Clinical trials

The goal of this observational study is to characterize the skin myco- and microbiome of patients with atopic dermatitis before and after initiation of treatment with lebrikizumab. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the skin mycobiome change with treatment? Does the skin microbiome change with treatment? Does the abundance of Staphylococcus species change with treatment?

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate if a commercially available (retail-grade) weighted blanket can improve sleep in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and sleep disturbances. 100 children will be enrolled in the study. The location of the intervention is at Frederiksberg Hospital and Odense University Hospital in Denmark. The main objectives are: * Does using a retail-grade weighted blanket increase total sleep time (TST)? * Does it help children fall asleep faster, wake up fewer times at night, and sleep more efficiently overall? * Does better sleep relate to changes in daily functioning, ADHD symptoms, parental stress, and child well-being? * Do adverse events occur while children use retail-grade weighted blankets? This is a single-group, open-label study. All participants receive a weighted blanket, and researchers compare each child's sleep before and after the 4-week blanket intervention period. Who can take part: Children aged 5 to 12 years who have a confirmed ADHD diagnosis, and also experience sleep disturbances. Children must have completed a usual-care sleep hygiene program within the last 6 months. if they use ADHD medicine or sleep medication the dosage must be stable for at least two weeks before enrolling. Children who used any type of weighted blanket within the last three months, or have health conditions that make blanket use unsafe, cannot take part in the trial. What will happen: Participation lasts about seven weeks, including measurements before and during the weighted blanket intervention period. Participants will: * Attend a baseline visit (in person or online) where a caregiver gives consent and receives instructions. * Wear a small sleep monitor (actigraphy) on the non-dominant wrist for 1 week before starting the blanket * Attend an intervention visit to try the weighted blanket options and choose the most fitting weighted blanket for their sensory needs. * Use the weighted blanket every night for four weeks. During the day, the child will also use the blanket for about 10 minutes while sitting and relaxing. * Wear the sleep monitor again during the last two weeks of the 4-week blanket intervention period. * Receive a short follow-up phone call about two weeks after starting the blanket intervention period to ask about blanket use and reminding the initiation of the second actigraphy period. * A caregiver will receive a daily text message to report whether the blanket was used (day and/or night). * Complete questionnaires that are sent to them at the end of trial. A final end of trial phone call is completed where the caregiver will be asked if the child has had other treatments or change in their medication usage in the trial period. 2 years follow-up: Researchers may contact families again two years after the blanket intervention period to repeat key questionnaires. Researchers will also look at selected long-term outcomes in health and education registers at two and five years after the end of the intervention period, if agreed upon. Outcome Measures: The primary outcome is the change in TST measured by actigraphy from baseline to the end of the 4-week intervention period. Secondary outcomes include other actigraphy sleep measures (time to fall asleep, number of awakenings, wake time after falling asleep, and sleep efficiency) and questionnaire scores on functioning, ADHD symptoms, parental stress, sensory processing, and child well-being/quality of life. Researchers will also record adverse events and serious adverse events during the enrollment period.

Many children with ADHD suffer from sleep disorders and dysfunction, which may affect development and well-being. According to the clinicians, some children find relief from restlessness and difficulty sleeping by using weighted blankets which have been proposed to reduce restlessness and stress via sensory integration and to calm the child by stimulating the sense of touch, muscles and joints. However, evidence for an effect on sleep is scarce, and only one RCT has investigated the effect of weighted blankets among children with ADHD. Using a RCT design, the aim is to investigate the effect on sleep disorders and dysfunction in children with ADHD aged 5-12 years by (1) using a weighted blanket during night and daytime in addition to usual treatment, compared to (2) usual treatment and a non-weighted sham blanket, with the primary outcome being differences in total sleep time. Results will support health- and social professionals who are involved in the treatment of children with ADHD.

The purpose of the PEGASUS study is to conduct a pilot trial to test the feasibility and acceptability of the PEGASUS intervention, adding a case manager and family-based interventions meetings to the existing psychiatric integrated care-models known as "Treatment Packages" in Denmark. We will conduct a randomized, assessor-blinded parallel-groups superiority clinical trial, testing the PEGASUS intervention for emotionally unstable personality disorder "EUPD", borderline type (borderline personality disorder) compared to "Treatment as Usual" before moving on to testing in a full-scale trial. Participants will be assessed at baseline and 9 month post baseline at study conclusion

The investigators want in a 6-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare effects of lithium versus lamotrigine on mood stabilization and other critical patient outcomes in patients with BDII.

150 patients with moderate to severe depression, recently discharged from a psychiatric ward and now recieving treatment at an outpatient unit at Mental Health Center Copenhagen, will be randomised in to two groups. A treatment ad usual (TAU) group and an Advance-group. The Advance-group will receive a psychotherapeutic intervention focusing on advancing sleep timing to improve depression.

The goal of this observational study is to test whether a new ultrasound method, called SUper Resolution ultrasound imaging of Erythrocytes (SURE), can image the small blood vessels found in tendons of persons with a tendon overuse injury (tendinopathy). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the method sensitive enough to detect the smallest blood vessels * What information about the blood flow can be obtained (flow velocity, pressure, shape of the vessels) * Can the flow in an injured tendon be distinguished from that of a healthy one Participants will receive a non-invasive ultrasound examination of their Achilles (heel) or patellar (knee) tendon, using an advanced high frequency research ultrasound system. Researchers will compare participants with either an Achilles or patellar tendon overuse injury to participants with healthy tendons, to see if there are distinct differences in the blood vessels that could help diagnose and treat the injuries.

The purpose of the project is to elucidate whether it is possible to identify which patients are at risk of forming blood clots that can cause stroke based on analysis of the electrocardiogram. In connection with the operation, the small pouch known as the auricle of the heart is closed, which can be completely removed after closing. This procedure is common in patients with atrial fibrillation to protect the brain from stroke. In the project, all patients will have this auricle closed if they agree to participate in the project. After closure, the auricle is usually discarded. We will analyze the blood and the auricle tissue taken (if available) in connection with the operation itself, together with the analysis of the electrocardiogram recorded before the planned heart operation.

The goal of this observational study is to explore the potential of implementing a telemedicine-based cross-sector collaboration model to manage patients with frequent admissions with decompensated heart failure. The main question(s) it aims to answer are: * Characterization of conditions that make these patients vulnerable * Description of key-elements that makes possible to manage the patients with the cardio-share model Participants are: * Patients - will be helped to use the available telemedicine tools * General Practitioners - will be offered teleconferences with cardiologists (chat and video) on demand * Community health workers (caregivers at the patient home or in elderly home) - will be guided to assist the patients to use the available telemedicine tools Researchers will compare readmission rates (primary outcome) and quality of life of patients where the cardio-share management model is successfully implemented one year before and after the implementation.

The MedMilk (Medication concentrations in human Milk) study investigates how selected medicines taken by breastfeeding women are transferred into human milk and whether this may affect the breastfed child. The study includes breastfeeding women who are already using prescription or over-the-counter medicines as part of their usual care. Participants provide samples of breast milk and urine and complete a questionnaire about maternal and infant health. The collected data will be used to quantify medicine concentrations in milk and estimate the relative infant dose. The study aims to contribute new data to support safer prescribing and more informed counselling during breastfeeding

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate whether pre- and postoperative treatment with systematic PEP therapy can prevent hospital-acquired pneumonia in patients with hip frac-ture. It will also learn about the barriers regarding PEP therapy in this group of patients. * Does pre- and postoperative treatment with systematic PEP therapy prevent hospital-acquired pneumonia in patients with hip fracture? * Which barriers do participants have regarding PEP therapy in this group of patients? Researchers will compare systematic PEP therapy to no intervention besides standard treat-ment to see if systematic therapy with PEP can prevent hospital-acquired pneumonia. Participants will: * Receive systematic PEP therapy during hospitalization or no intervention besides standard treatment * Register the PEP therapy four times daily on a paper checklist. Failure to perform the treatment and the reason must also be documented on the checklist.

The primary aim of this study is to test and assess the implementation and effectiveness of continuous wireless vital signs monitoring with real-time alerts on: The frequency of patients monitored with adequate data quality as adequate clinical user satisfaction in the initial versus the last part of the trial (primary outcome).

The PALMA project is part of a larger palliative research program COPAL in Capital Region of Denmark led by Professor Tom Møller. PALMA aims to improve palliative care for geriatric patients transitioning from emergency-hospital to primary care. The project addresses the lack of a systematic approach for assessing and managing palliative symptoms in geriatric patients to enhance communication between hospitals and municipal health care services. The PALMA cohort investigates the applicability of systematic palliative assessment (EORTC-C15 PAL) in the geriatric emergency setting combined with measures of frailty, socio-demographic risks, and cross-sectoral healthcare support.

Pregnant women are susceptible to develop periodontitis, but these oral health changes related to pregnancy are often neglected. Periodontitis is accompanied by a low-grade systemic inflammation and can be harmful to the general health of the woman, contribute to pre-term birth and adversely influence the future health and metabolism of the offspring. Despite this, studies indicate that 40% of Danish women in childbearing age do not visit a dentist regularly. The PROBE controlled intervention study will investigate the beneficial effect of treatment of periodontal disease during pregnancy on fetal growth, preterm delivery and birth weight.

The main hypothesis is that autonomic dysfunction cannot improve among patients reaching end-stage heart failure. To evaluate this, patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure in Bispebjerg hospital, and history one or more admissions with the same condition within the prior year, will undergo repeated brief heart monitoring (10 min). Baseline recordings (at admission) will be compared with equivalent measurements before discharge to explore whether heart rate variability increases. Patients will be followed for six months after discharge from the hospital.

A collaboration gap across sectors is a common problem in Denmark and Brazil. Brazilian Heart Insufficiency with Telemedicine (BRAHIT) will run in parallel with the ongoing Danish Reaching the Frail Elderly project (REAFEL - NCT04162548), supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Health (Innovationsfonden - Grand Solutions), until 2021. REAFEL seeks a stronger collaboration between primary care and hospital cardiologists to manage frail elderly patients, using teleconsultation and data from mobile devices in Denmark. Health resources are scarce in Brazil and a pressing need for the Municipal Secretary of Health of Rio de Janeiro is to reduce wait times to access some areas, as cardiology. When patients are stable after undergoing highly complex procedures in a tertiary hospital, are discharged to outpatient treatment at primary care but, a heterogenous expansion of the primary care system in the Rio de Janeiro municipality has created a great resistance from the population, and among cardiologists, to accept continuing cardiology treatment at the primary care system. Enhancing a collaboration between primary care and cardiologists, that is tangible for the patients, can relieve this pressure. The cross-sectorial collaboration in BRAHIT is based on the involvement of Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia (INC), a tertiary cardiology hospital, with primary investigator Aurora Issa (INC) and primary-and homecare in Rio de Janeiro, with primary investigator Leonardo Graever, Primary Care Special Advisor in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The project proposal originates from Denmark and sponsors the project through a Danida grant (Window 2 from the Danish Foreign Ministry - Danida Fellowship Center 18-M03-KU) to the cardiologist Helena Domínguez, as associate professor in the Dept. of Biomedicine, UCPH, and consultant in Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital. Being complex public health intervention studies, mixed methods are necessary to evaluate the value gained in the project and to provide research-based policy briefs. The methods include qualitative analyses and a cluster-randomization trial, the latter used for power calculation. Such calculation is based on adequate heart failure medications aggregated in a score constructed for this purpose. Secondary end-point is rate of number of readmissions for any cause, after discharge with heart failure diagnosis.

In the aging population, ischemic heart disease, stroke and dementia are increasingly prevalent. Diagnosis and treatment of the former two i.e., large-vessel coronary heart disease and endovascular thrombectomy of the brain in relation to stroke have improved significantly. Yet, the majority of elderly patients with ischemic heart disease do not have large-vessel heart disease and it seems that small vessel disease (SVD) may explain a large fraction of these cases as well as the cardiovascular morbidity in the elderly. Hence, the current development in diagnostics and treatments of ischemic heart disease does not address the most common subtype of ischemic disease seen in elderly patients. It has been suggested that SVD is part of a multisystem disorder and several systematic reviews have addressed the hypothesis of a potential link between small vessel disease of the heart, brain, and kidneys. Cerebral SVD is prevalent in the aging population causing cognitive impairment, dementia, and an increased risk of stroke, and cerebral hypoperfusion is an acknowledged cause of vascular dementia and a possible cause of Alzheimer's disease. Further, cognitive impairment within multiple cognitive domains is highly prevalent in heart failure and is associated to an increased risk of dementia. The link between heart failure and dementia may be due to multisystem SVD, although a direct link between the two is possible. Among other known risk factors such as age, hypertension, and female sex, diabetes is a major cause of SVD and is linked to coronary heart disease as well as cognitive impairment. The diagnosis of cerebral SVD relies on MRI detecting infarctions, haemorrhages, microbleeds and ischemic white matter changes, i.e. Fazekas score. In contrast, perfusion PET is used to image myocardial perfusion in patients with coronary SVD; and coronary SVD is recognized as a part of the pathophysiology in angina, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. Perfusion PET before and after adenosine-induced vasodilation allows for measuring, the myocardial flow reserve (MFR), i.e. perfusion capacity, which in the absence of regional perfusion defects, is a measure of coronary SVD. Prof. Eva Prescott have recently shown that reduced MFR obtained by 82Rb PET is a strong predictor of future microvascular events and all-cause mortality. Exercise is well known to improve cognitive health but professor Carl-Johan Boraxbekk has shown that the effect on cognitive performance may be dependent on the initial cerebrovascular status, as patients with moderate to severe white matter changes did not improve after a 6 months physical activation intervention in contrast to patients with mild changes. Yet, it is possible to improve brain function in diabetic patients through either dietary or exercise interventions. Systemic SVD is measured as cerebral SVD (reduced brain perfusion during acetazolamide-induced vasodilation) and coronary SVD (reduced heart perfusion during adenosine-induced vasodilation). The researchers anticipate that patients with type 2 dabetes have reduced perfusion capacity of the brain and heart correlating to reduced cognition and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2-max).

In the aging population, ischemic heart disease, stroke and dementia are increasingly prevalent. Diagnosis and treatment of the former two i.e., large-vessel coronary heart disease and endovascular thrombectomy of the brain in relation to stroke have improved significantly. Yet, the majority of elderly patients with ischemic heart disease do not have large-vessel heart disease and it seems that small vessel disease (SVD) may explain a large fraction of these cases as well as the cardiovascular morbidity in the elderly. Hence, the current development in diagnostics and treatments of ischemic heart disease does not address the most common subtype of ischemic disease seen in elderly patients. It has been suggested that SVD is part of a multisystem disorder and several systematic reviews have addressed the hypothesis of a potential link between small vessel disease of the heart, brain, and kidneys. Cerebral SVD is prevalent in the aging population causing cognitive impairment, dementia, and an increased risk of stroke, and cerebral hypoperfusion is an acknowledged cause of vascular dementia and a possible cause of Alzheimer's disease. Further, cognitive impairment within multiple cognitive domains is highly prevalent in heart failure and is associated to an increased risk of dementia. The link between heart failure and dementia may be due to multisystem SVD, although a direct link between the two is possible. Among other known risk factors such as age, hypertension, and female sex, diabetes is a major cause of SVD and is linked to coronary heart disease as well as cognitive impairment. The diagnosis of cerebral SVD relies on MRI detecting infarctions, haemorrhages, microbleeds and ischemic white matter changes, i.e. Fazekas score. In contrast, perfusion PET is used to image myocardial perfusion in patients with coronary SVD; and coronary SVD is recognized as a part of the pathophysiology in angina, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. Perfusion PET before and after adenosine-induced vasodilation allows for measuring, the myocardial flow reserve (MFR), i.e. perfusion capacity, which in the absence of regional perfusion defects, is a measure of coronary SVD. Prof. Eva Prescott have recently shown that reduced MFR obtained by 82Rb PET is a strong predictor of future microvascular events and all-cause mortality. Exercise is well known to improve cognitive health but professor Carl-Johan Boraxbekk has shown that the effect on cognitive performance may be dependent on the initial cerebrovascular status, as patients with moderate to severe white matter changes did not improve after a 6 months physical activation intervention in contrast to patients with mild changes. Yet, it is possible to improve brain function in diabetic patients through either dietary or exercise interventions. Systemic SVD is measured as cerebral SVD (reduced brain perfusion during acetazolamide-induced vasodilation) and coronary SVD (reduced heart perfusion during adenosine-induced vasodilation). The researchers anticipate that patients with type 2 dabetes have reduced perfusion capacity of the brain and heart correlating to reduced cognition and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2-max).