Clinical Research Directory

Clinical Information System Impact on Hospitalized Patients With Chronic Disease

This is a retrospective, observational study using routinely collected information collected by Alberta Health Services. The study will identify patients with chronic disease, defined by one or more of the following conditions; diabetes mellitus, heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, or chronic lung disease. Adult residents of Alberta with a chronic disease of interest present upon hospital admission and who survive to hospital discharge will be included in the study cohort. The primary outcome will be the composite of hospital readmission or death within 30 days of discharge. Secondary outcomes will include components of the composite, length of stay, patient experiences related to their hospital to home transition of care, and processes of care. Multi-level interrupted time series analysis will be used to compare outcomes before versus after implementation of the Connect Care CIS.

Enhanced External Counterpulsation for Patients With Ventilation Disorders

This study evaluates enhanced external counterpulsation as a non-pharmacological therapy for patients with severe and moderate ventilation disorders due to chronic lung diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma and interstitial lung diseases). The study will include 80 patients with severe (30% \< forced expiratory volume in 1 second \< 49% or lung diffusion capacity \< 40%) and moderate (50% \< forced expiratory volume in 1 second \< 59% or lung diffusion capacity 40-60%) ventilation disorders, who will be divided into 2 groups (the main group and the comparison group). In addition to optimal pharmacological therapy according to the current clinical guidelines of the Russian Ministry of Health, the main group will receive a course of enhanced external counterpulsation. The comparison group will receive only optimal pharmacological therapy (according to the current clinical guidelines of the Russian Ministry of Health). At the time of inclusion in the study and after 1 month, spirometry, bodyplethysmography, lung diffusion capacity, a 6-minute walk test and an assessment of quality of life according to the SF-36 questionnaire will be conducted.