View clinical trials related to Quality of Life.
Filter by:The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of aerobic and resistance exercises on depression, alexithymia levels and quality of life of elderly individuals.
The present prospective study aims to assess the QoL of periodontitis patients during supportive treatment and to relate it to periodontal health (clinical and radiographic data) and treatment stability. Follow-ups after the first cross-sectional assessment are planned after approximately 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 years.
Depending on disease stage, head and neck cancer (HNC) can be cured either with a single modality or with multimodal treatments, consisting of various combinations of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Despite treatment with curative intent, loco-regional recurrences and/or distant relapses are frequent. Moreover, these therapeutic approaches result in significant acute toxicities and late sequelae. Therefore, quality of life (QoL) is often impaired in these survivors. It is known that QoL is a prognostic factor because it is related to overall survival in cancer patients and to loco-regional control in HNC patients. The adoption of mobile technologies of common use (i.e. embedded into standard mobile phones) for behavior reconstruction and linkage of behavior modifications to quality of life indicators, and the realization of predictive models for quality of life modifications will allow seamless and unobtrusive data capture over time, making the execution of clinical investigations more precise and less burdensome as compared to standard (manual) data capture. The main aim of the present study is to reduce and to anticipate, with the use of the non-invasive Big data for quality of life (BD4QoL) platform, the proportion of HNC survivors experiencing a clinically meaningful reduction in QoL.
Muscle mass loss is a common adverse effect of cancer. Muscle mass loss occurs with or without reduction in body weight. Cancer cachexia (CC) is the involuntary loss of body weight of >5% within 6 months and it occurs in 50-80% of patients with metastatic cancer. It is estimated that CC is a direct cause of up to 30% of all cancer-related deaths. No treatment currently is available to prevent CC, likely because the chemical reactions that causes of this devastating phenomenon in unknown. No treatment currently is available to prevent muscle mass loss in patients with cancer but is urgently needed as the reduced muscle mass and function is associated with impaired physical function, reduced tolerance to anticancer therapy, poor quality of life (QoL), and reduced survival. There is evidence of an interdependence between informal caregiver (e.g. spouse) and patient QoL. Thus, identifying caregiver distress and needs can potentially benefit QoL for patients with cancer cachexia. Despite the enormous impact on disease outcomes, it is not known why the loss of muscle mass and function occurs and very few studies have investigated the underlying molecular causes in humans. In particular, there is a severe lack of studies that have obtained human skeletal muscle and adipose tissue sample material. Such reference sample materials will be invaluable to obtaining in-depth molecular information about the underlying molecular causes of the involuntary but common muscle mass and fat mass loss in cancer. At a whole body level, cancer cachexia is associated with reduced sensitivity to the hormone insulin, high levels of lipids in the blood, and inflammation. Within the skeletal muscle, the muscle mass loss is associated with elevated protein breakdown and reduced protein build-up while emerging, yet, limited data also suggest malfunction of the power plants of the cells called mitochondrions. The role of malnutrition and how it contributes to weight loss is understood only to the extent of the observed loss of appetite and the reduced food intake because of pain, nausea, candidiasis of the mouth, and breathlessness. Evidence is increasing that the environment of the intestinal system could be implicated in cancer cachexia, yet, the possible effect of cancer and the cancer treatment on the intestinal environment is not understood. Thus, large and as yet poorly understood details of this syndrome precede a later weight loss. Exercise training could help restore muscle function and how the chemical reactions works in cancer. In healthy people, and patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity exercise potently improves health. Exercise has been thought to slow down the unwanted effects of cancer cachexia by changing the reactions mentioned above. Thus, there is a tremendous gap in our knowledge of how and if exercise can restore the cells power plants function, muscle mass, strength, and hormone sensitivity in human cachexic skeletal muscle. Tackling that problem and examining potential mechanisms, will enable us to harness the benefits of exercise for optimizing the treatment of patients with cancer. The data will provide novel clinical knowledge on cachexia in cancer and therefore addressing a fundamental societal problem. Three specific aims will be addressed in corresponding work packages (WPs): - investigate the involvement of hormone sensitivity of insulin and measure the chemical reactions between the cells in patients with lung cancer (NSCLC) and describe the physical performance and measure amount of e.g. muscles and adipose tissue across the 1st type of cancer treatment and understand how that is related to the disease and how patients and informal caregiver feel (WP1). - find changes in the chemical reactions in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue (AT), and blood samples in these patients, to understand how to predict how the disease will develop (WP2). - measure changes of skeletal muscle tissue in response to exercise and see if it might reverse the hormone insensitivity and improve muscle signaling and function (WP3). The investigators believe that: - the majority of patients with advanced lung cancer, at the time of diagnosis already are in a cachectic state, where they lose appetite, and have hormonal changes, and an overall altered chemical actions between the cells affecting both muscle mass and AT. The investigators propose that all this can predict how the disease will progress, and how patient- and informal caregiver fell and how they rate their quality of life. - lung cancer and the treatment thereof is linked with changes in the blood, the muscle tissues, and the adipose tissues, especially in patients experiencing cachexia, that could be targeted to develop new treatment. - exercise can restore the muscles and improve insulin sensitivity and improve the function of the cells power plants in patients with lung cancer-associated muscle problems.
Hypertension (HTN) has a greater impact on African Americans (AA) than any other U.S. racial group. Uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) contributes to higher rates of disability, death, and health resource use among AA. HTN is the single most influential risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as a risk factor for the incidence of stroke, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. Importantly, older adults account for 15% of the U.S. population, and two-thirds of older adults over age 60 have HTN, with higher rates observed in AA older adults. Strategies to support self-managing HTN and BP control are crucial as the older population is projected to age considerably and become more racially and ethnically diverse. Research has documented the negative effects on health and health outcomes of poorly controlled BP and is one of the most important modifiable CVD risk factors. Lower BP targets will require aggressive management and an increase in antihypertensive medications. Therefore, to achieve lower targets in this population, greater efforts, including patient-centered methods will be needed to support self-managing HTN, especially in terms of medication adherence. As we shifted into the digital age, the use of mHealth technologies (smart phones, applications, SMS or text messaging) has been a powerful approach and mechanism for the treatment and management of chronic diseases. However, behavioral interventions that incorporate technology do not reach minorities or disadvantaged AA older adults with HTN. OPtimizing Technology to Improve Medication Adherence and BP Control (OPTIMA-BP) will leverage existing knowledge of effective technology-based components for HTN self-management to support and improve BP control using unique aspects of mHealth platforms in AA older adults. Findings from this study, if confirmed, will improve BP control and support self-managing HTN, as well as has the potential to close the health disparity gap between AA and non-AA older adults with HTN.
Randomized clinical trial that aims to evaluate the impact of the use of a diary in patients and relatives of patients admitted to an ICU in relation to usual practice in terms of health-related quality of life, the post-traumatic stress and anxiety/depression at 2, 6 and 12 months after ICU discharge.
Rationale: Esophageal cancer and gastric cancer are among the top ten most common cancers worldwide. Both diseases have major impact on the nutritional status of patients and their quality of life. Studies investigating post-operative nutritional status are limited and postoperative identification and treatment of micro- and macronutritional deficiencies are currently lacking in (inter-)national guidelines. Objective: To identify and target vitamin deficiencies after surgery for esophagogastric neoplasms. Study design: Single centre intervention study. Study population: Patients aged 18 years and older that underwent esophagectomy or (sub- )total gastrectomy for esophagogastric neoplasms. Intervention (if applicable): Two tailormade supplements for patients; one for that underwent esophagectomy and one for (sub-)total gastrectomy. Main study parameters/endpoints: Baseline micronutrient deficiency measurements and after 6, 12, 24 months supplementation,. Secondary study parameters/ endpoints: Occurrence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (n,%), occurrence of diarrhoea (n,%), steatorrhea (n,%), bloating (n,%), time between surgery and start of supplementation (mean in months), quality of life experienced (questionnaires) at baseline and after 6, 12, 24 months supplementation. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: In this study, no health-related risks are present for participants due to the administration of supplementation that is already used as in clinical practice.
Combining a fitness tracker technology with real-time patient-reported outcome monitoring associated with interventions through a health care app is a novel strategy to evaluate metastatic breast cancer patients using Palbociclib and endocrine treatment.
The proposed study is to test the effectiveness of a culturally-attuned, family-based mobile health (mHealth) intervention in reducing symptoms of postnatal depression and promoting health among expectant mothers in Hong Kong. Using a family perspective, the proposed mHealth intervention will engage family members, including expectant fathers and grandparents, in providing support to expectant mothers. Expectant mothers and their family members will be recruited at antenatal clinics at two public hospitals in Hong Kong and randomized to receive the family-based mHealth intervention (experimental), the mother-only mHealth intervention (experimental), or the health education (control). Maternal depression, anxiety and stress, perceived social support, health-related quality of life, and perceived family cohesion will be assessed at recruitment and four weeks after childbirth. For family members, symptoms of anxiety and stress, health-related quality of life, and perceived family cohesion will be measured.
Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are rare tumors that require specific diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, this poses a challenge for clinical practice. Diagnosis and treatment can be optimized when physician specialists and other healthcare providers, across various hospitals, join forces to provide patients the best care. Based on this idea, a hospital network called NETwerk was set up. The following hospitals are part of this network: University Hospital Antwerp, VITAZ, AZ Monica, AZ Voorkempen, AZ Klina, Gasthuiszusters Antwerpen, Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen and AZ Rivierenland. In this NETwerk, patients with a neuroendocrine tumor or patients suspected with a neuroendocrine tumor are discussed with the specialists and treated.The aim of this study is to map the quality of life of NET patients within NETwerk in order to optimize the quality of care. Throughout the diagnosis, the treatment process and the follow-up, the patient will be asked to fill out three questionnaires (QLQ-C30, QLQ-GI.NET21 and a satisfaction survey). These questionnaires will be filled out every six months at home. Patients will be asked to complete these questionnaires over a period of five years.