12 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The study aims to determine how historical cases of respiratory abnormalities are documented by clinicians in the electronic health records (EHR) of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System (MHHS) inpatient facilities. The knowledge gained from this study will support the design of modern data-driven surveillance approach to continuously collect, monitor and timely recognize postoperative respiratory abnormalities using electronic healthcare recorded data.
The purpose of the study is to validate the diagnostic performance of the amplified pretracheal stethoscope (APS) to detect sedation-related adverse acute respiratory events in propofol sedated nonintubated children. To determine the sensitivity/specificity and positive/negative predictive value of the APS in detecting sedation-related adverse acute respiratory events in propofol sedated nonintubated children.
Respiratory physiology involves a complex interplay of elements including control of breathing, respiratory drive, pulmonary mechanics, distribution of ventilation and gas exchange. Body position may also play an important role in respiratory mechanics. While effective methods exist for measuring these variables, they are typically measured in isolation rather than in combination. In pulmonary disease, decreasing mechanical stress and strain and optimizing transpulmonary pressure or the distending pressure across the lung, minimizing overdistention and collapse are central to clinical management. Obesity has a significant impact on pulmonary mechanics and is a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, our understanding of these elements is limited even in the general population. The investigators plan to use various validated methods to assess control of breathing, respiratory drive, distribution of ventilation and gas exchange to obtain a better understanding of underlying physiologic signatures in patients with and without obesity and the role of posture/position, with a secondary analysis comparing participants with and without obstructive sleep apnea.
Following deployment to Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND), Veterans report breathing problems, difficulty exercising and other symptoms. These symptoms may be related to deployment exposures, such as regional dust and sand, smoke from burning trash, and local industry. Studies have reported poor air quality, but very little is known about the effect that exposure to this polluted air may have on Veterans' short- and long-term health. Investigators will determine whether deployment-related exposures have affected respiratory and nervous system function in these Veterans - data that may then be used to guide rehabilitation. Ultimately, the investigators' long-term goal is to prevent the development of chronic respiratory conditions in this group of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans.
The diagnosis of a lung function anomaly requires the evaluation of pulmonary function by spirometry. However, some patients (e.g. children, elderly, or diseased individuals) may have difficulty performing the related forced maximal respiratory maneuver correctly. Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) measures lung impedance during tidal breathing, requiring minimal patient cooperation. The purpose of this study is to establish the diagnostic accuracy of FOT parameters alone or in combination with lung volumes in detecting lung function anomalies as compared with spirometry and with the diagnosis made by the physician.
Hyperoxygenation for resuscitation of abnormal fetal heart rate tracings has been routine obstetric practice. However, there have not been any studies to support this practice. Recent literature have either found no associated benefit to intrapartum maternal oxygen administration, or in a number of studies demonstrated higher risk of neonatal complications. Despite these studies, the evidences have not been adequate to change the clinical practice because the majority of these studies either focused on biological differences rather than clinical outcomes data or were retrospective rather than randomized trials. Therefore, the investigators propose a large single center randomized clinical trial to determine the effects of maternal hyperoxygenation therapy for the treatment of fetal heart rate tracing abnormalities.
Obesity is a medical problem of epidemic proportions and is associated with high mortality. Obesity has significant effects on the cardiovascular system, producing structural cardiovascular changes including myocardial hypertrophy, fatty infiltration, and fibrosis; diastolic and systolic dysfunction; changes in pulmonary artery compliance; and increased aortic stiffness - all of which can lead to heart failure. Indeed, evidence suggests that obesity increases the risk for heart disease independent of other known risk factors such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obstructive sleep apnea. Obesity also causes significant changes in pulmonary function, including a decrease in expiratory reserve volume and functional residual capacity and closure of peripheral airways. The exact mechanisms for the development of cardiopulmonary disease are not well understood - the pathophysiology is complex and likely multifactorial, related to altered hemodynamic load, altered metabolic activity, underlying inflammation, and increased cardiac output. Newer diagnostic modalities available at our institution such as cardiac MRI and pulmonary function tests with impulse oscillometry allow us to better evaluate cardiopulmonary dysfunction in patients with severe obesity. Cardiac MRI is especially promising as a non-invasive imaging modality in obese individuals, providing more reproducible measurements of cardiac and vascular anatomy and function relative to echocardiography. Similarly, pulmonary function testing with impulse oscillometry is more sensitive for detection of abnormalities in the distal airways especially when spirometry is normal, as frequently occurs in the severely obese symptomatic patients. The main objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the effect of obesity on quality of life and health care utilization and its relationship to cardiopulmonary disease in an ethnically diverse, underserved obese population by using state-of-the-art diagnostic modalities before and after significant (20%) weight loss. The investigators propose to perform stress cardiac MRI and pulmonary function testing with oscillometry before and after significant surgical weight loss in 150 severely obese patients with cardiopulmonary symptoms. Patients evaluated in the comprehensive Obesity Center at Bellevue Hospital who meet NIH Consensus Guidelines for Bariatric Surgery, who have cardiopulmonary symptoms, and who meet clinical criteria for cardiac stress testing and pulmonary function testing will be approached by the study personnel and offered enrollment. Informed consent will be obtained. Enrolled patients will undergo clinical evaluation with a detailed medical history including the Borg dyspnea scale, physical examination, laboratory testing including cardiopulmonary biomarkers (brain natriuretic peptide, C-reactive protein, atrial natriuretic peptide), and non-invasive cardiovascular stress MRI and pulmonary physiologic evaluation including spirometry, plethysmography and impulse oscillometry (IOS). Patients with active smoking history and/or asthma will be identified clinically. Cardiovascular MRI will be performed using a 1.5T (Avanto or Espree, Siemens Healthcare) system. Standard cardiovascular techniques will be used for the assessment of myocardial and vascular structure and function, including T1-weighted, T2-weighted, late gadolinium enhancement, cine, tagged and phase contrast imaging in selected planes. Adenosine stress MRI will be performed for evaluation of underlying coronary artery or microvascular disease.
The objective of this study is the development, implementation and management of a registry of patient data that captures clinically meaningful, real-world, data on the diagnosis, nature, course of infection, treatment(s) and outcomes in patients with complex disease globally.
This research proposal has two main objectives. The first is to increase understanding of the underlying physiological interactions that occur between the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and ANS during transition between positive pressure mechanical ventilation (MV) and spontaneous breathing. The second is to determine if heart rate variability, (HRV) a reflection of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, and autonomic information flow (AIF), a set of nonlinear measures derived from HRV, both measured in the intensive care unit (ICU) can predict patient outcomes including successful weaning and in-hospital recovery time after an episode of cardiopulmonary compromise requiring MV. Hypothesis 1. Transitions between mechanically supported ventilation and spontaneous breathing will disturb cardiovascular synchrony, altering the relationship of HRV, AIF, respiratory rate, and blood pressure; Hypothesis 2. More normal HRV and AIF values, measured during baseline MV and sedation awakening (a period immediately prior to SBT when sedative medications are discontinued) will be associated with easier weaning, and shorter intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital lengths of stay; more abnormal measurements will be associated with longer lengths of stay; Hypothesis 3. AIF is a more sensitive predictor of successful weaning from MV than HRV.
The COR-INSIGHT trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Peerbridge COR advanced ambulatory ECG wearables (COR 1.0 and COR 2.0) in accurately and non-invasively detecting cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary conditions using AI-based software (CardioMIND and CardioQSync). The study devices offer non-invasive, multiplexed, AI-enabled direct-from-ECG detection as a novel alternative to traditional diagnostic methods, including imaging, hemodynamic monitoring systems, catheter-based devices, and biochemical assays. Continuous COR ECG data collected in hospital, outpatient clinic, or home settings will be analyzed to evaluate the predictive accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and performance of these devices in differentiating between screen-positive and screen-negative subjects. The panel of screened indications encompasses a broad spectrum of clinically relevant cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, and sleep-related diagnostic parameters, which are critical for advanced patient assessment and management. In the cardiovascular domain, the protocol emphasizes the detection and classification of heart failure, assessment of ejection fraction severity, and identification of myocardial infarction, including pathological Q-waves and STEMI. It further addresses diagnostic markers for arrhythmogenic conditions such as QT interval prolongation, T-wave alternans, and ventricular tachycardia, as well as insights into ischemia, atrial enlargement, ventricular activation time, and heart rate turbulence. Additional parameters, such as heart rate variability, pacing efficacy, electrolyte imbalances, and structural abnormalities, including left ventricular hypertrophy, contribute to comprehensive cardiovascular risk stratification. In the non-invasive cardiopulmonary context, the protocol incorporates metrics like respiratory sinus arrhythmia, cardiac output, stroke volume, and stroke volume variability, providing critical insights into hemodynamic and autonomic function. The inclusion of direct-from-ECG metrics for sleep-related disorders, such as the apnea-hypopnea index, respiratory disturbance index, and oxygen saturation variability, underscores the protocol's utility in addressing the intersection of cardiopulmonary and sleep medicine. This multifaceted approach establishes a robust framework for precision diagnostics and holistic patient management. The COR 1.0 and COR 2.0 wearables provide multi-lead ECG recordings, with COR 2.0 offering extended capabilities for cardiopulmonary metrics and longer battery life (up to 14 days). COR 2.0 supports tri-modal operations: (i) Extended Holter Mode: Outputs Leads II and III, mirroring the functionality of COR 1.0 for broader ECG monitoring applications. (ii) Cardiopulmonary Mode: Adds real-time recording of Lead I, V2, respiratory impedance, and triaxial accelerometer outputs, providing advanced cardiopulmonary insights. (iii) Real-Time Streaming Mode: Streams data directly to mobile devices or computers via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), enabling real-time waveform rendering and analysis. The COR 2.0 units are experimental and not yet FDA-cleared. Primary endpoints include sensitivity (true positive rate) \> 80%, specificity (true negative rate) \> 90%, and statistical agreement with reference devices for cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, and sleep metrics. Secondary endpoints focus on predictive values (PPV and NPV) and overall diagnostic performance. The study employs eight distinct sub-protocols (A through H) to address a variety of cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, and sleep-related diagnostic goals. These sub-protocols are tailored to specific clinical endpoints, varying in duration (30 minutes to 14 days) and type of data collection. Up to 15,000 participants will be enrolled across multiple sub-protocols. Screening ensures eligibility, and subjects must provide informed consent before participation. Dropouts and non-compliant subjects will be excluded from final analyses.
Background: Scoliosis is a curving of the spine. It usually happens in girls when they are children and teens. Doctors often use x-rays to diagnose it. The x-rays give low radiation. This may increase the risk that those young women get cancer later in life. Researchers want to learn more about this risk. They will look data that has already been collected. Objectives: To study cancer risks of repeated low radiation from x-rays for scoliosis. Also, to study death risks related to certain scoliosis patient characteristics. These include causes, kinds of curvature, and kinds of treatment. Eligibility: Medical records of women from past scoliosis studies. Design: This U.S. Scoliosis Cohort includes more than 5,000 women who were diagnosed between 1912 and 1965. Data were collected on these women in the 1980s and 1990s. These came from medical records, radiology log books, and x-ray films. Researchers found out where participants were, including if they were dead. Some women were given a follow-up questionnaire. Researchers want to find out where participants are today. They want to identify new deaths of participants. They want to find out their causes of death. This data will be added to other databases.
OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the pattern of immunologic reconstitution in patients with T-cell compromise due to DiGeorge syndrome or velocardiofacial syndrome. II. Determine any correlation between immunologic function in these patients and chromosome 22 deletion breakpoints. III. Determine presence of sustained immunologic compromise in older patients.