All Clinical Trials in United Kingdom

Recently there has been concern about the effect of inhaled steroids, routinely used in the treatment of asthma, on the body's ability to produce its natural stress hormone cortisol. Failure of adequate cortisol production in times of stress e.g. illness, can result in serious illness or death. Patients receiving longterm steroid treatment may have reduced levels of cortisol and not be able to produce adequate amounts in times of need, a process called adrenal suppression. Initially it was thought that the absorption of inhaled steroids into the bloodstream would be too low to cause adrenal suppression however high profile deaths followed by a national survey revealed a number of fatal or near fatal cases of adrenal suppression. The vast majority of these were in children. Since then doctors have been encouraged to ensure that children on high doses of inhaled steroids carry a steroid alert card and that the ability of their adrenal glands to produce adequate amounts of cortisol is checked. However it is unknown what dose of inhaled steroids puts one at risk, whether age or gender affects one's risk and when to check the function of the adrenal gland. The Short Synacthen Test (SST) investigates the ability of the body's adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Presently the SST requires intravenous (i.v) cannulation through which Synacthen is injected to stimulate the adrenal glands and multiple blood samples are collected to assess the response in terms of cortisol production. It is invasive, time consuming and unpleasant for the child. Our project aims to produce a noninvasive alternative to the current SST, with Synacthen given nasally and using saliva to measure the subsequent production of cortisol. A noninvasive test will allow us to establish the first normal ranges for children and determine which children with asthma are at risk of adrenal suppression. Read Less

The investigators want to investigate whether it is possible to reduce the number of curative radiotherapy doses from 5 to only 3 for men with localized early prostate cancer. The aim of the study is to ensure that the side effects of the 3-dose treatment are the same or potentially lower than those already published when using the 5-dose treatment as used in the UK PACE-B trial (NCT01584258). The name of this type of radiotherapy is Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) or participants may see it referred to as Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR). The study is a two-stage single arm Phase II study open to those Centres that use the RayPilot HypoCath tumour tracking system (Micropos Medical). This commercially available system was not available at the time of the original PACE-B study. The system acts like a Global Positioning Device (GPS) to continuously track the prostate position during radiotherapy. If the prostate moves more than 2mm (about 0.08 in) from its intended position during the treatment, then the radiotherapy team are alerted, and the treatment halted until the prostate moves back into the correct position. The ability to understand exactly where the prostate is throughout the treatment ensures the intended dose hits the cancer and does not accidentally increase the dose to the nearby bladder and rectum. The system is a modification of a standard urinary catheter which sits within the bladder with the GPS placed within the wall of the catheter as it passes through the prostate. The investigators are not testing the system as it is commercially available but using it to improve the accuracy of radiotherapy delivery, reducing the number of days of treatment, minimizing side effects and helping ease the burden on busy radiotherapy Departments. Read Less

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a condition in which the heart cannot fill with blood effectively. As a result, people with HFpEF suffer fatigue, breathlessness, and develop swollen limbs. The condition often requires multiple admissions to hospital and is associated with a marked loss of lifespan. Despite being so common, very little is known about why people develop HFpEF and there are hardly any known treatments. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major risk factor for HFpEF, and people with both HFpEF and diabetes are at a heightened risk of hospitalisation and premature death. It is unclear why the combination of diabetes and HFpEF is particularly harmful. This may be related to the hearts of people with type 2 diabetes being unable to take up the mineral calcium properly, as well as due to their hearts being less energy efficient. Both of these are vital to heart muscle pumping and filling, but until recently it has not been possible to assess these in humans. New advances in heart MRI scans, with dedicated scanner techniques and dyes (manganese contrast), now allow extremely detailed pictures of heart structure, function, calcium uptake and energy efficiency, all during the same scan. The investigators will enlist 40 volunteers with HFpEF (20 with T2D and 20 without T2D), and up to 20 healthy volunteers, to undergo a heart MRI scan with manganese contrast to assess calcium uptake and energy efficiency. This will allow the comparison of people with HFpEF with and without T2D, to see how their hearts are different to healthy volunteers. Read Less

Post-market clinical follow-up (PMCF) study to confirm the safety, performance, and clinical benefits of the intra-medullary retrograde femoral nail Zimmer Natural Nail (ZNN) Bactiguard (implants and instrumentation) when used for the temporary internal fixation and stabilization of femoral fractures. Read Less

Paget's disease of the bone (PDB) is a skeletal disorder with a strong genetic component which can be associated with various complications such as pain, bone deformity, arthritis and deafness. Recent advances in understanding the genetic determinants of PDB offer the prospect of developing a genetic profiling test which can be offered to people with a parent or sibling with PDB to determine how likely they are to develop the disease themselves. The aim of the study is to perform genetic testing for variants associated with PDB in people aged 45 and above who have a parent or sibling (first degree relative) with the disease. The Investigators will assess how well genetic profiling performs in predicting PDB by performing an imaging technique called a radionuclide bone scan which is a very sensitive way of detecting early PDB. This scan will be performed on entry to the study and again after five years. The reason for performing two scans five years apart because PDB becomes more common with age and so this will allow the Investigators to give an accurate indication of how good the genetic profiling test is in people at different ages. In addition to genetic profiling the investigators will analyse blood samples for biochemical markers of PDB and also test saliva and stool samples for the microbiome profile since its thought that this may influence risk of the disease as well. In the longer term the investigators hope the study will allow them to develop a blood test to stratify for risk of PDB and use bone scans only in people who the clinicians think are at highest risk of developing the disease. This will allow people with PDB to be picked up early allowing treatment to be given in a timely manner. Read Less

Some people with cancer suffer from muscle wasting, lose weight and feel tired. This process, termed cachexia, is a significant problem and can lead to a reduction in both quality and quantity of life. Cachexia is caused by interactions between the tumour and the patient. Historically, it was considered to be a purely end-stage phenomenon of advanced cancer, however, it is now known that early signs of cachexia can even influence the outcomes of patients with potentially curative pathology, including those planned for a surgical resection. This study aims to collect information, from patients who are at risk of cachexia, about body composition, physical activity, quality of life and the body's immune response to cancer. Previously these measures have been most frequently studied in isolation, or at one single time-point, and are therefore likely to give an incomplete picture. A more holistic characterisation of surgical patients at risk of cancer cachexia, across their treatments, is currently lacking. Participants with cancer will be recruited to the study from surgical services in the United Kingdom (UK). A small number of 'control' patients without cancer, who are undergoing surgery for a benign condition, will also be recruited for comparison. Those recruited will have their height and weight measured, answer questionnaires about quality of life, undergo assessment of their physical function and levels of activity, have blood taken to analyse markers of inflammation and have their body composition measured by a variety of methods. A subgroup of patients will also undergo an additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of their abdomen and thighs. At the time of their operation, participants will also have small biopsies of muscle, fat, tumour and urine taken for biochemical analysis. Patients with cancer, will be asked to return for three follow up appointments during the year after their operation where these assessments will be repeated. Read Less

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm problem in the adult population. There is a five-fold increase in stroke risk in patients with AF. Whilst there has been considerable advances in AF management including improvement in ablation therapy, preventing AF remains an unmet need. One promising avenue is a group of medications called Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which has been studied in people with diabetes, kidney disease and weak heart muscle. These medicines were consistently found to lower the risk of developing AF. This can be promising for patients who have suffered a stroke for unclear reasons, where a significant proportion are subsequently found to have short periods of AF. Often prior to AF development, patients may have changes in the structure or function of the top chambers of their heart (the atria). This may provide a useful marker for us to understand whether SGLT2i impacts AF risk. Aim of research study: The aim of this study is to investigate whether the use of the drug empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, prevents changes in the left atrium associated with future AF development. Using advanced imaging techniques and continuous rhyth monitoring we intend to study the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on left atrial function and arrhythmia occurence. Study design: Patients who are undergoing an implantable loop recorder insertion, to detect AF following a stroke, will be invited for participation. Eligible consenting patients will have a baseline assessment with echocardiography, electrocardiogram and anthropometric measures. They will then be randomised to receive either the SGLT2i alongside usual stroke care for 6 months, or usual stroke care alone. All patients will be monitored remotely via their loop recorder, and will undergo repeat electrocardiogpahic, echocardiographic and anthropometric assessment at 6 months. This way, we aim to investigate whether the SGLT2 inhibitor causes changes in atrial parameters that may be associated with future AF development. Read Less

Inflammation is the way that the body reacts against infection, injury or illness. An uncontrolled inflammatory response can lead to the development of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular conditions. Recent studies have shown that inflammation is a regulated process coordinated by a group of molecules known as specialized pro-resolving mediator (SPM). These molecules are produced by enzymes via the enzymatic conversion of essential fatty acids; whereas their biological actions are mediated by proteins expressed on the surface of cells known as receptors. Given the central role that pro-resolving mediators play in regulating the immune response, the aim of this study is to investigate whether there are genetic variants (mutations) in genes encoding for enzymes and receptors involved in the biology of these molecules and to determine how these mutations affect SPM's activity or function. Findings made as part of these studies will help shed light into mechanism influencing disease onset and/or progression and potentially enhance the discovery of new and more effective treatments. Read Less

This clinical study is designed as a double-blind sham controlled randomised trial with the option of sham group crossover to receive the GAE treatment at 6 months after unblinding. This study will determine if embolisation of abnormal neovasculature arising from branches of the genicular arteries reduces pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The study patient population will consist of up to 110 subjects with knee pain for at least 3 months that is resistant to conservative treatment measures. Subjects will be treated with knee embolisation or 2 mL of saline in the sham arm. At 6 months, all subjects in the sham arm will be allowed to cross-over and receive the embolisation procedure with a follow-up duration of 18 months. The total planned study duration is 3.5 years. Read Less

Important differences exist between sexes in incidence, disease patterns and outcomes in coronary artery disease that is not well understood. It is likely that key differences in the underlying biological mechanism, in particular in inflammatory responses, play a part in underpinning these differences. Previous evidence demonstrates that healthy females appear to be more adept at resolving inflammation compared to healthy males. Since inflammation is thought to be a key initiating phenomenon in coronary artery disease the investigators will examine the differences in inflammatory resolution between the sexes in healthy volunteers. Read Less

Urine and blood samples are being collected from patients with and without diseases of the pancreas. These samples will be tested with the aim of developing an accurate way of diagnosing diseases of the pancreas using the results. Read Less

Psychological stress is a frequent human affection and has a considerable impact on modern society, and tertiary-level students often report increased stress levels as the semester progresses. While many questionnaires assess psychological stress, they do not capture objective data. Much research has shown that electroencephalography (EEG) can capture objective markers of stress, and recent studies have shown that EEG can even classify stress levels. This study aims to assess the feasibility of using EEG to objectively assess stress over the course of a semester of work in chiropractic students engaged in a Masters level course in Scotland. Read Less