Clinical Research Directory

Methods for Nutrition, Inflammation, Kidney Function, Aging, Body Composition, and Hydration Among Older Patients

The goal of this observational study, is to improve the diagnostic assessment method of malnutrition and kidney diseases, amongst hospitalized and low priority patients, by evaluating modern methodology and biomarkers, with regards to an estimate of the nutritional status and kidney diseases, against current gold standards, and also investigate how body composition, hydration, inflammation and age affect the assessments.

Effect of Dehydration on Sleep Quality, Cognitive Skills, and Electromyographic Responses in Combat Athletes

This study examines the effects of rapid dehydration-induced weight loss on combat athletes' sleep quality, cognitive skills, and isokinetic strength performance. The research documents both benefits and risks of weight-cutting practices for athletes, coaches, and medical staff in weight-class sports. Findings will guide safer weight management approaches and inform potential revisions to international weigh-in protocols, while contributing valuable insights to sports science.

Assessing the Effects of Cool Roofs on Indoor Environments and Health in Colima, Mexico

Ambient air temperatures in Mexico have broken record highs in 2024. Solutions are needed to build heat resilience in communities and adapt to increasing heat from climate change. Sunlight-reflecting cool roof coatings may passively reduce indoor temperatures and energy use to protect home occupants from extreme heat. Occupants living in poor housing conditions in the northern zone of Mexico are susceptible to increased heat exposure. Heat exposure can instigate and worsen numerous physical, mental and social health conditions. The worst adverse health effects are experienced in communities that are least able to adapt to heat exposure. By reducing indoor temperatures, cool roof use can promote physical, mental and social wellbeing in household occupants. The long-term research goal of the investigators is to identify viable passive housing adaptation technologies with proven health benefits to reduce the burden of heat stress in communities affected by heat in Mexico. To meet this goal, the investigators will conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial to establish the effects of cool roof use on health, indoor environment and economic outcomes in Colima, Mexico.

Assessing the Effects of Cool Roofs on Indoor Environments and Health

Ambient air temperatures in Asian, Latin American, African, and Pacific climate hotspots have broken record highs in 2024, driven by man-made climate change. Solutions are needed to reduce heat exposure in communities. Sunlight-reflecting cool roof coatings passively reduce indoor temperatures and energy use to protect home occupants from extreme heat. Occupants living in poor housing conditions globally - for example in informal settlements, slums, and low-socioeconomic households - are especially vulnerable to increased indoor heat exposure. Heat exposure can instigate and worsen numerous physical, mental and social health conditions. The worst adverse health effects are being experienced in communities least able to adapt to heat exposure. By reducing indoor temperatures, cool roof use can promote physical, mental and social wellbeing in occupants. The long-term research goal is to identify viable passive housing adaptation technologies with proven health and environmental benefits to reduce the burden of heat stress in communities affected by heat globally. To meet this goal, the investigators will conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial to establish the effects of cool roof use on health, indoor environment and economic outcomes in five urban climate hotspots: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Colima, Mexico; Ahmedabad, India; Niue; and Tavua, Fiji.

Implementing an Intervention to Reduce Heat Stress and Chemical Exposures

The investigators are studying the dangers that farmworkers face while working in the fields and at home. The investigators goals are: 1. Measure how much heat and chemicals farmworkers in Imperial County are exposed to. The investigators will ask the participants to wear a special belt under their clothes during work to measure heat. The investigators will also put two small temperature monitors in the participant's home for a day. The investigators will collect a urine sample to check hydration, and also measure the participants height, weight, blood pressure, and some blood markers for diseases using a simple finger-prick test. To measure chemicals, the investigators will give the participants a wristband to wear for a week and hang another in the participants home. The investigators will also collect dust from each participant's home with a vacuum. Then, the investigators will analyze everything at San Diego State University. After collecting samples, a trained community health worker will ask the participants a few questions about their work, lifestyle, health symptoms, and any hazards they face. The investigators will meet the participants twice at their homes to distribute the tools which will later be collected. Once the tools are collected, the investigators will have the chance to follow up with the participants if they have any questions. 2. Provide help to lower heat and chemical exposure with the help of community health workers. 3. Measure heat and chemicals again using the same methods to see if the project made a difference. 4. Talk to participants about what they liked and how the investigators can make future projects better.

GEL-AID: Safe and Effective Hydration for Institutionalized Older Adults

The objective of this clinical trial is to assess whether hydration with gelled water (GEL-AID) can improve fluid intake and reduce cases of dehydration, as well as the incidence of urinary and respiratory infections in institutionalized elderly individuals in nursing homes. The main question this trial aims to answer is: • Do institutionalized elderly individuals hydrated with GEL-AID increase their daily fluid intake and reduce the incidence of dehydration, urinary infections, and respiratory infections? Participants: The control group will follow the center's usual hydration plan. Individuals with swallowing difficulties will receive thickened liquids and/or gelatin, while those without swallowing difficulties will be hydrated with unmodified liquids or gelatin. The intervention group will receive hydration with GEL-AID. For participants with swallowing difficulties, thickened liquids and gelatin will be replaced by GEL-AID, with texture adapted to their needs. Those without swallowing difficulties will receive unmodified liquids and GEL-AID instead of gelatin.

Adequate Hydration and Health Outcomes

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in middle- and high-income countries, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Epidemiological studies have associated low water intake and underhydration with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and an increased risk of CVD. Similarly, the prevalence of chronic metabolic dysfunction is increasing dramatically worldwide, becoming both a significant public health concern and a global economic burden. Reports from the WHO indicate that the number of people with diabetes worldwide has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014, representing 8.5% of adults. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify modifiable risk factors that could help prevent metabolic dysfunction and mitigate the epidemic of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Evidence suggests that the hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP) may play a key role. AVP is the primary hormone responsible for regulating body fluid balance; however, increased AVP secretion, such as under conditions of low water intake, appears to be a risk factor for developing diabetes. Increasing water intake may represent a simple and cost-effective way to improve glucose regulation and cardiovascular health. However, many individuals do not prefer drinking plain water, and although beverages with high sugar content may promote greater fluid intake, they also contribute additional calories that can negatively impact body weight and overall health. Thus, the central research question of this study is whether improving hydration with non-sugar-sweetened beverages can provide equivalent benefits for hydration and health outcomes in adults. Aim 1: To explore the association between habitual fluid intake and fluid preferences (water and non-sugar-sweetened beverages), hydration biomarkers, and health outcomes in normal-weight and obese adults. Aim 2: To compare the impact of increased total water intake, provided as plain water or non-sugar-sweetened beverages, on hydration, cardiovascular health, and glucose regulation in normal-weight and obese adults.

Risks of Ramadan Fasting in Patients With Primary Adrenal Insufficiency Treated With Prednisolone.

In primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), there is a risk of hypoglycemia and dehydration. These risks seem to be increased during intermittent fasting. A previous study in patients with PAI treated with hydrocortisone at a dose of 20 mg/day showed that the prevalence of hypoglycemia was as high outside (63%) as during Ramadan fasting (71%), and that there was no risk of dehydration. We propose to evaluate the risk of complications during and outside of Ramadan fasting through a prospective study with subjects taken as their own controls, in 35 patients with PAI treated with prednisolone at a dose of 5 mg/day. Patients will undergo an interview, physical examination, blood sampling, and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) during two weeks of fasting and two weeks of non-fasting.

Genetic Risk Factor for Heat Stroke

The goal of this observational study is to examine the effect of the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Carrier state on the risk for dehydration and other CF-specific fluid-and-electrolyte disorders in male and female adults. The primary aim of the study is to estimate the risk of electrolyte disorders attributable to the CF carrier state in a genotyped cohort. This will be accomplished with two smaller projects- Aim 1 and Aim 2. Aim 1 will consist of 100 CF Carriers and 100 age- and sex-matched controls. Participants in this aim will be asked to complete a Participant Info and Temperature Survey consisting of questions about race, ethnicity, medical history, and how they experience heat. Aim 2 will consist of a subset of 25 CF Carriers and 25 age- and sex-matched controls from Aim 1. Participants in this aim will be scheduled for a visit to complete a heat challenge. At this visit, they will also complete the Participant Info and Temperature Survey. They will also sit in a sauna at 62 - 63 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes.

Point of Care Ultrasound and Co-loading in Patients With Spinal-induced Hypotension and Cardiac Diseases

In elderly patients with cardiac diseases, changes in cardiovascular physiology diminish cardiovascular reserve and predispose to significant hemodynamic instability after spinal anesthesia; hence, such patients could be at risk of postoperative complications. Additionally, point of care ultrasound (POCUS) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) are used in clinical practice to evaluate cardiovascular hemodynamics. Inferior vena cava (IVC) and its collapsibility index (CI) have been used in clinical practice for the prediction of post-spinal hypotension. Specifically, the dIVCmax-to-IVCCI ratio \< 48 showed high diagnostic performance among other indices in the prediction of post spinal hypotension in elderly patients with cardiac diseases undergoing proximal fracture repair. Elderly patients also experience high likelihood of dehydration. According to the above findings, the investigators hypothesized that fluid co-loading immediately after spinal anesthesia can lower the incidence of spinal-induced hypotension in dehydrated patients. . For this reason, it is prospectively evaluated echocardiographic indices of the LV and the right ventricle (RV), as well as of the IVC prior to spinal anesthesia in elderly patients with proximal femur fractures who had low LV-EF and increased ratio of BUN-to-creatinine.

Efficacy of a Smart Water Bottle Intervention to Increase Fluid Consumption in College Students

Approximately 60% of males and 40% of females do not meet current fluid intake recommendations, which is associated with adverse health consequences such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Newer technologies have been designed to promote fluid intake. "Smart Water Bottles" use mHealth technology to capture fluid intake behaviors automatically and provide cues to encourage fluid consumption. Studies using Smart Water Bottles have helped some individuals increase fluid intake to help reduce kidney stone formation. However, limited research has assessed the efficacy of this technology on improving fluid intake in college students. College is a time with the potential to form healthy habits that carry into adulthood. Previous work has also identified daily changes in morning urine color, thirst perception, and body mass, as simple, inexpensive indicators of daily fluctuations in water balance. Tracking changes in these metrics has the potential to provide participants with evidence of adequate or inadequate fluid consumption. Thus, the combination of prompting from a smart water bottle, as well as daily self-monitoring changes in hydration status, may encourage college students to increase daily fluid consumption.

Effect of a Mobile-Based Hydration Tracking Program on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors in Older Adults

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the impact of a mobile-friendly, web-based hydration tracking application (named "SIVI") on hydration-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in older adults. Inadequate fluid intake is a common and modifiable risk factor for dehydration in the elderly, leading to increased morbidity, hospitalizations, and functional decline. However, many older individuals forget to drink fluids or face barriers such as fear of incontinence, mobility limitations, or cognitive challenges. This study will include 70 community-dwelling older adults aged 65-84 years, recruited from a Family Health Center. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will use the SIVI application for two months. The app is specially designed for older adults and includes features such as personalized fluid goals, reminders, hydration education modules, feedback, and a user-friendly interface with large fonts and high contrast. Participants will log their daily fluid intake, receive motivational messages, and access videos and information about healthy hydration habits. A water bottle will be provided to standardize measurement across groups. The control group will receive only routine care. Both groups will complete questionnaires measuring demographics, hydration knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and fluid consumption habits at baseline, one month, and two months. Data collection will be conducted face-to-face by the researcher, and analysis will be performed using SPSS 22.0. Statistical tests will include descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk for normality, chi-square for categorical data, and t-tests and ANOVA for comparisons over time. The results are expected to show that the SIVI application improves older adults' hydration knowledge, fosters positive attitudes, and promotes healthy fluid intake behaviors, thus supporting self-management of hydration and potentially reducing dehydration-related health risks.

Readmission and Dehydration Prevention in Patients With Elective Ileostomy

The goal of this prospective observational study is to evaluate the adherence to DRIP score calculation and the application rate of each proposed item to prevent dehydration and readmission in patients undergoing ileostomy creation after elective colorectal resection different Italian colorectal surgical centers. The primary endpoint is to verifythe application rate of DRIP score calculation and protocol items. Secondary endpoints are 30, 90, and 180-day total and dehydration readmission rates.

Effect of Health Belief Model Education on Water Intake in the Elderly (HBM-Water Study)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a Health Belief Model (HBM)-based education program to increase daily water consumption among elderly individuals aged 65 and above. Participants will be divided into two groups; one group will receive HBM-based education, and the other group will not receive any education. The effects of the education program on daily water consumption and dehydration symptoms will be assessed.

Effects of Two Novel Hydration Beverage Formulas on Rehydration in Adults

The electrolyte test products are composed of powder and provided in individual stick packs with 5 vitamins including Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12 and Vitamin C. The products are gluten-, soy-, and dairy-free, and provide electrolytes at concentrations well below the daily value (DV). The DV tells us how much a particular nutrient in a serving of a food product contributes to a daily diet, based on a standard 2000 calorie diet. Despite what the name suggests, this product is taken orally, not intravenously. These packets contain a small percentage of the needed total daily electrolytes but adequate amounts to replace lost electrolytes as a result of physical activity. The products will be consumed following a 90-minute bout of cycling exercise at a moderate intensity of 70-80% max heart rate, at 30-32°C (86-89°F) and 50 ± 5% relative humidity. This same exercise duration and room temperature has been used in a recent study, which also utilized the same body temperature monitoring device as proposed in the present study. The purpose of the exercise bout is to simulate what many individuals are exposed to when exercising in the heat and to moderately dehydrate subjects, as would be the case during a moderate run or cycling event in exercise-trained individuals. Subjects will report to the lab on three separate occasions to consume one of the 3 drinks (hydration multiplier, sugar-free hydration matrix, or water), in random order. The drinks will be consumed during the post-exercise period (30 minutes following the completion of exercise).

Effectiveness of a Wearable Hydration Device

Dehydration among older adults a costs billions of dollars in US healthcare every year because no robust solution exists to detect changes in hydration and prevent negative outcomes. In this project, TritonX Technologies Inc. and academic research partners plan to test whether a newly created wearable sensor that measures hydration in real time can promote hydration and prevent the dehydration illnesses. The investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of continuous home monitoring of fluid levels in a cohort of vulnerable older adult patients seen in the emergency care setting. The goal of this randomized control trial is to examine the effectiveness of continuous home monitoring of fluid levels in older patients presenting to the emergency department for dehydration. The main questions it aims to answer: 1. Can a wearable device accurately determine the severity of dehydration at home and 2. can a wearable device and continuous feedback from the device change behavior in the outpatient setting that can lead to improved outcomes in the treatment of dehydration in the elderly? Investigators will compare device readings, hydration diaries, vital signs, blood samples, return visits to the emergency department, and to see if feedback from the device decreases signs and symptoms of dehydration and changes home management of dehydration. Participants will be asked to: * wear the device and monitor hydration status * record the amount of home hydration * return in 7-10 days for reassessment of dehydration The successful outcome of this study will include evidence for the effectiveness of the home, wearable hydration monitoring device, data necessary for the FDA 510(k) and related regulatory processes and substantial enhancements to both our knowledge of older adult needs and device functionality.

Efficacy of Education Versus Education Plus Prescribed Fluid Intake on Hydration Status in High School Athletes

Sports science testing by investigators at Gatorade Sports Science Institute has revealed that many athletes arrive at practice with a high urine specific gravity indicating they are hypohydrated. Though the data showed that most athletes don't lose more than 2% of their body weight in sweat during a training session, it is not known what the cumulative effects of living and training in a hot environment are over the course of a week. Previous research has indicated that prescribing fluid intake is more effective than education in improving drinking behavior during exercise. No studies to date have compared the impact of fluid intake prescription versus education in adolescent boys and girls playing outdoor and indoor sports. Comparing sexes and training environment may provide more clarity around potential barriers and challenges to proper hydration for each environment.

Clinical Study to Evaluate the Effects of Two Novel Hydration Beverage Formulas on Rehydration in Healthy Adults

The aim of the clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of two novel hydration products on rehydration following exercise.

Effects of Hydration Changes on Neuromuscular Function of Athletes

Greater muscular strength and power are relevant qualities for athletic success and decreased injury rate. It is known that dehydration impairs muscular strength and power, although the explanation for this association is not entirely clear. Besides morphological factors, strength production also depends on neural factors which in turn can be affected by dehydration. Some studies tested the effects of dehydration on neuromuscular function using electromyography (EMG) analysis. However, there is no consensus among those studies. Additionally, exercise may disturb water balance. This can further lead to dehydration if the athlete does not properly rehydrate. In this sense, the scientific evidence has identified people who are considered low drinkers that may be more susceptible to cellular shrinkage, potentially impairing health and performance. Thus, it would be expected that athletes regularly exposed to lower amounts of water intake would have beneficial effects in both performance and health if higher water ingestion was promoted, namely an improved neuromuscular function via enhanced cellular hydration. However, any potential benefit of increasing water intake on neuromuscular function is still to be determined using well-designed experimental studies and state-of-the-art methods. Lastly, there is no consensus regarding the diagnosis of dehydration in athletes. The identification of simple indices to measure dehydration in athletes is crucial as many may be inaccurately diagnosed.

Exploring the Feasibility of a Digital Service to Improve Nutrition and Hydration Status of Older Adults

Trial Design: This is a feasibility randomised controlled trial. Aim: The study aims to assess the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial using a digital health tool (Keep-On-Keep-Up Nutrition, KOKU-Nut) to improve dietary intake in community-dwelling older adults. Objectives: 1. Is it feasible and practical to run KOKU-Nut study as a powered randomised controlled trial. 2. Adherence to the intervention, motivations, barriers and facilitators of engaging with KOKU-Nut Study population: Community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older Intervention: Participants in the intervention group will be asked to engage with KOKU-Nut at least 3 times a week throughout the 12-week period. A crib sheet and contact details for the research team will be available if participants require additional support to help with technical issues. Control: Participants will continue with usual care and receive a leaflet developed by Age UK about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Timing and duration 3 month intervention with interviews carried out approximately one week after the intervention period