Clinical trials

MEDHA is a randomized controlled trial among 10-18 year old girls to examine the use-case of the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP) multiple micronutrient supplement (MMS) formulation and to test an enhanced regimen (MMS+) with additional nutrients, vs. weekly iron-folic acid as standard of care on outcomes of neurodevelopment, linear growth, biochemical status, bone health, and other functional and health outcomes. This study is an individually randomized, open-label, three-arm trial of 3,000 participants supplemented for 12 months to assess the efficacy and safety of nutrient supplementation. Results of the study will inform the design of nutritional interventions and policy for this age group. In the context of the trial, the investigators will also do in-depth clinical and health assessments and collect biospecimens for a bio-archive for future deep-phenotyping of this population. This study will be conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bangladesh JiVitA field site in rural Gaibandha District of Bangladesh.

This is a Phase I/II, double-blind, randomized, active controlled, multi-centric clinical trial to assess the reactogenicity, safety and immunogenicity of a SIIPL DTwP-HepB-rPV-Hib vaccine in comparison with HEXASIIL® in healthy toddlers and infants. This trial is planned as a Phase I/II trial with two age cohorts to be enrolled sequentially, starting with healthy toddlers and subsequently extending to healthy infants. In Phase I of the trial, after at least one parent signs the informed consent and the participant's eligibility is confirmed, healthy toddlers aged 12-24 months will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio, to receive 0.5 mL of either of the vaccines intramuscularly in the upper anterolateral aspect of the thigh. Following vaccination, all toddlers will be observed at the site for minimum 30 (+15) minutes for any Iimmediate Adverse Event (IAE). Solicited Adverse Events (AEs) will be actively collected for 7 days post vaccination. Unsolicited AEs and Serious AEs will be collected throughout the trial from the time of signing informed consent till 28 days post vaccination. Blood samples for immunogenicity assessment will be obtained from all participating toddlers at Visit 1 (Prior to vaccination) and at Visit 4. A Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) meeting will be convened for the evaluation of 7-day safety data in all participants. The DSMB shall review the safety data and provide recommendations to initiate Phase II of the trial. Additionally, Safety Review Comitte (SRC) will review the 24-hour safety data from the initial sentinel group (three participants) and give advice on progression to the subsequent enrolment in Phase I. After at least one parent signs the informed consent and the participant's eligibility is confirmed, all infants will be randomized in 2:1 ratio to receive a 3-dose primary vaccination series at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age. Each participant will receive 0.5 mL of either vaccine intramuscularly in the upper anterolateral aspect of the thigh. Following each vaccination, all infants will be observed at the site for minimum 30 (+15) minutes for any IAEs. Active follow up for solicited AEs will be conducted over the 7-day period after each vaccination. Unsolicited AE/SAEs will be collected from signing of informed consent till Visit 10. Blood samples for immunogenicity assessment will be obtained from all participating infants at Visit 1 (Prior to vaccination) and at Visit 10.

This is a prospective, multicenter, real-world study conducted in Bangladesh to assess the effectiveness and safety of Tirzepatide compared to structured lifestyle interventions, including dietary modifications and exercise, in obese adults with or without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The study aims to determine whether treatment with Tirzepatide results in superior weight reduction outcomes compared to lifestyle-based approaches. Adult participants (≥18 years) with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² and no prior exposure to GLP-1 receptor agonists will be enrolled at the discretion of the treating physician. Eligible participants will receive either once-weekly Tirzepatide or participate in lifestyle intervention programs aligned with standard clinical care.

Total abdominal hysterectomy is associated with significant postoperative pain due to abdominal wall incision and tissue manipulation. Effective pain management after surgery helps improve patient comfort, early mobilization, and recovery while reducing the need for opioid medications and their related side effects. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a regional anaesthesia technique that provides pain relief by blocking sensory nerves supplying the abdominal wall. However, the duration of analgesia provided by local anaesthetic alone may be limited. Adding adjuvant drugs such as dexmedetomidine or ketamine may enhance and prolong the analgesic effect. This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine and ketamine as adjuvants to bupivacaine in ultrasound-guided bilateral TAP block for postoperative pain management following total abdominal hysterectomy. Participants undergoing elective total abdominal hysterectomy will be randomly assigned to receive either bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine or bupivacaine with ketamine during TAP block. Postoperative pain intensity, morphine consumption, time to first rescue analgesia, haemodynamic changes, sedation level and postoperative nausea and vomiting will be assessed during the first 24 hours after surgery. The findings of this study may help determine which adjuvant provides better postoperative analgesia when combined with bupivacaine for TAP block in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an ultrasound-guided scalp block can improve intraoperative hemodynamic stability and provide better postoperative pain relief in adult patients undergoing elective supratentorial craniotomy. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does ultrasound-guided scalp block reduce changes in heart rate and blood pressure during surgery compared with surgical site infiltration? Does ultrasound-guided scalp block decrease postoperative pain and opioid requirements in the first 24 hours after craniotomy? Researchers will compare patients receiving an ultrasound-guided scalp block to those receiving standard surgical site infiltration to see if the scalp block provides better perioperative hemodynamic control and postoperative analgesia. Participants will: Receive general anesthesia with either ultrasound-guided scalp block or surgical site infiltration Have heart rate, blood pressure, and other hemodynamic parameters monitored throughout surgery Receive standard postoperative pain management, with pain scores recorded at 0, 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours Receive opioids as needed based on pain scores, with total opioid consumption and time to first analgesic dose recorded Be monitored for adverse events, including nausea, vomiting, sedation, and block-related complications

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most commonly performed abdominal surgical procedures worldwide. Although the widespread implementation of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols has improved perioperative outcomes, many patients continue to experience postoperative pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, nausea, and fatigue, symptoms that collectively impair overall quality of recovery (QoR). Melatonin, an endogenous hormone that regulates circadian rhythm, also possesses anxiolytic, analgesic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, positioning it as a valuable perioperative adjunct. However, most previous studies have evaluated melatonin primarily for isolated outcomes such as sleep quality or anxiety. Its effect on comprehensive postoperative recovery, assessed using validated patient-reported outcome instruments, remains insufficiently explored, particularly in laparoscopic cholecystectomy populations and in South Asian clinical settings. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (the MEL-REC trial) aims to evaluate the effect of preoperative oral melatonin on postoperative quality of recovery in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia. The study will be conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka, Bangladesh, over a total study period of 18 months (January 2026 to June 2027), with patient recruitment planned for 8 months (May to December 2026) after taking approval from institutional review board. Eighty four adult patients aged 18-60 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio into two equal groups (n = 42 per group) using computer-generated permuted block randomization with centralized pharmacy based allocation concealment. The melatonin group (Group M) will receive oral melatonin 6 mg administered 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia and the placebo group (Group P) will receive an identical placebo tablet under the same conditions. Neither the participants, the treating anaesthesiologist, the outcome assessor, nor the data analyst will be aware of group allocation until database lock. All patients will receive a standardized anaesthesia and perioperative management protocol, including standardized postoperative analgesia. The primary outcome will be postoperative quality of recovery assessed using the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) score at 24 ± 2 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes include postoperative sleep quality measured by the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire, change in preoperative anxiety (delta-VAS-A score), total opioid consumption during the first 24 hours expressed as intravenous morphine milligram equivalents, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and time to first rescue analgesic request. All postoperative outcomes will be assessed by a trained research assistant blinded to group allocation. Based on the available evidence, it is anticipated that patients receiving preoperative melatonin will demonstrate higher QoR-15 scores at 24 hours after surgery compared with the placebo group. The melatonin group is also expected to have improved postoperative sleep quality, reduced opioid consumption, and a greater reduction in preoperative anxiety. If a clinically meaningful benefit is confirmed, given its well established safety profile, low cost, and ease of oral administration, preoperative melatonin may represent a practical perioperative adjunct that can be readily incorporated into ERAS protocols for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The trial will be prospectively registered in the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) clinical trial registry or clinicaltrials.gov prior to recruitment.

The study likely to yield improved therapeutic modalities for children with prolonged diarrhea, a sequalae often leads to persistent diarrhea, which is linked to as much as 35% of diarrhea-associated deaths in children \<5 years of age. If found effective, the therapy would led to early recovery, reduce duration of hospitalization, intercurrent hospital infection and overall expenditure related to this illness.

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence-based respiratory and renal care training program combined with case-based discussion on nurses' clinical reasoning, knowledge \& practice, nurse-physician collaboration, as well as selected clinical outcomes among mechanically ventilated patients in a tertiary-level ICU in Bangladesh. The intervention will provide structured education and practical training to ICU nurses on evidence-based respiratory and renal care for mechanically ventilated patients. Case-based discussions will be conducted to promote clinical reasoning, evidence-based decision-making, and nurse-physician collaboration during daily ICU rounds. Nurses' outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention, focusing on clinical reasoning, knowledge, practice, and nurse-physician collaboration. Patient outcomes will be assessed using historical pre-intervention data and post-intervention data among eligible mechanically ventilated ICU patients, focusing on ventilator-associated events (VAE), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. The study is intended to determine whether evidence-based respiratory and renal care training with case-based discussion can improve ICU nurses' clinical reasoning, knowledge, practice, nurse-physician collaboration and contribute to improved outcomes among mechanically ventilated patients.

This study evaluates the safety and tolerability of the food ingredient BP-LT when added to a daily diet. BP-LT is a stable protein ingredient being functional in the gastrointestinal tract and without systemic absorption. This registration covers Part I of a two-part clinical development program: two sequential, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled safety and tolerability cohorts conducted at a clinical research site in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Cohort 1 enrolls 20 healthy adult volunteers aged \>18 to ≤60 years (8-12 male, 8-12 female); Cohort 2 enrolls 20 healthy children aged \>3 to ≤18 years. The cohorts are run sequentially in age-descending order: Cohort 2 opens only after an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) reviews the Cohort 1 results and confirms that BP-LT has an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.

Maternal anemia remains a significant public health concern in low and middle income countries including Bangladesh, contributing to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Despite the widespread use of oral ferrous fumarate, gastrointestinal intolerance and suboptimal adherence remain persistent challenges, indicating the need for alternative iron formulations with improved efficacy and safety profiles. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral ferric citrate compared to oral ferrous fumarate in the management of maternal iron deficiency anemia during second trimester of pregnancy. This phase 3, open-label, two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial will be conducted among pregnant women aged 18-35 years, with gestational age between 13 and 26 weeks, diagnosed with moderate to severe iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin 7-9.9 g/dL and serum ferritin \<30 μg/L). Exclusion criteria are non-iron deficiency anemia, multiple pregnancy, severe comorbidities, and recent intravenous iron therapy. Eligible participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either oral ferric citrate 210 mg (210 mg elemental iron) once daily for 8 weeks or oral ferrous fumarate 200 mg (66 mg elemental iron) twice daily for 12 weeks or until delivery, whichever occurs earlier. The primary endpoint is the change in maternal hemoglobin concentration from baseline to week 4 of randomization. Secondary endpoints include maternal outcome such as prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency at 36 weeks gestation and at 6 weeks postpartum, changes in maternal health-related quality of life (assessed by EQ-5D-5L), incidence of severe anemia requiring transfusion, and serious maternal medical events and neonatal outcomes such as birth weight, placental weight, birth weight percentiles, rates of low birth weight, abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, and cord blood hemoglobin and ferritin levels, as well as infant hemoglobin and iron indices at 6 weeks of age. Safety endpoints will include incidence of adverse events, serious adverse events, maternal sick visits during the follow-up period. Ethical approval for this trial was obtained from the institutional review boards of Dhaka Medical College, and written informed consent will be secured from all participants prior to enrollment. The findings from this trial are expected to inform clinical guidelines by establishing whether ferric citrate offers a clinically advantageous alternative to Ferrous fumarate for managing iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether robotic rehabilitation devices (ZEPU-AI2, AI4, AI6 Plus, and AI7A) are feasible, safe, and effective for adults with upper or lower limb motor problems. These problems can result from stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or orthopedic surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is robotic rehabilitation training safe and practical to deliver alongside conventional therapy? Does adding robotic-assisted therapy improve motor function, balance, gait, and independence in daily activities compared to conventional rehabilitation alone? What side effects or device-related problems, if any, occur during robotic training? The Investigators will compare a robotic-augmented rehabilitation group to a control group receiving conventional rehabilitation alone, to see if adding robotic therapy leads to better recovery. Participants will: Receive robotic-assisted therapy sessions three times a week for 12 weeks, each lasting about 45 minutes (robotic group), or continue with conventional rehabilitation alone (control group) Undergo assessments of movement, balance, walking ability, and daily function before and after the study period Be monitored for any side effects or complications related to the device or training

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether the ZEPU AI9 lower limb exoskeleton robot is feasible, safe, and effective for people with walking difficulty caused by stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, or orthopedic surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is exoskeleton-assisted gait training well tolerated, and how often do device-related problems (such as falls, pain, or skin injury) occur? Does adding exoskeleton training to usual rehabilitation improve walking distance, walking speed, balance, muscle strength, and joint movement compared with usual rehabilitation alone? Is it practical to add this robotic training into the rehabilitation program at Bangladesh Medical University? Researchers will compare a group receiving exoskeleton-assisted gait training plus standard rehabilitation to a group receiving standard rehabilitation alone, to see whether the exoskeleton adds benefit. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to either the exoskeleton group or the standard-care group If assigned to the exoskeleton group, attend 45-minute training sessions 3 times a week for 12 weeks, supervised by physical therapists with safety harness support Both groups will continue their usual rehabilitation therapy throughout the study Undergo walking, balance, strength, and quality-of-life assessments at the start of the study and every 2 weeks for 12 weeks Be monitored for any side effects or safety concerns during and after each session

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether the ZEPU-2000A, ZEPU-2000D and ZEPU-2000E robotic rehabilitation trainers help people with weakness or movement problems in their arms and legs. These devices are used to guide repeated arm and leg movements as part of rehabilitation therapy. The study will also look at whether the devices are safe to use. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is training with the ZEPU-2000 devices safe, and how well do patients tolerate and stick with the training sessions? Does adding robotic training to usual rehabilitation improve muscle strength, joint movement, balance, walking, and daily function more than usual rehabilitation alone? Researchers will compare a group receiving robotic-assisted rehabilitation plus usual care to a group receiving usual rehabilitation care alone, to see whether the robotic devices provide added benefit. Participants will: Be adults aged 18-60 with arm and/or leg movement problems caused by stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or an orthopedic condition Attend training sessions 3 times a week for 12 weeks (about 36 sessions total), each lasting approximately 45 minutes Undergo assessments of strength, movement, balance, and daily function at the start of the study and every 2 weeks throughout the 12-week period Be monitored for any side effects or safety concerns, such as skin irritation, falls, or discomfort, at every session

The goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to learn whether the ZEPU-SG1PLUS Hand Functional Comprehensive Training System - a robotic device used alongside standard rehabilitation - is safe, feasible, and helpful for people with upper limb (arm/hand) motor problems caused by stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or orthopedic conditions. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is robotic-assisted hand training well tolerated by patients, and can it be safely added to standard rehabilitation, with acceptable rates of device-related side effects? Does adding robotic hand training to standard rehabilitation improve arm and hand strength, range of motion, and functional ability compared with standard rehabilitation alone? Is it practical to fit this type of robotic training into everyday rehabilitation services at Bangladesh Medical University? Researchers will compare a robotic-augmented rehabilitation group to a standard-care (control) group to see whether adding robotic hand training works better than usual rehabilitation alone. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one receiving standard rehabilitation plus robotic hand training with the ZEPU-SG1PLUS device, and one receiving standard rehabilitation alone If assigned to the robotic training group, attend three training sessions per week for 12 weeks, each lasting about 30-45 minutes, at the Robotic Rehabilitation Centre, BMU Undergo assessments at the start of the study and at two-week intervals during the 12-week program and follow-up period, including tests of muscle strength, joint movement, hand function, and daily activity ability Be monitored throughout for any side effects or safety concerns related to the training

Walking problems caused by stroke, spinal cord injury, or orthopedic surgery are common and can seriously limit a person's independence. Robotic-assisted gait training devices, which use a computer-controlled system to help patients practice standing and walking, have shown promise in improving strength, balance, and walking ability in other countries. However, this type of technology has not yet been carefully studied in Bangladesh. This study will test a robotic gait training and evaluation device called ZEPU-AI1 in adults aged 19 to 60 years who have difficulty walking due to stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, or gait problems following surgery. The main goals are to find out whether using this robotic device alongside standard physical therapy is feasible (practical to carry out) and safe, and to explore whether it helps improve walking speed, balance, muscle strength, and daily function compared with standard physical therapy alone. Thirty-two participants will take part. Half will receive robot-assisted gait training three times a week for 12 weeks in addition to usual rehabilitation therapy, while the other half will receive usual rehabilitation therapy alone. Participants will be assessed regularly using standard walking, balance, and strength tests over the 12-week period. The results of this study will help doctors and researchers understand whether this robotic technology can be safely and effectively introduced into rehabilitation care in Bangladesh.

Lower limb motor dysfunction resulting from stroke, spinal cord injury, or other neurological disorders substantially limits mobility, independence, and quality of life. Robotic rehabilitation has emerged as a promising approach to provide intensive, repetitive, task-oriented training. The ZEPU-AI3 Lower Limb Feedback Training and Evaluation Robot is designed to deliver interactive lower limb training while providing real-time performance feedback. This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of ZEPU-AI3-assisted rehabilitation combined with conventional rehabilitation compared with conventional rehabilitation alone in patients with lower limb motor dysfunction. The primary outcomes include safety, feasibility, and changes in lower limb motor function, gait performance, and functional mobility. The findings will provide preliminary evidence to support future large-scale clinical trials and the implementation of robotic rehabilitation in clinical practice.

This is a randomized controlled clinical investigation in patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers at multiple centres in India and Bangladesh. The study compares patient outcomes using standard wound care with a High Purity Type-I Collagen-Based Skin Substitute against standard wound care with an Acellular Intact Fish Skin Matrix.

This is a prospective, randomized, open-label clinical trial designed to compare the antiviral efficacy and safety of entecavir 0.5 mg once daily versus entecavir 1.0 mg once daily in adult patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related decompensated liver cirrhosis. A total of 48 participants will be randomized equally to the two treatment groups and followed for 24 weeks. The primary outcome is the reduction in serum HBV DNA at week 24. Secondary outcomes include changes in Child-Pugh and MELD scores, HBeAg seroconversion, development or worsening of hepatic decompensation, occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and safety of treatment.

The study will compare the transmissible levels of poliovirus type-2 detected in stool samples collected at the time of the nOPV2 challenge and subsequent timepoints in 3 groups of newborns receiving an nOPV2 dose at birth and primed with 3 doses of IPV (6 - 10 - 14 weeks of age).

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether Neurolytic Splanchnic Nerve Block (NSNB) reduces pain in adults with upper abdominal malignancies. It will also evaluate the safety of Neurolytic Splanchnic Nerve Block (NSNB). The main questions it aims to answer are: Does NSNB reduce pain intensity compared to Neurolytic Coeliac Plexus Block (NCPB), as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)? What adverse effects do participants experience when receiving Neurolytic Splanchnic Nerve Block (NSNB)? Investigators will compare Neurolytic Splanchnic Nerve Block (NSNB) with Neurolytic Coeliac Plexus Block (NCPB) to determine which intervention provides more effective and safer pain relief. Participants will: * receive either NSNB or NCPB under fluoroscopic guidance * be monitored immediately and for 2 hours after the procedure for any complications Have their pain intensity recorded immediately after the procedure, and at 7 days, 1 month, and 3 months * be evaluated for quality-of-life using European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Core 3 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at 1 month and 3 months. * have their opioid consumption tracked throughout the study.

Cirrhosis, a leading cause of global mortality, progresses to life-threatening complications like ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and hepatorenal syndrome. Oxidative stress and gut-liver axis dysfunction drive disease progression. Allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, has shown potential in reducing complications in cirrhosis, but robust clinical evidence is lacking. This study will evaluate allopurinol's efficacy in preventing complications in decompensated cirrhosis. This study aims to assess whether allopurinol reduces cirrhosis-related complications (ascites, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, SBP, HRS-AKI) and improves MELD/CTP scores in Child-Pugh B/C cirrhosis patients. This study will select 54 patients with decompensated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh B/C). Patients aged 18-70 years, with any etiology of cirrhosis (viral, alcoholic, NAFLD). Patients with acute decompensation, allopurinol hypersensitivity, advanced renal impairment (CrCl \<30 mL/min), pregnancy, or concurrent use of interacting drugs. This randomized controlled trial will be conducted in Hepatology department of BMU after IRB clearance. 54 patients aged 18 to 70 years with Child-Pugh class B or C cirrhosis, admitted to or attending the Outpatient Department of Hepatology at Bangladesh Medical University will be enrolled. After thorough clinical and laboratory evaluation and informed consent, patients will be randomized in a either an allopurinol treatment group or a standard care group with placebo ; 27 participants in each group by block randomization. one group will receive oral Allopurinol (titrated from 100 mg to 300 mg daily for six months) along with standard medical therapy. Another Group will receive same dose of Placebo along with standard medical therapy . Patients will be followed at 6 month to see the progression of cirrhosis-related complications. Data collection will include clinical parameters, laboratory tests, imaging, and endoscopy. All data will be analyzed using the statistical package SPSS (version 29.0 IBM Corp: Armonk NY, USA). Demographic and baseline clinical characteristics will be analyzed using the chi-square test for categorical variables. For continuous variables that follow a normal distribution, the Student's t-test will be applied. Time to first complication will be analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model, and Kaplan-Meier curves will be used to compare event-free survival between groups. The study protocol is approved by the institutional review board. Written informed consent (Bengali version) will be obtained, ensuring confidentiality and voluntary participation. Participants may withdraw anytime. If effective, allopurinol will offer a low-cost, widely accessible therapy to prevent complications and improve survival in decompensated cirrhosis. To the best of my knowledge this is the first study in Bangladesh to evaluate the efficacy of Allopurinol in prevention of cirrhosis associated complications.

This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose duloxetine combined with alpha-lipoic acid compared with standard-dose duloxetine in adults with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. In this assessor-blinded, randomized, parallel-arm, non-inferiority trial, participants will be assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either duloxetine 30 mg once daily plus alpha-lipoic acid 600 mg once daily or duloxetine 60 mg once daily. The primary outcome will be the change in pain intensity measured by the Numerical Rating Scale from baseline to Week 9. Secondary outcomes will include changes in pain intensity at Week 5, Patient Global Impression of Change at Weeks 5 and 9, the proportion of participants achieving at least a 30% reduction in pain intensity, adverse effects, treatment tolerability and treatment compliance.

This study is testing whether a medicine called mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) works better than the usual treatment for people whose kidney disease, called IgA nephropathy, has not improved with standard care. IgA nephropathy is a kidney disease that can cause protein to leak into the urine and, over time, can damage the kidneys. Some people with this disease do not get better even after standard treatment. Doctors call this "refractory" disease. Right now, there is no proven best treatment for these patients in Bangladesh. This study will include 116 adults with kidney disease that has been confirmed by a kidney tissue sample and has not improved with standard treatment. Participants will be split into two equal groups by chance, like a coin flip. One group will take MMF by mouth for 6 months, along with the usual supportive care. The other group will take a steroid medicine called prednisolone, along with the usual supportive care. Both groups will also continue treatments like blood pressure medicines that are already part of standard care for this condition. Researchers want to find out how many people in each group get better, meaning their urine protein drops to a low level and their kidney function stays stable. They will also look at changes in kidney function and any side effects from the medicines. The study will take place at the National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, over about one year. Each participant will be followed for 6 months, with check-up visits and blood and urine tests at the start, at 3 months, and at 6 months.

The goal of this pre-post study is to assess the risk of hyperkalemia in adults with hypertension on medication in Bangladesh. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is the risk of hyperkalemia after the initiation of Low Sodium Salt Substitute (LSSS) in people on antihypertensive medication (especially RASi) large enough to be concerned about its broad use in this population? Does initiation of LSSS correct hypokalemia in people on antihypertensive medication (especially RASi) with low serum potassium levels? Participants will be asked to reduce overall salt intake and to use LSSS on every occasion where regular salt would normally be used, including as cooking salt.

The purpose of this Phase IIa study is to identify the most effective antibiotic regimen to treat small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in impoverished Bangladeshi children.