There are about 6915 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Austria. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
Background Increased levels of C reactive protein (CRP) can be found not only within individuals with periodontal diseases and those with atherosclerotic alterations but also have been proved in men with erectile dysfunction (ED). NO seems to be the key mediator in the endothelial-derived vasodilation and penile erection. The incidence of ED increases in patients with diabetes, hypertonia, hypercholesteremia, cardiovascular diseases and renal failure. First evidence suggests that there is a relationship between periodontal disease and ED as well. Due to slow progression of chronic periodontal disease (0.3-0.5mm attachment loss/year) it can be assumed, that periodontal disease exists mainly before ED develops. Specific Aims This cross-sectional study aims to assess the incidence of periodontal disease in male individuals with ED. A possible correlation between severity of periodontal disease, level of systemic hs-CRP and ED will be assessed. Additionally, further risk factors for endothelial dysfunction, such lipid values, will be determined and regarded in the analysis. Hypothesis The investigators assume, that severity of ED correlates with severity of periodontal disease as well as with systemic involvement assessed by CRP-levels. In detail, the investigators hypothesize, that severity of ED (assessed by the questionnaire "International Index of Erectile Function") correlates with the mean probing depth and the level of systemic hs-CRP. Material and Methods 1. st appointment: In the present cross-sectional study 100 male patients with ED will be included. Patients who visit the urological department (Rudolfstiftung) for ED-treatment will be asked to participate. The erectile dysfunction will be assessed by means of a questionnaire (International Index of Erectile Function - IIEF-5). Urologic examination. The following blood parameters will be assessed: testosterone, prolactin, hs-CRP, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, Interleukin-1, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, HbA1c and fasting glucose. 2. nd appointment: At the department of Oral Surgery (Bernhard Gottlieb School of Dentistry) the periodontal situation and the index of decayed-missing-filled permanent teeth (DMFT) index of the patients will be determined. A panoramic radiograph for assessment of alveolar bone loss and a periodontal status (probing depth, recession, bleeding- and plaque-indices) will be performed. The observer at the dental clinic will have no information on the severity of the ED (observer blinded).
Background: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is an ophthalmic emergency that, without surgical repair, often leads to blindness. The incidence is about 1/10000/year. The leading causes are myopia and aging which cause retinal tears often resulting in retinal detachment. Patients commonly experience photopsia, floaters, and peripheral visual field loss. Two different general surgical treatment options exist for retinal detachment; scleral buckling or vitrectomy. However, the precise indications for each approach have not been well established. Correct classification of the retinal detachment is important. The first step is to decide whether an intra- or extra-ocular surgical approach is more appropriate. Simple rhegmatogenous retinal detachments are usually treated extraocularly with scleral buckling surgery, whereas more complicated cases require intraocular primary pars plana vitrectomy and one or more of gas, silicone oil, laser therapy, or cryotherapy. Study objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate different surgical techniques for the treatment of retinal detachment. Data relating to retinal status before treatment, surgical treatment, post-operative anatomy and visual acuity, post-operative OCT, and intra- and post-operative complications will be collected. Vitreous cytokines will also be analyzed to monitor intravitreal inflammation as a result of retinal detachment.
Due to constant strain the joints of the hands are frequently affected by osteoarthritis (OA). Short-wave diathermy (SWD) is a form of electromagnetic therapy, which causes movement of ions, distortion of molecules, and creation of eddy currents and as a result heat is produced in deep tissue. Its claimed mechanism of action includes inducing an anti-inflammatory response, reducing joint stiffness, stimulating connective tissue repair, and reducing muscle spasm and pain. Since the available studies were performed to study the large weight-bearing joints only, there is a lack in scientific evidence for the efficacy of SWD in hand OA. The aim of this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study is to evaluate the effect of SWD on: joint function in patients with hand OA. joint pain in patients with hand OA. grip strength in patients with hand OA. quality of live in patients with hand OA.
Low-flow, low-gradient (LF-LG) aortic stenosis (AS) may occur with depressed (i.e. Classical LF; CLF) or preserved (i.e. Paradoxical LF; PLF) LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and both situations are amongst the most challenging encountered in patients with valvular heart disease. Although, CLF-LG AS is recognized has an important clinical entity, current ACC/AHA-ESC guidelines however do not provide precise recommendations for clinical management of these patients . PLF-LG AS is a new entity recently described by our group, which is characterized by more pronounced LV concentric remodeling with smaller LV cavity size and a restrictive physiology leading to impaired LV filling, altered myocardial function, and a low-flow state. Up to recently, this entity was often misdiagnosed, leading to underestimation of AS severity and inappropriate delays for aortic valve replacement surgery (SAVR). The two main challenges in patients with CLF- or PLF- LG AS are to distinguish between a true-severe (TS) versus a pseudo-severe (PS) stenosis and to accurately quantify the extent of myocardial impairment. Unfortunately, the traditional resting and stress echocardiographic parameters currently used to assess the severity of valvular and myocardial dysfunction in patients with LF-LG AS are far from being optimal, and as a consequence, quantification of disease severity and therapeutic management may not be appropriate in a substantial proportion of these patients. THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES of the TOPAS study are to develop and validate new parameters and biomarkers to improve the assessment of stenosis severity and myocardial impairment, the risk-stratification, and the clinical decision making in patients with LF-LG AS and to assess the impact of the different therapeutic strategies on patient outcomes.
In a prospective single centre placebo-controlled trial over ten weeks, 24 CKD II-III patients (eGFR 30-89 ml/min per 1.73 m2) with DM II will be randomized to enalapril 20mg per day after a two week run-in phase. Thereafter, patients will either receive eplerenone 25mg (n=12) or a placebo (n=12) for eight weeks. Eplerenone will be increased to 50mg under close monitoring of serum potassium levels. Employing a novel mass-spectrometry ( MS)-based method, quantification of up to 10 different Ang metabolites (Ang I, Ang II, Ang 1-7, Ang 1-9, Ang 2-10, Ang 1-5, Ang 2-7, Ang 3-7, Ang 3-8 and Ang 2-8) will be performed simultaneously out of blood sera (after run-in phase and after 10 weeks).
Although the negative impact of sleep apnea on the clinical course of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is well known, data regarding non-invasive ventilation in acute patients are scarce. Several studies showed its tolerability, safety and signals-of-efficacy, yet no controlled randomized sequential phase studies currently exist that aim to establish the efficacy of early non-invasive ventilation in AIS patients. The main hypothesis for this study is that early non-invasive ventilation with automated bilevel positive airway pressure (auto-BPAP) positively affects short-term clinical outcomes in AIS patients. This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled, third rater-blinded, parallel-group trial. Patients with AIS with proximal arterial obstruction and clinically suspected sleep apnea will be randomized to standard or standard stroke care plus auto-BPAP. Auto-BPAP will be initiated within 24 hours from stroke onset and performed for a maximum of 48 hours during diurnal and nocturnal sleep. Patients will undergo cardiorespiratory polygraphy between day 3 and 5 to assess sleep apnea. The primary endpoint is any early neurological improvement on the NIHSS at 72 hours from randomization. Safety, tolerability, short-term and 3 months functional outcomes are assessed as secondary endpoints by un-blinded and blinded observers respectively. This study will provide data to power a subsequent phase III study.
Establishment of a tumor bank, consisting of tissue samples of tumor patients (benign and malign tumors) and healthy people as controls. The tissue samples will be collected systematically together with the corresponding clinical data. The biological samples, the clinical date together with prospective experimental date constitute the entity of the tissue tumor bank. This tumor bank for tissue samples, together with our tumorbank for blood samples (NCT01763125) combined constitute the entity "Tumorbank".
Cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgeries worldwide and complications are rare. However, there are factors that increase the risk of complications, such as poor pupil dilation and intra-operative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS). Reasons for a small pupil size are pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXF) syndrome, uveitis or synechia and the use of pilocarpin drops. IFIS is a syndrome usually caused by systemic alpha1-blockers (foremost tamsulosin) used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.1,2 As described by Chang and Campbell3 IFIS is characterized by billowing of a flaccid iris stroma, a propensity for iris prolapse towards the phacoemulsification tip as well as towards the incisions and progressive intra-operative pupil constriction. Stopping tamsulosin pre-operatively did not show to effectively prevent IFIS.4,5 However, it is of high importance to identify patients prior to surgery, who are treated with alpha1-blockers, or patients with a small pupil size and poor pharmacological pupil dilation. Some methods, such as intracameral injection of phenylephrine is only sufficient in a few cases 6, and a disadvantage is the risk of a hypertensive episode.7 Another pharmacological method is the use of atropine drops pre-operatively, but this method did not show to sufficiently reduce IFIS.4 Different methods were shown to reduce intra-operative problems due to IFIS/small pupil size: The use of highly cohesive ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVD), also called viscoadaptives, such as sodium hyaluronate (e.g. AMO Healon5 or Croma Eyefill H.D.) help to viscodilate the pupil and by resting on the iris during the entire phacoemulsification procedure reduce the risk of iris prolapsing towards the incisions. This method is more dependent on a central phacoemulsification technique and low fluidic parameters to allow the OVD to stay on the iris during the entire procedure.8 In case of a small pupil, pupil stretching with 2 instruments can be used additively. Another option to stabilize the pupil size is the use of mechanical pupil expansion devices, such as 1. Iris retractors - these devices are routinely used to dilate the pupil intra-operatively. Typically, 4 or 5 iris retractors, also called iris hooks, are inserted through 4-5 incisions. Usually, the IFIS pupil is very elastic and the risk of overstretching is small.8 2. Pupil expansion rings, such as the Malyugin ring. This ring is placed on the pupil margin with an injector through the main incision. It eliminates the need of additional incisions and saves time.9 Rationale To compare different methods to manage IFIS and poor pupil dilation in cataract surgery: a pupil expansion ring (Malyugin Ring), iris retractors (iris hooks) and a viscoadaptive OVD.
Food allergies represent an increasing health concern in the industrialized countries and especially affect pediatric patients. In this population adverse reactions against food compounds can lead to anaphylactic reactions. Despite substantial research efforts, clinical markers predicting disease severity and symptoms are missing to date. Recent studies have revealed that sphingolipids, especially sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), play an essential role in allergy. It was reported that asthmatic patients have higher S1P levels in bronchiallavage fluids after allergen challenge. First experimental studies revealed a correlation of S1P and the outcome of anaphylaxis. Furthermore, we have shown in our recent mouse study that S1P homeostasis is pivotal for food allergy induction and effector cell response. Therefore, it is the aim of the presented pilot project to evaluate whether S1P serum titers are altered in food allergic children and if the S1P levels correlate with the outcome of anaphylaxis during double blind placebo controlled food challenges (DBPCFCs).
The aim of this randomized, observer-blind, controlled intervention study with parallel groups is to study the effect of strength training (2x/week for 6 months) with and without additional dietary supplementation (protein-enriched) on muscle strength, function and mass, oxidative stress parameters and the immune system in elderly institutionalized persons. The participants (n = 120) are recruited from Viennese senior residencies (Kuratorium Wiener Pensionistenwohnheime). After a pre-participation screening participants will be distributed randomly but stratified by sex and age to one of the 3 intervention groups (cognitive training, strength training, strength training + supplement). Study participants are eligible if they are male or female with an age over 65 years and if their cognitive status as well as their physical fitness level allows to participate at the strength training sessions. Exclusion criteria comprise chronic diseases which contraindicate the medical training therapy, serious cardiovascular disease, diabetic retinopathy and manifest osteoporosis, medication with anticoagulants or cortisone drugs and also regular strength training during the last six months. Primary outcome measure is the change in isokinetic torque of knee extensors. Secondary outcome measures comprise anthropometric data, functional performance tests, immunological and oxidative stress parameters. The change in muscle signaling pathways will be assessed from muscle biopsies.