Clinical trials

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus species. Diagnosis currently relies on imaging, serology and microscopy, but microscopy is time-consuming, has limited sensitivity and cannot distinguish between Echinococcus species. Molecular methods such as PCR may therefore provide a faster, more sensitive and species-specific diagnostic approach, with both clinical and epidemiological value. This study aims to improve molecular diagnosis and knowledge of pulmonary echinococcosis.

This monocentric prospective randomized controlled pilot study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative maltodextrin administration within an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol in pediatric surgical patients. Children aged 3 to 8 years undergoing elective day surgery will be randomized 1:1 to receive either a maltodextrin-containing clear liquid or a non-sugared clear liquid before surgery. The study will assess preoperative anxiety, patient compliance, parental anxiety, oxidative stress markers, postoperative feeding tolerance, and postoperative recovery outcomes.

This multicenter prospective observational non-pharmacological study aims to evaluate resting energy expenditure (REE) in pediatric patients affected by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. REE will be measured using indirect calorimetry and estimated using predictive equations. The study also aims to investigate the relationship between REE, disease activity, and dietary or pharmacological treatments. Clinical, laboratory, anthropometric, nutritional, and disease activity data will be collected during routine clinical follow-up at diagnosis, after induction therapy, and during follow-up visits.

This multicenter observational cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to compare it with a control group without IBD. Inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic conditions that can also affect organs outside the intestine. Among these, kidney involvement has been reported, but data in pediatric populations are limited. The study will collect clinical, laboratory, and demographic data from pediatric patients with IBD and matched controls without IBD. The main objective is to estimate the prevalence of CKD in children with IBD and compare it with that observed in the control group. Secondary objectives include describing patient characteristics and exploring potential associations between CKD, disease activity, and medical therapies. The results of this study may improve the understanding of kidney complications in pediatric IBD and support earlier diagnosis and better clinical management.

This is an investigator-initiated, international, multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study that aims to 1) describe the incidence and types of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), 2) describe patient demographics, baseline characteristics, and intraoperative ventilation management, 3) describe the occurrence of intraoperative adverse events (IAEs), and 4) their associations with PPCs, 5) assess the practice of intraoperative mechanical ventilation. Patients will be eligible for participation if: 1) adult and 2) receiving intraoperative ventilation during general anesthesia for surgery. Patients receiving ventilation outside of an operating room as well as patients receiving intraoperative ventilation during extracorporeal life support will be excluded

Colorectal cancer frequently presents with liver metastases, and complete removal of both primary and liver tumors can significantly improve survival. Simultaneous resection (SA) of the colon and liver is increasingly used and is considered safe when minor liver resections are performed, offering advantages such as shorter hospitalization, fewer complications, and faster chemotherapy initiation. However, the best sequence of resection, liver-first or colon-first, remains uncertain, as each has potential benefits and drawbacks, particularly regarding anastomotic healing. Minimally invasive approaches to SA show similar outcomes to open surgery, though limited data suggest that resection order may affect blood loss.

Pancreatic cancer has a low survival rate largely due to late diagnosis and undetected liver metastases. Computed tomography (CT), the standard diagnostic tool, often misses occult metastases that are later discovered during surgery. Recent studies suggest that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), can better detect very small liver metastases and help avoid unnecessary surgery. However, MRI is not yet widely used in routine practice due to limited evidence and its selective application. This study proposes incorporating contrast-enhanced MRI and DWI into the diagnostic workflow to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide more effective treatment decisions for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Antibiotic resistance is driven by overuse, especially for viral respiratory infections. Procalcitonin (PCT), a biomarker for bacterial infections, helps guide antibiotic therapy more precisely, reducing unnecessary use and improving outcomes. Studies, including large trials and economic models across several countries, show PCT-guided treatment lowers mortality, antibiotic exposure, therapy duration and related complications, potentially reducing hospital costs despite initial testing expenses.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered the intermediate stage between the changes observed in physiological aging and dementia. Currently, there is no drug therapy, and available drugs offer only minimal benefit on symptoms, only partially slowing the course of the condition. Studies in the literature have investigated the role of omega-3 fatty acids in MCI, and when administered over a period of six months, they appear to improve clinical condition and mood. In addition, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) appear to exert an antioxidant function, enhance cognitive ability in patients with MCI or Alzheimer's, and promote deep sleep state.

This data registry aim is to describe the practice of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Guided Regional Anaesthesia (POCUS-GRA) in emergency departments of nosocomial hospitals where, the organizational structure, has already provided for the implementation of peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) in common clinical practice for the treatment of acute pain due to bone fractures.

The trial is a multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled, unblinded, parallel-group trial comparing standard and delayed surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for the curative treatment of rectal cancer. Three-hundred and thirty-two patients will be randomized on an equal basis to either robotic-assisted/standard laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery after 8 weeks or robotic-assisted/standard laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery after 12 weeks. The recruiting interval will be of 5 years and the follow-up period will end 5 years after the last patient is randomized.