Clinical trials

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the implementation of a structured, digital, nurse-led, remote monitoring care pathway for cardiovascular risk management (CVRM). Participants will receive this care as part of routine clinical practice. In addition to standard follow-up, participants will complete questionnaires on quality of life, medication adherence, system usability, and patient satisfaction.

The primary objective of this study is to assess the added value of surgical exploration with intention for resection compared to MRI guided stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in improving overall survival in patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC) who show a favourable biological response to systemic induction chemotherapy.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) works better than percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PT-GBD) for people with acute cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) who cannot undergo immediate surgery. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Does EUS-GBD lead to fewer serious medical problems and fewer additional procedures within 30 days after treatment? * Does EUS-GBD improve quality of life compared with PT-GBD? Researchers will compare two methods of draining the gallbladder to see which treatment leads to better outcomes. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to receive either EUS-GBD or PT-GBD. * Receive gallbladder drainage performed by experienced specialists. * Complete questionnaires about their health and quality of life before treatment and during follow-up. * Have follow-up visits or telephone consultations at 7, 30, 182, and 365 days after the drainage procedure. The study will include participants from hospitals in several (European) countries.

In people with chronic hand conditions, hand orthoses are frequently prescribed to improve performance in activities of daily living (ADL). Conventional hand orthoses are custom-made on a plaster cast of the hand, a process that is time-consuming and labor-intensive. It has been demonstrated that the production time of manufacturing hand orthoses can be reduced by using 3-dimensional scanning and printing (i.e. 3D-printed hand orthosis), offering a promising cost-effective alternative to conventional hand orthoses. The current study builds on a previously conducted feasibility study, which demonstrated comparable effects of 3D-printed and conventional hand orthoses on ADL performance, hand function, and quality of life in people with chronic hand conditions. User satisfaction and production time favored the 3D-printed orthoses. However, to date only small and self-controlled studies have investigated the effects of 3D-printed versus conventional hand orthoses for permanent use on ADL performance and orthosis satisfaction in chronic hand conditions. Evidence from randomized controlled trials and data on the cost-effectiveness are lacking. The aims of this study are: 1. To determine whether treatment with 3D-printed hand orthoses is non-inferior compared to treatment with conventional hand orthoses in terms of ADL performance, hand function, pain, quality of life and functional status in individuals with chronic hand conditions. 2. To assess whether treatment with 3D-printed hand orthoses results in greater patient satisfaction compared to treatment with conventional hand orthoses. 3. To assess the cost-effectiveness of treatment with 3D-printed hand orthoses compared to treatment with conventional hand orthoses.

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the impact of a ventilation strategy with a lower respiratory rate (RR) (permissive lung-protective ventilation) on clinical outcomes in adult critically ill patients receiving invasive ventilation. The main question it aims to answer is: Is a permissive lung-protective ventilation, defined as a strategy that reduces ventilatory intensity by stepwise lowering RR to the lowest level permitted by predefined safety limits, superior to conventional lung-protective ventilation, with respect to the number of days free from ventilation and alive at day 28 (VFD-28) in adult critically ill patients receiving invasive ventilation? Researchers will compare permissive lung-protective ventilation with conventional lung-protective ventilation to see if it improves clinical outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two ventilation strategies under investigation and followed up for 28 days.

This study investigates changes in coronary artery anatomy and physiology after treatment with a paclitaxel drug-coated balloon (DCB) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Unlike conventional stenting, DCB treatment delivers an antiproliferative drug to the vessel wall without leaving a permanent metallic implant. The absence of a permanent implant allows non-invasive assessment of the treated coronary artery during follow-up using coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Participants will undergo two CCTA examinations: an early scan within two weeks after PCI and a follow-up scan after nine months. CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-μFR) will be calculated from both scans to assess changes in μFR of the treated coronary artery over time. CCTA will also be used to evaluate changes in coronary plaque and vessel characteristics. The primary objective is to determine whether CT-μFR changes between early and nine-month follow-up after DCB-PCI. Secondary objectives include evaluating changes in plaque and vessel characteristics on CCTA and assessing clinical outcomes during follow-up.

Purpose of the Study: This clinical study investigates whether a shorter or longer duration of systemic therapy before local treatment (surgery or radiation) results in better disease control in patients with esophageal or gastric cancer with a limited number of metastases, also known as oligometastases. Background: In about 25% of patients with advanced esophageal or gastric cancer, the disease spreads to only a few sites (oligometastatic disease). Prior studies suggest that local treatment after systemic therapy may extend survival in this subgroup. However, it is unclear how long systemic therapy should last before initiating local treatment. The OMEC-5 study aims to clarify this. Study Design: Initiated by Amsterdam UMC and UMCU and conducted in multiple hospitals across Europe. Total of 414 patients to be enrolled. Duration: \~53 months (35 months enrollment + 18 months follow-up). Approved by the medical ethics committee at Amsterdam UMC. Procedure: Eligibility screening: Includes physical exam, blood tests (incl. circulating tumor cells), medical history review, and confirmation of oligometastases by an expert panel. Initial treatment: All participants receive 4 months of standard systemic therapy (chemotherapy + immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy depending on tumor markers like HER2 or Claudin 18.2). Response assessment (Review 1): Imaging and/or laparoscopic examination. If oligometastases persist and tumors have not progressed, participants are randomized into two groups: Group A (longer systemic therapy): 4 more months of systemic therapy, then local treatment if disease is stable, followed by 4 months of immunotherapy ± targeted therapy. Group B (shorter systemic therapy): Immediate local treatment followed by 4 months of systemic therapy, then reassessment and potentially 4 months of immunotherapy ± targeted therapy. Follow-up: Regular scans and quality-of-life questionnaires (5 times), and periodic blood sampling (4 times). Treatments Involved: Chemotherapy: CapOx or FOLFOX Immunotherapy: nivolumab or pembrolizumab Targeted therapy: trastuzumab (HER2-positive) or zolbetuximab (Claudin 18.2-positive) Potential Benefits and Risks: Patients may benefit from better disease control and a personalized treatment strategy. Known side effects relate to the standard treatments used (chemo, immuno, targeted therapies), and no extra medical risk is expected beyond routine care. Possible inconveniences include blood draws, scans, minor surgery (laparoscopy), and time investment. Data and Sample Handling: Personal data and tumor/blood samples for exploratory research (if patients consent) are coded and securely stored. Data may be used for future cancer research if the patient consents. Participants can withdraw at any time. Confidentiality and Privacy: Patient data are kept confidential, and participants have rights to access or delete their data. Privacy measures comply with GDPR and Dutch law. Compensation and Insurance: Participation is voluntary, with no financial compensation. Standard treatment costs are covered by healthcare insurance. No extra insurance is required, as the treatment aligns with standard care practices.

Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are widely prescribed in children with cerebral palsy (CP) to improve their gait, enhance mobility and prevent secondary complications during growth. However, in the Netherlands there is considerable variation in how AFO treatment is provided, and AFOs are not always optimally effective. In adults with neuromuscular disorders, it has been proven that optimized orthotic care delivered according to a standardized protocol reduces practice variation and is more effective in achieving individual treatment goals and improving patient satisfaction than usual orthotic care. For children with CP, it is expected that orthotic care based on a similarly standardized and optimized approach, will support better decision-making regarding the most appropriate orthosis and improve the overall AFO care process. In addition, such an approach may reduce healthcare costs compared to current AFO care, for example by reducing the need for consultations with other healthcare professionals. The aim of this study is to develop a new approach to AFO treatment in children with CP. This will be done by developing a standardized protocol that provides guidelines and instructions for healthcare professionals on key aspects of AFO selection, user training and evaluation. First, the effects of current AFO care will be evaluated in a group of 43 children with CP. After development of the new optimized protocol, the effects of optimized AFO care will be evaluated in a second group of 43 children with CP. The investigators will compare the attaining of personal treatment goals at 3 months follow-up between optimized AFO care and usal AFO care, and assess the cost-effectiveness of both interventions.

The goal of this clinical trials is to primary learn if deep relaxation using Virtual Reality (VR) compared to a low stimulus environment can lower perceived and measured stress in healthcare professionals working in the operating room. We aim to determine: * whether the use of a low-stimulus environment significantly lowers the stress response in OR health care workers just before entering the OR; * whether the use of a responsive VR system environment significantly lowers the stress response in OR health care workers just before entering the OR; * Whether the use of a responsive VR environment is both an effective and cost-effective solution compared to the low-stimulus environment, in terms of significantly mitigating stress in OR team members as measured by their biometrics, just before they enter the OR to do their job. Hypothesis * The use of a 10-minute real-time adaptive VR intervention or a low-stimulus environment intervention administered at least 15 minutes before entering the operating room (OR), significantly reduces stress in OR staff, as measured by a within-person reduction in heart rate of at least 10 beats per minute (BPM) over the 10-minute intervention period * The reduction in heart rate over a 10-minute intervention period is significantly greater for the real-time adaptive VR intervention compared to the low-stimulus environment intervention, with an expected mean difference (delta) of 5 BPM, indicating superior stress-reducing effects of the VR intervention. * The use of a real-time adaptive VR intervention and the use of a low stimulus environment intervention of 10 minutes at least 15 minutes before entering the OR significantly reduces perceived stress for OR staff, as measured by Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) stress scores within person.

Rationale: During left pancreatectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), routine en-bloc splenectomy is performed to achieve complete nodal clearance of the splenic hilum. However, evidence that splenectomy improves survival is lacking, while splenectomy may increase postoperative morbidity and has lifelong consequences related to loss of splenic function. Spleen-preserving left pancreatectomy (SPLP) may be a safe alternative, but high-quality evidence is lacking. Objective: To compare SPLP with left pancreatectomy with splenectomy (LPS) regarding overall survival and major postoperative morbidity in patients with resectable or borderline resectable PDAC. Study design: An international, randomized, controlled, multicenter, non-inferiority trial. Study population: Two groups of 180 patients (360 in total) with proven or suspected resectable or borderline resectable PDAC requiring left pancreatectomy. Intervention: Spleen-preserving left pancreatectomy (SPLP) Control: Left pancreatectomy with splenectomy (LPS)

Rationale: In patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), transfusion of red blood cells (RBC) is very common. This is possibly due to the application of liberal thresholds and the lack of evidence-based guidelines. Although RBC transfusion can be lifesaving, it is also a risk-bearing intervention with substantial risk for morbidity and mortality in this critically ill population. Also, with increasing scarcity, RBC transfusions are becoming more expensive. Furthermore, in the past decades it has been shown in several critically ill patient populations - not on ECMO - that maintaining a restrictive hemoglobin (Hb) threshold for RBC transfusion is non-inferior, including in cardiothoracic surgery, acute myocardial infarction and septic shock. Therefore, the investigators hypothesize that a restrictive transfusion threshold for RBC is safe to apply in patients on ECMO in comparison with a liberal transfusion threshold. Objective: The primary objective of this trial is to study in a prospective randomized comparison whether a restrictive RBC transfusions strategy is non-inferior compared to a liberal strategy in patients on ECMO with respect to 90-day mortality. Study design: Prospective multi-center randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Study population: Patients, 18 years or older, receiving ECMO. Intervention: Restrictive RBC transfusion threshold: in case the Hb transfusion trigger of 7.0 g/dL (4.3 mmol/L) is reached, 1 RBC unit at a time will be transfused. The aimed Hb target range of the restrictive/intervention group will be 7.1 - 9.0 g/dL (4.3 - 5.6 mmol/L). Liberal RBC transfusion threshold: in case the Hb transfusion trigger of 9.0 g/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is reached, 1 RBC unit at a time will be transfused. Target range of the liberal group is defined as Hb 9.1 - 11.0 g/dL Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary outcome parameter is 90-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes include: 1) proportion of patients on ECMO exposed to allogeneic RBC transfusion; 2) RBC volume infused per patient during ECMO; 3) reasons for RBC transfusion other than Hb triggers; 4) transfusion reactions; 5) time on ECMO; 6) length of hospital- and ICU-stay; 7) in-ICU morbidity; 8) quality of life (QoL), iMTA Medical Consumption Questionnaire (iMCQ) and Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ) at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months; 9) costs related to a) transfusion, b) hospital admission and c) transfusion-related sequelae.

Study Type: This is a multicenter, triple-blind, randomized controlled trial. Purpose: The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effectiveness and safety of all commercially available Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A (BoNT-A) products for treating glabellar rhytides, commonly known as frown lines. This study is designed to provide comprehensive data on how these treatments compare in terms of improving frown lines and the duration of their effects. Main Questions the Study Aims to Answer: Which BoNT-A product provides the longest lasting effect on reducing glabellar rhytides? How do these products compare in terms of safety and the occurrence of side effects? Participant Tasks: Women aged 18 years or older with moderate to severe glabellar lines will participate. Participants will receive injections of a BoNT-A product into specific facial muscles. They will need to take weekly photographs using their smartphones to document changes in their frown lines. These photos will be securely sent to our research team for analysis. Participants will complete questionnaires at the start and end of the study to assess their satisfaction, quality of life, and any changes in their condition. Comparison Group: Researchers will compare participants receiving different types of BoNT-A products to see which one is more effective at reducing frown lines and maintaining these effects over time. The safety profiles of these products will also be compared to determine which has the fewest and least severe side effects. This study aims to fill important gaps in our understanding of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A treatments, guiding more effective clinical decisions and improving patient outcomes.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how different treatments affect immune cells in the kidney in people with active lupus nephritis (LN), a kidney manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It will also investigate whether early changes in kidney tissue can predict long-term treatment response and whether blood or urine biomarkers can be used to monitor disease activity without the need for repeat kidney biopsies. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does adding voclosporin to standard treatment with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and prednisolone result in greater early improvement of kidney inflammation compared with MMF and prednisolone alone? * Are specific macrophage and monocyte populations associated with treatment response and long-term kidney outcomes? * Can blood- or urine-based biomarkers be identified that reflect kidney inflammation and treatment response? Researchers will compare MMF, prednisolone, and voclosporin (triple therapy) with MMF and prednisolone alone (dual therapy) to determine whether intensified treatment leads to faster and more complete immunological and histological remission. Participants with newly diagnosed or relapsing proliferative lupus nephritis will: * Be randomly assigned to receive either triple therapy (MMF, prednisolone, and voclosporin) or dual therapy (MMF and prednisolone). * Undergo a kidney biopsy before treatment starts and a repeat kidney biopsy after 3 months of treatment. * Provide blood and urine samples during follow-up for immune cell analyses and biomarker studies. * Complete patient-reported outcomes questionnaires * Attend regular study visits and clinical assessments for up to 2 years. In addition, participants with SLE without lupus nephritis and healthy volunteers will provide blood samples to allow comparison of circulating immune cell populations between groups.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how liver cirrhosis affects the way the body processes drugs in adults with different stages of liver cirrhosis. This information may help improve drug dosing for people with liver cirrhosis in the future. The main question it aims to answer is: • How does the severity of liver cirrhosis affect the way the body processes a combination of five drugs, each used to measure the activity of a different liver enzyme? Researchers will compare participants with mild, moderate, and severe liver cirrhosis to see whether the processing of drugs differs between these groups. Participants will: * Fast overnight for 8 hours before receiving the drugs * Have a scan to measure the stiffness of their liver and spleen * Receive a single low dose of five drugs: caffeine, warfarin, esomeprazole, metoprolol, and midazolam * Have blood samples taken before and at several times up to 72 hours after receiving the drugs, including samples for genetic testing and blood clotting checks * Avoid caffeine-containing food and drinks from 48 hours before receiving the drugs until the final blood sample

Fluid collections are a complication after pancreatic surgery. These fluid collections can be treated with two treatment options. One option is percutaneous drainage, where an external drainage tube is placed in the collection. The second option is endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage (EUS) with a stent. Both options have similar results in previous clinical studies, but they have not been directly compared in a randomized clinical trial. The goal of this clinical trial is to compare percutaneous drainage with EUS-guided drainage. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is EUS-guided drainage of symptomatic fluid collections non-inferior to percutaneous catheter drainage in terms of safety? * Is EUS-guided drainage superior in terms of 30-day quality of life, compared to percutaneous drainage? Researchers will compare EUS-guided drainage with percutaneous drainage to see if they are similar in safety outcomes and different in quality-of-life outcomes. Participants will: * Be randomized between percutaneous drainage and EUS-guided drainage. * Fill-out surveys and pain score when they start the study, and then after 1 week and 3 months. * Fill-out an extra pain score on day 1 and day 3. * Receive a phone call from the study team after 1 month, where they will be asked how they are doing. Together with the study team member they fill out the surveys that are taken after 1 month.

Rationale: Randomized trials could not yet establish favourable outcomes of CTO PCI on hard endpoints such as ejection fraction or mortality, when compared to optimal medical therapy. However, patients after CTO PCI appeared to be more frequently free of angina complaints, but the aetiology behind this is not fully understood. The investigators hypothesize that PCI of the CTO in patients preselected with an ischemic threshold (\>12.5%) on cardiac imaging leads to a reduction of the ischemic burden and therefore an increased benefit on functional outcomes. Objective: Primary objective is to determine whether PCI of the CTO will yield a higher reduction of ischemia assessed by exercise myocardial perfusion SPECT-CT from baseline to 6-month follow-up compared to a control group. Secondary objectives are 1) to evaluate the effect of PCI of the CTO on improvement in functional status, infarct size and left ventricular function from baseline to follow-up compared to the control group; 2) to study the association between ischemia reduction and functional outcome and left ventricular function; 3) to assess the influence of the collateral flow index on the ischemic burden (reduction), functional status, infarct size and left ventricular (contractile) function (hibernation). Study design: open multicentre randomized trial Study population: 2x24 patients eligible for CTO PCI Intervention: CTO PCI Primary endpoint: ischemic burden assessed with exercise myocardial perfusion SPECT-CT from baseline to 6 months follow-up.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has evolved into a standard therapy for severe aortic stenosis across all surgical risk profiles, supported by pivotal trials in high- and low-risk populations. Two types of transcatheter heart valves, balloon-expandable and self-expanding, exhibit distinct hemodynamic and structural characteristics that influence procedural strategy and long-term durability. Accurate valve sizing is crucial for procedural success, as both undersizing and oversizing are associated with procedural complications, including aortic regurgitation, conduction disorders, valve embolization, annular rupture, and increased leaflet stress which may impair long-term durability. However, optimal annular sizing remains challenging due to the complex three-dimensional anatomy of the aortic annulus, which is oval, crown-shaped, dynamically deforming, and variably oriented. These anatomical features often lead to "grey zones" in clinical sizing charts, resulting in so-called borderline annuli in which the measured annular dimensions may indicate two suitable valve sizes. Borderline annuli are frequently encountered in patients undergoing TAVI with self-expanding valves (i.e., Evolut transcatheter heart valve series) due to a limited number of sizes (23, 26, 29 and 34 mm). Consequently, under- or oversizing of self-expanding valves is often required. However, sizing of transcatheter heart valves in borderline annuli is associated with a greater likelihood of procedural complications, higher rates of aortic regurgitation, and higher transvalvular gradients.9,11 New generation balloon-expandable valves (i.e., Myval transcatheter heart valve series) are introduced with intermediate (21.5, 24.5, 27.5 mm) and extra-large (30.5, 32 mm) valve sizes that are not available for the Evolut platform. These additional size ranges potentially offer more precise annular sizing, reducing the need for under- or oversizing and improving short- and long-term hemodynamic performance. The SELECT TAVR trial will evaluate whether the expanded size range of the balloon-expandable Myval transcatheter heart valves is noninferior compared to the self-expanding Evolut transcatheter heart valve series in patients with borderline annular dimensions undergoing TAVI with respect to the composite safety end point of the third Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC-3) at 30 days. Objectives: The primary objective of the current trial is to determine whether the Myval transcatheter heart valve series is noninferior to the Evolut transcatheter heart valve series in patients with borderline annular dimensions undergoing TAVI with respect to the composite safety end point of the third Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC-3) at 30 days Secondary objectives: The secondary objectives of the current trial include: 1) Hemodynamic performance as assessed by invasive hemodynamic parameters as well as by transthoracic echocardiography at 30 days (+2 months), and longer-term follow-up; and 2) Long-term clinical outcomes with follow-up up to 5 years. Study design: The proposed SELECT TAVR trial is an investigator-initiated, open-label, multicenter, randomized controlled, noninferiority trial with blind end point adjudication. Study population: The SELECT TAVR trial will focus on patients referred for TAVI in whom CT-derived annular dimensions fall within borderline annulus ranges

Prospective cohort study, investigating the pre-post treatment effect of cosmetic injectable and surgical treatments on quality of life (primary outcome measure: FACE-Q Psychological, secondary outcome measure: FACE-Q Social), compared with a non-treated control group. Propensity score analysis is used to reduce confounding by indication.

Cancer-related fatigue is highly prevalent in patients receiving treatment for gliomas or palliative systemic treatment for cancer and is experienced as one of the most burdensome symptoms affecting patients' daily functioning and quality of life. From the KWF-sponsored TIRED trial, we concluded that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing fatigue in cancer patients with severe fatigue during palliative systemic treatment and in glioma patients. However, in its current form, integration in routine medical care is difficult and scalability is a problem, as the intervention is time-intensive, requires face-to-face consults with a psychologists, and the availability of trained psychologists is limited. The investigators expect that inter-CBT will integrate well into clinical practice and prove non-inferior in achieving a reduction in fatigue compared to face-to-face CBT as investigated in the TIRED and GRIP study. It is further expected that the interviews will provide useful information to implement this intervention. The main aims to answer are: * To determine the non-inferiority of CBT primarily led by nurese, compared with benchmark studies in which CBT was provided by psychologists, in its effect on reduction in cancer-related fatigue * To adapt CBT delivery to the needs of patients treated with palliative intent and glioma (interdisciplinary web-based CBT for cancer-related fatigue. * To investigate its feasibility by evaluating the practical workability, acceptability, and burden for patients and health care providers. Participants will follow the 12 weeks CBT intervention online, mainly guided by their nurse. Participants will start with a face-to-face session with the psychologists, partly together with their nurse, to start with setting their treatment goals. Then, they will work on the modules that are applicable to them. During the CBT intervention there will be a face-to-face session with their nurse to discuss the progress of their goals. Finally, all participants will complete the therapy by realizing their treatment goals. The outcomes with respect to fatigue severity and participants' goals will be discussed by the nurse with the participant in the final, face-to-face sessions. The face-to-face sessions will take 30 to max. 45 minutes, except for the first session, which will take one hour of which the nurse will be present during 15 minutes. Researchers will compare the outcomes of the study to a benchmark study where CBT was provided by psychologists in its effect on reduction in cancer-related fatigue.

Fatigue, cognitive problems, post-exertional malaise (PEM) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) are common and debilitating symptoms after COVID-19. The pathophysiology of post-COVID is not well understood and there is no established biomedical treatment. Treatment options for post-COVID are thus much needed. A promising candidate intervention is fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), that may reduce post-COVID symptoms because of its regulatory effect on the (neuro) immune system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the tryptophan system. The investigators will randomize 160 participants to either fluvoxamine or placebo for 12 weeks. The investigators will use advanced functional neuroimaging techniques during cognitive challenge (optional substudy) and plasma biomarkers (inflammatory markers, cortisol, serotonin, IDO-2 activity), to facilitate identifying potential mechanistic pathways of post -COVID treatment.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if hypofractionation of definitive chemoradiotherapy can treat patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. The main question it aims to answer is if this treatment is feasible and safe. We also want to investigate the toxicity, in particular the radiation-induced lymphopenia. Normally, definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer consist of 28 fractions of 1.8 Gy with concurrent 6 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel in 5.5 weeks. In this study, participants will receive 20 fractions of 2.4 Gy with concurrent 6 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel in 4 weeks. The follow-up will be conform standard-of-care.

Rationale Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a frequent cause of hypoxemic respiratory failure with a mortality rate of approximately 30%. The identification of ARDS phenotypes, based on focal or non-focal lung morphology, can be helpful to better target mechanical ventilation strategies of individual patients. Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a non-invasive tool that can accurately distinguish 'focal' from 'non-focal' lung morphology. The investigators hypothesize that LUS-guided personalized mechanical ventilation in ARDS patients will lead to a reduction in 90-day mortality compared to conventional mechanical ventilation.

A multicentre, parallel group, open label, randomized controlled trial comparing endobiliary RFA prior to metal stent placement with stent placement only in patients with inoperable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out whether using a splintless surgical approach improves the accuracy of maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults. The study will also look at the safety, functional outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of the splintless approach. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the splintless approach lead to more accurate surgical movements of the jaws compared to the conventional splint-based method? What are the safety profile, functional outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of the splintless approach? Researchers will compare splintless MMA to conventional MMA. Patients will: Undergo MMA surgery using either the splintless or splint-based method; Attend regular follow-up visits as part of routine care; Complete questionnaires and undergo assessments at various time points; Receive one additional CT scan (24 months after surgery) and one overnight sleep study (60 months after surgery). Bedpartners of patients will: Complete questionnaires at various time points. This trial will help determine whether the splintless approach is a better, safer, and more effective alternative for treating OSA with MMA surgery.

The goal of this observational prospective cohort study is to learn about the natural course of central and mixed sleep apneas that develop after maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adult patients. The main question it aims to answer is: Do central and mixed apneas resolve, partially resolve, or persist in the long term after MMA? Participants will: Undergo a first postoperative polysomnography (PSG) at 3-6 months after MMA (part of standard care). Be invited into the study if central/mixed apneas are detected (CMAI% \>25%). Undergo a second PSG at least 12 months after MMA (extra study procedure)