All clinical trials

Hypothesis:benefits of inspiratory muscle strenght training with Respifit S decreases symptoms, disability or handicap of patients affected by COPD. The inspiratory fraction (inspiratory capacity IC/ total lung capacity TLC)may be functionally more representative than other traditional indices.

Hip fractures are usually classified according to their X-ray as subcapital, pertrochanteric. We examine hip fractures with ultrasound in order to characterize the fractures with several parameters.

The aim of this study is to show the frequency of endothelial dysfunction in patients suffering from ectatic coronary arteries as compared to those who have normal coronary arteries. Should this frequency be significant we would recommend initiating conventional treatment in those patients with ectatic coronary arteries as is the practice in patients with endothelial dysfunction without ectatic arteries

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between serial B-natriuretic peptide (BNP) and implantable device measured intrathoracic impedance in symptomatic and asymptomatic heart failure patients over a 1-year period. Furthermore, this study will establish whether implantable device measured intrathoracic impedance trends with the distance walked on a six-minute hall walk (6MHW), an exercise-based acute measure that has also been associated with heart failure clinical status.

The purposes of this study are to investigate the functional connectivity of motor network in patients of stroke and investigate the mechanism of brain plasticity for recovery after stroke.

This project involves a comprehensive assessment of barriers to diabetes guidelines adherence across 25 practices in the Crozer-Keystone primary care PBRN. A Barrier Assessment Tool (BAT) will be validated to correlate with provider and practice adherence to diabetes care guidelines. The network is part of the Crozer-Keystone Health System located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, in the southeast quadrant of the Philadelphia metropolitan region.

Both upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy are recommended in men and post-menopausal women with iron deficiency anemia. Due to lack of data on the yield of these endoscopies in young men, they are currently investigated as older men. The aim of this study is to evaluate prospectively the prevalence of various gastrointestinal lesions in young men with iron deficiency anemia. Our hypothesis is that the diagnostic yield of colonoscopy in young anemic men without gastrointestinal symptoms is very low, especially if a potential lesion is detected during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Therefore, this study will try to identify predicting factors regarding the yield of both endoscopies. Another purpose is to evaluate the outcome of patients with negative endoscopic results, during a follow-up of two years.

Patients with hemolytic disorders (e.g. sickle cell anemia or thalassemia) are known to develop pulmonary hypertension. Hemolysis is where red blood cells are destroyed and their contents released into the circulation. It is thought that these red-cell contents cause constriction and thrombosis of the blood vessels in the lungs. Conversely, it is possible that patients with pulmonary hypertension have hemolysis. In this study we will be drawing blood from a range of patients and normal controls for a panel of blood tests related to hemolysis.

Optimise genetic screening of human embryos using higher resolution techniques

The exact etiology of ischemic stroke remains unclear, because multiple genetic predispositions and environmental risk factors may be involved, and their interactions dictate the complexity. Family-based studies provide unique features in design because of their robustness to population admixture and stratification. The Fangshan / Family-based Ischemic Stroke Study In China (FISSIC) program aims to conduct a genetic pedigree study of ischemic stroke in rural communities of China.