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113 active trials for Atherosclerosis

Characterization of Patients With Uncommon Presentations and/or Uncommon Diseases Associated With the Cardiovascular System

Background: - Researchers are interested in studying individuals who have known or suspected metabolic or genetic diseases that put them at a high risk for heart diseases or diseases of their blood vessels. To improve the results of the study, both affected and nonaffected individuals will be asked to provide blood and other samples and will undergo tests to evaluate heart and lung function. Nonaffected individuals will include relatives of affected individuals and healthy nonrelated volunteers. Objectives: - To study individuals who have or are at risk for cardiovascular diseases, as well as their unaffected relatives and healthy volunteers. Eligibility: - Individuals between 1 and 100 years of age. Participants may be healthy volunteers, individuals with cardiovascular diseases, or unaffected relatives of individuals with cardiovascular diseases. Design: Participants will have some or all of the following tests, as directed by the study researchers: Photography of the face and full body Body measurements Radiography, including chest or limb x-rays Metabolic stress testing to study heart and muscle function Echocardiography to study heart function Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, including cardiovascular MRI, angiography, and contrast MRI, to study heart function and performance Computed tomography (CT) angiogram to obtain images of the heart and lungs Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to study possible fat infiltration of the heart Six-minute walk test to study heart, lung, and muscle function and performance Vascular ultrasound to study blood vessel walls Blood, tissue, and other specimens will be collected for research and testing, and will be taken either as part of the clinical study or during surgical procedures. Follow-up studies may be performed under separate research protocols.

Start: July 2010
Atherosclerosis-Progression in Coronary Arteries Compared to Periphery Vessels

The study is a prospective-observational, explorative single-centre cohort study aimed to examine the atherosclerosis progression in coronary arteries compared to peripheral vessels (carotids, femoral arteries). Atherosclerotic alterations in peripheral vessels (IMT, plaque volume, plaque morphology) will be measured with ultrasound (IMT measurements and 3D quantitative plaque volumetry), whereas atherosclerotic alterations in coronary arteries will be tested with cardiac computertomography (CT) (coronary artery calcium score, calcium volume score, plaque morphology). A total of 55 patients without prior known established vascular diseases will be tested. Cardiac CT and ultrasonography will be performed initially. After 2 years follow-up CT and ultrasound examination will be performed to assess the changes in atherosclerotic burden. Initially and after two years plasma samples will be collected and tested for traditional and novel cardiovascular risk factors. The primary endpoint of the planned study will be the correlation of the atherosclerotic progression between coronary arteries and peripheral arteries (carotids, femoral arteries). Secondary endpoints will include the correlation of atherosclerotic progression with established (hypertension, smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia) and novel risk factors (hsCRP, P-selectin, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), CETP TaqIb polymorphism), with cardiovascular event rate, and the additional predictive value of atherosclerotic progression compared to an established risk score (SCORE Card, FRS). Also plaque morphology will be compared between coronary arteries and peripheral vessels.

Start: May 2017
Haemodynamic and Geometric Factors in Atherosclerosis

The study is a prospective-observational, explorative single-centre cohort study aimed to examine the influence of hemodynamic and geometric parameters on the progression of atherosclerotic alterations in peripheral vessels (carotids, femoral artery). Atherosclerotic alterations (IMT, plaque volume) will be measured with a ultrasound (IMT measurements and 3D quantitative plaque volumetry) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Geometric parameters (e.g. carotid/femoral bifurcation angle, carotid/femoral bifurcation area) are assessed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and also 3D ultrasonography. A total of 100 patients with an asymmetrical plaque distribution in carotid and femoral arteries will be tested. Only patients who are already enrolled in the "Correlation of Artherosclerotic Plaque Volume and Intima Media Thickness With Soluble P-selectin" (NCT01895725) and who are tested prior for an asymmetrical plaque distribution will be included in this study. MRI will be performed once whereas ultrasound imaging will be be repeated once per year (up to five times) to assess changes in these parameters over time. Also plasma samples will be collected once yearly and tested for traditional and novel cardiovascular risk factors. The primary endpoint of the planned study will be the correlation between geometrical and hemodynamic parameters as stated above and the progression of atherosclerosis as measured by plaque volume and IMT in the carotid and femoral arteries, respectively. Secondary endpoints will include the correlation of geometrical and hemodynamic parameters with established (hypertension, smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia) and novel risk factors (hsCRP, P-selectin, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), CETP TaqIb polymorphism), with cardiovascular event rate, plaque localization, plaque morphology and the additional predictive value of geometrical parameters compared to an established risk score (SCORE card).

Start: February 2017