There are about 13446 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Belgium. 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: The reactive hyperemia-peripheral artery tonometry (RH-PAT) is a newly developed method for noninvasive endothelial function assessment. Objective: The goal of this study is to determine whether a significant difference in RH-PAT score is present between adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in comparison with controls. We will also compare RH-PAT scores in obese adolescents versus controls.
The purpose of this study is to assess efficacy of prolonged Full Disclosure ECG monitoring and signal analysis using advanced GSM telemetric technology to prescribe the most appropriate treatment of arrhythmia.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether the PILP-kit can be safely used, within specific performance parameters, to isolate and perfuse the liver with a chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of patients with unresectable liver metastases.
Double-blind randomized controlled trials of 8 weeks mirtazapine 15 mg daily or placebo, followed by 8 weeks of open-label mirtazapine 15 mg daily
This study will assess the ability of a first prototype (strip) of a new chair side test to detect oral malodour. The strip is based on a new enzymatic reaction able to detect amines in saliva. Previous studies already showed significant correlations between oral malodor and the levels of amines in saliva. The limitation in their use as markers of oral malodour is the fact that the detection is usually carried out by complex techniques (High Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC)and Solid-Phase Micro Extraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS)). The results of the new enzymatic reaction can be evaluated by means of a colorimetric scale without necessity of extra apparatus. The study will be carried out with volunteers recruited at a multidisciplinary consultation for bad breath, organized at the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium. The paper strip will be used before the routine evaluation (organoleptic score (OS), the gold standard method for the diagnosis of halitosis and the level of volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), the most used adjunct tool to diagnose halitosis). The results of the new chair side test (strip) will be correlated with the OS and VSC measurements (OralChroma™, Halimeter®). The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predicted values of the new chair side test will be calculated. The cut-off values for a yes/no test will be determined. The meaning of color scores will be analyzed to assign a meaningful outcome to each score with relation to odor intensity.
Cardiac rehabilitation, including physical training, has become accepted treatment following myocardial infarction, coronary stent implantation and coronary bypass operation. Besides modifying patients' risk profile for future coronary problems, the focus is on improving exercise capacity. The ability to be able to perform at a higher maximal level is a strong predictor for outcome (new cardiovascular events and mortality). The main purpose of this study is to evaluate whether aerobic interval training outweighs more classical moderate endurance training in improving exercise capacity. During interval training, patients perform exercise at high intensity, but for only a couple of minutes and then recover at a lower intensity. Such intervals are repeated. Preliminary evidence from smaller studies suggests that this type of training leads to a larger increase in exercise capacity, compared to the more traditional endurance training at moderate intensity. In addition, mechanisms that might explain how this improvement is achieved, as well as safety and impact on quality of life will be studied.
The main objectives of the study are: 1. To unravel the importance of molecular phenotyping in predicting the response to antimicrobial therapy with potential anti-inflammatory potency The investigators have developed a non-invasive technique based on mRNA analysis of induced sputum that enables us to study airway inflammation in detail. This technique forms the basis for our current project based on the following hypotheses: 1. Different molecular asthma phenotypes exist: a Th2 phenotype and a non Th2 phenotype as reported by Woodruff and colleagues (Woodruff PG et al). Sputum mRNA cytokine levels can be used to diagnose Th2 asthma and discriminate this from non-Th2 asthma. 2. Based on our previous research and preliminary data that non-Th2 asthma can be further divided in Th17 asthma and Th1+Th2 asthma; besides these, a fourth group without Th2, Th17 or Th1 characteristics also exist. 3. These subgroups have different responses to anti-microbial therapy with potential anti-inflammatory potency (macrolides).
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)and MR Spectroscopy of the brain are perfect tools to investigate the changes in the brainstem and brain evoked by the orthodromically impulses of a SCS.
The purpose of the study is to investigate the prevalence, clinical predictors and consequences (effect on survival, chronic rejection) of sleep disordered breathing in lung transplant recipients.
Diffuse noxious inhibitory control In order to quantify central sensitization in chronic pain patients, the Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Control (DNIC) model has been used frequently. DNIC relies on painful conditioning stimulation of one part of the body to inhibit pain in another part, to remove the "noise" and to focus on relevant stimuli. Earlier studies provided evidence for malfunctioning of DNIC in Fibromyalgia (FM) patients. However, the cause of this impairment is not yet elucidated, and further study is required to unravel the pathophysiology of DNIC in FM. Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis Besides neural mechanisms, also hormonal abnormalities could cause altered pain processing. Cortisol is released in answer to pain to suppress the pain. Given the evidence for hypofunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the lower cortisol release in response to stressors in a proportion of FM patients and in chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD) patients, the relation between pain and cortisol in these patients may be an interesting topic to consider. Neurocognitive performance Besides chronic pain, people with chronic WAD and FM suffer from severe concentration difficulties and decreased neurocognitive capabilities (reduced reaction time, short term memory deficits etc. The decreased neurocognitive performance is known to be related to pain severity in various chronic pain populations. It is hypothesized that malfunctioning of descending inhibitory pathways and subsequent chronic pain experience precludes optimal neurocognitive performance. Objectives The present investigation addresses the (patho)physiological mechanisms of DNIC in chronic pain populations. 1. Firstly, patients with FM, chronic WAD and healthy controls are compared regarding functioning of DNIC, cortisol levels and response and neurocognitive performance (case-control). 2. Secondly, the possible interaction between the functioning of DNIC, cortisol and neurocognitive performance is studied in patients with FM, WAD and healthy control subjects (cross-sectional). 3. Thirdly, to examine whether a fatiguing neurocognitive stressor changes DNIC and cortisol levels in patients with FM, chronic WAD or healthy sedentary control subjects.