Clinical Research Directory

An Adaptive Multi-arm Trial to Improve Clinical Outcomes Among Children Recovering From Complicated SAM

Malnutrition underlies 45% of child deaths, and has far-reaching educational, economic and health consequences. Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) affects 17 million children globally and is the most life-threatening form of malnutrition. Community-based management of acute malnutrition using ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) has transformed outcomes for children with uncomplicated SAM, but those presenting with poor appetite or medical complications (categorised as having 'complicated' SAM) require hospitalisation. Data show that pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria are leading causes of death in children with complicated SAM after discharge from hospital. High risk of infectious deaths suggests that sustained antimicrobial interventions may reduce mortality following discharge from hospital. Furthermore, children with complicated SAM respond less well to nutritional rehabilitation, and oftentimes are discharged to a home environment characterised by poverty and multiple caregiver vulnerabilities including depression, low decision making autonomy, lack of social support, gender-restricted family relations, and competing demands on scarce resources. Caregivers have to navigate diverse challenges that impede engagement with clinical care after discharge from hospital. The objective is to address the biological and social determinants of multimorbidity in children with complicated SAM by comparing an antimicrobial intervention with standard of care.

Effects of Preoperative Multidisciplinary Team Meetings for High-risk, Adult, Noncardiac Surgical Patients

The current multicenter stepped wedge randomized cluster trial study aims to assess whether implementation of preoperative multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions is (cost)effective for high risk noncardiac surgical patients. The main questions to answer are: * Primary question: Does implementation of preoperative multidisciplinary team discussions for high risk noncardiac surgical patients diminish serious adverse events as compared to care as usual at six months postoperatively or six months after multidisciplinary team discussion in case of nonsurgical treatment? * Secondary questions: Does implementation of preoperative multidisciplinary team discussion for high risk noncardiac surgical patients improve disability, survival, functional outcome, quality of life and cost-effectiveness as compared to care as usual at six months postoperatively or six months after multidisciplinary team discussion in case of nonsurgical treatment? Participants will be asked to answer questionnaires at baseline, 3, 6,9 and 12 months postoperatively or post MDT discussion. Patients for whom no structured preoperative multidisciplinary discussion is installed yet (care as usual) will be compared with patients for whom a structured preoperative multidisciplinary discussion is performed (intervention). The study will be performed in hospitals that have no established preoperative MDT meeting at the start of the study.

The Danish Comorbidity in Liver Transplant Recipients Study

Background: Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. Short-term survival has improved due to improved surgical techniques and greater efficacy of immunosuppressive drugs. At present, the 10-year survival after liver transplantation is 60%, but long-term survival has not improved to the same extent the short-term survival. In addition to liver- and transplant-related causes, comorbidities such as cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, and metabolic diseases have emerged as leading causes of morbidity and mortality in liver transplant recipients. The objective of this study is to assess the burden of comorbidities and identify both liver- and transplant-related risk factors as well as traditional risk factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of comorbidity in liver transplant recipients. Methods/design: The DACOLT study is an observational, longitudinal study. The investigators aim to include all adult liver transplant recipients in Denmark. Participants will be matched by sex and age to controls from the Copenhagen General Population Study (CGPS) and the Copenhagen City Heart Study (CCHS). Physical and biological measures including blood pressure, ancle-brachial index, spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide, electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography (CT) angiography of the heart, unenhanced CT of chest and abdomen and blood samples will be collected using uniform protocols in participants in CGPS, CCHS and DACOLT. Blood samples will be collected and stored in a research biobank. Follow-up examinations at regular intervals up to 10 years of follow-up are planned. Discussion: There is no international consensus standard for optimal clinical care or monitoring of liver transplant recipients. The study will determine prevalence, incidence and risk factors for comorbidity in liver transplant recipients and may be used to provide evidence for guidelines on screening and long-term treatment and thereby contribute to improvement of the long-term survival.

Streamlined Geriatric and Oncological Evaluation Based On IC Technology

The primary objective of GERONTE STUDY is to evaluate the effectiveness of the GERONTE, ICT-based, integrated care pathway to improve patient 6-month quality of life, in France. Study design is a stepped wedge randomised controlled trial. Clusters will be participating hospitals, comprising eight investigating sites in total (Figure 2). This is a stepped wedge of cross-over type. Patients included at each "step" are different individuals. The first "step" is a reference measurement where none of the clusters will implement the intervention. The investigating sites will be randomly drawn to determine the order in which they will implement the intervention, by "steps" of two months. The primary endpoint is the Quality of Life assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3.0) questionnaire at 6 months after GERONTE implementation. It has 3 sub-scores that will be analysed independently, with alpha risk adjustment.

Tirzepatide Combined With Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Overweight/Obesity (OOB)

The investigators approach is to conduct a Phase II Double-Blind randomised controlled trial with individuals with co-occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and overweight/obesity (AUD-OOB) to receive either a sub-cutaneous injection of Tirzepatide (2.5 mg for 4 weeks followed by 5 mg for 4 weeks) or visually matched sham saline injection, in combination with a structured behavioural intervention (Take Control CBT Module). The primary aim of the study is evaluate the efficacy of the intervention on the number of heavy drinking days (defined as 5+ standard drinks for men, 4+ standard drinks for women) during the final month of treatment (weeks 5 to 8) compared to baseline. The secondary aim of the study is to assess treatment effects on alcohol related (e.g. number drinks consumed per day, abstinent days) and cardio-metabolic outcomes (e.g. body weight in kg, waist circumference, blood pressure, HbA1c, total cholesterol etc...), and summarise safety outcomes associated with use (e.g. frequency and severity of side effects, number of serious adverse events, treatment related discontinuations). The study will also include neurobiological assessments such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and lab-based psychophysiology to assess the impact of tirzepatide on change in brain activity and autonomic responses to alcohol and food cues.

Ketamine-Enhanced Therapy for Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder and Depression: A Pilot Study (KET-DUAL)

To assess the safety, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of ketamine-enhanced therapy (KET) for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) in an open-label, single arm, pilot clinical trial.

Comorbidity Management in Rheumatic Disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease where the immune system attacks the body by mistake, causing inflammation of the joints and other body parts. People with rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of infections, heart problems, and bone issues compared to others. They regularly see rheumatologists, arthritis care physicians, to manage their disease. However, managing these other health problems alongside their main treatment is difficult for rheumatologists due to limited resources. This clinical study is being conducted to see if adding a family doctor to a team of rheumatologists can help. Rheumatologists will complete a case report form about the patient's health and send them to a special family physician clinic. This clinic will focus on improving vaccination against diseases, heart health, and bone strength. They will check if patients need special vaccines to protect them from infections. They will screen for heart disease using blood pressure measurements, and order blood work for high cholesterol and diabetes if needed. They will also review bone health and send people for tests to check their bone density if needed. A change in routines and medications may be recommended after their checkup. Rheumatologists will complete another case report about the patient's health 6 months after their family doctor appointment. The study will assess how these markers of health management improve after this family doctor joins the team. It hopes to prove that this new way of working in the community will give people with rheumatoid arthritis better protection against certain infections, heart problems and weak bones.

Association of a Digital Signature of Physical Activity and Sedentary Lifestyle With the Development of Multimorbidities in Chronic Diseases (eMOB)

Physical activity (PA) and sedentary lifestyle are determinants in the development of chronic diseases and associated quality of life alterations. PA levels are correlated with quality of life and morbidity in chronic lung disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic inflammatory rheumatism, fibromyalgia and anxiety disorders. In these diseases, low-intensity PA often represents the main PA and the quantity of PA is correlated with health parameters. This study aims to identify a typical profile (signature) in relation to the appearance of other chronic diseases, complications of your disease, from recording your physical activity and sedentary lifestyle by sensors evaluating very precisely the movements and taking into account the characteristics and disability related to your disease. The results of this study would therefore make it possible to identify this signature even before the appearance of complications or other diseases.

Conversion to SADI-S, RYGB or OAGB After Failed Sleeve

Assess what revisional surgery is superior and provides the best weight loss after primary LSG. What is the occurrence of complications and the nutritional laboratory status? And if the resolution and /or improvement of associated medical problems after the weight loss will occur.

Family-Based Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes carries high burden for affected youth and their families. Advances in insulin therapy and technology have been associated with increased obesity with 1/3 adolescents being overweight/obese. Since obesity runs in families and carries risk for poor outcomes psychologically and medically, the investigators are adapting our successful evidence-based Family Based Treatment for hybrid delivery to improve obesity and metabolic control in the affected youth and improve obesity and related co-morbidities in their parents.

Frailty in Outpatient Digestive Endoscopy

The increase in our society of the proportion of frail people who suffer from disability and dependency forces us to detect modifiable factors and therefore subject to intervention that can adapt health care for frail patients in order to increase the effectiveness and safety of medical treatments and procedures. A geriatric assessment should be performed on all patients likely to present frailty prior to a digestive endoscopy to assess the risk-benefit of the indication and to improve patient preparation by avoiding adverse effects of endoscopic examinations, increasing the safety and profitability of the tests There are no data in our medium on the prevalence of frailty in patients referred for endoscopy, nor on the incidence in these patients of adverse effects, inadequate preparations, or incomplete examinations, so a frailty study is needed to elaborate multidisciplinary protocols that improve circuits and care in these patients and prevent complications. The questions we want to try to answer are: * Prevalence and severity of fragility in digestive endoscopy. * Specific problems related to fragility in digestive endoscopy, mainly the profitability of the examination and the incidence of adverse effects, in order to create protocols for improving care in this group of patients.

Digital Implementation of the German S3 Clinical Practice Guideline for Multimorbidity

The web application gp-multitool.de is a digital tool for implementing the German S3 clinical practice guideline for multimorbidity of the German Society of General Practitioners and Family Physicians in primary care. The tool enhances evidence-based and patient-centered care by assessing and providing information relevant for the primary care of this patient group. This cluster-randomised clinical evaluation study examines the effectiveness of an intervention based on gp-multitool.de in general practitioner (GP) practices in Germany.

Evaluating Smoking Cessation Interventions for PWH in South Africa

The overall objective of the study is to optimize a smoking cessation treatment package for people with HIV (PWH) that can be integrated into existing HIV care in South Africa.

Pragmatic Assessment of the NuvoAir Clinical Service in the Management of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

This is a 12 month study of up to 500 people with COPD to determine if the NuvoAir clinical service leads to lower rates of severe COPD exacerbations, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and total cost of care compared to a similar group that doesn't receive care from the NuvoAir clinical service.

Variation in Drug Interactions in People With HIV (PLWH) Aged 60 Years and Older.

Several cohort studies have recently shown a significant increase in the mean age of PLWH ( People Living With HIV) and in the prevalence of people in advanced age in the various cohorts, as a result of the marked increase in the mean life expectancy of these people achieved by modern antiretroviral combination therapies. However, the high prevalence of comorbidities exposes PLWH in old age to the need to take multiple drug treatments in addition to antiretroviral therapy, with the gradually increasing risk of unfavorable pharmacokinetic interactions between antiretroviral drugs and drugs taken to treat the comorbidities. This project consists of an observational, cohort, retrospective, single-center study and aims to evaluate the variation in the number and type of clinically significant drug interactions between antiretroviral therapy and concomitant therapies in PLWH aged \>60 years on stable antiretroviral therapy who, for any reason at the Clinician's discretion, have made a switch from ongoing antiretroviral therapy to the bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide regimen.

HISTOLOGICAL RESULTS IN TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS ASSIGNED TO FEMALES AT BIRTH UNDERGOING GENDER AFFIRMATION SURGERY AND IN TESTOSTERONE THERAPY

The aim of this study is to report histological results of genital organs removed during gender affirmg surgery in transgender people assigned female at birth (AFAB), to increase the knowledge about the long-term effects of gender affirming hormone therapy with testosterone on these organs and to evaluate the incidence of benign and malign gynecological pathology in AFAB transgender people.

Integrated Multi-omics Data for Personalized Treatment of Obesity-associated Fatty Liver Disease

The investigators seek to analyze the samples provided by patients with obesity-associated fatty liver disease at the multi-omics level and to integrate the results with clinical information, genotypic variants, and factors influencing inter-organ crosstalk. The main aim is to improve the interpretation of fatty liver disease associated with obesity and diabetes by developing predictive models built with algorithms from artificial intelligence. The challenge is to decipher the flow of information by exploring contributing factors, proximate causes of regulatory defects, and maladaptive responses that may promote therapeutic approaches.

Multidimensional Rehabilitation Programs for Cognitive Impairment in Comorbid Outpatients: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Dementias secondary to cerebrovascular diseases are of significant epidemiological and clinical relevance. As a result, the management of individuals with comorbid dementia should involve early diagnosis, effective treatment, and patient-centered care planning, both in specialist and in non-specialist settings. It is well known that physical exercise can improve various aspects of health, including resistance, balance, strength, and cognitive functions such as attention and executive performance. However, the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation is still not definitive and requires further clarification. Preliminary evidence suggests that a combination of cognitive and motor training along with novel technological approaches has the potential to maintain or improve compromised cognitive function more effectively compared to a single intervention. A multidomain intervention could enhance cognitive functioning in elderly individuals with multiple morbidities. In the present study, patients with early neurocognitive impairment based on a vascular disorder or due to multiple etiologies, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, will be screened in an outpatient multidisciplinary setting and subsequently undergo different models of rehabilitation training. Primary aim of this study: \- Assess the effectiveness of different rehabilitation protocols for improving cognitive functions in patients with comorbid cognitive impairment. Specifically, the investigators will test the effectiveness of three rehabilitation protocols (digital-based cognitive rehabilitation combined with motor rehabilitation, paper-based cognitive rehabilitation combined with motor rehabilitation, and motor rehabilitation alone) by means of a set of multidimensional outcome measures. Secondary aims: \- evaluating the enhancement of cognitive performance using various cognitive questionnaires categorized by cognitive domains. Additionally, the investigators will examine multidimensional variables such as motor skills, mood and anxiety levels, quality of life, patient adherence to treatment, the role of communication in patient management, caregiver burden, and the usability of digital devices (when utilized).

A Mixed-method Pilot Investigation of Paradoxical Intention for Insomnia.

The investigators aim to test the preliminary efficacy as well as the acceptability and feasibility of paradoxical intention, which is a psychotherapeutic technique, for improving insomnia symptoms in adults. Previous research has tested this technique for insomnia and found overall positive results. However, during the last decades very few studies have examined paradoxical intention. Therefore the investigators wish to conduct a pilot study examining the effects in a modern context.

Taiwan Interstitial Lung Disease Multi-center Investigation and Registry

The Taiwan Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Multi-center Investigation and Registry aims to evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease. This prospective observational registry will collect comprehensive clinical data from multiple centers, including epidemiological information, comorbidities, questionnaire results, routine blood tests, biochemical tests, pulmonary function tests, echocardiograms, and cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET), all following a standardized protocol. Key components of the registry include annual HRCT scans, annual CPETs, biobank blood samples, and biannual echocardiograms and pulmonary function tests. The main questions the registry aims to answer are: 1. Differences in all-cause mortality among ILD patients of different etiologies. 2. Differences in the annual risk of acute exacerbation among ILD patients of different etiologies. 3. Effectiveness of current anti-fibrotic drugs in treating IPF and ILD of different etiologies. 4. Predictive ability of HRCT imaging features for mortality risk in ILD patients. 5. Impact of comorbidities on the mortality risk of ILD patients. 6. Predictive ability of biomarkers for disease progression and mortality.

Postoperative Dietary Intake of Hip Fracture Patients

The goal of this observational study is to observe the postoperative dietary intake in older adult hip fracture patients from their day of surgery (day zero) until day three inclusive. The aims of this study are: Primary aim: To observe if the postoperative dietary energy intake (kJ/kcal) of older adult hip fracture patients meets Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) needs. Secondary aims: To explore if there is a correlation between postoperative dietary intake and length of hospital stay. To explore the relationship between comorbidity (where reported) and postoperative dietary intake, according to dietary intake. To explore (if) in the development of postoperative complications (infection, pressure ulcer and VTE), there is a correlation with postoperative dietary intake.

Xishui Project for IDM of COPD and Comorbidities

Study Population: 4000 stable COPD patients, and among them approximately 2000 subjects with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes complications. Design: Cohort Study Primary Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to access the effectiveness of IDM on changes in FEV1 from baseline to the 24th week visit in patients with COPD. Statistical Analysis: We plan to compare demographic differences between groups based on whether the data conformed to normal distribution and satisfied variance chi-square, and proposed to calculate p-values using the t-test or non-parametric test for continuous data and Person's χ² or non-parametric test for categorical data. A two-sided p-value \< 0.05 is considered statistically significant.

Exploring Multimorbidity in Patients With Spinal Pain

Spinal pain is frequently accompanied by other chronic conditions (multimorbidity) and the predicted rise in multimorbidity prevalence emphasizes the need for studies to understand its impact on patients with chronic pain conditions. Therefore the aims of the two studies are to: Work package 1 - Determine prevalence of multimorbidity among patients with spinal pain referred to hospital outpatient clinics. Examine associations with relevant health-related factors and cover the significance of multimorbidity in the diagnostic process, referral patterns and healthcare utilization. Work package 2: Examine the association between treatment burden arising from multimorbidity and patient prognosis in structured rehabilitation. Across both work packages data will be derived from individuals initially referred to the Department of Rheumatology at Aalborg University Hospital (AaUH) or the Medical Spine Clinic in Silkeborg (MSCS).

Are Multimorbidity and Related Factors Associated With Non-response Bias in Patients With Spinal Pain?

The study aims to explore if non-response bias exists among individuals with chronic back pain, focusing on the impact of chronic disease count, treatment burden from multimorbidity, and health-related quality of life. Data is gathered from patients at Aalborg University Hospital's Rheumatology Department via electronic means and medical records. The analysis comprises two-wave assessments, investigating disparities among patients responding to study invitations based on response patterns: first, second, or third invitation responses. Utilizing baseline data, a one-way ANOVA is employed to detect potential between-group variations in the mentioned factors. Subsequently, a repeated measures ANOVA is conducted to evaluate differences among groups over time. Additionally, statistical analyses are conducted to scrutinize variances in age and gender distribution between respondents and non-respondents to the questionnaire invitations at baseline.