Clinical trials

Insufficient physical activity (PA) among individuals with sedentary occupations is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and reduced health-related quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an originally developed logotherapy-based distance education program on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and selected aspects of health-related quality of life. A minimum of 200 participants aged 35-60 years with sedentary occupations will be recruited from multiple organizations in Croatia and randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. All participants will complete validated questionnaires assessing physical activity, sedentary behavior, health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, meaning in life, and motivation for exercise at baseline and after the intervention period. The experimental group will participate in an eight-week online education program consisting of weekly 30-minute sessions followed by brief discussions, while the control group will continue their usual lifestyle without intervention. The intervention integrates principles of logotherapy and existential analysis with the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change and the CALO-RE behavior change taxonomy. The findings may contribute to the development of more effective, meaning-centered approaches to promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in adult populations.

The purpose of this prospective clinical study is to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of different cleaning (decontamination) methods for dental implants affected by peri-implantitis. Peri-implantitis is an inflammatory condition caused by a bacterial biofilm on the implant surface, which can lead to bone loss and implant failure if left untreated. Because the rough surface and threads of implants make them difficult to clean, finding the most effective decontamination method is critical for saving the implant. This study will include 90 healthy, non-smoking participants who have a bone-level dental implant affected by peri-implantitis without vertical bone loss. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (30 implants per group) to undergo a specific decontamination procedure during their surgical treatment: Group 1 (Laser PDT): Decontamination using photodynamic therapy with a blue laser and riboflavin, followed by a sterile saline rinse. Group 2 (GalvoSurge): Decontamination using an electrolytic cleaning device, followed by a sterile saline rinse. Group 3 (Active Control): Decontamination using a 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate rinse, which is the current standard of care. To measure the effectiveness of these treatments, researchers will take sterile swabs from the implant surface immediately before and after the decontamination process. These swabs will be analyzed using PCR to detect changes in the microbiological load of five specific bacteria known to cause gum and implant disease (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia). Following the decontamination and swabbing, all participants will receive a standard Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) procedure using autogenous bone, a xenograft, and a collagen membrane to help rebuild the bone around the implant. By comparing the microbiological results before and after treatment, the study aims to determine whether the newer methods (Laser PDT or electrolytic cleaning) are more effective at removing harmful bacteria than the traditional chlorhexidine rinse prior to bone regeneration.

This randomized controlled trial investigates the effect of electroacupuncture as an adjunct to local anesthesia on perioperative pain and stress during ambulatory surgical extraction of impacted lower third molars. Participants will be randomized into three groups: electroacupuncture, sham acupuncture, and control. Pain intensity and perceived stress will be assessed using validated scales, while biological stress and nociceptive markers (salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and substance P), as well as hemodynamic parameters (blood pressure and heart rate), will be measured. The study aims to provide an integrated evaluation of the effects of electroacupuncture on subjective, biological, and physiological indicators of perioperative response in oral surgery.

Kinesitherapy is one of the main tools in the rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis, but is often limited due to pain, reduced functionality, and fear of falling in older adults. This study will, through three sub-studies, examine the effects of unilateral training programs on strength, movement control, balance, and pain in the contralateral leg, as well as on functionality, fall risk, and kinesiophobia in older adults with bilateral knee osteoarthritis through three sub-studies. A total of 45 participants (aged 60-80 years) with bilateral knee osteoarthritis will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1. combined unilateral strength and balance training; 2. unilateral balance training; 3. unilateral strength training. Strength will be measured with maximal voluntary contraction, balance using a single leg stance test on an unstable surface, movement control with an active joint position reproduction test, and functionality using the six-minute walk test and the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index questionnaire. Pain will be assessed with the Visual Analog Scale and the Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain questionnaire, fall risk with the Timed Up and Go test and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International questionnaire, and kinesiophobia using the TAMPA questionnaire. This study will expand knowledge on cross-transfer and its effects on symptoms in the rehabilitation of older adults with bilateral knee osteoarthritis. This research is a part of a doctoral thesis conducted under the supervision of assoc. prof. Tatjana Trošt, PhD.

The goal of this observational study is to learn more about the relationship between the size and shape of the eye and the shape of the face in healthy young adults. In particular, the study focuses on whether specific eye measurements are linked to certain facial characteristics after growth and development have been completed. The main question it aims to answer is: Does the size and internal structure of the eye relate to the three-dimensional shape of the face in young adults aged 21 to 25, and are these relationships different in people who are nearsighted (myopic), farsighted (hyperopic), or have normal vision (emmetropic)? Refractive errors such as nearsightedness and farsightedness are very common and are largely influenced by the length of the eye (axial length) and other internal eye measurements. During childhood and adolescence, it develops at the same time as the eye socket (orbit) and the bones of the face. However, most previous studies have examined either the eye or the bony orbit separately. Very few have combined detailed eye measurements with modern three-dimensional (3D) facial measurements in the same individuals. This study will include 120 healthy young adults between 21 and 25 years of age, after facial growth is complete. Participants will be divided into three groups based on their refractive status: myopic (nearsighted), emmetropic (normal vision), and hyperopic (farsighted), with similar numbers of men and women in each group. All participants will undergo a standard ophthalmologic examination. This will include measurement of visual acuity, refraction (to determine glasses prescription), and detailed eye biometry using a non-contact optical device (IOLMaster 700). The measurements will include axial length (eye length), corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and corneal diameter (white-to-white). These are routine, non-invasive measurements commonly used in clinical eye care. In addition, participants will undergo non-invasive 3D facial imaging. A short video of the face will be recorded while a camera moves around the participant. Using photogrammetry software, this video will be converted into a precise 3D model of the face. From this model, specific facial landmarks will be identified, and distances and proportions of different facial regions (upper, middle, and lower thirds of the face; cheek width; jaw width; chin projection) will be measured. This method does not involve radiation and does not cause discomfort. The researchers will then analyze whether there are statistical relationships between eye measurements and facial dimensions. They will also compare the three refractive groups to determine whether certain facial patterns are more common in myopic, emmetropic, or hyperopic individuals. Participation is voluntary. All participants will sign informed consent before enrollment. The study has been approved by relevant ethics committees and will be conducted according to international ethical standards. All data will be anonymized and stored securely. No additional risks are expected beyond those associated with a routine eye examination. The results of this study may improve understanding of how eye growth and facial development are related. In the long term, this could contribute to better knowledge of the anatomical background of refractive errors and support future interdisciplinary research in ophthalmology, orthodontics, and craniofacial medicine.

Occlusal sensitivity refers to the ability to detect fine objects placed between opposing teeth during biting or in maximum intercuspation. Two main approaches are commonly used to assess occlusal sensitivity and the periodontal sensory threshold: one measures the minimal detectable force using monofilaments, while the other evaluates the sensitivity threshold to interocclusal thickness with articulating foils. In healthy individuals, occlusal sensitivity ranges from 2 µm to 77 µm (average 24 µm) and tends to decrease with age. Periodontal mechanoreceptors are primarily responsible for this function, although studies indicate that other mechanoreceptors may contribute, especially in individuals with implants or prostheses. Evidence suggests that patients with painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD) may have reduced occlusal sensitivity and show less adaptability to occlusal interferences than healthy subjects. This observational case-control study assesses differences in occlusal sensitivity between patients with pain-related TMD and healthy controls. The study will also explore the relationship between sensory sensitivity, psychosomatic characteristics, and the clinical manifestations of TMD. The TMD group will include patients from the Department of Removable Prosthodontics and the Department of Oral Medicine at the University of Zagreb School of Dental Medicine, diagnosed with pain-related TMD (including myalgia, referred myofascial pain, and/or arthralgia) according to the DC/TMD criteria. The control group will consist of healthy volunteers matched for age and sex, with no neurological alterations in sensory function. The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Zagreb School of Dental Medicine and will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants will receive detailed information about the study and provide written informed consent before participation. The experimental procedure will test occlusal sensitivity by assessing the ability of participants to detect different thicknesses of articulating foils, applied in randomised order between upper and lower molars, including a sham test. Participants will report whether they detect the foil, and their responses will be recorded for subsequent statistical analysis.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, characterized by extremely high prevalence, relapse rate and therapeutic resistance. Treatment with ketamine and its enantiomer esketamine is the next step towards the successful treatment and understanding of depression that is resistant to treatment with standard antidepressants. The proposed study will include approximately 50 patients with MDD and 50 healthy control subjects of both sexes. Using untargeted metabolomic approach, we plan to detect changes in biochemical pathways related to the diagnosis of treatment-resistant MDD and changes related to the mechanism of action of esketamine. The proposed research will contribute to further understanding of the mechanism of action of esketamine in patients with MDD. Metabolic changes will be associated with improvements in specific domains of depressive symptoms and symptom severity in subjects with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.

Patients included in the study will be recruited after arriving at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Zagreb. During the clinical examination, the patient's periodontal status (bleeding during probing, and the depth of the pockets around the implant) and a control x-ray will be taken to check bone loss. Saliva sampling will occur at 3-time points, when establishing the diagnosis of periimplantitis, before the start of therapy, and at the first control after treatment.