There are about 13332 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Netherlands. 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 purpose of this study is to analyze the association between aspirin efficacy and general platelet reactivity in relation to microembolic signals (MES) during carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is a genetic disorder of iron metabolism, resulting in excessive iron overload causing damage of different important organs like heart, liver, pancreas and joints. Complications and symptoms can regress by intensive treatment reducing the iron overload stores.Different genes have been identified playing a role in the pathophysiology of iron overload. A clinically important HFE gene mutation is the C282Y, located on chromosome 6. Phlebotomy is currently the standard therapy which consists of removal of 500 ml whole blood weekly, representing a loss of 250 mg iron. In naive patients between 20 to 100 phlebotomies are required to reduce the serum ferritine levels to 50 μg/L. Thereafter, a lifelong maintenance therapy of 3 to 6 phlebotomies yearly is needed. For absorption, dietary iron ( 70%) is reduced by gastric acid form the ferric (Fe3+) to the ferrous form (Fe2+). Recently, in an observational open study, Hutchinson et al. found that HH patients treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) needed fewer phlebotomies, resulting in a drop of 2.5 (SEM 0.25) to 0.5 (SEM 0.25) liter per year. Research question: The primary objective is to determine the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of PPI's compared to standard phlebotomy therapy in the prevention of iron overload in HH patients. Multi-center trial in two hospitals in the South of Limburg (Atrium medical Center, Maastricht university medical center ) and hospital in Belgium (University Hospital Gasthuisberg). The study will be conducted in randomised double blind manner. The follow up will be one year. Patients are randomized either for the group receiving a PPI or a placebo. Every 2 month the ferritin level is measured and decided if the patient need a phlebotomy (Ferritin >100 µg/L).
Colonic diverticular disease is a highly prevalent condition in Western populations. The prevalence increases age-dependently from 5% at 40 years to 65% by the age of 85 years (1-3). The majority remain asymptomatic. However, a significant proportion of the patient population develops complications, such as diverticulitis with or without symptoms (10-20%) (1, 4-10). Perforated diverticulitis is rare with an estimated incidence of 4 per 100.000 per year, but the associated mortality rate is 22% to 39% (9, 11, 12). In the United States, the complications related to diverticular disease account for 130.000 hospitalizations each year, resulting in substantial health care costs (13). In Europe, it is estimated that approximately 23.600 deaths per year can be attributed to complicated diverticular disease, and the mortality will probably increase in the future due to the aging population (15-17). Several case studies report an overall increase in the incidence of diverticulitis, based on the increase in hospitalizations (18). Kang et al, reported a 16% increased male admission rate and 12% female admission rate for diverticulitis, between 1989/1990 and 1999/2000 (19). Aging and the Western diet, low in fiber and high in fat, in combination with increased intraluminal pressure and alterations in colonic motility are considered important etiological factors. A disturbance in large bowel motility is suggested to be a common pathophysiological feature in IBS and diverticular disease (20, 21). Based on observations that IBD, subgroups of IBS and (symptomatic) diverticular disease share clinical symptoms, the hypothesis is derived that they might also share pathophysiological factors like low grade inflammation, changed microbiota composition and activity, and increased intestinal permeability. The identification of clinical and pathophysiological factors associated with an increased risk for complicated diverticular disease may help to identify patients with diverticular disease, prevent complications, develop strategies to improve quality of life and reduce the related health care costs. Therefore we aim to investigate the composition of luminal and mucosal intestinal microbiota and the intestinal permeability in the development of diverticular disease and complicated diverticular disease. We hypothesize that both the intestinal microbiota and intestinal permeability are altered in patients with (current- or previous history of complicated) diverticular disease.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether catheter ablation is more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs in the early stages of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. In all the patients a subcutaneous loop recorder will be implanted.
Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is the recommended treatment for symptomatic high degree stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA). ICA obstruction is often associated with an impaired cerebral autoregulation, implicating that cerebral perfusion pressure becomes dependent on systemic blood pressure. Therefore, to maintain cerebral perfusion pressure in this type of patients intraoperative hypotension needs to be avoided. Different short-acting agents such as phenylephrine, (a drug with vasoconstrictive properties), or ephedrine (a drug with vasoconstrictive properties combined with an increase in heart rate) can be used to correct intra-operative hypotension. In healthy subjects these agents affect the cerebral perfusion differently despite an identical effect on the systemic blood pressure. Cerebral perfusion decreases after phenylephrine administration while it is preserved after the use of ephedrine. The optimal agent for correcting hypotension in CEA patients, and thus in a situation of an impaired cerebral autoregulation, is unknown. Therefore, the investigators propose to perform a prospective study observing the effect of phenylephrine and ephedrine on cerebral perfusion to make a recommendation regarding the use of either phenylephrine or ephedrine during CEA.
Long term data on efficacy and safety of anti-TNF treatment with infliximab in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) beyond 5 years is lacking. These data are important because patients with AS usually are younger and withdrawal of anti-TNF therapy in these patients almost always leads to a disease relapse. Furthermore it is still unclear whether long term anti-TNF treatment in AS patients can inhibit radiographic progression. Patients who participated in the EASIC and the DIKAS trial respectively who were treated with infliximab within these studies for 7 and 10 years respectively are followed up by using clinical outcome parameters every 6 months assessing efficacy and safety of long term treatment. Furthermore radiographs of the spine, if done for clinical indication, are analyzed. It is hypothesized that anti-TNF treatment with infliximab is effective and safe over a time period of 9 and 12 years respectively and that long term anti-TNF therapy may inhibit radiographic progression of the spine.
Liver diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and viral hepatitis have the potential to progress to cirrhosis and finally hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Early diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases is important since progression is likely and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, in daily clinical practice no specific and non-invasive biomarkers are used for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with liver diseases. It is known that patients with liver diseases produce compounds that can be excreted in breath as a consequence of metabolic processes, inflammation and/or oxidative stress. These are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Analysis of VOCs in exhaled air has been reported to provide valuable information in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Also, in patients with liver disease, exhaled VOCs have been detected. The investigators hypothesize that analysis of VOCs in exhaled air of patients with liver diseases can be used for diagnosis and follow-up.
Pouchitis is a common complication following proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). It affects the quality of life and can become a chronic problem. The aetiology of pouchitis is not completely understood. A crucial role of the intestinal microbiota has been suggested, but no causative agent has been identified so far. Furthermore, the defensin expression and the epithelial integrity are altered in inflammatory bowel diseases and may play an important role in the development of intestinal inflammation. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that the interaction between an altered microbiota composition, a defective epithelial integrity and changes in innate defense parameters such as defensins has a pivotal role in the development of pouchitis in UC patients.
The investigators hypothesize that chronic heart failure is associated with a general stem cell dysfunction, which translates into reduced paracrine function of adult stem cells from patients with chronic heart failure as compared to patients with preserved systolic function.
The exact etiology of CTS remains yet unknown. A rise in carpal tunnel pressure is well documented, but why this phenomenon occurs is yet unknown in most patients. There is an absolute or relative narrowing of the carpal tunnel, which results in a compression of the median nerve. The investigators postulate, that a stiffer flexor retinaculum (roof of carpal tunnel) will be less compliant. As a consequence of this stiffer retinaculum the pressure in the carpal tunnel will rise more quickly in stiff patients resulting in CTS-complaints. A relation between connective tissue composition and joint stiffness is proven. This relationship possibly extends to a relation between stiffness of the skin, joint stiffness and the prevalence of CTS.