Efficacy and Tolerability of Sensoril® in Improving Immunity and Thereby Reducing Incidence of Upper...
Immune Healthto assess the efficacy and safety of a standardized Withania somnifera extract (Sensoril®) as an immunomodulator in individuals suffering from recurrent URTIs. The study population will be administered with this unique blend of WS extract for 12 weeks and will be assessed as per the study designated efficacy and safety variables.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Therapy for Patients With Covid-19 Using Food Supplements Viusid...
Covid19COVID-19 Pneumonia6 moreThis is a two-arm, randomized, open label, monocenter, controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Viusid plus Asbrip in patients with mild and moderate symptoms of respiratory illness caused by Coronavirus 2019 infection.
Spa Rehabilitation, Antioxidant and Bioenergetic Supportive Treatment of Patients With Post-Covid-19...
COVID-19 Respiratory InfectionOur hypothesis - that 21 days of mountain spa rehabilitation with ubiquinol supplementation could to accelerate regeneration of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome, based on the improving platelet mitochondrial bioenergetic, decreasing of oxidative stress and improving of antioxidants protections of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome.
A Study of Acute Respiratory Infections in Global Outpatient Setting
Acute Respiratory InfectionThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the positivity rate of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in high-risk participants presenting with acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in outpatient settings during the influenza/RSV season and to evaluate the association between lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) and ARI-related hospitalization in participants positive for RSV.
Using Behavioral Science to Reduce Inappropriate Antibiotic Use in Acute Care Settings
Antimicrobial StewardshipAcute Bronchitis1 moreStepped wedge behavioral intervention clinical trial looking at the impact of an antibiotic stewardship intervention on provider prescribing behavior for acute respiratory infections (ARIs), where the intervention is administered at the emergency department or urgent care center site level, using a cluster randomization process. Thus, every site and every provider are eligible to be exposed to the stewardship intervention, the cluster randomized stepped wedge process simply randomizes when they will be exposed. The overall study hypothesis is that providers will prescribe fewer unnecessary antibiotics to patients with ARIs after the intervention.
Human Lung Responses to Respiratory Pathogens
Respiratory InfectionFor most individuals, the lung has a remarkable ability to deal with exposure to a variety of inhaled bacteria. Some individuals, however, do have recurrent bacterial infections, usually in the form of acute or chronic bronchitis and, in some instances, pneumonia. The reasons for this variability in bacterial infections between otherwise healthy subjects, between types of lung disease, and within the same type of lung disease are poorly understood. Variability in susceptibility to bacterial infections is partially explained by differences in exposure to infectious agents, genetic susceptibility and innate (or early) immune responses. It is of interest that the incidence and severity of bacterial infections is greatest during the winter months. Other than viral infections, there are few variables that change with season. Vitamin D is one known immune modulator with a seasonal periodicity. The hypothesis of this study is that levels of vitamin D are an important determinant of the innate defense of the lung against inhaled bacteria. The investigators further postulate that vitamin D has effects on the innate immune function of both alveolar macrophages and lung epithelial cells.
Children Immune Functions
DiarrheaUpper Respiratory InfectionsThe purpose of the planned study is to investigate the effect of heat-treated lactobacilli on diarrhea outcome in healthy children 1-4 years old in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Iron and Prebiotics Fortification in Kenyan Infants
AnemiaIron Deficiency7 moreIron deficiency and anemia are health issues affecting mainly infants and women in developing countries. Iron deficiency in infancy can have long-lasting impact on cognitive and motor development of the child. Iron fortification has shown to be effective against anemia. However, in areas with a high burden of infectious diseases iron may increase the risk of unfavorable gut microbiota composition possibly influencing diarrhea prevalence. Therefore we want to assess the effects of home fortification of complementary food with two iron-containing micronutrient powders (MNPs) with and without the addition of a prebiotic (7.5 g of galactooligosaccharides as GOS-75) compared to a control on the composition of the gut microbiota of Kenyan infants. In addition, iron deficiency may iimpair adaptive immunity. Following Kenyan Minstry of Health guidelines, infants receive their first measles vaccine at 9 months. In this study we will use an MNP with a moderate iron dose of 5 mg, with 2.5 mg of Fe as NaFeEDTA and 2.5 mg of Fe as ferrous fumarate (+Fe). There will be 3 study groups MNP, MNP+Fe and MNP+Fe+GOS. The infants will be enrolled in the study at the age of 6-10 months and will consume a home-fortified maize porridge for four months. At baseline and endpoint (after 4 months of intervention), we will collect blood samples of the infants in order to assess anemia, iron status, and inflammation. In addition, we will assess the effect of iron supplementation on measles vaccine response. Fecal samples (from child and mother) will be collected at baseline, 3 weeks and at endpoint in order to evaluate the changes in gut microbiota and gut inflammation. During the intervention, in a sub-group of children who receive broad-spectrum antibiotics, we will compare how the three different interventions modify the effect of antibiotics on the infant gut microbiota. We will opportunistically select children that are enrolled in the study and who become ill, and who are prescribed antibiotics by the local health care team, according to the local standard of care in the study area. Five additional stool samples from these children will be collected (day 0 (before the first antibiotic dose), 5, 10, 20 and 40) to evaluate the changes in the gut microbiota and gut inflammation. Three years after the study end, we would like to collect a blood and stool sample from the children and examine the iron status and gut microbiome respectively.
Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Local Information Campaign on Antibiotic Prescribing in Italy
Upper Respiratory Tract InfectionsUse of information campaigns and educational interventions directed to citizens and supported by physicians, aimed at promoting the appropriate use of medicines, have been evaluated by several studies with conflicting results. These interventions are potentially relevant, favouring the reduction of unnecessary use of medicines and related risks. Several studies have specifically evaluated the promotion of the appropriate use of antibiotics in adults and children, with variable results. A controlled study has been proposed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention aimed at reducing antibiotic prescription by increasing awareness on risks of their unnecessary use. Information has been provided to citizens through several media (posters, local TV, radio and newspapers, video terminals, websites of Local Health Authorities). Brochures with information on expected benefits and risks of antibiotics has also been available, either with direct access in waiting rooms and pharmacies or handed out and mediated by doctors. Physicians and pharmacists received specific data on local antibiotic resistance. A small group of representative doctors have also actively participated in defining the campaign key messages. A sample of general practitioners and paediatricians have been trained in patient counselling strategies. The information campaign has been implemented in two Provinces of Emilia-Romagna during the fall-winter season (November 2011-February 2012). Change in the overall prescribing rate of antibiotics (expressed as DDD per 1000 inhabitants/day) in the intervention area will be compared versus other areas in the same Region. Knowledge and attitudes of the general population will be evaluated through a phone and internet survey on a representative sample. This study could observe a reduction lower than 5% in the prescribing rate of antibiotics.
Exploratory Study of Intrapulmonary Microdosing of Gram-negative Optical Imaging Detection Probe...
Respiratory InfectionsCritically ill patients are often ventilated in dedicated critical care units to provide respiratory support. Despite best practice patients can often develop a condition called adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which is characterised by deterioration in their respiratory function, and changes on chest x-ray. The correct management for ARDS is identifying the underlying condition causing the deterioration and identifying appropriate targeted therapy. One such cause is pneumonia, caused by a bacterial infection in the lungs of a ventilated patient. The patients may have been ventilated due to pneumonia but they may also develop pneumonia whilst ventilated. Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) has significant mortality. Despite all the clinical and laboratory data at the investigators' disposal there remains great difficulty in the accurate diagnosis of pneumonia and therefore treatment is often given empirically. Therefore, there is an urgent clinical need for accurate methods to diagnose the presence of bacteria deep in the lung in ventilated critically ill patients. As such, the investigating team have developed and synthesised an imaging agent called BAC TWO. BAC TWO will be instilled directly into the lungs of 12 patients to assess whether it can label gram-negative bacteria in the human lung.