There are about 3926 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Finland. 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.
The project aims to fill in the existing gaps in the study of the microbiome as a cardiometabolic driver 1) by determining the key demographic, environmental, genetic, dietary, and metabolic correlates of long-term within-individual microbiome and microbial metabolite changes; and 2) by assessing how the gut microbiome, microbial metabolites, and their long-term changes are prospectively related to the risk factors, surrogate markers, and overt outcomes of CMD. To achieve this goal, repeat stool samples will be collected of ~2300 Finnish individuals who gave stool samples in the year 2002. In addition, ~300 individuals will undergo a in-depth health examination in 2024.
The prevalence of both overweight and obesity is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. In fact, it is estimated that 2.16 billion adults (38%) will be overweight and 1.12 billion adults (20%) will be obese by 2030. Among other risk factors (e.g., environmental, behavioral, and medical), genetics holds an important role. Genome-wide association studies have discovered hundreds of loci associated with body mass index (BMI). Polygenic scores (PS) are generated from a combination of millions of genetic variants that are associated with BMI. Several diet intervention studies aimed at reducing body weight in overweight and obese individuals. However, the effect of genetic background on the effectiveness of diet interventions is largely unknown. To our knowledge, the Diet Intervention Examining The Factors Interacting with Treatment Success (DIETFITS) trial is the only prospective study that has been designed to evaluate the effect of genotypes in modifying the impact of a healthy low-fat diet vs a healthy low-carbohydrate diet on weight change, but this study did not consider PS. The aim of our study is to determine whether BMI PS impacts the effectiveness of dietary intervention in reducing BMI among individuals with elevated BMI. To achieve this, the investigators will leverage the unique opportunity provided by the Finnish biobanks research environment to re-contact 1200 individuals who have extreme genetic predisposition for high/low BMI as measured by a PS for BMI and evaluate how a randomized diet intervention effect varies between the two extreme groups. In brief, the investigators will invite overweight (25-35 BMI) individuals with very high (Top 5%; n=600) and very low (Bottom 5%; n=600) PS for BMI. Half of the participants in each group will be subsequently randomized to enroll in a dietary/lifestyle coaching intervention program or the placebo group and not receive any dietary advice or information. All participants will be asked to answer an online questionnaire and provide a fasting blood sample at baseline and at the end of the study. This well-powered prospective study leverages the unique opportunity to re-contact individuals at the extremes of BMI PS from a large pool of individuals with already available genetic information. This study will determine whether BMI PS can be used to identify overweight and obese individuals who are more likely to succeed in a reduced-energy dietary intervention, which will assist our efforts in curbing the overweight and obesity epidemic.
Older people in long-term care (LTC) are often less physically active than their community-dwelling peers. Low physical activity level is associated with more symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as with lower physical performance. This weakens coping with daily activities and increases the care costs. Earlier research have found that playing digital games that require physical activity affects positively functioning of older people. Playing can increase physical activity, improve balance and walking speed, lift the mood and create opportunities for social interaction. The effects of digital gaming, especially on objectively measured physical activity and social functioning, are still unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of digital gaming intervention with Yetitablet to physical, psychological and social functioning and activity of older people in long-term care environment. This study investigates the effectiveness of the Yetitablet in improving the functioning of older people. Yetitablet is an assistive technology device developed for special groups. Yetitablet is a large interactive touchscreen tablet with 55" screen and with Android operating system and it includes numerous applications. Yetitablet has mobile stand on wheels, which allows the screen to be raised and lowered, as well as tilted as needed, all the way to a desk position. Applications can be downloaded to the device from the Google Play Store, and it also has its own game applications, such as darts, table hockey and memory game. These games can be played individually or in group. There is no previous scientific research on the effectiveness of the Yetitablet on the functioning and activity of older people in long-term care settings.
Cardiac troponins are highly sensitive and specific biomarkers of cardiac injury and are in a key role in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Minor troponin elevations are common after prolonged strenuous exercise without clinical symptoms of MI or myocardial injury. Importantly, currently used high-sensitivity troponin T (cTnT) test detects also smaller troponin fragments which may cause troponin elevation after exercise and lead to false diagnosis of MI. In the present study protocol, we compare the characteristics troponin release after marathon race and Type 1 MI with the improved version of our novel troponin fragmentation test (SuperTropo test) and the commercial cTnT test. A total of 65 recreational runners participating in the 2023 Paavo Nurmi Marathon in Turku are recruited. All participants give a blood sample during the post-race visit (within 30 min after finishing the marathon). A control group of 90 patients with acute Type 1 MI are recruited among patients admitted to Heart Centre of Turku University Hospital. Commercial cTnT and long troponin component of cTnT analyzed witha novel immunoassay are dtermined in all subjects to assess cTnT fragmentation. TYhe main aims of the study are: To assess how often cTnT is elevated after marathon running and which factors affect the cTnT rise? Is the fragmentation of troponin more common after marathon race compared with Type 1 MI and can the novel Supertropo test separate execise-induced troponin rise from those caused by MI ?
The main purpose of the study is to find out 1. the natural course of refractory dermatitis herpetiformis and the development of possible complications 2. the strictness of gluten-free diet treatment in refractory dermatitis herpetiformis
The investigators investigate the heterogeneity fatty liver disease (FLD) as well as risk factors associated with progression of the liver diseases or development of cardiovascular complication. The overarching aim is to develop a AI-based prediction model that could be integrated into the electronic medical record system. To identify large numbers of unselected individuals with FLD, the investigators developed a phrase recognition algorithm, which identifies FLD using radiology reports. Within the data lake of Helsinki University Hospital, they identified a large number of individuals with or without FLD. The investigators will now randomly invite 1000-1500 individuals with FLD to a follow-up study including investigation of metabolism and progression of liver disease (elastography, blood tests) as well as gathering life-style information. Register data on previous diagnoses and medication will be used to evaluate cardiovascular disease.
Patients with chronic ulcer needing tertiary care referred to the Wound Center of Tampere University Hospital are invited to this study. Patients are treated according to standard treatment practices. The temperature of the lower limbs and ulcer area is measured during visits using the Thermidas Remote thermal imaging system, a CE-marked medical device for measuring and monitoring changes in skin surface temperature non-invasively. The measured temperatures and differences are compared in different ulcer aetiology groups and analyzed whether thermal imaging can be used to distinguish atypical ulcers from vascular ulcers. Thermal imaging measurements and clinical examinations are repeated to the patients with atypical ulcers during follow-up visits. Monitoring of ulcers will continue until the ulcer has epithelized completely or for up to a year.
Assessment of a novel diagnostic method for screening and diagnosing chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). Using hyperspectral and thermal imaging, the perfusion and oxygenation in the lower limbs will be studied in healthy and unhealthy individuals.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanisms underlying bariatric surgery-induced resolution of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The clinical investigation assesses the usability of the new graphical user interface of the Nexstim SNBT device in its intended clinical uses. The hardware and the technical functionality of the device of the SNBT device are in other respects similar to those of the earlier Nexstim NBT device, which has been cleared by FDA for treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in 2017 (K170902) and has received EU CE mark for the same and for treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. The present investigation is not intended to establish the safety and efficacy of the SNBT device. Rather, the purpose is to assess the usability of the new user interface in a feasibility study conducted with a prototype device utilizing the new user interface.