Inflammation

Background: Environmental exposures like pollution, diet, and stress can help cause human diseases, or make them worse. Researchers want to better understand how injury and inflammation are caused by these exposures. They want to collect biological and environmental samples and other data. They may use the samples to measure a range of factors, like hormones, toxins, and chemicals. This will help them improve their studies. Objective: To identify and understand how environmental exposures contribute to human disease. Eligibility: Healthy adults ages 18 and older Design: Participants will be screened with questions about their health history, demographics, and medicines they take. Participants may give blood, hair, stool, saliva, and/or urine samples. They may have a skin punch biopsy to collect skin cells. They may give fingernail or toenail clippings. They may give a sample of exhaled breath. Participants may give a sputum sample. They will inhale a saline mist and cough mucus into a cup. Participants may have their nasal passages brushed, scraped, or washed. Participants may give cheek cell samples. They will swish mouthwash and spit it into a cup. Participants who produce sperm may give samples. Participants may have bronchoscopy to collect fluid. A saline solution will be put into their lung and then suctioned out, washing areas of the lung. Participants may have a pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound. They may have lung function tests. Participants may collect household dust, urine, or stool at home. Participants will complete surveys about their health, diet, and exposures. Participation will last for one or more study visits. Participants may be contacted in the future to take part in other studies.

Most Americans consume excess dietary salt based on the recommendations set by the American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. High dietary salt impairs blood pressure control by affecting systemic blood vessels and the kidneys. These changes contribute to excess salt consumption being associated with increased risk for chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in America. Salt is particularly deleterious in older adults who are more likely to exhibit salt-sensitive hypertension. However, salt consumption remains high in the United States. Thus, there is a critical need for strategies to counteract the effects of high dietary salt as consumption is likely not going to decrease. One promising option is ketones, metabolites that are produced in the liver during prolonged exercise and very low-calorie diets. While exercise and low-calorie diets are beneficial, not many people engage in these activities. Limited evidence indicates that ketone supplements improve cardiovascular health in humans. Additionally, published rodent data indicates that ketone supplements prevent high salt-induced increases in blood pressure, blood vessel dysfunction, and kidney injury. Our human pilot data also indicates that high dietary salt reduces intrinsic ketone production, but it is unclear whether ketone supplementation confers humans' protection against high salt similar to rodents. Therefore, the investigators seek to conduct a short-term high-dietary salt study to determine whether ketone supplementation prevents high dietary salt from eliciting increased blood pressure, blood vessel dysfunction, and kidney injury/impaired blood flow. The investigators will also measure inflammatory markers in blood samples and isolate immune cells that control inflammation. Lastly, the investigators will also measure blood ketone concentration and other circulating metabolites that may be altered by high salt, which could facilitate novel therapeutic targets to combat high salt.

This study is a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate the effect of non-invasive auricular vagal nerve stimulation on inflammatory markers, glycemic control, postoperative pain, and inflammation-related clinical outcomes after long-segment spinal fusion surgeries when compared to current accepted management.

This study will investigate the response of immune cells (neutrophils, monocytes) to various signals in the test tube to determine how they sense the signals in the body and what substances they produce in response to them. It will determine how the cells may, under certain circumstances, contribute to inflammation, and will measure substances in the blood plasma (the liquid, non-cellular part of the blood) that might stimulate white blood cells, in order to understand how the blood responds to possible disease-related conditions. Healthy normal volunteers 18 years of age and older who weigh at least 110 pounds may be eligible for this study. Participants give about 320 milliliters (mL) of blood (about 1 1/3 cups) or less at each donation. They donate no more than once every 8 weeks and no more than six times a year. On some occasions, less than 320 mL of blood may be drawn. The collected blood is separated into its components and specific cells are exposed to substances to examine their response....

The investigator will study the origin of fungal translocation in HIV, its relationship to the mycobiome, and its relationship to lung function and inflammation. Supported by the preliminary data and published studies, this project is based on the premise that circulating BDG derived from microbial translocation stimulates inflammation and worsens lung function in PWH. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant public health problem with few therapies that modify disease trajectory. COPD is a leading cause of mortality in the United States associated with increased morbidity and healthcare costs. Long-acting bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids are mainstays of therapy that control symptoms and reduce acute exacerbation frequency, but do not have a significant impact on mortality or lung function trajectory. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's COPD National Action Plan focuses on the critical need for research to characterize COPD risk factors and disease mechanisms in order to improve the understanding of causes and progression of disease. The ultimate goal is to provide precision therapy to appropriate patient subgroups to preserve health or arrest disease progression. Microbial organisms in the gut may have a profound effect on lung disease. The role of the gut-lung axis, defined as the cross-talk between gut microbiota and the lungs, in the pathogenesis of chronic respiratory diseases is emerging as an area of interest. Perturbations of gut microbiota characterized by low microbial diversity and changes in microbiota abundance are linked to childhood asthma risk, airflow obstruction in adult asthma, and severe lung dysfunction in cystic fibrosis. Studies in animals show that both a high fiber diet that modulates gut microbiota and an abundance of beneficial bacterial strains attenuate inflammation, emphysema, and COPD development in response to cigarette smoke exposure in murine models. In humans, recent investigations show differences in the gut microbial communities between COPD patients and healthy individuals as well as shifts in the gut microbiome with acute exacerbations of COPD.

This pilot study investigates whether giving a short course of intravenous corticosteroids (methylprednisolone) alongside standard medical care can help patients recovering from heart failure-related cardiogenic shock. Heart failure-related cardiogenic shock happens when chronic heart dysfunction causes poor blood circulation and congestion throughout the body. Often, this condition triggers severe inflammation, making it harder for the heart and other organs to recover, even when temporary mechanical heart pumps are used to support blood flow. The study aims to see if reducing this inflammation with corticosteroids is safe and can help patients get better faster. Researchers will enroll 30 adult patients hospitalized with early-stage (SCAI Stage B or C) cardiogenic shock related to heart failure. To participate, patients must also show high levels of inflammation in their blood, specifically a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level of 20 mg/L or higher Participants will be randomly assigned by chance to one of two groups. One group will receive the standard of care alone. The other group will receive the standard of care plus a 7-day course of intravenous methylprednisolone. The main goal of the study is to measure the change in inflammation levels (hsCRP) over 7 days. Researchers will also monitor how well the patients' organs recover, track their need for blood pressure medications or mechanical heart pumps, and monitor for any side effects to ensure the treatment is safe

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of consuming grape powder on immune profiles in healthy middle- and older-aged individuals. Specifically, the investigators are interested in evaluating the potential effects of grapes in influencing markers of immune function, inflammation, and metabolism that are known to change with aging. Grapes contain several nutrients and antioxidant polyphenols such as resveratrol, quercetin, vitamin K and fiber, which are known to promote heart and immune health. However, the effects of grapes on altering immune profiles within the context of aging is not well understood. Therefore, this study will explore how daily grape consumption impacts certain markers of immunity in healthy middle- and older-aged adults. The main study procedures include consumption of a freeze-dried grape powder and control powder (which tastes the same but has none of the grape compounds that are being studied) mixed with water as a beverage on a daily basis for 4 weeks each. The investigators will additionally ask that participants avoid eating grapes and certain other antioxidant/grape-related foods and beverages throughout the 13-week study. Participants will additionally be asked to complete surveys about their diet, physical activity, and medical history, as well as provide blood samples and body weight measures throughout the course of the study. Participation in the study is expected to last about 6.25 hours over the course of 13 weeks and will include 7 visits.

This protocol is being established to cover the evaluation of patients with inflammatory and/or infectious diseases which are not covered under previously existing protocols. The purpose of such a protocol is that frequently patients are referred to us with either diagnosed or undiagnosed illnesses which would be of interest to our teaching program or which would serve as a source of patients to subsequently be entered into established, ongoing protocol studies. Such patients will be admitted to the protocol and handled according to accepted medical practice of diagnosis and treatment.

The aim of our study is to evaluate the impact of repeated episodes of ischemic quenching on changes in blood pressure, heart rate and laboratory parameters of inflammation in patients with kidney diseases. There is credible evidence that intentionally producing periods of ischemia provides protection of the myocardium and blood vessels against subsequent ischemic injury. The examination will be performed during hospitalization in the Department of Nephrology, Hypertension, Transplantology and Internal Diseases and will last 4 days. On the first day, blood pressure will be measured using an automatic blood pressure monitor, radial artery pulse, blood saturation will be measured using a pulse oximeter, and approximately 6 ml of venous blood will be collected from the elbow bend area for laboratory tests. Then, compression of the lower limb below the knee will be performed using a blood pressure cuff. Four 5-minute cycles of inflation and deflation of the cuff will be performed. The pressure on the lower limb will be repeated on the next two days. On the last day of the examination, blood pressure, heart rate and blood saturation will be measured again, and approximately 6 ml of venous blood will be collected again for laboratory tests.

Hypertension is the leading cause of preventable deaths globally, driven by complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease. Recent updates in hypertension classification by the American Heart Association (AHA) place nearly half of the U.S. population in the hypertensive category. Excess dietary salt is a major risk factor for hypertension, with 50% of hypertensive individuals exhibiting salt-sensitivity of blood pressure (SSBP). SSBP is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events and death. While kidney mechanisms in salt-sensing have been extensively studied, emerging evidence suggests that immune cells can also sense sodium (Na+). This trial hypothesizes that myeloid cell-derived isolevuglandins (IsoLGs) drive endothelial dysfunction, perpetuating the salt-sensitive phenotype. Preliminary data indicate that targeting IsoLGs with the IsoLG scavenger 2-hydroxybenzylamine (2-HOBA) may interrupt this immune-vascular axis, reducing salt sensitivity and associated cardiovascular risks. This phase 2 clinical trial aims to investigate the role of 2-HOBA in modulating immune cell function within blood vessels in hypertensive patients. The study will explore the impact of immunity on salt sensitivity and assess 2-HOBA's potential to reduce endothelial dysfunction, improve immune cell activation, and alleviate SSBP.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent joint inflammation and systemic immune activation. Obesity is common among individuals with RA and is associated with increased disease activity, reduced treatment response, and worse functional outcomes. Inflammation in adipose tissue, driven in part by activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and downstream gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated pathways, may contribute to systemic inflammation and RA disease severity. Disulfiram (DSF), an FDA-approved medication for alcohol use disorder, has recently been identified as an inhibitor of GSDMD-mediated inflammatory signaling and pyroptosis. Preclinical studies suggest that DSF reduces inflammasome activation, inflammatory cytokine release, and metabolic dysfunction. This study is a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of DSF in overweight and obese adults with active RA despite stable disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. Participants will be randomized to receive either DSF (250 mg daily) or placebo. The primary objective is to assess safety and tolerability. Secondary and exploratory objectives include evaluating the effects of DSF on systemic inflammation, RA disease activity, metabolic parameters, and adipose tissue inflammasome activation. Findings from this study will inform the feasibility and design of larger clinical trials targeting GSDMD-mediated inflammation in RA.

The overall objective of the study is to determine the efficacy of corticosteroids in preventing recurrent wheezing and asthma in high-risk, first-time severe wheezing children with rhinovirus infection, stratified by rhinovirus genome load. The secondary objectives are to determine duration and severity of each acute episode with acute expiratory breathing difficulty, the number of episodes with acute expiratory breathing difficulty, degree of pulmonary hyperreactivity and quality of life within 24 months after study entry.

The study consist of 3 interventional periods which will be completed by each consenting participant in a randomized, crossover fashion. The interventional periods will be separated by a minimum 1 week washout period. One of the interventions consists of 4 days of daily supplementation with the commercially available broccoli sprout extract capsules (BrocElite). Another intervention will consist of 4 days of daily supervised treadmill running. The exercise protocol consists of 4 minutes of high-intensity running running followed by a 3 minute recovery period, repeated for a total of 4 repetitions. The last intervention combines the above two and consists of 4 days of daily supplementation and daily supervised exercise training. Before and after each intervention, basic anthropometrics (weight, heart rate, and blood pressure) will be recorded, and a venous blood sample will be collected. Blood samples will be analyzed for metabolic and inflammatory markers. Participants will be asked to refrain from structured exercise, alcohol consumption, and broccoli consumption during each of the experimental periods. Before any testing, willing participants will provide informed consent, and fill out a few demographic, and lifestyle questionnaires. The study will be conducted at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, BC, Canada.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are substances produced by gut bacteria when they ferment dietary fiber. They can act as signals between the gut and the brain and may help regulate the body's immune and stress responses. Earlier work has shown that delivering SCFAs to the colon can lower the stress hormone response to a mental stress task in healthy people, and laboratory studies suggest SCFAs can reduce inflammation. However, it is not yet known whether SCFAs can reduce inflammation in humans, or whether doing so protects mental performance. This study uses a controlled, acute, and short-lasting challenge. Healthy adults receive a single, low dose of a bacterial substance called lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through a vein. LPS briefly activates the immune system and causes mild, flu-like symptoms (such as fatigue, headache, and feeling unwell) that pass on their own within a few hours. It does not cause a real infection. Participants are randomly assigned to take either SCFA capsules or inactive placebo capsules on the morning of the test day, before the LPS challenge. Neither the participants, the researchers running the visit, nor the researchers analyzing the results know who received which capsules until the study is complete (triple-blind). The main goal of the study is to test whether SCFAs, compared with placebo, reduce the inflammatory response to LPS, measured by markers of inflammation in the blood. The study also examines whether SCFAs reduce the associated sickness symptoms and whether they protect performance on tasks that measure core executive functions: the ability to keep relevant information in mind (working memory), the ability to hold back automatic responses or thoughts (inhibition), and the ability to switch flexibly between tasks or rules (cognitive flexibility). Blood, saliva, and stool samples are collected to measure inflammation markers, SCFA levels, stress hormones, and gut bacteria. Participants attend a screening visit, a test day with monitoring for several hours, and a short follow-up visit the next day.

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance hemodialysis experience chronic systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and dyslipidemia, which together drive much of the excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality seen in this population. Pumpkin seed oil is a nutraceutical rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols,and tocopherols, with documented antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperlipidemic properties in preclinical and limited clinical studies. This study investigates the potential role of pumpkin seed oil as a nutraceutical on the clinical and biochemical outcomes of hemodialysis patients. It is a randomized, open-label, prospective interventional study in which daily oral supplementation with pumpkin seed oil (1000 mg once daily) for 3 months is evaluated against usual care. Eighty-five participants will be assigned to either an intervention group (n=45, pumpkin seed oil 1000 mg/day plus usual care) or a control group (n=40, usual care only). The biochemical outcomes assessed are changes in serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) from baseline to the end of the 3-month follow-up period. The study is being conducted at the Hemodialysis Center, Al-Karama Teaching Hospital, Iraq

The objective of this study is to evaluate oxidative stress and/or inflammation in patients with Gaucher disease type I using a series of biomarkers and correlate with measurements of currently used diagnostic biomarkers.

The purpose of this research study is to determine if Metformin taken after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery can decrease muscle fibrosis, cellular senescence and improve leg strength. ACL injury and surgery increase muscle collagen content and inflammation which slows the recovery of muscle and function and ultimately impacts the quality of life. Individuals enrolled in the study will be randomized to receive metformin (or placebo) for 4 months after surgery. The investigators will measure muscle strength and inflammatory markers in muscle biopsy samples after the intervention period. Investigators will also follow up with participants 8 months later to determine the lasting effects of the intervention.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effects of consuming fermented pulses (certain types of legumes like chickpeas or lentils) in healthy people. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. How does consuming the fermented foods impact the gut microbiome? 2. Does this interaction between the fermented foods and the gut microbiome affect inflammation? Participants will be asked to consume two sets of prepared meals, one containing unfermented pulses, the other containing fermented pulses. Researchers will compare the gut microbiome and inflammation between these two diets.

Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and impaired quality of life. Medium cut-Off (MCO) hemodialysis membranes have been developed to enhance the removal of middle-molecular-weight uremic toxins compared with conventional high-flux membranes, which may improve inflammatory status and cardiovascular health. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of MCO and high-flux hemodialysis membranes on inflammatory biomarkers and cardiovascular function in adult patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. The primary outcomes are changes in serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels. Secondary outcomes include arterial stiffness assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV), body composition assessed by Body Composition Monitor (BCM), handgrip strength, and patient-reported outcomes including quality of life, pruritus, and pain scores. This is a prospective, randomized, open-label, two-sequence, two-period crossover study conducted at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine. Thirty adult hemodialysis patients will be randomized to one of two treatment sequences. Participants in Sequence A will receive MCO dialysis membranes for the first 3 months followed by high-flux membranes for the next 3 months. Participants in Sequence B will receive high-flux membranes for the first 3 months followed by MCO membranes for the next 3 months. Blood samples and clinical assessments will be performed at baseline, month 3, and month 6. The study is expected to provide evidence regarding the effects of different dialysis membrane technologies on inflammation and cardiovascular health and may contribute to optimizing membrane selection in routine hemodialysis practice.

This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of ketorolac in 360 patients with Stanford Type A aortic dissection, conducted between 2025 and 2027. Participants will receive either ketorolac (60 mg intramuscularly \[IM\] preoperatively and 30 mg twice daily \[BID\] for two days postoperatively) or placebo in addition to standard care. Study outcomes include composite clinical endpoints, postoperative complications, and adverse events, which will be assessed through clinical evaluations, laboratory testing, and imaging studies at predefined intervals up to 90 days. The objective of this trial is to determine whether perioperative administration of ketorolac improves clinical outcomes in this patient population.

Even with standard treatments like statins, patients with coronary artery disease often face a residual risk of further heart events. This risk is largely driven by ongoing inflammation and unstable fatty plaques in the heart's blood vessels. Icosapent ethyl (IPE) is a highly purified prescription medication known to improve cardiovascular outcomes, but its detailed effects on the heart's structure and inflammation in everyday clinical practice need further exploration. This study is a prospective, observational, real-world study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of IPE in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) or Chronic Coronary Syndrome (CCS). The study plans to enroll 420 patients who will be followed for 12 months. Based on their routine clinical prescriptions, participants will be grouped into a control group (receiving standard cardiovascular care, including statins) and an exposure group (receiving standard care plus IPE). Throughout the 1-year follow-up, researchers will conduct regular blood tests and advanced heart imaging. The main goal is to determine if adding IPE to standard therapy leads to a more significant reduction in inflammation. Additionally, the study will observe how IPE affects the stability of coronary plaques and the healing process of ventricular remodeling in a real-world clinical setting.

The purpose of this clinical study in women after menopause is to investigate whether the daily intake of nitrate from beetroot juice over 12 weeks enhances the positive effect of exercise training on vascular function, blood pressure and physical performance. The risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) increases with advancing age and women are particularly affected. In women, the decline in the sex hormone oestrogen in the blood circulation with menopause contributes to impaired vascular function and an increased CVD risk; in part through increased inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, and a reduced body's own production of nitric oxide (NO). NO is a signaling molecule that is important for vascular function. Endurance-based exercise training is a key lifestyle strategy to prevent CVD. However, studies indicate that exercise is less effective in terms of its health-promoting adaptations in women after menopause as compared with men of similar age. This study investigates the effect of exercise training in combination with the intake of nitrate-rich beetroot juice on functions of the cardiovascular system. Nitrate is a nitrogen compound that is found naturally in plant foods (e.g. beetroot juice) and is converted to NO in the human body. Results of previous studies indicate vasodilatory, blood pressure-lowering and performance-enhancing effects as well as positive influences on inflammatory processes and oxidative stress following nitrate intake. The hypothesis is that nitrate intake concomitant to training promotes training adaptations and further improves vascular function, blood pressure and physical performance compared to training without nitrate intake. For the study, 54 untrained postmenopausal women (with the ages between 45 and 65 years) will be recruited and randomly allocated into two groups. Both groups will undergo 12 weeks of endurance-based exercise training. One group will receive nitrate-rich beetroot juice, and the other nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (as placebo). Vascular function, blood pressure, maximum oxygen uptake, and blood biomarkers for nitrate metabolism, inflammation status and oxidative stress will be examined. The anticipated study results will provide new insights into whether nitrate as a 'training adjunct' improves health-promoting training adaptations in women after menopause. The overall aim is to improve the cardiovascular health and performance of middle-aged women and reduce their increased CVD risk.

The plot study aims to evaluate the effect of 8 weeks of stress reducing intervention on atherosclerotic plaque inflammation in adults, as quantified by positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorine-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) in individuals with increased psychosocial stress.

The goal of the proposed project is to evaluate a mechanical intervention (sports bras designed specifically for full busted women) to alleviate neck, shoulder, arm, and back pain in full-busted women and investigate the contribution of non-mechanical pathways associated with this type of pain in women. Specifically, the investigators will investigate how sex-hormones, inflammation, and remapping of specific regions of the brain contribute to the manifestation of neck, shoulder, arm, and back pain in full-busted women across the lifespan.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of BioToxin Binder, a commercially available dietary supplement containing humic and fulvic acid, on markers of biologic age, detoxification, inflammation, oxidative stress, and related markers among generally healthy adults.