There are about 620 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Bangladesh. 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.
Status epilepticus (SE) is an emergency, life-threatening medical condition that may cause irreversible cerebral damage. Therefore, the rapid and secure cessation of seizures and resuscitation is crucial. Potent gamma-aminobutyric acid agonists, including benzodiazepines, are recommended as first-line treatments. For the complete cessation of SE and prevention of recurrence, long-acting antiepileptic drugs (e.g.- FPHT) are also required as second-line treatments along with short-acting benzodiazepines. Intravenous fosphenytoin (FPHT) is associated with fewer adverse events such as life-threatening arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, hypotension, and allergic reactions. Levetiracetam (LEV), is considered to be effective for SE with less serious adverse events including dizziness, somnolence, headache, and transient agitation, but there have been no reports of arrhythmias, hypotension, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, or hepatotoxicity. Preceding studies show that levetiracetam is similarly effective and associated with fewer adverse effects than those of fosphenytoin. Few trials have compared the effectiveness and safety of levetiracetam (LEV) and fosphenytoin (FHP) for status epilepticus worldwide. Moreover, genetic variation is likely to play a crucial role in the development of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) including drug resistance. By far, no study has yet been conducted addressing the issue of efficacy and safety between levetiracetam (LEV) and fosphenytoin (FHP) in status epilepticus in the context of the Bangladeshi population. A comparative study of the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam (LEV) and fosphenytoin (FHP) will be expected to give more confidence for the use of the drug. Considering this the study aims to assess the safety and efficacy of levetiracetam (LEV) and fosphenytoin (FHP) in status epilepticus. This study finding has an implication in the treatment protocol which will be beneficial for the patients and physicians as well. Furthermore, it will give input to the policymaker for developing new guidelines regarding status epilepticus management and also encourage future research.
This study will be a community trial conducted in two Upazila (sub-district) of Bangladesh- Kalapara, Patuakhali district and Shibganj, Chapainawabganj district. Kalapara upazila will be the intervention area and Shibganj will be the control area. From both the control and intervention areas, 30 community clinics will be randomly selected. Each community clinic serves 6,000 people and consists of 3 'wards'. So, the sample size will be 1,80,000 in the control and intervention areas, respectively. We would first perform formative research and survey to comprehend the burden and the community's perception of managing and preventing snakebite incidents. Data gathered through this assessment will contribute to finalizing our study interventions. The major goals of these interventions are to enhance community involvement and first aid awareness. Community participation will be addressed through 'Uthan Boithok' (courtyard meeting), health education sessions in schools, community clinics, and Upazila Health Complex (UHC) by displaying/using IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) materials (posters, flip charts, leaflets etc.), traditional songs on snakebite prevention and first aid management. Other interventions will include short audiovisual clips and community radio broadcasts, the development of Snakebite Support Groups (SBSG), and speedy referral responses. These interventions will be evaluated through a baseline survey, a midline process evaluation, and an end-line survey. The final assessment process will be completed by comparing the findings of the baseline and end-line surveys as well as by using the hospital surveillance system. Estimated cases per year and the number of patients who attended the hospital for treatment will be the main assessment criteria. In this trial, the primary outcome, the incidence of snakebite cases, will be modelled using a mixed effects Poisson regression model to obtain incidence rate ratios (IRRs) comparing the intervention to the control group. Therefore, this proposed project's community participation and health system-building initiatives will also help to build community awareness and quick treatment response in rural communities which in the long run will reduce the morbidity and mortality from snakebite incidence in Bangladesh.
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the efficacy and safety of Topiramate, Amitriptyline Monotherapy and Combination Therapy in Migraine Prophylaxis in outddor migraine patients attending headache clinic. The main question it aims to answer is whether there is any difference between the efficacy of Topiramate, Amitriptyline monotherapy and combination therapy in migraine prophylaxis. Participants will take Topiramate, Amitriptyline Monotherapy and Combination Therapy and maintain a headache diary. Researchers will compare Topiramate, Amitriptyline Monotherapy and Combination Therapy groups to see if there is any differences in efficacy and safety.
Epilepsy is a serious chronic brain disorder that has a tendency towards recurrent seizures. This affects millions of people throughout the world and brings a heavy socioeconomic burden. The treatment of focal epilepsy is more challenging. Selecting an appropriate antiepileptic drug (AED) remains difficult because the chosen drug must be effective, safe and tolerable. It is important to consider the safety and efficacy of an AED for monotherapy separately. The goal of AED therapy is to achieve seizure control with little or no adverse efects, improve the patient's quality of life and ensure patient satisfaction. Different AEDs can be used to treat focal seizures in adults. First line medication for treating focal seizures is carbamazepine (CBZ), but it has drawbacks such as adverse effects including Steven Johnson syndrome, drug interactions and blood dyscrasia. There is also genetic linkage that Steven-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis with carbamazepine are more common in individuals of Asian descent who carry the HLA-B 1502 allele. Another 1st line drug is lamotrigine (LTG) , it has favourable side effect profile including less sedative effect, less cognitive impairment, less drug interactions and blood dyscrasia. It has an elimination half- life longer than 24 hour, so once daily dosing is possible and it is associated with good drug compliance. Because of its favorable pharmacokinetics and side effect profile, LTG may be preferred to CBZ for focal epileptic seizures. In a study showed that the seizure freedom rate at the end of 6 months was 65% in LTG group compared to 73% in CBZ group. 41% in CBZ group and 32% in LTG group had at least one adverse effects. Few trials have compared the effectiveness and safety of LTG with CBZ as monotherapy for focal seizures worldwide. By far, no study has yet been conducted addressing the issue of efficacy and safety between lamotrigine and carbamazepine among focal epilepsy patients in the context of Bangladeshi population. Since the usage of LTG is less common in Bangladesh, comparative study of efficacy and safety of LTG versus CBZ will be expected to give more confidence for the use of the drug. Considering this, the study aims to assess the safety and efficacy of carbamazepine and lamotrigine among focal epilepsy patients. This study finding have an implication in the treatment protocol which will be beneficial for the patients and physicians as well.
Kangaroo mother care plus massage therapy will lead to improved growth of preterm low birth weight infants at discharge.
This is an open label and off label, phase IV, randomized clinical trial that will compare the immune response among infants that receive either two full doses of Sabin IPV intramuscularly or two fractional (1/5) dose of Sabin IPV intradermally at 14 weeks and 9 months of age from two different manufacturers.
Background (brief): 1. Burden: Bangladesh has a population of 29.5 million adolescents, which represents nearly one-fifth of the country's total population. Adequate nutrition during this critical age period is key, and is associated with improved health and development of the future adult population, as well as that of their future off-spring bringing potential inter-generational benefits. Yet, adolescents are known to face multiple nutritional challenges related to persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies as well as rapidly rising overweight and obesity due to inadequate and inappropriate nutritional practice. A large percentage of adolescents in Bangladesh consume an inadequate diet in terms of energy content, nutrient density and diversity. To alleviate micronutrient deficiency, Moringa oleifera leaves can be used in their daily diet with a traditional manner. It contains substantial amount of protein & several essential micronutrients for growth. 2. Knowledge gap: Although, adolescence has been identified as a 'second window of opportunity" for correcting nutritional inadequacies and insufficient growth from childhood, however, they face multiple nutritional challenges related to persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, particularly in resource poor countries like Bangladesh. 3. Relevance: About 80% of kilocalories per capita per day in Bangladesh are from micronutrient-poor foods, and 70% are from rice alone (75% for rural adolescents). A study on pregnant adolescent women showed that around 60% had low or medium dietary diversity. Among the major food groups, the routine diet of a Bangladeshi adolescent particularly lacks in protein in terms of both animal source like eggs, dairy products and plant source like legumes and nuts. Daily consumption of vitamin A-rich vegetables and fruits (other than dark-green leafy vegetables) are also inadequate. Such inadequate diet is reflected by various health outcomes. The prevalence of low Body Mass Index is 31% among married-adolescents of 15-19 years old. 13% of the adolescents are short in stature. Moringa leaves have a high amount of protein, and vitamins A & C, calcium, iron, potassium and zinc. It is well-known and easily cultivable in Bangladesh with limited resource. The high nutrient content of the leaves make it suitable to bring transformative changes in diet and feeding practices within the purchasing capacity of marginalized people due to its availability and affordability. Our proposed approach will assess the impact of locally available, affordable and culturally accepted Moringa leaves consumption into adolescent's regular diet to improve their nutritional status as a whole. 4. Hypothesis (if any): 150 gm of Sajna shak /bora (Moringa) 5 days/week) will improve haemoglobin and vitamin A status of the adolescent girls after 6 months of consumption. 5. Objectives: The study objectives are as below: 1.1 Primary: To assess the effect of consumption of Sajna shak/bora (Moringa) on haemoglobin and vitamin A status among the adolescent girls after 6 months of consumption 1.2 Secondary: Assess the effect of Sajna shak/bora (Moringa) on adolescent weight gain after 6 months of consumption 6. Methods: This will be a school-based trial. Group I (intervention) will receive 150 gm of Sajna shak/bora (Moringa) added with 25 gm concenstrated dal with 100 gm of rice as mid-morning snack in selected school 5 times a week for 6 months along with nutrition education. Group II (Control) will rice, concenstrated dal and potato vaji. Both groups will recieve calorie matched meal (411 kcal). Baseline and endline survey will be conducted. Blood sample will be collected at the baseline, at end of 3 months and at the endline. Compliance will be measured through on-spot feeding. Data on feeding, morbidity and anthropometry (height and weight) will be collected bi-monthly. 7. Outcome measures/variables: Primary outcomes: Changes in 2 biochemical markers (haemoglobin and vitamin A).
This study will be used to develop a tool to streamline poliovirus environmental surveillance for the polio endgame and to provide a tool for detecting polio in places where there is no capacity to carry out the gold standard culture-based detection.
The purpose of this project is to systematically collect clinical and nutritional outcomes information on patients treated for Shigella infection so that physicians and clinical laboratories can better define which Shigella infections are "resistant" to antibiotics and which are "susceptible", focusing on azithromycin a last-line drug to treat drug resistant Shigella
Burden: In developing countries, an estimated 219 million children do not reach their maximum potentiality because of poverty and associated risk factors. More than half of the Bangladeshi children <5 years are at risk for developmental delay due to poverty and sub-optimal home stimulation. Sometimes poor people become poorer due to catastrophic expenditure on health care and fall into the vicious cycle of poverty Knowledge gap: Although, there is evidence that conditional cash transfer helps develop poor people' health and nutritional status, little is known about the effect of unconditional cash transfer and health education (HE) programmes along with psychosocial stimulation on children' cognition and behaviour. Relevance: The study will bring an opportunity to evaluate the effect of transferring unconditional cash and health education programme along with psychosocial stimulation to poor families under safetynet programme of Bangladesh Govt. in rural areas. The study will also document direct and indirect cost to measure cost effectiveness that will help in decision making to implement the project if it shows benefits to children's development. Primary Hypothesis (if any): - Unconditional cash transfer (UCT) and health education (HE) programme will improve child's cognitive, motor and language development and behaviour compared to no intervention group. - Adding psychosocial stimulation to an unconditional cash transfer (UCT) and health education (HE) programme will will have an additive effect on Childs's cognitive, motor and language development and behaviour compared to the control groups Secondary Hypothesis: Additionally the intervention will - be cost effective, - reduce mothers' depressive symptoms and improve their self esteem - improve children's growth and household food security status - reduce domestic violence - Health seeking behaviour and health care expenditure Long-term goal: our ultimate goal is to find a suitable infrastructure to take to scale early child development activities for the whole country. Methods: It is a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial with three-arms (i) UCT+HE+Psychosocial stimulation (ii) UCT+HE and iii) Comparison group.