There are about 21062 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Italy. 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.
Ageing is characterized by a decline in neuromuscular control and a progressive loss of muscle mass, strength and power, leading to reduced mobility, loss of independence, higher hospitalizations rate, and increased all-cause mortality. Several studies suggest a non-linear decay of these age-related changes. Denervation-reinnervation processes, resulting in fewer but larger surviving motor units in advanced age, start as early as age 50-60yr and can be magnified in older adults (>75yr). Significant functional consequences in daily living activities are not usually observed until approximately 50yr. However, after 50yr, muscle strength/power reduction is accelerated and becomes faster than average muscle mass loss. Most observations come from cross- sectional studies and several confounding factors associated with secondary aging, such as physical activity levels, may contribute to (or compensate for) the observed age-related reductions in neuromuscular function. Compared to cross-sectional designs, prospective ones are advantageous in their ability to investigate fundamental mechanisms by excluding inter-subjects variability. In this project, the investigators will characterize longitudinal age-related changes in motor function, physical performance and muscle aerobic metabolism with an integrated approach. The investigators aim to combine classical methods of in-vivo and ex-vivo evaluation of neuromuscular function with innovative approaches for assessing changes and interactions between neural, structural and metabolic variables in two critical phases of ageing: 55-60yrs and 75-80yrs. Within each age-group, subjects will be classified based on their functional capabilities and divided in either active or sedentary. The investigators will describe the 2-yr time course of 1) mechanisms impairing neuromuscular function (denervation-reinnervation processes); 2) interactions between muscle structural changes and neural/metabolic impairments; 3) functional and metabolic changes occurring at whole muscle as well as single fibers level. The results will extend current understanding of physiological determinants of neuromuscular alterations in aging by identifying the course and rate of changes of specific factors that mediate functional loss and disability in older adults.
The general objective of this retrospective and prospective study is to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic role of a quantitative analysis of PET images with 18F-PSMA in all stages of the disease in patients with prostate cancer. To this end, both imaging parameters commonly used in clinical practice and the contribution of radiomic features will be investigated. The latter are quantitative features extracted from biomedical images, and are believed to be able to provide information, otherwise impossible to investigate, useful for the characterization of various pathologies. This methodology is very promising, but also recent and therefore little studied and standardized. Our objective is also to investigate how to optimize it from a purely methodological point of view.
Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) mutations are the most common risk factor for Parkinson's Disease (PD). GBA-related PD(GBA-PD) exhibits a more malignant phenotype as compared to no-carriers. Still, the mechanisms behind the increased malignancy in GBA-PD are not well understood. The definition of biomarkers able to stratify PD clinical trajectories in PD is therefore crucial to identify effective treatments and support diagnosis.The investigators will examine the role of GBA-mutations in accelerating a-synuclein (a-syn) and synaptic pathologies in PD by combining neuroimaging (positron emission tomography-PET), biochemical and clinical features. This will illuminate the pathophysiology underlying GBA-mutations in PD and identify biomarkers for the malignant PD phenotype. Also, the investigators will combine longitudinal clinical and imaging/biochemical features to define a prognostic algorithm for predicting disease faster progression in GBA-PD and monitoring disease trajectories in unaffected GBA carriers.
The aim of this study is to identify biologically viable targets for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorder (AD) with the ultimate goal of guiding physicians' therapeutic strategies and identifying more effective and safer treatments for patients. Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the investigators will recruit 10 patients with a diagnosis of anxious-depressive disorder (MDD-AD) and 10 healthy controls (HC) subjects. Each participant will be evaluated by a team of expert psychologists and physicians, who will be conducting a structured interview and administering a set of psychopathological scales to assess the symptoms' severity. The participants will also undergo7T multimodal neuroimaging session (including T1-weighted, 1H-MRS and fMRI). In the second part of the study, murine models will be used to study the role of integrin β3 (Itgb3) and protocadherin 9 (Pcdh9) in glutamatergic transmission at a molecular level and to evaluate whether the electrophysiological and behavioral defects identified in Itgb3- and Pcdh9-knockout mice can be restored by CRISPR-mediated transcription activation (CRISPRa).
A database has been created and will be used in which data will be collected in electronic format relating to adult patients who underwent one of the following endoscopic resection surgeries: TURBK, MAPPING, TURBK SECOND LOOK, BLADDER BIOPSIES.
Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are common in children undergoing general anesthesia and are associated with prolonged stay in the hospital and high costs. Development of PPCs is associated with ventilator settings in adult patients undergoing general anesthesia. Data on perioperative ventilator settings in children are lacking, leaving the anaesthetist without guidance. Consequently, the current standard of care in perioperative mechanical ventilation in children is expected to be extremely heterogeneous, leading to ventilation with higher levels of energy than necessary. Therefore, it is highly necessary to evaluate the current practice in perioperative ventilation in children and to determine associations with PPCs.
The project focuses on "somatic functional syndrome", a category of disorders characterized by subjective symptoms, suffering and disability without evident organic or functional alterations. Syndromes such as Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, Chronic Fatigue and Restless Legs fall into this category. Patients seek diagnoses and treatments, often consulting multiple doctors. The proposed alternative approach involves physical activity as the cornerstone of therapy, with a focus on fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia manifests itself with musculoskeletal pain, chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances and other symptoms. The text highlights a correlation between fibromyalgia and gastrointestinal disorders, in particular Irritable Bowel. Both syndromes share pathophysiological mechanisms, including alteration of intestinal permeability and psychosocial factors. An important note is the possible compromise of the integrity of the intestinal wall, with consequences on general health. Inflammation, dysbiosis, and altered intestinal permeability contribute to a vicious cycle that can lead to cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory diseases. Regular physical activity is a possible improvement for fibromyalgia symptoms, with scientific studies demonstrating its effectiveness. A sedentary lifestyle is linked to gastrointestinal problems, and physical exercise can promote gastrointestinal motility and counteract disorders such as gastric reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. The research aims to focus on the effects of physical activity on gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia and irritable bowel disease. The effects on intestinal integrity, dysbiosis and markers of inflammation are also examined. The research also aims to evaluate the psychological aspects of these syndromes.
In some people, the liver makes an abnormal version of the alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein, called Z-AAT. Making an abnormal version of the AAT protein can result in liver disease as Z-AAT builds up in liver cells, which leads to liver problems such as liver scarring (fibrosis), continuing liver damage (cirrhosis), and eventually endstage liver disease. Fazirsiran is a medicine that reduces the creation of the Z-AAT protein and thus the build-up of this abnormal protein in the liver. People with this type of liver disease who already have mild liver scarring will take part in the study. They will be treated with fazirsiran or a placebo for about 2 years. This study will check the long-term safety of fazirsiran and if participants tolerate the treatment. A liver biopsy, a way of collecting a small tissue sample from the liver, will be taken twice during the study.
This is a prospective observational study for long-term clinical evaluation (minimum 4-year follow-up) in patients treated within the research protocol "OA-bi-blind" (Double-blind randomized trial on the treatment of bilateral knee osteoarthritis: Autologous bone marrow concentrate VS. hyaluronic acid)
Definition and experimentation of the aforementioned information flow within the Regions participating in the three-year project, a Technical Subgroup was identified on a voluntary basis in charge of defining the design and following the experimental operational phases