Clinical Research Directory

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Repeat Ablation Strategies With Durably Isolated Pulmonary Veins

This study looks at participants who have undergone an ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation previously, and atrial fibrillation has occurred and a second ablation procedure is needed. The study will randomize participants to either a tailored strategy for ablation or to widening the pulmonary vein isolation procedure with or without cavotricuspid isthmus ablation. The goal is to improve freedom from recurrent atrial arrhythmias at 12 months.

the Effect of Exercise on Sexual Function and Quality of Life in Postpartum Women

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if resistance exercise works to promote sexual health or quality of life in postpartum women. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can a set of physical exercises lead to an improvement in women's perception of their quality of life or their sexual function during the postpartum period? Researchers are comparing the effect of these exercises with routine postpartum care. Participants will: Mothers who are two months postpartum (following a vaginal delivery), provided they meet specific criteria-such as having a healthy infant and exclusive breastfeeding.

Electromagnetic Therapy, Peripheral Vascular Diseases, Diabetes

The goal of this clinical trial was to investigate the efficacy of Low frequency pulsed electromagnetic therapy (LFPEMT) in improving vascular-related quality of life (VQ) and spatiotemporal gait parameters in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The main questions it aimed to answer are: * Is the LFPEMT effective in improving VQ in patients with T2DM and PAD? * Is the LFPEMT effective in improving spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with T2DM and PAD? Researchers compared group A (received LFPEMT plus interval exercise training program) to group B (received placebo LFPEMT plus the same interval exercise training program) to see if LFPEMT is effective in improving gait parameters and vascular related quality of life in patients with T2DM and PAD. Participants in group A received LFPEMT plus moderate intensity interval training, while participants in group B received placebo LFPEMT plus the same moderate intensity interval training.

Care Burden And Qualıty of Lıfe

This randomized controlled trial will be conducted to examine the effect of a multidimensional training program, to be implemented by a public health nurse, on the care burden and quality of life of primary caregivers of patients aged 65 and older.

Effect of a Fermented Dairy Protein With Prebiotic Fiber on GI Complaints

A positive impact of a fermented dairy protein with prebiotic fiber supplement on self-reported GI complaints and wellbeing has been suggested (Wardenaar et al. 2024). The following project aims to further investigate the impact of this supplements in athletes with and without GI complaints in two separate data collections. Part I of the data collection aims to investigate the impact of this supplement vs. a placebo on carbohydrate malabsorption (as a potential cause for GI distress) in athletes that normally don't identify as having GI complaints (randomized double-blind cross over study design covering a total of 9 weeks, including a 3-week washout period). Part II of the data collection aims to confirm the earlier found results in the previous study (Wardenaar et al. 2024) in a group athletes self-reporting GI complaints that will be randomized into an intervention group or a placebo group (randomized double-blind parallel study design covering a total of 3 weeks).

Efficacy of MAGNESIO TOTAL on Sleep Quality and Quality of Life in Adults

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluates whether MAGNESIO TOTAL, a dietary supplement containing magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium malate (215 mg elemental magnesium per day), improves sleep quality and health-related quality of life in adults aged 18 to 65 years with subjective sleep complaints. Participants will take the supplement or an identical placebo for 8 weeks. The study will also explore changes in metabolic, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers.

Evaluation of the Impact of Periodontitis and Its Treatment on Swallowing Functions and Oral Quality of Life

The objective of this single-center prospective study is to evaluate the impact of periodontal treatment on masticatory performance in patients with periodontitis. Participants will be asked to complete several questionnaires related to their oral health and quality of life. Functional masticatory tests and salivary flow measurements will also be performed.

Aromatherapy for Improving Post-Surgical Quality of Life

Pre-operative anxiety is a very common condition that plagues many patients prior to undergoing surgery. Anxious patients are most frequently treated with sedatives in the perioperative period, which can have a negative impact on post-operative recovery, especially when combined with narcotic pain medications. Pre-operative anxiety, depression and catastrophizing have been shown to be factors leading to an increase of up to 50% of postoperative pain and opioid requirement. Therefore, the control of mood disorders prior to surgery may help with the perioperative pain management and postoperative opioid requirement. The use of essential oils in aromatherapy have long been associated with psychological wellness, and anecdotal reports suggest that aromatherapy, specifically lavender scent, may reduce anxiety. This study will assess the role of the elequil aromatab #373 Lavender-Peppermint in improving post-surgical quality of life in patients undergoing unilateral hip replacement surgery and in patients undergoing unilateral or bilateral mastectomy. Additionally, this study will follow subjects through their perioperative course to measure to what degree the aromatherapy intervention helps to reduce instances of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and opioid requirement following surgery.

rTMS for Postoperative Brain Tumor Patients

When doctors perform surgery to remove brain tumors, the goal is to take out as much of the tumor as possible while keeping the patient's brain functions intact. However, sometimes patients have trouble with movements like walking or using their hands after surgery. One reason for this is unintentional damage to important areas of the brain during the operation. A technique called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) might help patients recover these lost abilities faster. The investigators are conducting a study to see if TMS can help patients recover their movement abilities after brain tumor surgery. TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific parts of the brain. In this study, the investigators will treat six patients with TMS once per day for three days in a row. Three patients with recent movement difficulties one to two weeks after surgery will be recruited for this study; they will also receive physical therapy. An additional three patients with persisting movement difficulties up to three years after tumor surgery will also be recruited for this study, regardless of whether or not they receive physical therapy. The investigators will use two standard tests to see how well patients can move before and after the TMS treatment. These tests will help the investigators understand if TMS is making a difference in their recovery.

Support and Post-therapeutic Rehabilitation for Women in Complete Remission of Breast Cancer in a Thermal Environment

The PACThe - Real life project is a post-therapeutic support and rehabilitation for women in complete remission of breast cancer in a thermal environment. It consists of a 3 weeks spa treatment for patients in remission of breast cancer. This stay in spa treatment will be an adapted "post-cancer" support and has the main objective of showing a lasting improvement in the quality of life following the program offered to women following their breast cancer treatments. The evaluation of the quality of life will be done using the SF-36 self-questionnaire which will be completed by the patients 5 times (inclusion visit, end of the spa stay, 6 months post-cure, 12 months post-cure and 18 months post-cure).

Development and Testing of Nutritional Algorithms (NACHO)

The goal of this research study is to develop a nutrition algorithm to optimize nutritional status and improve quality of life during for participants who are completing or have completed cancer treatment. The name of the intervention used in this research study is: Nutrition Algorithm for Cancer Health Outcomes (NACHO) (a technology-based platform that houses the algorithms for the person-centered nutrition program)

Structural Heat Adaptation and Education in Urban Setting

This study aims to understand whether simple, low-cost interventions, such as improved home cooling, practical advice, and minor home modifications, can help protect people's health and improve quality of life during periods of extreme heat in densely populated, low-income neighborhoods of Karachi, Pakistan. Key Questions the Study Seeks to Answer: 1. Can these interventions reduce heat-related health problems such as dizziness, headaches, and heatstroke and improve the quality of life? 2. Can they lower indoor temperatures and improve sleep quality, comfort, and daily functioning? To answer these questions, researchers will compare communities where families receive heat-related support and information with similar communities that do not, to assess any differences in health and well-being. What Participants Can Expect: * Answer questions about their health, living conditions, and how they cope with heat * Have small temperature sensors placed inside their homes * Some participants may wear a lightweight wristband that tracks sleep and heart rate * In selected households, cooling improvements will be made, such as adding shade, applying reflective roof paint, or enhancing airflow Purpose: This study seeks to identify affordable and effective strategies to help families stay safe during extreme heat, and to use these insights to support other vulnerable communities facing similar challenges.

Effects of Ashwagandha Supplementation on Quality of Life and Well-Being in Women With Endometriosis

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how ashwagandha, a herbal dietary supplement, affects quality of life in women with endometriosis. Researchers will also assess how well participants tolerate it. The main questions are: * Does ashwagandha affect mental well-being and quality of life compared with placebo? * Does it affect physical health, perceived stress, or endometriosis-related quality of life? * Does it affect pain during intercourse or how participants manage pain, including pain medication use? * What side effects or changes in blood test results occur during supplementation? Researchers will compare ashwagandha with a placebo, a look-alike capsule containing no active ingredient. The study will include 90 women. A chance process will assign participants to a group. Each participant has a two-in-three chance of receiving ashwagandha. Neither participants nor researchers assessing the results will know who receives ashwagandha during this phase. Participants will: * Take 300 mg of ashwagandha or placebo daily for 12 weeks. This may extend to 16 weeks to match assessments with the menstrual cycle. * Complete questionnaires about quality of life, stress, pain during intercourse, and pain management. * Attend regular clinic visits for health checks and blood tests. * Attend a follow-up visit about four weeks after finishing the study capsules. After the first phase, eligible participants may choose to continue for another 12 weeks. Everyone in this optional phase will take ashwagandha and know they are taking it. Researchers will track further changes in quality of life, stress, and side effects. Participants will continue their usual care for endometriosis. Whether ashwagandha benefits women with endometriosis is not yet known.

Changes in Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) During Full Arch Implant Treatment

Full-arch implant-supported fixed dental prostheses are a widely accepted treatment for edentulous patients, with high long-term implant survival rates. However, further research is needed on longer-term patient satisfaction and on the psychosocial impact of this treatment on patients' daily life and functioning. Assessing patient-reported outcomes - oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and patient satisfaction - allows the impact of full-arch rehabilitation on patients to be evaluated.

Mindfulness-Based Education For Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), also known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), is the most common endocrinologic disorder to affect women. Despite this, the disease's pathophysiology remains unclear. This has hindered the diagnosis of the disease and the appropriate treatment for millions of individuals. The long-term health sequelae associated with PCOS, future directions, and areas of needed research in this often-overlooked disease. Women with PCOS may experience menstrual symptoms, increased stress, and difficulties in managing the physical and emotional effects of the condition. Supportive approaches that improve symptom management and quality of life may be beneficial in addition to routine care. The aim of this randomized controlled study is to evaluate the effect of mindfulness-based PCOS education on menstrual symptoms, stress levels, and quality of life in women with PCOS. The study will examine whether a structured mindfulness-based education program can support women in managing PCOS-related symptoms and improving their overall well-being. Women diagnosed with PCOS who meet the study eligibility criteria will be invited to participate. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive a mindfulness-based PCOS education program, while those in the control group will receive routine care without it. Researchers will assess participants' menstrual symptoms, stress levels, and quality of life using validated measurement tools before and after the intervention. The findings of this study will provide information about the potential role of mindfulness-based education as a supportive approach in the management of PCOS and may contribute to the development of patient-centered education programs for women with PCOS.

Development and Validation of a Chinese Quality of Life Scale for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

This study aims to develop and validate a culturally appropriate, reliable, and clinically applicable patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument to assess quality of life in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in China. The study includes two phases: (1) scale development using literature review, Delphi expert consultation, and patient interviews; and (2) multicenter prospective observational validation to evaluate reliability, validity, and responsiveness. The final scale is expected to support clinical assessment, treatment monitoring, and health policy decision-making.

Evolution of Insomnia During the First Year in Patients Newly Diagnosed With Cancer

The diagnosis of cancer can be a major trigger for new sleep problems, especially insomnia, in people who did not have sleep issues before. Insomnia may appear early in the care pathway and can continue over time, often interacting with other physical or emotional symptoms. The main goal of this preliminary study is to describe how insomnia develops during the first months after a cancer diagnosis in patients who had no sleep problems at the time of diagnosis. This will be done through regular follow-up over time. A secondary aim is to identify the factors that may contribute to the onset or persistence of insomnia, such as the cancer treatments patients receive, as well as any medical or non-medical therapies used to manage sleep difficulties. The study will also look at whether patients who develop sleep problems are referred to psychologists trained in specific therapies for insomnia, and how well they follow and adhere to these treatments.

A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation and Cost-Utility Evaluation of a Support Programme for Informal Carers of People With Dementia in Primary Care (EsCuidar2)

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the School of Caring programme improves quality of life and reduces caregiver burden among informal carers of people living with dementia. The study will also examine how the programme is implemented in primary care settings and assess its economic efficiency. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does participation in the School of Caring programme improve the quality of life of informal carers of people with dementia? Does the programme reduce the negative impact and burden associated with caregiving? What factors facilitate or hinder the implementation of the programme in primary care centres? Is the programme cost-utility compared with usual care? Researchers will compare informal carers who participate in the programme with carers who receive usual care. Participants will: Take part in nine face-to-face group sessions (one every two weeks) delivered in primary care centres. Receive health education, information about social and community resources, practical guidance for daily care, physiotherapy and nutritional support, and strategies to promote self-care and emotional well-being. Share experiences with other carers and participate in peer support activities. Complete study assessments to measure quality of life, caregiver burden and other relevant outcomes throughout the study period. The study will also collect information on programme implementation and resource use to evaluate the feasibility, sustainability and economic impact of integrating the intervention into routine primary care practice.

Efficacy of a Self-advocacy Serious Game Intervention

Individuals with cancer must overcome multiple, ongoing challenges ("self-advocate") related to their cancer experience to receive patient-centered care. Women with metastatic cancer often face significant challenges managing their quality of life concerns and cancer- and treatment-related symptoms. If they do not self-advocate to manage these concerns, they risk having poor quality of life, high symptom burden, and care that is not patient-centered. Serious games (video games that teach) are effective health interventions that allow users to vicariously engage in situations reflecting their personal experiences, receive meaningful information, and learn personally relevant skills that they can apply in real life. The goal of the current study is to test the efficacy of a novel intervention using a serious game platform to teach self-advocacy skills to women with advanced cancer. The Strong Together intervention consists of a multi-session, interactive serious game application with tailored self-advocacy goal-setting and training. The serious game is based on a self-advocacy conceptual framework and applies behavior change theories and serious game mechanisms to promote skill development and implementation. The game works by immersing users in the experiences of characters who are women with advanced cancer; requiring users to make decisions about how the characters self-advocate; demonstrating the positive and negative consequences of self-advocating or not, respectively; and providing multiple, individualized feedback mechanisms and game features to enforce self-advocacy skill acquisition and transference to real life.

SPADE Clinical Trial.

Purpose: This multicenter, prospective, single-arm phase 2 clinical trial aims to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and clinical outcomes of the SPADE operation (Spade-Shaped Anastomosis) in patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic proximal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer located in the upper stomach . Background: While proximal gastrectomy (removing only the upper part of the stomach) offers nutritional advantages over total gastrectomy, it often leads to significant postoperative reflux esophagitis * The SPADE technique was developed to prevent this by creating an artificial anti-reflux mechanism (angle of His and pseudo-fornix) using double suture anchoring between the esophagus and the stomach Study Plan: Participants: The study will enroll approximately 159 patients with tumors (size ≤ 4 cm) located in the upper third of the stomach who are eligible for gastric function-preserving surgery . Intervention: All participants will undergo laparoscopic or robotic proximal gastrectomy followed by the SPADE reconstruction method . Primary Objective: The primary goal is to determine the incidence of endoscopic reflux esophagitis at one year postoperatively . Secondary Objectives: Investigators will also monitor postoperative reflux symptoms, nutritional parameters (such as weight, hemoglobin, and vitamin B12 levels), surgical complications, quality of life, and 3-year survival rates . Hypothesis: The researchers hypothesize that the SPADE operation is a safe and effective surgical approach that can provide equivalent reflux prevention (a target rate of approximately 2.9%) compared to existing complex reconstruction methods, while maintaining the benefits of preserving gastric function

AI-Guided Personalized Relaxation for Hemodialysis Patients

Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis frequently experience impaired health-related quality of life, anxiety, and difficulties in coping with the long-term demands of treatment. Artificial intelligence (AI)-guided interventions may provide personalized psychological support and promote adaptive coping through tailored relaxation strategies. This randomized controlled mixed-methods trial evaluates the effectiveness of an AI-guided personalized relaxation intervention delivered through a smartphone application among adults receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Participants are randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving AI-guided personalized relaxation in addition to routine hemodialysis care or a control group receiving routine care alone. The 6-week intervention includes individualized breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, and adaptive feedback generated according to participant characteristics, emotional responses, and engagement patterns. The primary outcome is health-related quality of life measured using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36™). Secondary outcomes include anxiety symptoms measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), coping strategies measured by the Brief COPE Inventory, and user acceptance of the AI-guided intervention. Qualitative interviews are conducted with intervention participants to explore their experiences, perceived benefits, feasibility, and acceptability of the intervention. The study aims to determine whether AI-guided personalized relaxation can improve quality of life, reduce anxiety, and enhance coping among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis while providing insight into the acceptability and feasibility of integrating AI-supported psychosocial interventions into routine dialysis care. The personalization system incorporate a pre-trained facial emotion recognition model using the smartphone's front-facing camera. Facial expressions will analyze in real time to classify emotional states (e.g., anxious, neutral, or relaxed) and adapt relaxation recommendations. Facial images will not stored, and the feature will used solely for intervention personalization after informed consent. Sample size will estimated a priori using GPower (version 3.1) software for a two tailed analysis of difference between two independent means within -t- test family using the following parameters; effect size (Cohen's d = 0.64) which had been reported by Zhang et al. (2025), significance level of 0.05, a statistical power of 90%, and an allocation ratio of 1:1. The minimum sample size will require 106 participants (53 for each group). To compensate for an anticipated attrition rate of 20%, the sample size will increased to 128 participants (64 participants per group).

Toxicity and Outcome of Whole Breast Hypofractionated Radiotherapy: a Single Institution Experience

This is a homogeneous, single institution, observational, non-interventional, prospective study of 500 patients who will be treated according to the standard protocol of adjuvant hypofractionated radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery, at a total dose of 40 Gy/ 15 fr (5 fr/ week, 3 consecutive weeks). In addition to the regular follow up, the patients will respond to the quality-of-life questionnaires (QLQ) of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), general, QLQ- C30, and specific for breast (BR), QLQ- BR23, at the first visit, at the end of radiotherapy and at the subsequent follow-up visits from 6 months up to 5 and a half years, to evaluate the quality of life during and after the treatment. The study also has a retrospective arm of approximately 3300 patients (number of patients and characteristics of disease expanded with the amendment presented to the Lombardia 1 Ethics Committee in May 22/2024), treated from January 2009, for whom disease control and toxicity will be evaluated.

Quality of Life (HRQoL) of AIS Patients Who Require Bracing or Surgery Using SRS-22 Questionnaire

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is an unexpected curvature of spine at teenage. AIS causes mainly unpleasant appearance, and sometime comes with pain and difficult to locate or move around. When the spinal curve, or "Cobb angle", increases with time, the investigators call it severe condition when the Cobb angle is 60 degrees or above. The severe suffering patients need to be operated to correct their spinal curve by using metallic rods and metallic screws (implants) to fix the spine. In order to avoid this surgery, the investigators use "brace", a hard fitting case, trying to control the spinal curve degree by using forces from outside. (bracing) to intervene the spinal curve progression is highly recommended for patients with particular clinical characteristics. However, bracing is not always a present experience apart from function restriction. Clinical recommendation requires the patients to brace over 20 hours everyday, which means the patients have to be "braced" around the clock. Patients' perception on being "braced" all day, apart from discomforts under bracing, self-image and mental health after bracing are also important psycho-social factors which have yet to be addressed. Based on our clinical experience, 1-2% of AIS patients, undergoing bracing or not (i.e. at observation stage), require surgical intervention due to rapid spinal progression in a short period of time. By definition, surgery will be arranged for patients with major spinal curve ≥50. The use of health-related-quality-of-life (HRQoL) questionnaires allow clinical professionals to explore many different kinds of interests on patients, including the patient's feeling on his/her medical condition and satisfaction with provided care. Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) patient outcome tool has been a well-accepted HRQoL questionnaire to look for the perception of patients with spinal problems of their status. The SRS-22 questionnaire that has been well accepted as its trustworthy on the score results and SRS-22 is good to be used in patients under different conditions across the disease. This is very important to obtain and compare the scores over time in order to look for any consistent changes. Apart from AIS patients requiring bracing, surgical cases are also very important group of patients to monitor their quality of life before and after surgery, and every follow-up visit after surgery.

Comparative Study of the Quality of Life of Patients Suffering From OTOTOXICITY Due to Chemotherapy Based on Platinum Salts Fitted With a Hearing Aid Compared to Those Not Fitted.

There are many undesirable effects associated with platinum-based cancer treatments (renal failure, anaemia, etc.). Their administration also leads to neurosensory problems such as ototoxicity, tinnitus and reduced hearing acuity. According to a the French survey (2018), 39.7% of people suffer from hearing problems due to cancer treatments, five years after a cancer diagnosis. Improving side effects such as hypoacusis and tinnitus can significantly improve patients' quality of life and adherence to treatment. Many clinical trials proposed a medicinal solution to patients receiving platinum-based cancer treatments but none has led to a consensus on management. The aim of the study is to offer patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy and suffering from hearing problems a hearing aid to improve their quality of life.