Clinical trials

The CARDIOSTORY.TN study is a prospective observational study at Sahloul University Hospital (Sousse, Tunisia) evaluating the CardioStory device for distinguishing heart failure (HF) from other causes of acute dyspnea. Background: Dyspnea is common in emergencies, and differentiating cardiac from non-cardiac causes is often delayed by the limits of echocardiography and BNP tests. CardioStory is a rapid (\~2 minutes), non-invasive tool that measures cardiac filling pressure, a key HF marker. Objectives: Primary: Assess CardioStory's diagnostic accuracy. Secondary: Compare it with echocardiography and NT-proBNP, evaluate ease of use, and measure time to diagnosis. Methods: Adults (≥18) with acute dyspnea (\<7 days) included; unstable or traumatic/allergic cases excluded. CardioStory results will be compared to standard diagnostics. Sample size: 850 patients over 12 months. Outcome: If accurate, CardioStory could be a fast, practical diagnostic tool for emergency settings.

This study aims to externally validate the Glasgow-Blatchford Score (GBS) in a Tunisian population presenting with non-traumatic upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite advances in endoscopic management, early risk stratification remains essential to guide clinical decision-making. In Tunisia, the routine hospitalization of all patients for observation presents a challenge, highlighting the need for reliable prognostic tools. The study is designed as a multicenter, descriptive, and analytical investigation across several emergency departments. Adult patients (≥16 years) will be included, with follow-up conducted at 30 days to assess for adverse outcomes including rebleeding, the need for hemostasis, complications, and mortality. Clinical and epidemiological data will be collected using a standardized form. Statistical analysis will evaluate the predictive performance of the GBS, focusing on sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for 30-day outcomes. The results are expected to determine whether GBS is a valid and useful tool for risk assessment in the Tunisian context, potentially aiding in more efficient and targeted patient management.