Clinical trials

ERASE PH-COPD is a randomized double-blind study, with 2 parallel groups. Patients with severe pulmonary hypertension due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, will be randomly assigned to receive Tadalafil orally or placebo.

Hospitalization in an intensive care unit (ICU) is accompanied by major physical and emotional stress for patients, a source of discomfort and a risk factor for post-resuscitation syndrome. Efficient patient-caregiver and patient-family communication is needed to: understand the patient's symptoms in order to relieve them, understand the patient's primary needs, understand the patient's questions and concerns in order to respond to them, rehumanize our care and re-establish a more balanced relationship with the patient. However, communication with the patient is often limited, due for example to invasive mechanical ventilation: it is estimated that half of intubated patients meet basic communication criteria (calm patient responding to simple commands and verbal requests) after 2 days of mechanical ventilation, without however being able to express themselves verbally. Augmentative and alternative communication tools exist, ranging from pictograms and slates to voice synthesizers, and are used in ICU. The critical care departments of the University Hospitals of Marseille and Tours use a communication interface consisting of a mobile screen with eye tracking for vigilant patients unable to communicate verbally, which seems to have been appreciated by patients and their families, although its effect has not been measured. Connected glasses are one of the tools available. These are pairs of glasses fitted with infrared sensors that detect a signal predefined with the patient (such as a wink) and thus enable a tablet with customized communication software to be clicked on and navigated. Potential advantages over eye tracking, which has already been used in critical care departments, include: use in low-light conditions, smaller size (no need for an arm to adjust screen orientation), less concentration (eye tracking requires precise, sustained eye fixation). The objective is to conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility of using this tool in non temporarily speaking patients hospitalized in ICU.

The immune response following facial reconstruction may help predict healing time and the date of discharge after maxillofacial surgery. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are emerging as powerful modulators of the immune response in various contexts during reconstruction. Indeed, Tregs are involved in tissue regeneration, control the local inflammatory response, and promote effective tissue repair while limiting fibrosis. An early increase in circulating Tregs could serve as an indicator of a favorable reparative/regenerative response. Primary objective: To identify changes in the proportion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) among circulating immune cells between the preoperative and postoperative periods, and to assess its association with length of hospital stay. Primary outcome measure: proportion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) among CD4 lymphocytes, measured by flow cytometry at different time points (preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative), and its association with length of hospital stay (days). Study Design: monocentric, including a maximum of 60 patients; Inclusion criteria: Age ≥ 18 years; managed in the department of maxillofacial surgery (Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital); Scheduled for surgery as part of treatment involving free flap reconstruction; Informed about the study, with no objections, and having provided written consent for genetic testing Exclusion criteria: Pregnant or breastfeeding women; Individuals under legal protective measures Research Process: After verifying eligibility criteria, patients will be informed about the study during a clinical visit. Following a reflection period that the patient deems necessary to make a decision, their lack of objection and consent to genetic testing will be obtained. As part of the research, a 7 mL tube of ACD blood will be collected in addition to the routine blood samples during routine blood draws at the following visits: preoperative, perioperative (during surgery), and postoperative follow-ups (Day 2, Day 5, and Day 15). These tubes will then be analyzed in the Immunology Research Laboratory of Prof. Miyara and Dr. Bouaoud (CIMI, Pitié Salpêtrière) using flow cytometry (counting/assay of Tregs and subpopulations). During the operation, surgical waste (bone, muscle, drainage fluids) will also be collected for research purposes; it will be analyzed in the immunology research laboratory of Prof. Miyara and Dr. Bouaoud (CIMI, Pitié Salpêtrière) using flow cytometry and, in some cases, single-cell transcriptomics when the sample meets the necessary quality criteria (sufficient cell count, viability, etc.).

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of infectious diarrhea and the most important cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Recurrent forms are a major problem with this infection. The use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), FMT appears in the most recent European and North American recommendations. There is no cohort or multicenter registry in France prospectively collecting FMTs, the methods used, their efficacy and side effects. Likewise, there is no prospective collection focused on the cohort of stool donors. A large national cohort of patients who have undergone FMT as part of routine care as well as donors, is essential for evaluating the safety of FMT.

Bipolar disorders are mental illnesses characterized by the recurrence of mood-episodes, that can have a severe impact on the life of individuals. The effect of lithium, one of the main medications used to treat acute episodes or prevent them from happening, is very different from one individual to an-other. So far, there is no way to predict in advance for whom patient this treatment will be effective or for whom it will not. Finding markers that can predict as early as possible the efficiency of this treatment is a major field of current research in psychiatry, in order to avoid maintaining an inefficient treatment for several years that can have negative side-effects. Over the past decades, it has been shown by multiple studies that lithium can act on the biological clock, that regulates circadian rhythmicity of the body (i.e. rhythms that presents a 24 hours periods, such as rhythms of sleep and activity, feeding, social activities...). But it is still very unclear whether the effect of lithium in regulating the mood in bipolar disorders is mediated by this action. Melatonin is one of the key-regulator of circadian rhythmicity of the human body. Our hypothesis, based on some previous studies, is that the action of lithium in type-1 bipolar disorder (BD-I) is related to an action on melatonin secretion. To test that, we want in this study to compare the noctunal secretion of melatonin between BD-I individuals with a good response to lithium versus with a poor response to lithium.

Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are a large group of genetic diseases of the immune system with highly variable clinical presentations. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is one of the treatments offered to some patients with PIDs. It is a curative but particularly demanding treatment, potentially life-threatening, requiring several months of hospitalization, prolonged limitations in social interactions for the patient, and impacting the entire family unit. The short-term complications of HSCT are numerous and well-known. However, few studies describe the long-term psychological and cognitive complications of HSCT, particularly in the context of PIDs. The few published studies in children concern patients transplanted for hematological malignancies, a context very different from that of primary immunodeficiencies. This study is a pilot research project focusing on the multidimensional assessment of the neurocognitive, psychological, and psychosocial functioning of children between 6 and 8 years old who have received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for primary immunodeficiency for at least 2 years. These stringent criteria aim to limit biases related to the diversity of ages at which care is provided.

Currently, few recommendations exist for patients with mild hemophilia, who represent approximately 60% of the hemophilia population. This study aims to provide objective data on joint health in these patients, which are currently limited compared to those with moderate or severe hemophilia. The use of joint ultrasound in mild hemophilia could allow early, asymptomatic detection of joint damage, support tailored management including patient education, and ultimately improve quality of life. The study will also explore the correlation between coagulation factor levels (FVIII or FIX) and other indicators of joint health in France.

The objective of this prospective study is to contribute to improving the management of patients with obstetric brachial plexus palsy. The main objective is the characterization of the microstructure by diffusion MRI in patients with a history of unoperated obstetrical brachial plexus palsy.

This retrospective, multicenter, observational study evaluates how well a decision-support algorithm can tell apart mild forms of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) from moderate or severe forms in full-term newborns born after a lack of oxygen around birth (perinatal asphyxia). The algorithm reads the raw (non-compressed) EEG signal. Its output is compared with the reference reading of the full conventional EEG made by a panel of pediatric neurophysiologists together with the baby's clinical information. The study uses only medical data that already exists and asks nothing of the babies or their families.

Osteoarticular infections (OAIs) are common, with Streptococcus spp. and Enterococcus spp. being the second most common causative pathogens after Staphylococcus aureus. High-dose oral amoxicillin is recommended as first-line treatment for susceptible infections caused by Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus faecalis and anaerobic bacteria. However, treatment failure remains frequent despite appropriate therapy, with reported rates ranging from 25% to 48%. The efficacy of β-lactam antibiotics is closely related to PK/PD target attainment, particularly the time during which free drug concentrations remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration (fT \> MIC). For severe infections such as OAIs, maintaining antibiotic concentrations above the MIC throughout the dosing interval is considered the optimal PK/PD target. Because amoxicillin penetration into bone is limited (bone-to-plasma concentration ratio 0.1-0.3), a trough plasma concentration (Cmin) ≥10 × MIC has been proposed to ensure adequate exposure at the site of infection. Achieving this target is particularly challenging for E. faecalis because of its higher MICs and the saturable oral absorption of amoxicillin at doses ≥2 g. Accordingly, the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF) recommends PK/PD-guided dose optimization and therapeutic drug monitoring when oral amoxicillin doses exceed 9 g/day. Probenecid inhibits the renal tubular secretion of β-lactams through inhibition of OAT1 and OAT3 transporters, thereby increasing plasma amoxicillin concentrations and prolonging its elimination half-life. This pharmacokinetic interaction has been well documented and may improve PK/PD target attainment without increasing the amoxicillin dose. Current national recommendations advocate high-dose amoxicillin but propose heterogeneous dosing regimens, resulting in substantial variability in prescribing practices. The AMPHORE study aims to generate clinical PK/PD data to establish standardized dosing strategies for oral amoxicillin, with or without adjunctive probenecid. Hypothesis : In patients with osteoarticular infections treated with oral amoxicillin, the addition of probenecid may improve amoxicillin PK/PD target attainment by increasing trough plasma amoxicillin concentrations. Objective : To evaluate the effect of adding oral probenecid on the trough plasma amoxicillin concentration in patients receiving oral amoxicillin monotherapy for osteoarticular infection. Method : Prospective, multicentre, quasi-experimental before-and-after study conducted in eight French hospitals. Fifty-seven patients with microbiologically confirmed osteoarticular infections caused by amoxicillin-susceptible pathogens (Enterococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Cutibacterium spp. or other amoxicillin-susceptible anaerobic bacteria) receiving oral amoxicillin monotherapy will be included. Following baseline pharmacokinetic sampling, patients will receive oral probenecid (500 mg every 8 hours), with repeat pharmacokinetic assessment.

Pneumonia are the most frequent infectious complication in patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Veno-arterial (ECMO-VA), with a treatment failure rate of around 40%, even though antibiotic therapy is tailored to the germs identified. One hypothesis to explain this particularly high failure rate is the reduced pulmonary blood flow associated with ECMO offloading of the heart. Although there are no data to date on the pulmonary penetration of antibiotics in patients undergoing VA-ECMO, this phenomenon of pulmonary hypoperfusion could contribute to altering the alveolocapillary diffusion of antibiotics, thereby reducing their concentration in the pulmonary parenchyma. Our hypothesis is that amikacin nebulization could increase bacterial clearance and, ultimately, limit treatment failure or recurrence of gram-negative bacilli (GNB) pneumonia in patients undergoing VA-ECMO.

The aim of the AURACCO study is to evaluate the association between the onset of tinnitus and hearing loss in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated by concomitant chemoradiotherapy or exclusive radiotherapy

The purpose of this study is to assess the prognostic value of absolute value and kinetic of neurofilament light chain (NFL) collected at different time points (at admission, 12h, 24h, 48h, 72h, 96h, and day 7 after ICU admission) in predicting poor and good neurological outcome in comatose patients after cardiac arrest.

Major depressive episode (MDE) are severe and common psychiatric disorders that affect up to 20% of the general population. MDE cause a decrease in psychosocial functioning, quality of life, and is associated with a high rate of suicides. They will be the leading cause of disability by 2030 according to the World Health Organization. The international effort carried out to identify biomarkers of MDE has been hampered by the heterogenous nature of MDE (unipolar, bipolar, seasonal, non-seasonal) and their heterogeneous response to treatment. Response rate to antidepressant drugs is only 40 to 50%, leading to the use of drug combinations and development of alternative therapeutics such as light therapy (LT). It was demonstrated that LT, as a first line treatment of MDE with and without seasonal pattern (± SP), has comparable efficacy to antidepressants. LT has the advantage of being also effective in improving both sleep, alertness and circadian rhythms, which may be altered in depression, contrary to antidepressant drugs that target mainly mood. Further research is warranted to determine the most efficient lighting parameters to use depending on depression characteristics, as well as to identify signature biomarkers of response. Besides, no studies have directly evaluated both subjective and objective biomarkers of sleep, wake, biological rhythms, and light signalling pathways and activation in patients with MDE ± SP. The main objective of the research will be to identify the signature of response to LT examining the correlation between the measures of biological and clinical parameters before LT and their evolution at the end of the procedure, and the therapeutic response. The primary endpoint of the study will be the therapeutic response to LT measured by the difference of MADRS score between Visit 1 and Visit 4 (end of the therapeutic protocol). Therapeutic response to LT considered as a success will be defined as at least a 50% reduction of MADRS score between the two visits.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects 5% of the global population and is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the widespread use of antidepressants, 50-60% of patients do not respond adequately after 8 weeks of treatment. Insomnia, present in approximately 85% of individuals with MDD, is a frequent and persistent symptom that contributes to poor treatment outcomes. Targeting insomnia has been shown to enhance both symptom remission and functional recovery. In this context, combined therapeutic strategies are often used to optimize the antidepressant response. Among them, chronotherapeutic approaches, such as light therapy and prolonged-release melatonin, have demonstrated rapid antidepressant effects and are beneficial in regulating sleep and circadian rhythms. Light therapy shows an efficacy comparable to antidepressants and, when used in combination with them, can double treatment effectiveness. Melatonin is also recommended in the management of depression-related insomnia. This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a 2x2 factorial design aims to evaluate the efficacy of two chronotherapeutic interventions, 8 weeks of active light therapy and 2 mg of prolonged-release melatonin-administered alone or in combination, on depressive symptom reduction at 8 weeks in adult patients with MDD and comorbid insomnia. The primary outcome is the change in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score from baseline to week 8. All participants will receive antidepressant treatment and sleep hygiene education. This study proposes a novel therapeutic strategy combining pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to address both depression and insomnia, with the goal of improving outcomes, especially for the 40% of patients who do not adequately respond to antidepressants alone.

Despite international efforts to identify biomarkers of depression, none has been transferred to clinical practice, neither for diagnosis, evolution, nor therapeutic response. This led us to build a French national cohort (through the clinical and research network named SoPsy within the French biological psychiatry society (AFPBN) and sleep society (SFRMS)), to better identify markers of sleep and biological rhythms and validate more homogeneous subgroups of patients, but also to specify the manifestations and pathogeneses of depressive disorders.

The main objective is to compare the effect of a single injection of two doses of rituximab versus placebo on 6 months left ventricular systolic function, using CMR, in patients who have had an acute anterior STEMI. Following the sponsor's decision to stop enrolment in the 200 mg arm, the primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of a single 1000 mg dose of rituximab versus placebo. The primary endpoint is the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by CMR at 6 months.

This is an open-labelled and non-controlled Phase I/II clinical trial, evaluating the safety and the efficacy of Human T Lymphoid Progenitor (HTLP) injection to accelerate immune reconstitution after umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation in adult patients with hematologic malignancies. The dose limiting toxicity of HTLP injection will be evaluated using a model-based design.

Diagnostic case-control study (1 case for 2 controls). Inclusion of patients with severe insulin resistance syndrome of genetic origin, then inclusion of controls: patients examined for PCOS in day hospital with matching age (+/- 5 years) and Body mass index (+/- 5kg/m2).

INFLAME-BANK is a French multicenter prospective observational ancillary study of the international EACVI-INFLAME project. It aims to establish a biobank and perform immunophenotyping and proteomic analyses in patients with suspected inflammatory cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ICARDs). The primary objective is to identify immune biomarkers associated with cardiovascular prognosis and develop disease-specific prognostic scores to predict 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Secondary objectives include evaluating the diagnostic and prognostic value of immunoproteomic biomarkers, assessing the role of photon-counting CT (PCCT) imaging, and investigating immune signatures associated with genetic variants in acute myocarditis. The study plans to enroll 300 patients from French centers participating in EACVI-INFLAME. Blood samples will be collected during routine clinical care at inclusion, with optional follow-up sampling at 12 months and optional PCCT imaging and genetic analyses depending on each center's participation. Patients will be followed for 12 months to monitor cardiovascular outcomes. The expected impact is to improve understanding of the immune mechanisms underlying ICARDs, facilitate earlier diagnosis and risk stratification, identify new therapeutic targets, and ultimately support more personalized management of patients with inflammatory cardiovascular diseases.

This is proof-of-concept, single-arm, single-center study to assess the safety and explore the efficacy of repeated US transient disruptions of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Phase 1: The primary objective is to assess the safety of ultrasound induced BBB opening in the upper motor neuron area and adjacent supplementary motor area in adult patients with ALS, as assessed by adverse events frequency and severity during study (incidence of AE summarized by system organ class and/or preferred term and severity) based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0 A run-in period of 12 weeks between inclusion and baseline will take place for each patient in order to evaluate precisely disease progression rate, disease severity and to collect concomitant medication. After this run-in period, the patient will be implanted with the SC4 device (baseline visit). The first sonication session will be performed two weeks after implantation. A total of 9 sonications, with no concomitant drug administration, will be performed over a period of 24 weeks. Phase 2a: Based on the safety outcome of the Phase 1, an expansion cohort will open to assess the first signal of efficacy of the US transient disruptions of the BBB in ALS. The primary objective will be to assess the first signal of efficacy of the procedure on disease progression over 26 weeks evaluated by the change from baseline to week 26 of neurofilament light (NfL) levels in blood.The Phase 2a will continuously include 11 additional patients. Patients will be treated according to the same schedule as in phase 1

Since the discovery of a small fraction of circulating cell-free fetal DNA (ccffDNA) in the blood of the mother, non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) techniques using a simple blood sample have been developed to 1) screen for chromosomal abnormalities, 2) diagnose fetal sex, and 3) detect variants not carried by the mother (exclusion NIPD by PCR). Exclusion NIPD by PCR is currently available for certain common variants, but developing it for each variant takes 3-6 weeks per center. The development process for PCR NIPD is lengthy and costly for each variant tested, thereby restricting access to this technique. In practice, this technique is not widely available to couples at risk of transmitting a severe monogenic disease in France, due to the large number of different genes and multiple variants of a given gene. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is based on the simultaneous, parallel execution of millions of sequencing reactions, enabling the same nucleotide sequence to be sequenced hundreds of times. It provides qualitative information on the nature of the sequenced base, as well as quantitative information on the number of times the base has been sequenced (reads). Although it only allows for the analysis of around 2% of the entire genome, NGS sequencing of the exome corresponds to almost all the exons of the 22,000 or so genes in our genome. However, this generates a large amount of data, leading to additional costs. Since its widespread adoption by diagnostic laboratories, some teams have developed an NGS-based NIPD for the exclusion of a pathogenic variant. It allows the analysis of multiple pathogenic variants without requiring an additional development phase. They have demonstrated that NGS-based NIPD is a robust and reliable technology, but one that incurs additional reagent costs. In France, 1,700 to 1,800 prenatal diagnostic tests (PND) for monogenic diseases are performed each year due to family history. Between 35 and 40% of couples undergoing invasive PND could benefit from NIPD by NGS, as proposed in the PrenatSafe project. The increased availability of NIPD, whether by PCR or NGS, could also affect couples' demand in the long term. In France, the introduction of NIPD by NGS is likely to lead to an increase in requests for NIPD, as many couples with a low risk of recurrence (in the case of de novo mutations) will probably opt for it due to its lack of iatrogenicity. The rapid and widespread rise of NIPD by NGS, made possible by the use of a standardized, generalizable technique such as NGS, will transform our practices throughout the country. The PrenatSafe project therefore aims to evaluate the cost/benefit ratio of NIPD by NGS compared to the current standard procedure: NIPD by PCR when performed in clinical practice or PND by invasive sampling (trophoblast biopsy or amniocentesis), using an automated, standardized NGS technique involving exome sequencing, which covers almost all indications for exclusion NIPD. This project is the first cost-consequence analysis of prospective exome-based NIPD, using a single standardized technique. The aim is to translate this innovative technology into routine practice if it proves beneficial and economically viable. Exome-based NIPD for exclusion can be fully automated, from ccfDNA extraction to sequencing. This reduces the risk of human error and brings turnaround times in line with the requirements of prenatal diagnosis. If successful, exome-based NIPD would become an earlier alternative to invasive PND without increasing the risk of fetal loss. It would be available for a very large number of indications and could easily be transferred to other prenatal diagnosis centers in France.

Observational pain assessment scales are essential for the management of pain in young children, particularly in newborns. Numerous observational pain assessment scales for newborns and preterm infants exist worldwide; however, only four are available in validated French versions: EVENDOL, EDIN, DAN, and Comfort-B, each with specific indications for use. These scales were developed in France, validated in French, or recommended by expert groups (Comfort-B). The COMFORTneo scale was developed and validated by a Dutch research team for the assessment of pain in term and preterm newborns, regardless of their level of ventilation or sedo-analgesia. Although it has been validated in several languages, no validated French translation is currently available.

In children aged 0 to 7 years, behavioral evaluation during cochlear implant programming is often difficult or unreliable. Objective, reproducible, and rapid markers are therefore essential. While objective measures such as ECAP (electrically evoked compound action potentials) help guide safe programming, they can show inter-electrode and inter-subject variability. Electrically evoked stapedius reflex threshold (eSRT) has emerged as a relevant objective marker to approximate the comfort level of stimulation. Pediatric studies indicate that eSRT can be measured in the majority of children, closely corresponds to the comfort level, and is associated with improved speech outcomes when programming is guided by eSRT. In our previous single-center study in children aged 8 to 17 years (N=30; 44 implanted ears), eSRT was obtained in 83.3% of patients, with strong correlation between C-subjective and C-eSRT thresholds (r\>0.94; p\<0.001) across all electrodes. Tonal performance remained stable, and speech intelligibility, particularly in noise (FraSiMat), significantly improved with an eSRT-based program after one month of habituation. Daily device use remained stable, reflecting good clinical acceptability. These results support the relevance of systematic integration of eSRT in routine programming. The aim of the eSRT2 study is to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of eSRT measurement in real-world clinical care for children aged 0 to 7 years, and to monitor its stability during post-operative follow-up. Improved auditory accessibility and better-controlled acoustic comfort through eSRT are expected to accelerate speech development in children by enabling earlier improvements in vocal performance and intelligibility.

In this cross-sectionnal study the aim is to increase the understanding of posterior staphyloma through a unique European consortium. Therefore, all eligible patients that either visit the outpatient clinic at Radboud in Nimegen, the Netherlands, or visit University Hopital Puerta de HierroMajadahonda in Madrid, Spain, or visit University Hospital Cochin in Paris, France, and after consenting, will be included. 600 high myopic European cases are expecting. A standardized protocol in all centers in order to create a uniform dataset. Besides the standard of care, blood samples will be collected. All data collected will be stored in an onlie Castor database