Clinical Research Directory

Assessment and Prediction of Cardiovascular Health and Disease Risk Using Wearable Biometrics.

This prospective, observational cohort study will evaluate the associations between wearable-derived biometrics and cardiovascular health, quantified by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 framework, as well as related cardiovascular risk factors. The study aims to determine whether wearable biometrics can support the assessment of cardiovascular health and cardiovascular disease risk, both when used in isolation and in combination with point-of-care assessments.

THE EFFECT OF ENDODONTIC TREATMENT ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK BIOMARKERS IN PATIENTS WITH STABLE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Study subjects were obtained from the pool of OPD patients in the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, PGIDS, Rohtak, and the Department of Cardiology, PGIMS, Rohtak. Baseline clinical, radiographic, and laboratory parameters (hsCRP and IL-6) were recorded. Patients were then randomly allocated to one of the two groups. In the test group, single-sitting root canal treatment was performed immediately, while in the control group, delayed endodontic intervention (after 3 months) was performed after three months. Clinical and laboratory parameters were again assessed at the end of 3 months in both groups. hsCRP and IL-6 indices were again done in the delayed treatment group after 3 months of root canal treatment.

Cardiovascular Health of Transgender Individuals During the Gender-affirming Pathway

Gender incongruence, now classified in ICD-11 as a "marked and persistent incongruence between an individual's experienced gender and the gender assigned at birth," is managed in dedicated, multidisciplinary centres that coordinate psychological support with medical-surgical care. Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is central to this care pathway. In particular, masculinising GAHT for people assigned female at birth (AFAB) relies mainly on testosterone, and feminising or demasculinising GAHT for people assigned male at birth (AMAB) combines oestradiol with androgen-lowering agents such as cyproterone acetate or GnRH analogues (triptorelin, leuprorelin). In addition, Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) offers further individualised options: "Top" procedures- chest masculinisation for AFAB or breast augmentation for AMAB, and "Bottom" procedures\*\* such as hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy, phalloplasty or metoidioplasty for AFAB; orchiectomy or vaginoplasty for AMAB. Other ancillary interventions include facial feminisation or voice surgery. GAHT aims to suppress endogenous sex-hormone levels and secondary sex characteristics while inducing those consistent with the affirmed gender. Despite its widespread use, cardiovascular (CV) safety data are scant and largely observational. Sex-steroid receptors are ubiquitous in the vasculature and contribute to the sex-dimorphic patterns of CV risk seen in cisgender populations; GAHT is therefore biologically plausible as a modifier of CV outcomes in transgender people, yet robust evidence remains limited. Current literature suggests that AFAB individuals on testosterone exhibit an up to 2.66-fold higher composite CV risk than cisgender AFAB comparators. The most consistent changes are higher blood pressure and lower HDL cholesterol; clinically significant polycythaemia is uncommon and treatable. Instead, AMAB individuals on feminising therapy do not show a clearly increased overall CV risk compared with cisgender AMAB peers, though data are inconsistent. An observational study reported that within four months of GAHT initiation, systolic blood pressure rose by 2.6 mmHg in trans men and fell by 4 mmHg in trans women, with no diastolic change in either group. The current evidence base is weakened by small cohorts, inadequate control groups, and reliance on surrogate biochemical markers rather than hard clinical endpoints. Many studies also overlook GAHT exposure altogether, hampering meaningful interpretation. Moreover, social determinants-mental-health burden, substance use, and healthcare inequities-compound CV risk but are seldom accounted for. Key unanswered questions include the long-term CV effects of GAHT, age-specific interactions with blood pressure and lipids, optimal therapeutic targets, and underlying mechanisms. Addressing these gaps demands rigorously designed, large-scale, prospective studies that actively involve transgender participants. In summary, while GAHT is indispensable for gender affirmation, its cardiovascular implications-especially for AFAB individuals-warrant caution and systematic monitoring. Future evidence should inform tailored protocols that balance gender-affirming benefits against potential CV risks and integrate biomedical parameters with the broader social context impacting transgender health.

The Mauritius and Rodrigues Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Study

Mauritius is located in the southern Indian Ocean with a population of 1.3 million in 2023. Mauritius is a multiethnic nation with 68% South Asian, 27% African (Creole), 3% Chinese and 2% Franco Mauritians. Seven population-based cross-sectional surveys using standardised protocols were conducted between 1987 and 2021). The participation rate has been over 85% in each survey. At each survey, participants were interviewed about living conditions, lifestyle and health, and anthropometry and blood pressure were measured. Biochemistry including lipids and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were performed Electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded in participants aged 35 years and older. Previous participants were followed up in 2007 and 92% were successfully traced. Studies with identical methodology have been performed on the neighbouring island Rodrigues where the majority of the population are Creoles.

Mitigation of Cardiovascular Disease Risks in Children With Extreme Obesity

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the drug semaglutide changes markers of disease risk as it relates to weight in children ages 12-15 years old who are obese (class 2 or 3). The main questions it aims to answer are: * How do the rate of weight loss, body mass index (BMI), body composition, heart structure and function, and exercise ability interact with one another in the study population at enrollment? * How do risk markers of disease change over the study in the study participants who are given semaglutides to help with weight loss? * Are there differences in the above factors between males and females and are there key factors to help improve the outcomes? Participants will be given semaglutide for this study. During the course of the study, participants will: * have two cardiac MRI scans OR two cardiac echocardiograms (one before starting semaglutide and one around 12 months after taking the drug) * have body composition and fitness levels assessed twice (before semaglutide and around 12 months after taking it) and have urine specific gravity (USG) measured * have extra blood drawn when labs their doctor orders are already being drawn (once at the beginning of the study, once around 6 months after enrollment, and once at the end of the study) * have follow up visits with the study doctor * be asked to take a pregnancy test if they are female and have started menstruation