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NCT ID: NCT02064062 Recruiting - Tendinopathy Clinical Trials

Autologous Stem Cells in Achilles Tendinopathy

ASCAT
Start date: January 2015
Phase: Phase 2
Study type: Interventional

This study is looking at a new treatment, using the patient's own stem cells (the repair cells of the body), to see whether this can help reduce pain and promote healing of the Achilles tendon, without side effects.

NCT ID: NCT02058771 Recruiting - Clinical trials for Myocardial Infarction

Utilising Lifemap to Investigate Malignant Arrhythmia Therapy

ULTIMATE
Start date: October 2013
Phase:
Study type: Observational

It is universally recognised that current methods for risk stratification of sudden cardiac death (SCD) are limited. A novel SCD risk marker, the Regional Restitution Instability Index (R2I2), measures the degree of heterogeneity in electrical restitution using data obtained from a standard 12 lead ECG acquired during an invasive electrophysiological study. In an ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) cohort of 66 patients, an R2I2 of ≥1.03 identified subjects with a significantly higher risk of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) or death (43%) compared with those with an R2I2 <1.03 (11%) (P=0.004). This study will use non-invasive techniques to acquire electrical restitution data: exercise and pharmacological stress, and will incorporate body surface potential mapping to develop a non-invasive and high-resolution form of R2I2. Suitable patients will be recruited into a prospective, observational study. HYPOTHESES: PRIMARY: 1. R2I2 is predictive of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) / SCD in patients with ICM. 2. The exercise stress protocol will create a dynamic range of heart rates that allows ECG quantification of electrical restitution heterogeneity that correlates with invasive R2I2 and is predictive of VA/SCD. The pharmacological stress protocol will create a dynamic range of heart rates that allows ECG based quantification of electrical restitution heterogeneity that correlates with invasive R2I2 and is predictive of VA/SCD. SECONDARY: 1. A high-resolution electrical map acquired using body surface potential mapping will correlate with R2I2 and these data can be included in the R2I2 calculation to improve its prediction of SCD/VA. 2. Serial measurement of R2I2 will produce consistent values.

NCT ID: NCT02051868 Recruiting - Clinical trials for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anus

International Multicentre Study in Advanced Anal Cancer Comparing Cisplatin Plus 5 FU vs Carboplatin Plus Weekly Paclitaxel

InterAACT
Start date: December 2013
Phase: Phase 2
Study type: Interventional

Anal cancer is a relatively uncommon disease and there is currently no standard chemotherapy treatment for patients with inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic disease. The aim of this phase II study is compare two well known and largely used chemotherapy regimens - Cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil vs Carboplatin plus Paclitaxel. The result of this study will set a standard of care for this disease and provide useful information for future Phase III trials.

NCT ID: NCT02049775 Recruiting - Clinical trials for Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

Utilization of NBi in Assessing Luminal INflammaion in IBD (UNBLIND)

Start date: April 2013
Phase: N/A
Study type: Interventional

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of unknown aetiology, characterized by a diffuse confluent mucosal inflammation of the colon starting from the rectum with a relapsing and remitting course. Conventional endoscopy was thought to be a reliable parameter of disease activity, but microscopic inflammation can persist despite normal mucosal findings. Histologically detectable inflammation is associated with a greater risk of subsequent relapse. A flare in UC activity is difficult to predict, but a simple, easily measured biological marker of relapse would be important in guiding the most appropriate therapy. Recent technological advances in fiber optics, light sources, detectors, and molecular biology have stimulated development of numerous optical methods that promise to significantly improve our ability to evaluate human epithelium in vivo. These methods, collectively termed "optical biopsy," are nondestructive in situ assays of mucosal histopathology using light that can provide instantaneous tissue assessment. Narrow band imaging (NBI) is a novel technique that enhances the diagnostic capability of endoscopes in characterising tissues by using filters in a redgreenblue (RGB) sequential illumination system. This results in improved mucosal contrast and detail. UC always involves the distal colon and activity is usually greatest in rectosigmoid area. This makes evaluation of the rectum and sigmoid an attractive marker in patients with UC. Unlike serum and faecal markers, endoscopic assessment of the mucosa is unlikely to be affected by systemic disease and would be acceptable test for patients and physicians. We plan to evaluate THE rectosigmoid mucosa in patients with UC by flexible endoscope using both white light and NBI endoscopy. These patients will be followed by for one year or until they relapse, whichever comes first. The aim of our study is to develop endoscopic biomarkers to predict relapse in acute and quiescent UC.

NCT ID: NCT02049671 Recruiting - Clinical trials for Hypopituitary Adults

Elucidation of the Effects of Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency and GH Replacement on Clot and Platelet

Start date: June 1, 2013
Phase:
Study type: Observational

Large population studies of hypopituitary adults (patients with pituitary gland failure) on conventional hormone replacement, but not growth hormone, have an approximate two fold increase in death rate (mortality). The vast majority of this excess mortality relates to vascular disease. While it is possible that overreplacement with steroids, underreplacement with thyroid hormones and sex hormone deficiency contribute, there are increasing data to support a role for GH in the cause of the excess vascular risk. Although a number of surrogates of vascular risk are described in patients with GH deficiency (GHD), how these translate mechanistically into atherothrombotic (blockage of the arteries) disease has not been fully elucidated. This proposed study will analyse both traditional (body composition, serum lipids, handling of sugars)and more complex markers (inflammation, procoagulation, fibrinolysis) of vascular risk/disease. In addition the study will examine 24hr blood pressure, arterial wall thickness, clot structure and function, as well as platelet action. Measurements will be performed at baseline and will be reassessed after patients have been on a stable dose of GH replacement for at least three months. The results of the study will characterise risk factors for vascular disease, and take this a step further to elucidate how these changes translate mechanistically in to vascular damage.

NCT ID: NCT02049190 Recruiting - Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials

Phase 1-2 Study of Onapristone in Patients With Advanced Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer

Start date: February 2014
Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2
Study type: Interventional

This is an open-label, randomized, parallel group two-stage phase 1-2 study with an escalation and an expansion component. This study will evaluate an extended-release (ER) formulation of onapristone in patients with prostate cancer in which Progesterone Receptor (PR) may be contributing to tumor progression. A companion diagnostic to select patients whose prostate cancer expresses the activated form of the PR (APR) is under development and will be implemented in this study; it may be used to further enrich the selection of the population based upon ongoing review of the results. Patients will be treated until occurrence of an intolerable safety issue, treatment failure, if patient elects to withdraw, or for non-compliance with either protocol-specified evaluations or onapristone treatment. An additional cohort of patients will be included at the recommended phase 2 dose to gain additional understanding of the onapristone safety profile and potential anti-cancer activity.

NCT ID: NCT02042794 Recruiting - Liver Metastasis Clinical Trials

Pringle Manoeuvre Versus Portal Vein Clamping for Liver Resection

Start date: June 2013
Phase: N/A
Study type: Observational

Liver resection is an operation to remove the diseased part of the liver. The liver is supplied by two vessels, the hepatic artery and the portal vein supplying 25% and 75% respectively of the total blood flow with 50% oxygen from each vessel. During liver resection it is standard practice to clamp both vessels(Pringle's manoeuvre), so as to avoid bleeding. Clamping both the vessels deprives the unaffected liver from nutrients required for survival. Reinstating the blood supply causes further damage by pouring harmful substances into the liver, which accumulate during the clamping. We hypothesize that not clamping the oxygen rich hepatic artery will cause less damage to the liver. Our aim is to compare the Pringle manoeuvre with portal vein clamping, to identify if the latter will result in less tissue injury and thereby fewer complications. Initially we aim to conduct a pilot study. The main objective is to ensure that patients can be successfully recruited and that data capture is complete. The secondary outcomes will be development of infective complications by 30 days following surgery, bleeding and blood transfusion requirements, heart/chest complications, recovery of liver functions, growth of remnant liver, death within 30 days following surgery, length of high dependency unit/hospital stay and quality of life at 3 months after surgery. There is published literature on the safety of this method and in the event of any intraoperative problems, the procedure will be converted to the standard Pringle manoeuvre. The Liver Unit at St James's University Hospital has four surgeons performing around 270 liver cancer resections per year, of which nearly 160 are for bowel cancer spread. Considering the team's experience in research and liver surgery, we believe it is well placed to conduct the trial in a safe and efficient manner.

NCT ID: NCT02040272 Recruiting - Mesothelioma Clinical Trials

Mesothelioma and Radical Surgery 2

MARS2
Start date: May 2015
Phase: N/A
Study type: Interventional

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin membrane that lines the chest and abdomen. Around 2500 people in the UK are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year and the median survival is approximately 8.5 months. Exposure to asbestos is the most common cause although the cancer does not usually become apparent until 40-60 years after exposure. Anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy) are usually given to help treat mesothelioma and sometimes lung-sparing surgery (pleurectomy decortication) is undertaken. However, it is not known if this surgery, in addition to chemotherapy, can increase survival and improve the quality of life for patients. The aim of the MARS2 study is to compare surgery - (extended) pleurectomy decortication - with no surgery with respect to overall survival, cost-effectiveness and quality of life. Patients will be followed up by phone at regular intervals for 2 years. Patients will be asked to complete and return a Quality of Life Questionnaire at these time points. MARS 2 also includes an optional 'Information study', where consenting patients may be interviewed or have their consultations audio-recorded. The aim of the Information study is to explore how a patient makes a decision to take part in research or not, with the overall aim of improving recruitment to clinical trials.

NCT ID: NCT02037867 Recruiting - Obesity Clinical Trials

Nottingham Community Liver Biomarkers Cohort

Start date: May 2013
Phase:
Study type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Deaths due to advanced liver scarring (liver cirrhosis) continue to increase, and liver disease is now the 3rd leading cause of premature death in the United Kingdom. The majority of liver disease is lifestyle related (alcohol, obesity and associated type 2 diabetes, injecting drug use) and therefore reversible if caught at a precirrhosis stage. However, current liver function blood tests are poor inadequate, and subsequently a large burden of liver disease is currently missed. A variety of noninvasive liver biomarkers (blood and imaging tests) have been developed which identify liver disease accurately at earlier stages of scarring. The identification of liver disease in the community, where previous studies have discovered a large burden of previously unidentified but significant liver disease, is therefore a feasible place to develop new liver disease investigation pathways using these noninvasive markers. In collaboration with the Department of Health, Nottingham University Hospitals have commenced a pilot community liver disease pathway in two General Practices in Nottingham in February 2012. Patients with liver risk factors (hazardous alcohol use, obesity or type 2 diabetes)are invited to take part in the pathway. Patients undergo a simple blood test (AST:ALT ratio and BARD score), with a high test result requiring referral for a liver stiffness scan (Fibroscan)which is performed in the community setting. High threshold scan values are reviewed by a consultant liver specialist in a community liver clinic. Preliminary findings show that the pathway accurately identifies patients with early liver scarring and previously unidentified significant liver disease. The participating General Practitioners have also noted a striking number of patients finally engaging in important lifestyle changes following pathway implementation. A second phase of the pilot pathway, in 2 Inner City General Practices with a total practice population of c.14,000 patients commenced in June 2013. We have subsequently designed this cohort study, where pilot participants will be consented for follow up over a long period. We will assess future liver-related and cardiovascular events (including death), and perform qualitative patient interviews to assess the reasons for and persistence of lifestyle changes after liver disease investigation. We hypothesize that stratification of liver disease in the community will unearth a significant amount of previously undetected but significant chronic liver disease. Moreover, we will evaluate whether stratification of liver disease using these tests predicts future liver and cardiovascular disease and death, and whether stratification has an impact on patient's future lifestyle choices.

NCT ID: NCT02037763 Recruiting - Clinical trials for Chronic Low Back Pain

A Prospective Trial to Identify Biomarkers Involved in the Transition From Acute to Persistent Chronic Low Back Pain

Start date: December 2014
Phase: N/A
Study type: Observational

This is a prospective observational cohort multinational clinical study. There are no biomarkers to help predict in which patients acute low back pain (LBP) will transform into chronic low back pain (CLBP). Human variability and different common comorbidities complicate the picture and make stratification of patients into correct subgroups difficult. However, drugs act by targeting specific molecular pathways and are therefore efficient only in a subgroup of patients sharing common molecular pathology and common genetics. Both CLBP and disc degeneration are known to be heritable. Little investigation has taken place for genetic variants in CLBP. The main aim of this trial is to identify "omics biomarkers" associated with the transition from acute (single episode of low back pain) to persistent/chronic LBP (pain lasting more than 12 weeks).