Clinical Research Directory

Clinical Application of Al18F-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT or PET/MRI Imaging in Malignant Tumor,Cardiovascular or Immune Disease

This prospective, single-center study investigates the biodistribution, dosimetry, safety, diagnostic performance of Al18F-NOTA-FAPI PET imaging in patients with malignant tumor,cardiovascular or immune disease. And evaluates the potential of Al18F-NOTA-FAPI PET imaging in Clinical treatment strategy guidance.

Multicenter Study on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Complications in Patients With Biochemically Silent Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas

The aim of the study is to characterise the cardiovascular and metabolic complications pre- and post-surgery of patients with biochemically negative PPGL and to compare them with normal individuals and patients with secreting PPGLs age and sex matched.

Long-term Follow-up of the Offspring Born to Mothers With a Solid Organ Transplant, Transplantlines Next Generation

Background Pregnancy after all types of solid organ transplantation (SOT) is possible, although these have higher risk of pregnancy complications for mother and child, such as preeclampsia and preterm birth. Thus, the development of the unborn child seems to be affected by the transplant and its consequences such as the immunosuppressive medication use. Worldwide data regarding follow-up after birth is scarce. The very limited existing data existing only in young children are reassuring. However, the investigators hypothesize that there are health risks for the children. Given the side effects of the immunosuppressive medication on patients and limited knowledge from animal studies, the investigators particularly expect cardiovascular effects such as hypertension and kidney damage. These develop over a long time-period and lead late to symptoms. Aims Aim of this study is to gain more insight into the overall health of offspring born after SOT. Primary aim is to assess the cardiovascular health and the presence of kidney disease, and compare these with reference values from the general population or birth cohorts. Secondary aims are the immunological status including the microbiome of the child given the maternal immunosuppressive medication use, and the overall development of the offspring, including qualitative research regarding the quality of life. Third aim is to assess if there are differences in health between offspring born to mothers with a kidney, liver, pancreas (including pancreas islet), heart and lung transplantation (KTx, LiTx, PTx, HTx, LuTx resp.). The investigators also want to establish a biobank for later follow-up research. Study design This will be a cross-sectional monocenter cohort study. All offspring ≥16 years of age born after KTx or LiTx and all offspring born at any age after PTx, HTx and LuTx in the Netherlands will be eligible for inclusion. The investigators estimate that there will be about 150(-220) participants. Before the study visit, participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire. Participants will be invited for a one-time study visit consisting of physical tests (including ultrasound of the kidneys and a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement) and biological sample (urine, blood and feces) collection, including sample collection for biobanking. Information about the growth and development of the offspring and, if present, diseases and medication use will be collected from the medical files of the general practitioner and pharmacy (LSP) and from data from the youth healthcare check-ups. As a control group pseudoanonymized data from the Lifelines cohort will be used. Deliverables To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first study worldwide that will gather and analyze detailed information about the cardiovascular, kidney and immunological health at a later age (≥16 years) in the offspring born to mothers after KTx, LiTx, PTx, HTx and LuTx. This information will be important for the preconceptional counseling of families with a pregnancy wish after transplantation and thereby contribute to the health of women with a SOT. Next to that, find adverse effects of the pregnancy after transplantation on the offspring are found, the investigators expect there will be modifiable factors and/or early screening/interventions that can reduce these risks and thereby contribute to the health of the offspring.

Evaluation of Clinical Intelligence Support to Reduce Errors in Normal ECGs

This study will evaluate the performance of specialist physicians in interpreting normal electrocardiograms (ECGs) with and without the assistance of an artificial intelligence (AI) neural network. The primary aim is to determine whether AI support affects the rate of false-positive interpretations of normal tracings. Secondary aims include evaluating the time required for interpretation, the sensitivity for detecting abnormalities, and the effect on false positives in ECGs with major abnormalities according to the Minnesota Code system. All ECGs in the sample will be reviewed by a panel of three specialists, to determine the reference classification.

Exercise Addiction and Health Risks in Gym Users

This observational study aims to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries and cardiovascular risk factors among individuals with and without exercise addiction. Adult recreational gym users who have been engaging in resistance training for at least six months will be included. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their exercise dependence levels, and outcomes such as musculoskeletal symptoms, anabolic substance use, and cardiovascular risk scores will be compared between groups.

Two-Year Study of the Safety and Efficacy of the Second-Generation Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts

A single arm clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the second generation TEVG as vascular conduits for extracardiac total cavopulmonary connection.

Safety and Efficacy Study of reSept ASD Occluder for Treating Secundum ASD

Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the reSept ASD Occluder to treat patients with clinically significant secundum atrial septal defect

Can a Smartphone Listen to Your Heart? A Performance Study on Detecting Abnormalities in Your Heart Sounds

This observational study aims to assess the performance of the software called ausculto™. ausculto™ is a collection of computer algorithms that intend to analyse heart sounds recorded from the built-in microphone of a smartphone for abnormal sounds. Participants will have their heart sounds recorded during their regular clinic appointment after consenting to participate in this study. Researchers will manually annotate the recorded heart sounds to create a database for use in future training and testing of artificial intelligence (AI) intended for medical uses.

Mayo AVC Registry and Biobank

Arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy (AVC) is a genetic condition which affects the heart and can lead to heart failure and rhythm problems, of which, sudden cardiac arrest or death is the most tragic and dangerous. Diagnosis and screening of blood-relatives is very difficult as the disease process can be subtle, but sufficient enough, so that the first event is sudden death. The Mayo Clinic AVC Registry is a collaboration between Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA and Papworth Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK. The investigators aim to enroll patients with a history of AVC or sudden cardiac death which may be due to AVC, from the US and UK. Family members who are blood-relatives will also be invited, including those who do not have the condition. Data collected include symptoms, ECG, echocardiographic, MRI, Holter, loop recorder, biopsies, exercise stress testing, blood, buccal and saliva samples. Objectives of the study: 1. Discover new genes or altered genes (variants) which cause AVC 2. Identify biomarkers which predict (2a) disease onset, (2b) disease progression, (2c) and the likelihood of arrhythmia (ventricular, supra-ventricular and atrial fibrillation) 3. Correlate genotype with phenotype in confirmed cases of AVC followed longitudinally using clinical, electrocardiographic and imaging data. 4. Characterize desmosomal changes in buccal mucosal cells with genotype and validate with gold-standard endomyocardial biopsies

Cardiovascular and Endocrine Response to Muscular Training Program of Young Soccer Players Aged 14-18 Years

This study focuses on understanding the cardiovascular and endocrine responses of young soccer players aged 14 to 18 years to a muscular training program. Adolescence is a critical period for physiological development, and investigating these responses can provide insights crucial for athletic performance and overall health. The benefits include promoting overall health, reducing injury risk, and enhancing scientific knowledge. However, intensive training programs may lead to overtraining and potential negative health outcomes if not carefully monitored. The study aims to assess whether additional neuromuscular development over 12 weeks can enhance players' physical fitness and hormonal changes. By examining these outcomes, the study seeks to inform evidence-based training protocols for optimizing adolescent athletes' health and performance in soccer. The study design involves a prospective single-center randomized cohort to investigate these responses comprehensively.

A Prospective Study of Breast Cancer Patients With Abnormal Strain Imaging

The Cardio-Oncology program at Northwestern offers care to cancer patients who develop cardiac toxicities from chemotherapy. Breast cancer patients with the tumor marker for HER2 necessitate treatment with anthracycline and/or trastuzumab and pertuzumab-based chemotherapies, which are known to cause cardiac toxicities. Breast cancer patients will undergo a "cardio-oncology echocardiogram" which incorporates advanced left ventricular assessment by utilizing deformation or strain imaging during chemotherapy treatment for surveillance of cardiac toxicities. The aims of this project are: 1. To create a registry of both clinical, and echocardiographic variables, biomarkers, and genetic analysis that will be used to develop a risk model to predict LV dysfunction in early stage breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with anthracycline and/or trastuzumab and pertuzumab-based chemotherapy regimens. 2. To propose a new management algorithm for initiation of prophylactic beta-blocker therapy for early stage breast cancer patients with preclinical cardiac toxicities demonstrated by strain parameters. 3. To determine if initiation of prophylactic beta-blocker therapy in patients with early cardiac toxicity can delay or prevent a drop in LV EF and the development of clinical heart failure. 4. To explore serial measurements of a suite of novel biomarkers during ongoing anticancer treatment that are presumed but not yet proven to be predictive of cardiac dysfunction in women with breast cancer. 5. To identify DNA biomarkers of predilection to cardiotoxicity. 6. To generate hiPSC to validate markers predictive of cardiotoxicity.