Clinical trials

The quality of parent-adolescent communication has been found to be associated with adolescent mental health. However, little is known about the association of parent-adolescent communication and adolescent mental health in the context of psychiatry inpatient treatment. This study aims to find out whether self-reported parent-adolescent communication quality at the time of admission to psychiatry predicts the treatment outcome in terms of symptom reduction 6 months later in an adolescent inpatient sample. It also aims to track changes in adolescent self-reported communication quality in the course of inpatient treatment and afterwards (2, 4 and 6 months after admission) to see whether improvement predicts treatment outcome, with treatment outcome being defined as symptom reduction to baseline. As a secondary endpoint, it will be assessed whether a placement of the adolescent outside the family was considered during treatment and whether self-reported communication quality at the time of admission predicts the consideration of placement outside the family.

Advances in surgical and medical care have led to improved outcomes in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). As a consequence, the majority of patients nowadays survives to adulthood (adults with CHD, that is, adult CHD \[ACHD\]) with good quality of life. Despite the surgical success, the morbidity and mortality of ACHD is higher than in the general population and is linked to the development of heart failure (HF) in adulthood. HF occurs in approximately 25% of patients with ACHD, even in those patients in whom the congenital mal-formation has been corrected successfully in childhood. The time course and presentation are heterogeneous owing to variable congenital malformation and limitation of treatment options. ACHD with an anatomic right ventricle as the systemic ventricle (e.g., atrial switch operation in patients with transposition of the great arteries \[TGAs\]) and those with a functional single ventricle (e.g., Fontan circulation) appear to be at higher risk of developing HF. Young age at initial corrective surgery-often in the first 2 years of life-and lack of specific medical therapies can contribute to a high and early demand for heart transplantation in patients with ACHD.

INDUCT-Multi is a multicenter randomized trial investigating whether continuous, compared to bolus, administration of norepinephrine during induction of general anesthesia reduces postinduction hypotension in high-risk non-cardiac surgery patients.

Insights into the mechanisms of expectation effects in the emotional domain can be invaluable for the development of potential therapeutic interventions for mood disorders. Recent findings demonstrate that positive expectations alone can induce a positivity bias on the behavioral and the neural level (Baker et al.,2022, Mostauli et al., 2025). This is intriguing given that antidepressant treatments, which have high placebo rates are reported to reduce a negativity bias commonly observed in depression. Research on placebo analgesia has shown that both higher-order cognitive expectations and lower-level learning mechanisms, such as conditioning, play a key role in placebo effects. The role of such lower-level processes is particularly underexplored in affective placebo effects. Closing this gap is crucial, as the long-term modulation of the emotional system likely depends on cognitively less demanding, bottom-up processes shaped by learning and conditioning. This is particularly relevant in clinical populations, where cognitive resources may be limited, but there is an abundance of prior experiences (i.e., learning). The present study therefore investigates how treatment expectations influence early psychophysiological processing of emotional stimuli. Beyond behavioral measures, we will directly assess early neural and attentional mechanisms using sensory event-related potentials (ERPs) and reflexive gaze shifts. By combining EEG and eye-tracking, we aim to identify early markers of expectation effects during emotional processing in healthy participants (N=44 plus 15% potential dropout, 50% women), who perform an emotion classification task. Emotional faces will be presented at varied levels of stimulus visibility (alpha transparency), allowing us to model perceptual sensitivity and response bias without inducing ceiling effects. Treatment expectation will be induced by verbal instructions using an established protocol (e.g. Baker et al., 2022, Mostauli et al., 2025). We hypothesize that positive expectations enhance mood and decrease reaction times paralleled by better accuracy. Further, we hypothesize that positive treatment expectation enhances gaze shifts toward the mouth region which is the primary diagnostic feature for happy faces. On the neural level we expect that positive expectations modulate EEG signal patterns associated with early emotional valence processing. Additionally, whole-brain and time-frequency analyses, as well as representational similarity analyses, are planned to further explore into neural expectation effects and potential changes in the hierarchical representation of emotional processing.

This study is researching an experimental five-drug combination called etentamig, isatuximab, bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone. The study is focused on participants with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) and high-risk disease who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the safety and efficacy of the drug combination belantamab mafodotin and venetoclax, with or without the addition of dexamethasone, in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma bearing the translocation t(11;14)

This study will determine whether early, comprehensive, rhythm control therapy prevents adverse cardiovascular outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation compared to usual care.

Elderly people and children and young people (CYP) and from families with mentally ill parents are particularly affected by loneliness. The GemsE project is investigating whether intergenerational mentoring between seniors and children or young people helps to reduce loneliness and improve the mental well-being and quality of life of both groups. The aim of the study is to scientifically record the effect of these sponsorships and to find out how such encounters can be successfully organized.

This multinational, investigator-initiated registry aims to investigate clinical outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). The registry primarily focuses on patients treated with TMVR in real-world clinical practice. Patients evaluated for TMVR but not undergoing the procedure are no longer systematically included. Historical data may include such patients who subsequently underwent alternative treatments, including transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, mitral valve surgery, or medical/conservative therapy.

The goal of this observational study is to * to investigate the prevalence and time course of autonomic dysfunction in acute ischemic stroke patients; * to evaluate the influence of lesion location on autonomic dysfunction; * to identify patterns of structural and functional brain connectivity within the central autonomic control circuits associated with autonomic dysfunction; and * to explore causal models of the link between brain lesions; cardiac, immunological and endocrine biomarkers; and dysautonomia. Researchers will compare patients with acute ischemic stroke to patients with transient ischemic attacks to study the effect of acute ischemic brain lesions. Participants will * undergo cardiovascular autonomic function testing; * receive structural and functional MR imaging; * provide blood samples for determinaton of serological biomarkers auf dysautonomia.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by different motor symptoms, including tremor, which is particularly difficult to manage. Common treatments, such as dopaminergic therapy, can have limitations in efficacy. Recent advancements in non-invasive brain stimulation, specifically phase-adaptive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), offer a promising approach to reduce PD tremor. In the current project, a newly developed closed-loop system delivers precisely synchronized cerebellar tACS by aligning stimulation with the intrinsic hand tremor signal. The study will assess the efficacy of this novel approach to reduce hand tremor in PD patients.

Prone positioning has shown beneficial effects in intubated patients with severe respiratory failure and positive effects in awake patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusive evidence for patients with AHRF without COVID-19 is still missing. The investigators hypothesis that awake prone position in patients with AHRF is superior to standard supine/semi-recumbent position in terms of reducing the rate of tracheal intubation and/or all-cause death within 28 days after randomization.

This study investigates whether raising blood levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) - a natural molecule produced by the body during fasting or a low-carbohydrate diet - is safe and feasible and can improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy in patients with multiple myeloma, while remaining safe and well-tolerated. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of four intervention groups or a control group. The intervention groups will either follow a ketogenic diet (less than 10% of calories from carbohydrates) or receive oral supplementation with deltaG® Ketone Monoester Performance \[(R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate; CAS 1208313-97-6; TdeltaS Global, Inc., Oxford, UK\], administered orally three times daily at either a low dose (13.5 g per serving, 40.5 g/day) or a high dose (25 g per serving, 75 g/day), in accordance with the FDA GRAS-approved dosing range. The control group will receive standard nutritional care. The study includes two parts: Part A enrolls patients receiving bispecific antibody treatment, and Part B enrolls patients receiving CAR-T cell therapy. Both dosing levels are applied in each part.

The aim of this research project is to determine whether a short bout of physical exercise immediately before the start of immunotherapy (Nivolumab and Ipilimumab) is feasible and has a positive effect on the effectiveness of immunotherapy. It is known that short-term physical exercise leads to marked changes in the innate and adaptive immune system. These changes-specifically an increase in natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T cells-are associated with a better response to immunotherapy. The patient population selected for this study consists of patients with advanced-stage melanoma who are receiving Nivolumab and Ipilimumab. First, we aim to assess whether such an intervention is feasible in a large proportion of patients, as many patients experience disease-related and treatment-related side effects. Secondary objectives are to demonstrate that the exercise intervention positively influences the immune system and that this, in turn, leads to an improved response to therapy, thereby positively affecting patient survival, improving quality of life, and reducing treatment-related side effects.

An observational cohort study to evaluate the benefit of functional parameters, radiomics and blood biomarkers to predict the outcome of patients with acute heart failure.

The "COME ON, NOW!" trial is a randomized, single-center trial in patients recovering from non-cardiac surgery on normal wards investigating whether continuous vital sign monitoring - compared to routine spot-checks by nurses - reduces the total duration of abnormal vital signs per hour during the first 48 hours after admission to the normal ward.

The Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium (GCVRC) brings together harmonized individual-level data from currently more than 2 million (anticipated: approximately 3 million) individuals across 133 cohorts, 40 countries, and 6 continents, with recruitment ongoing. The GCVRC examines the impact of classical cardiovascular risk factors-such as body-mass index, systolic blood pressure, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, current smoking, and diabetes-on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death from any cause worldwide.

Radiofrequency microneedling (RFMN) combines controlled delivery of radiofrequency energy into the dermis or subcutaneous tissue through arrays of insulated or non-insulated microneedles. This targeted thermal stimulation induces fibroblast (re-)activation leading to collagen remodeling and neocollagenesis, leading to clinical improvement in skin laxity and rhytides. Despite widespread clinical use, recent FDA announcements have highlighted concerns regarding potentially serious complications associated with RFMN treatments. Given this evolving landscape, consensus-based expert guidance is essential to support clinicians in navigating device selection, treatment parameters, patient counselling, and safety protocols. The present Delphi consensus aims to provide structured expert recommendations to address these emerging challenges.

The Hamburg Acute Renal Injury Study (HARIS) is a prospective observational cohort study aimed at investigating the mechanisms, risk factors, and clinical determinants of acute kidney injury (AKI) trajectories and consequences.

The psychological challenges faced by patients with incurable cancer and their caregivers include an uncertain future, fear of dying and uncontrollable suffering, grief, and loneliness. In a significant subgroup, this challenge is associated with significant fear and existential distress. This distress can manifest itself, for example, in the form of demoralization, a state of despair and hopelessness in which the possibilities for coping seem exhausted. Although open discussions about fears at the end of life are becoming increasingly important, little is known about how patients with high existential distress can best be supported to promote quality of life. The aim of the study is to test the effectiveness of the newly developed individual psychotherapy ORPHYS (ShORt-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in serious PHYSical illness) in reducing existential distress. To this end, a randomly selected half of the participants who receive ORPHYS treatment will be compared with a second group who receive the standard routine psycho-oncological treatment TAU (Treatment As Usual). The level of distress caused by demoralization will be used for the comparison. A total of 160 patients with advanced cancer will be included in the study. Due to improved treatment options, life expectancy for advanced cancer has increased significantly. This means that patients and their families must deal with the existential tension between uncertainty and a focus on life. The treatment is intended to contribute to providing the best possible support for patients who suffer from uncertainty and fears at the end of life.

The I-HIT-MED registry registers clinical of children and adults with medulloblastoma, ependymoma, pineal tumours, or choroid plexus tumours in Germany and other countries that fulfil national ethic requirements for participation in this registry. These tumours are rare diseases, and many patients are treated outside of clinical trials. The I-HIT-MED registry allows collection of data und biological material from those patients, and provides a basis for standard treatment recommendations and counselling. It aims to improve the international cooperation and the medical knowledge in these rare diseases. Within the I-HIT-MED registry, it is a goal to maintain and improve networks for quality assurance in national groups where they are already established, and to support the implementation in national groups, where there is no quality assurance network yet.

This study aims to create and test an online learning tool to help people with cancer improve their skills in finding and understanding health information online. The main question it aims to answer is: • Do people with cancer who use the online learning tool improve their skills more than those who don't use the tool? The investigators will test this idea in a study. The investigators will put people into different groups by chance and compare the results. 660 people with cancer will participate. These people will be chosen to represent different types of cancer. * Group 1: Uses the online learning too (3 versions) * Group 2: Uses a PDF with the same information * Control Group: Receives no intervention What Participants Will Do: Use the online tool or PDF to learn how to find reliable cancer information online. Answer questions about their digital health skills before starting, after 2 weeks, and after 8 weeks. Development: Before the start of the main study the online tool will be developed and tested. The investigators will first show a prototype of the tool to two discussion groups and use their feedback to improve it. Then, experts and people with cancer will test the final version

The study focuses on a group training program called HEART aimed at helping adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder improve emotional regulation. It will use a pilot trial to evaluate the program's feasibility and effectiveness. The findings aim to advance scientific understanding and support the development of effective, evidence-based interventions to strengthen psychosocial support for autistic adolescents.

The MASCAN Score is a prospectively developed objective classification for difficult facemask ventilation. This prospective observational study aims to externally validate the MASCAN score in patients undergoing general anaesthesia for surgical procedures and to determine the influence of different approaches and techniques, such as the timing of neuromuscular blocking agents and manual versus controlled facemask ventilation. A secondary aim is to determine the diagnostic value of visual assessments of the capnography curve. Another secondary aim of the study is to compare the assessment of the first attempt success during tracheal intubation between the airway operator and an independent observer.

To measure the electric fields induced by DBS (deep brain stimulation) on the scalp and to improve electric field simulations, the investigators will measure EEG (electroencephalography) measurements with high sampling rates (\>100 kHz). The investigators hypothesize that we can improve electric field simulations of DBS by validating and calibrating the simulations based on EEG measurements at high sampling rates (\>100 kHz).