Clinical Research Directory

Effect of Acute Hypoxia on RIght VEntRicular Function in Asthma.

More and more people are engaging in sports in the mountains, including individuals with heart or lung diseases. At the same time, such diseases are becoming more common in Switzerland. At high altitude, less oxygen is available, which places stress on the body-particularly on the heart, which has to pump blood through the lungs. How the heart, especially the right ventricle, in people with asthma responds to this stress is still not well understood. Therefore, this study investigates how the heart responds to simulated altitudes of 2,500 m and 4,000 m, both at rest and during light physical activity in patients with asthma. The primary objective is to assess how right ventricular function changes under conditions of reduced oxygen availability. In addition, vital signs, changes in blood gases, oxygen levels in blood and tissue and shortness of breath are assessed. The "altitude" is simulated using a special gas mixture that participants inhale. Participants undergo three altitude conditions (490, 2,500, and 4,000 m above sea level). The order of the altitude conditions is assigned at random. The aim is to better understand how the right ventricle and other parameters respond to low-oxygen conditions and how affected patients can be better supported in the future.

Effect of Acute Hypoxia on RIght VEntRicular Function in HAPE.

More and more people are engaging in sports in the mountains, including individuals with heart or lung diseases. At the same time, such diseases are becoming more common in Switzerland. At high altitude, less oxygen is available, which places stress on the body-particularly on the heart, which has to pump blood through the lungs. How the heart, especially the right ventricle, in people with past HAPE responds to this stress is still not well understood. Therefore, this study investigates how the heart responds to simulated altitudes of 2,500 m and 4,000 m, both at rest and during light physical activity in patients with past HAPE. The primary objective is to assess how right ventricular function changes under conditions of reduced oxygen availability. In addition, vital signs, changes in blood gases, oxygen levels in blood and tissue and shortness of breath are assessed. The "altitude" is simulated using a special gas mixture that participants inhale. Participants undergo three altitude conditions (490, 2,500, and 4,000 m above sea level). The order of the altitude conditions is assigned at random. The aim is to better understand how the right ventricle and other parameters respond to low-oxygen conditions and how affected patients can be better supported in the future.

RIght VEntricle Response to Major Lung Resection in VATS and Robotic Surgery

Major pulmonary resection is associated with high postoperative morbidity and mortality, mainly due to cardiorespiratory complications. Right ventricular (RV) function is closely related to pulmonary artery pressure and tone, and it is particularly sensitive to changes in afterload. An increase in RV flow resistance can lead to acute RV dilation and reduced left ventricular compliance, potentially progressing to cardiogenic shock. In a previous study (RIVER), it was observed that increased afterload following open thoracic surgery reduces RV function, although this impairment remains subclinical. The aim of this study is to investigate the same parameters in patients with severe cardiovascular comorbidities undergoing pulmonary resection via minimally invasive approaches (VATS and robotic surgery) compared to open thoracotomy.

Effects of Pulmonary Resection on Right Ventricular Function

Lung resection is associated with high postoperative morbidity and mortality and leads to a significant long-term decrease in functional capacity, particularly due to cardiorespiratory complications. One of the contributing factors to this functional decline is the postoperative reduction in right ventricular function. Due to the anatomical proximity and interactions, right ventricular function is evaluated by echocardiography following lung resection. The pulmonary artery pressure (PAP)/tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) ratio is a parameter that provides a more comprehensive assessment of right heart function by evaluating both right ventricular systolic function and pulmonary artery pressure. In this study, investigators aimed to evaluate changes in right heart function by performing preoperative and postoperative echocardiographic assessments in participants undergoing lung resection, focusing on PAP/TAPSE ratios.