View clinical trials related to Arterial Stiffness.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of menaquinone-7 (MK-7) supplementation on cardiovascular, metabolic, and bone health.
Aims: To investigate early markers of arterial stiffness and nerve dysfunction and the association to an extended glucose metabolic profile comprising glucose control (current and past), glucose variability and insulin sensitivity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Background: Most Danish children and adolescents with T1D do not achieve their metabolic target and are at increased risk of developing long-term diabetic complications, reducing their life expectancy and increase their morbidity rate. Hence, improved metabolic control, a better understanding of what optimal metabolic control means, combined with detailed monitoring of the first markers of long-term complications and their reversibility or lack thereof are needed. Methods: A prospectivel study of 400 children, aged 6-18 years old, with T1D>12 months. Early markers of long-term diabetic complications will be investigated as arterial stiffness, nerve dysfunction and nephropathy. Data on T1D onset, duration, treatment modality, self-monitoring-blood-glucose profiles, growth, weight, and pubertal status will be collected. Blood sampling will include routine tests and markers of glucose, lipid, bone, and gastrointestinal metabolism. DXA-scan, Fibroscan, bone-age, eye-examination and physical activity will be measured. Data on retrospective glucose- and lipid-profiles will be collected. The children will be offered a followup every 5 years for the next two decades. Perspectives: This study provides novel insight into the frequency of early markers of long-term diabetic complications and its association to the interplay of the pancreas, adipose, gastrointestinal and bone metabolic axis. Which can assist in identifying subgroups of children and adolescents requiring earlier in-depth screening for early markers of long-term diabetic complications, for putative interventions for prevention, hence reducing morbidity and mortality in T1D.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) was considered as a heterogeneous disease with multi-organ and multi-system design, which is related to various complications, such as hypertension, obesity and arteriosclerosis. Studies have found that hypertension and obesity are respectively associated with increased arterial stiffness. However, there is still no research investigating the the relationship between lipids distribution and arterial stiffness in HFpEF patients.
Background: CADASIL (cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarct and leukoencephalopathy) is a genetic disorder. It causes narrowing of the small blood vessels and can lead to strokes and dementia. Researchers want to monitor people with CADASIL over time. Objective: To learn more about how CADASIL affects a person s blood vessels over time. Eligibility: Adults ages 18 and older who have CADASIL, and healthy volunteers. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical record review. Participants will have 4 study visits over 9 years. Visits will last 6 8 hours per day, for 2 4 days. Participants will give blood and urine samples. They will have an electrocardiogram to record their heart s electrical activity. They will fill out a family tree. They will have tests that measure mental abilities like memory and attention. They may have a skin biopsy. They may have a lumbar puncture. Participants will have an eye exam. Their pupils will be dilated. They will receive a dye via intravenous (IV) line. Pictures will be taken of their eyes. Participants will have an imaging scan of their brain. They may receive a contrast agent via IV. Participants blood flow and blood vessel flexibility will be measured. In one test, a probe will be pressed against the skin of the their wrist, neck, and groin. In another test, they will hold one arm still while a microscope makes videos of the blood flow through a fingernail. In another test, they will perform light exercise or other activities while wearing an elastic band around their head or probes placed on their arm or leg. Healthy volunteers will complete some of the above tests.
This observational study is assessing the effects that arterial stiffness may have on patients with heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Arterial stiffness will be measured by assessing pulse wave velocity (PWV). Carotid- Femoral PWV is the gold standard in measuring arterial stiffness non- invasively. Many studies have shown increasing PWV is a predictor of cardiovascular events, but the significance of increasing PWV as a surrogate marker for the potential worsening (decompensation) of HF or CKD has not been explored. This study aims to investigate patients with HF and CKD by assessing PWV while in a decompensated state and again when in a stable condition after 4 weeks of discharge to investigate a link between decompensation and rise of arterial stiffness. The research team aim to recruit 120 patients in this study with 40 patients in each of the 3 groups- heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and acute kidney injury (AKI). All AKI patients would have had known CKD (stages 3a, 3b or 4). The study participants will be initially recruited in hospital while admitted in an acute state and tests including bloods, ECG, echocardiography and PWV will be performed. The tests (excluding echocardiography) will be repeated 4 weeks after discharge. There is no intervention in this study. The study seeks to improve the understanding of the role of the vasculature in the development of acute HF in the two common types- HFrEF and HFpEF. As CKD is a common comorbidity in heart failure patients we felt that a study of the behaviour of arterial stiffness in this cohort will add to this understanding. If arterial stiffness is found to be an important component of the HF syndrome therapeutic interest could be focused at managing arterial stiffness with novel therapy.
The greatest challenge in our ageing society are cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack, peripheral artery disease of the legs with non-healing wounds (ulcers), or diabetes. How healthy ageing affects the smallest blood vessels (microcirculation) and is not well understood. One reason for this is that no generally available medical instrument has the resolution to study the microcirculation. The recently developed optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), currently mainly used by eye doctors, is able to visualise the microcirculation. We have developed an automated software (OCTAVA) to determine metrics to characterise the microcirculation on the layers of density, diameter and tortuosity. In the current study we aim at providing reference values of these metrics in hands and feet of healthy people according to age together with macrovascular function in arms and legs.
Current study aims to characterize five highly interconnected physiological systems in patients undergoing cross-sex hormone therapy - namely glucose and lipid metabolism, energy balance, eating behavior, functional brain networks involved in the regulation of eating behavior and the cardiovascular system - to gain novel insights into the effects of sex hormones on the human body. Gathered information will help to identify pathophysiological mechanisms for the development of overeating/obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease. Secondarily, the relationships between the gut and oral microbiomes and metabolomes and circulating bacterial signatures will be investigated in relation to the other pervasive physiological systems. Current study is an observational study. The decision if the patient's request for cross-sex hormone therapy can complied with (i.e., if cross-sex hormone therapy is medically indicated) is made prior to the first contact with the study center and with the outpatients clinic for Endocrinology at the University Hospital in Leipzig. Decision ifor treatment is made according to national and international guidelines. Treatment of study participants with testosterone and estradiol/antiandrogens is not affected by the study. During the course of the study no invasive interventions are being performed.
Despite advances in obstetric care, preeclampsia (PE) remains the leading cause of maternal death and disability in both developed and developing countries, contributing to over 70,000 maternal and 500,000 fetal deaths annually worldwide. PULSE was designed using a preventative medicine approach, focusing on improving early detection of PE as opposed to managing symptoms after onset. The study aims to uncover the earliest possible signs of PE using a combination of novel clinical tools and established diagnostic techniques to better identify, track, and manage high risk pregnant women. Specifically, PULSE will be examining the incorporation of a non-invasive test for the measurement of arterial stiffness, which has been shown to be predictive of hypertensive disorders. This test, in combination with a wide range of blood biomarkers, detailed ultrasound imaging, and a comprehensive battery of physical and mental health questionnaires, represents the largest, most comprehensive preventative PE study to date. The results of this work has the potential to revolutionize the way PE and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are managed and treated and can serve to inform the design of future preventative clinical research studies.
Babies may be born appropriately grown for gestational age (AGA, >10th centile) or small for gestational age (SGA, <10th centile). Babies who are SGA and have evidence in utero of vascular compromise using antenatal doppler indices are classified as having fetal growth restriction (FGR). Babies with FGR are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adult life. Increased arterial stiffness and intima-media thickness are thought to mediate this risk in adults. It is not known how early in life these changes can be robustly detected. In addition, very little is known generally about how babies' hearts and arteries change in structure and function over the first year of life, whether affected by SGA or not. This study aims to understand if there are differences in cardiac and arterial structure and function between babies born AGA or SGA. Within the group of SGA babies, the study team will investigate whether FGR and maternal pre-eclampsia influence these measurements. The effects gestational age on these parameters will be studied within all groups: half of the babies recruited will be <32 weeks gestational age (GA), and half will be ≥32 weeks GA. Study participants will have further measurements at 3-6 months of life to assess if cardiac and arterial structure and function change in babies over the first year of life. The study team will use the Vicorder device to measure arterial stiffness, and assess the feasibility of using this device in neonates. The Vicorder will also be used to measure cardiac output. The feasibility and validity of this device for this purpose will be investigated (Vicorder is not validated for cardiac output measurement in infants). Vicorder cardiac output results will be compared to echocardiography and bioimpedence technology (using the NICaS monitor). The study team will use ultrasound for arterial structure measurements of the carotid artery and aorta.
The researchers intend to recruit individuals who are referred for a routine screening in the primary prevention outpatient clinic of Attikon University hospital, Athens According to institutional protocols, a detailed medical history for atherosclerotic risk factors and current medication is recorded and a baseline clinical examination is performed. Moreover fasting blood samples are drawn to diagnose the presence of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. Glycocalyx examination is performed at the same visit. The subjects are revaluated at one month and then followed up according to the attending physician's instructions. Pulse wave velocity and the rest pulse wave analysis parameters were also calculated to determine the additive predictive value for cardiovascular events beyond SCORE2. All subjects are followed up for adverse events (death, stroke, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure) for 6 years after enrollment via telephonic contact and planned appointment at the outpatient clinic.