of the TSS as mentioned by the " Centre for Disease Control " [CDC], for which any hypotension, even a simple orthostatic hypotension, serves the diagnosis of TSS as long as the other symptoms are present, it is obvious that many patients are likely to be recruited in a study although it is highly probable that their health will get better with a " standard " treatment. The definition of a " real " TSS can be refined, keeping the CDC criteria, but changing the hypotension criterion in a more accurate criterion as described in the " surviving sepsis campaign ", internationally accepted and based on norms adapted to the age for paediatric forms. IVIG therapy is very expensive and TSS is not recognized as indication of IVIG according to their marketing authorization. The feasibility of a randomized controlled study with this treatment needs to be assessed as it would be hazardous to conduct a large prospective RCT without having first assessed this feasibility in terms of recruitment rates, consent rates or compliance rates. Inclusion, randomisation and collect of inform consent in the context of severe shock are challenging and require evaluation of feasibility. The sample size calculation of the large study on mortality required estimations of the event in the specific population of children with criteria of septic shock. Surrogates markers of outcome need to be better defined. For example it would be useful to determine the evolution of organ dysfunctions with and without IVIG treatment in this population. Various organ failure scores, used upon admission and later on, have been validated in adults and in children. The absence of improvement of the Paediatric logistic organ dysfunction (Pelod) score over time is a good indicator of mortality in Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). It could be used as surrogate marker to evaluate the efficacy of IVIG.

The overall goal of this study is to develop, pilot test, implement, and evaluate a nurse-coordinated depression care model integrated into the care of Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) patients with rigorous assessment of feasibility, effectiveness, acceptability and cost in rural China. This study is a large multi-center, randomized clinical trial among 4,000 ACS patients from 20 rural county hospitals selected from a well-established research network across China.

Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare congenital neuro-cutaneous disorder considered as a rare or orphan disease. SWS is characterized by a capillary vascular malformation (CM) localized on the skin of the face, eyes and central nervous system. Given the localization and the extent of the CM, children with SWS are particularly prone to developing severe psychological problems. The standard treatment for CM is pulsed dye laser (PDL) although in these cases whitening of the lesion is rarely achieved. Combining topical rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin, with PDL is hypothesised to be a good therapeutic option in these patients.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that increase a patient's likelihood for heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Our research is aimed at understanding whether a drug, resveratrol, commonly found in grapes and red wine, would have any benefit in reducing risk factors in patients that have metabolic syndrome. Despite the use of aspirin and cholesterol reducing medications, patients with metabolic syndrome still often have sticky platelets and dysfunctional lipid profile. This is likely due to inflammation and high oxidative state. In animal studies, this drug has reduced platelet stickiness and reduced oxidative stress. However, the effects of this drug have not been researched in patients with metabolic syndrome. We are interested in studying whether the benefits of resveratrol described in animal models can be translated to patients with metabolic syndrome who display high markers of oxidative stress. We plan to give a short intervention of drug to patients and then determine if the drug successfully: Decreases the stickiness of platelets. This is important because sticky platelets are more likely to form clot and contribute to plaque formation. Reduce the circulating dysfunctional HDL. HDL and its protein and lipid constituents help to inhibit oxidation, inflammation, activation of the blood vessel wall, coagulation, and platelet aggregation. Dysfunctional HDL, as occurs in metabolic syndrome patients, cannot properly protect against atherosclerosis.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects about 15% of the U.S. population. There are still no effective and safe medications approved for the treatment of abdominal pain associated with bowel symptoms in IBS. This study will investigate the effects of an approved medication, Dronabinol, on the movement of food through the stomach and colon in subjects with a history of diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (D-IBS). Dronabinol is a synthetic medication (a medication made in a laboratory) related to the active ingredient of "cannabinoid or marijuana". Dronabinol is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for preventing nausea and vomiting in patients with cancers undergoing chemotherapy. It is also used in AIDS patients with excessive weight loss for improvement in appetite and weight gain. The hypothesis in this study is that dronabinol will slow down the movement of food through the colon, and that this effect is regulated by the genes controlling the body messengers (receptors) that respond to medicinal marijuana or synthetic medicines that work on the same messengers that are present in the gastrointestinal tract and pain nerves.

The burden of chronic, non-communicable disease, of which cardiovascular disease comprises a significant component, has increased rapidly and substantially in China over recent years. Over the coming decades China is predicted to experience a 69% increase in acute coronary disease(ACS), amounting to nearly 8 million additional events. A recent randomized trial of more than 15,000 patients with acute coronary syndromes, the second phase of Clinical Pathway for acute coronary syndromes in China (CPACS-2) study, showed that a quality improvement initiative could improve aspects of hospital care, including the proportion of patients discharged on appropriate medication. The study also identified a number of barriers to improved care including out of pocket costs and administration systems. However, the study was not able to determine the impact on clinical outcomes or the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. The aim of the third phase of the Clinical Pathway for acute coronary syndromes in China (CPACS-3) study is to determine whether a complex intervention comprising a clinical pathway for ACS management in combination with a number of physician and patient-oriented education tools can improve the quality of care and health outcomes among ACS patient admitted to resource-limited (provincial) hospitals. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated using a cluster randomized trial (stepped wedge design) of ACS patients admitted to 104 hospitals in China. The study will incorporate two additional components (1) a qualitative substudy to identify the barriers and enablers to improved care and (2) a study comparing the cost-effectiveness of the intervention compared to usual care, from the perspective of the health care provider. The study will be conducted in conjunction with the Chinese Ministry of Health and the Chinese Society of Cardiology. The findings from CPACS3 will be able to inform health policy-makers about the extent to which quality improvement initiatives can reduce the risk of death and disability among the millions of ACS patients admitted to hospitals in China each year.

In obese children, low antioxidant vitamin intake and reduced antioxidant capacity are common. Weight reduction reduces subclinical inflammation in obese subjects, and, similarly, antioxidant vitamins have been shown to reduce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, antioxidants reduce oxidative stress which influences endothelial function and might play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related disorders. Furthermore, overweight children and adults have a markedly increased risk for iron deficiency. The mechanism linking obesity with iron deficiency is unclear. Growing evidence suggests that the elevated inflammatory status associated with obesity increases circulating hepcidin and this contributes to iron deficiency. Weight reduction has been shown to be associated with reduced inflammation and serum hepcidin concentrations, and an improved functional iron state. Thus, reducing inflammation in obese children may improve iron metabolism and reduce their risk of iron deficiency. Therefore, positive effects on subclinical inflammation, hepcidin/iron status and metabolic risk factors in obese children during weight loss may be enhanced by supplementation with antioxidants. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of 4-month antioxidant supplementation on subclinical inflammation, hepcidin, iron status and components of the metabolic syndrome in overweight children undergoing an outpatient weight-loss program. Our hypotheses are: 1. During an outpatient weight loss program, antioxidant supplementation will reduce oxidative and inflammatory stress associated with obesity to a greater extent than weight loss alone. 2. This will have two effects, compared to weight loss alone: a.It will reduce circulating hepcidin concentrations, and improve iron status. b.It will improve metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors. Subjects The investigators plan to enroll 50 children who are participants in outpatient weight-loss programs in the German part of Switzerland. Enrollment will be done with the agreement and assistance of the physician supervising the weight-loss program, and the timing of the study measurements will be incorporated within the existing program schedule. It is anticipated that the baseline blood sample for this study will be obtained from the regular baseline venipuncture for the weight-loss study. Criteria for participation include age between 10 to 18 years and a BMI over the 85th percentile for age and sex. Exclusion criteria include major medical illnesses, including gastrointestinal, inflammatory, bleeding and/or endocrine disorders, a history of nephrolithiasis, unusual dietary habits (e.g. vegetarianism), major food allergies or intolerances (lactose, gluten), smoking, and use of chronic medications or vitamin/mineral antioxidant supplements. Study design The study will be a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention trial. Children will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: antioxidant (AO) or placebo (P) supplement. If it is necessary to enroll children from different weight-loss programs, then randomization will be stratified by program. During the 4-month weight loss period, the AO group will consume oral supplements of ascorbic acid (500mg), alpha tocopherol (400 IU), and 50 µg selenium (all from Burgerstein Vitamins, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland) each evening with diner, whereas the P group will consume identical-appearing placebo supplements.

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and the tolerance of the food supplement B-Back®, containing α-casozepine, taurine, eleutherococcus senticosus and Extramel®, on the burnout syndrome.

This phase II trial studies how well early discharge and outpatient care works in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia previously treated with intensive chemotherapy. Gathering information about patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia who are discharged after finishing chemotherapy, or who stay in the hospital until blood counts return to normal, may help doctors learn more about the safety of allowing patients to leave the hospital early, the patient's quality of life, use of medical services, and the cost of these services associated with such a policy.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of BMS-562086 on small bowel and colonic transits in female subjects with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS)