View clinical trials related to Atherosclerosis.
Filter by:The research objectives of this project are as follows: 1. Obtain high-quality human atherosclerotic arterial samples from diseased donors. 2. Perform biochemical analysis to determine the abundance, localization and activity of Dicer and double-stranded RNAs in these diseased tissues.
The primary objective is to determine Lp-PLA2 activity in atherosclerotic carotid plaques after 14 (+/-4) days treatment with darapladib, compared to placebo. Secondary objectives include determination of the change in Lp-PLA2 activity in blood, Lp-PLA2 mass in blood and plaque, specified biomarkers in blood and plaque and their respective correlation's with Lp-PLA2. In addition, the study aims to characterise the PK/PD of repeat oral doses of SB-480848, and safety and tolerability in this population.
The purpose of BEHHS is first to assess the baseline sub-clinical disease in a population of Baptist Health Employees who have Metabolic Syndrome, a known contributor to cardiovascular disease. Second, the investigators wish to encourage a healthy lifestyle through personalized nutrition and fitness advice, delivered as part of a web based program, which will in turn lead to increases in heart healthy behaviors such as increased consumption of heart healthy foods, increased exercise initiation, and more positive attitudes about health. To assess this, the investigators plan to randomize 200 employees with Metabolic Syndrome to either the new web-based diet and lifestyle program, or to care-as-usual, which is the currently offered MyWellnessAdvantage and WebMD websites. The investigators hypothesize that the web-based group will show greater improvements in physical health (such as weight loss, cholesterol reduction, etc.) as well as increased consumption of heart healthy foods, exercise initiation, and quality of sleep as measured by surveys administered at the 4,8, and 12 month follow-up appointments.
Determine the effect of vitamin D repletion on flow mediated dilation (FMD, a measure of endothelial function) in vitamin D deficient systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The investigators will enroll vitamin D deficient SLE patients and randomize them to receive either 400 IU or 5,000 IU of cholecalciferol (D3) daily and measure change in FMD as a measure of EC function at baseline and after 16 weeks of repletion. Determine mechanisms by which vitamin D repletion may improve endothelial function in vitamin D deficient SLE patients and in vitro. Determine effect of oral D3 repletion on the Type I interferon signature in WISH and ECs cultured with pre and post plasma from D3 treated lupus patients. Determine effect of D3 repletion on the number of circulating apoptotic and non-apoptotic EC and EPC ex vivo. Determine effect of exogenous 1,25(OH)D on IFN gene signature in WISH and ECs stimulated by pretreatment SLE plasma in vitro. Determine the effects of exogenous 1,25(OH)D on the phenotype of ECs cultured with pretreatment lupus plasma. This study is designed to efficiently test our hypothesis and begin to define interferon-dependent pathways through which vitamin D repletion can restore clinical and in vitro endothelial function.
Until now, no specific atherosclerosis-targeting agent labeled with positron emitter is not yet available. Investigators developed neomannosyl human serum albumin(MSA) for the terminal mannose residues of MSA binding with the mannose receptors of macrophages in atherosclerosis, and investigators investigate whether 68Ga-MSA can be a novel agent for non-invasive molecular imaging of carotid atherosclerotic lesion in PET.
Despite of intensive efforts, no specific ath¬erosclerosis-targeting agent labeled with positron emitter is not yet available. Fortunately, some scientists made the major advance in the field of clinical atherosclerosis molecular imaging by the metabolic PET reporter agent 18F(fluorine-18)-FDG(Fludeoxyglucose) applied to noninvasively image plaque macrophages in carotid arteries. However, coronary and cerebral arterial segments remain uninterpretable due to metabolic property of 18F-FDG. Applying the character of the terminal mannose residues of MSA binding with the mannose receptors of macrophages in atherosclerosis, we investigate whether 68Ga-MSA can be a novel agent for non-invasive molecular imaging of atherosclerotic lesion in PET.
Pilot prospective two group observational study to create a model of the carotid plaque composition based on ultrasonic backscattered signals and select clinical data.
Childhood obesity is perhaps the most significant public health problem in the most developed countries and is rapidly becoming so in developing countries. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data shows a 3-fold increase in the prevalence of obesity in childhood, over past few decades. Furthermore, childhood obesity has markedly contributed to the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in U.S. children. Alarmingly, there is increasing evidence that atherosclerosis develops silently during childhood in obese children. In the Bogalusa Heart Study, pediatric autopsy studies showed a clear relationship between the number and severity of risk factors, principally obesity, with atherosclerosis in both the aorta and coronary arteries. Increased intimal medial thickness (IMT) was not present among obese adults who had been normal weight as children, emphasizing the cumulative effects of childhood obesity persisting into adulthood. Thus, the need for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease beginning in childhood is strongly suggested.
This will be a pilot study of 9 patients undergoing standard-of-care clinically indicated carotid endarterectomy. The nine patients will receive an injection of Indocyanine green (ICG) at a dose of 0.25 mg/kg (maximum 25 mg) as an intravenous bolus. Immediately following endarterectomy, the resected specimen will be immersed in normal saline. Ex vivo fluorescence reflectance imaging (FRI) and immunohistochemistry will be performed. The investigators hypothesize that compared to controls, ICG-injected patients will demonstrate increased ex vivo and microscopic ICG fluorescence signal within areas of plaque.
This study will determine the effect of single and repeat administration of darapladib, a novel, selective, orally active inhibitor of lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) currently under clinical development on the pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of midazolam, a cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) probe substrate. This study will investigate the inductive and inhibitory effect of darapladib on CYP3A4 metabolic pathway.