Clinical trials

OK-TRANSPLANT 2 is a vanguard study for a large randomized, pragmatic, open-label trial. We will randomize participants with obesity, high-risk CKD/dialysis who are hoping for lose weight for the purpose of kidney transplant. Subjects will either be enrolled on a virtual weight management program or continue their usual care.

The purpose of this pilot study is to determine feasibility of a randomized controlled trial comparing labral repair versus reconstruction in patients over 40 years of age undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAIS. Specifically, we aim to: (1) estimate the proportion of eligible patients providing consent, (2) estimate the magnitude of the between-groups difference in the primary outcome (International Hip Outcome Tool \[iHOT\] - 33) to aid in sample size calculation for the full study, (3) estimate the compliance in completing the proposed outcome measures to determine the burden of questionnaire completion.

This study aims to evaluate the surgical technique used in Abdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion (A-NRP) in death determination by circulatory criteria (DCC) organ donors. The proposed study will demonstrate that there is no resumption of brain blood flow or activity during the A-NRP procedure. This will be assessed using multimodal neuromonitoring protocol that enables continuous focused monitoring of brain blood flow and activity during A-NRP. This will provide evidence that brain blood flow and activity does not resume during NRP and ensure donor safety in using this technique in standard of care practice.

The goal of this 26-week trial is to learn if creatine supplementation and resistance training (i.e., weightlifting; exercise that increases muscle mass), alone and together, impact cognition, brain health, and physical function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Previous studies have shown that resistance training improves cognition and brain health in older adults. Creatine is naturally occurring in the human body and is known to decline with age. Studies have shown that creatine increases muscle mass and bone density in older adults when supplemented. Some research has suggested that creatine may also improve cognition and brain health. However, little is known about how creatine supplementation affects the aging brain and body alone and when combined with resistance training, especially in those with known cognitive impairment. In this study, participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) creatine and resistance training, 2) placebo and resistance training, 3) creatine and active control (balance and tone classes), or 4) placebo and active control. Participants in the creatine groups will take creatine every day during the study. Participants in the placebo groups will take a look-alike substance that contains no drug every day during the study. Participants in the resistance training groups will attend three 60-minute classes per week that target each major muscle group and will increase in difficulty during the study. Participants in the active control group will attend three 60-minute classes per week that will consist of balance, stretching, and range of motion exercises. This group accounts for variables such as physical training received by traveling to the training centres, social interaction, and changes in lifestyle secondary to study participation. Researchers will collect information before and after the 26 weeks to see if creatine supplementation and/or resistance training have any effects on cognition, brain health, and/or physical function. The investigators suspect that both creatine supplementation and resistance training will improve cognition, brain health, and physical function alone. However, it is thought that the combination of creatine supplementation and resistance training will improve cognition, brain health, and physical function more.

Those with osteoporosis often have weaker bones and this leads to higher chances of fractures. Therefore, the investigators want to evaluate the feasibility and safety of group exercise classes specifically designed for individuals with osteoporosis who had an osteoporotic fracture. By focusing on this high-risk population, the investigators want to see whether such exercise interventions can be an option for improving bone health, reducing the risk of future fractures, and enhancing physical function without compromising safety.

Type 2 diabetes and low levels of physical activity are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline in older adults. Improving blood sugar control and engaging in regular exercise may help support brain health and physical function in this population. The MOTIVATE study is a randomized clinical trial designed to examine the effects of supervised exercise and diabetes treatment with semaglutide, alone or in combination, on cognitive function, physical health, and brain-related outcomes in older adults with Type 2 diabetes. Participants will be assigned to one of four study groups involving exercise training, control exercise, semaglutide treatment, or standard diabetes care. Participants will complete supervised exercise sessions three times per week for 32 weeks, with some participants also receiving weekly semaglutide injections for 16 weeks. Assessments will include cognitive testing, physical and functional measures, blood-based metabolic markers, and brain imaging. This study aims to improve understanding of how exercise and diabetes treatments may support brain health in older adults with Type 2 diabetes.

The population cared for in the Transitional and Lifelong Care (TLC) clinic is youth and adults with childhood-onset disability, of which the large majority are adults with brain-based, neurodevelopmental conditions such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida and developmental disability. The TLC program was created to address the health inequities that have long existed for this population because of the gaps in care they experience once they transition from pediatric healthcare services to the adult healthcare sector. The TLC program offers coordinated and comprehensive management of co-occurring mental, social and physical health conditions for this group of adults with neurodiverse conditions. The proposed study will provide much needed evaluation of the TLC model as an intervention to provide transitional and lifelong care that reduces the barriers experienced because of the undefined clinic path - potentially more appropriately referred to as a "cliff" by a Freeman et al., (2015) - for these individuals. With appropriate evidence of effectiveness, scaling of the TLC program to other Ontario Health regions and more widely across Canada would improve access healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and competent in the management of physical and mental health conditions for adults with neurodiverse conditions as well as service integration and coordination between social and health sectors. The TLC clinic was co-designed with adults with neurodiverse conditions and health care providers in 2014 and represents a significant and sustainable change in the way healthcare has been delivered for this population in the Ontario Health West region over the last 7 years. More than 750 people have accessed coordinated and comprehensive care from Physiatrists, a Nurse Practitioner, Social Worker, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Language Pathologist, Registered Dietitian and Rehabilitation Therapist in the TLC program since it began, documenting the effectiveness of this care has the power to re-shape care received for adults with neurodiverse conditions that onset in childhood in Canada.

People with FMD may experience symptoms such as tremor, jerks, spasms, or difficulty walking. These symptoms are not caused by damage to the brain or nerves. Instead, they happen because the brain is not sending or processing signals in the usual way. Symptoms can change from day to day, and stress, emotions, or certain situations may make them better or worse. Right now, patients are often asked to remember how their symptoms have been since their last clinic visit or to write things down in a notebook. This can be hard to do and may not give an accurate picture of what is happening. Because of this, doctors and patients may miss important patterns or triggers, and it can be harder to know which coping strategies are helpful. To improve this, our team has created a mobile app that allows people with FMD to easily record their symptoms, stress level, and mood, in real time. The app also includes simple self-help tools that may support symptom management. Before using this app more widely, we want to find out (1) whether patients can use it as intended and (2) whether they find it easy and helpful to use. This study will help us understand if the app is practical for use in an FMD clinic and how it could be improved.

Functional movement disorders (FMD) are among the most common neurological conditions seen in clinical practice, yet they are poorly understood and often misdiagnosed. Impaired self-agency, the sense of controlling one's actions, is a key feature of FMD. Studies using functional MRI have shown reduced activation and connectivity in the right inferior parietal lobule, a region associated with agency. The sense of agency consists of two components: the feeling of agency, which is an implicit, low-level sense of control over voluntary actions, and the judgment of agency, which is the conscious attribution of actions to oneself. While the feeling of agency is often measured using intentional binding tasks, judgment of agency is assessed using self-reported scales. While studies have explored intentional binding as a measure of implicit agency in FMD, few have systematically investigated judgment of agency. This study aims to fill this gap by introducing a novel approach that quantitatively evaluates judgment of agency in FMD patients using action-outcome latencies as an objective metric.

Treatment summary and survivorship care plans (TSSPs) are poorly studied in Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) patients, and given the high frequency of unmet needs, this patient population has potentially the most to benefit from the implementation of TSSPs. A preliminary feasibility randomized control trial (RCT) at London Regional Cancer Program (LRCP) of 18 patients with HNC evaluating the implementation of TSSPs, found that patients assigned to the intervention group had a 15% higher rate of physician implementation of survivorship care needs compared to the usual care group (40% versus 25%, respectively). Results of the pilot study indicated that successful execution of TSSPs and counselling sessions for HNC patients is feasible. In follow up to the initial feasibility trial, the present investigation seeks to execute a large-scale randomized controlled trial. Three hundred and four patients who were treated at the London Regional Cancer Program (LRCP) for HNC will be randomly assigned to either usual care or a survivorship care plan (TSSP) intervention (90 patients in each arm). The intervention will consist of the delivery of a TSSP and a motivational interviewing counseling session with a clinical nurse specialist tailored to the needs of this vulnerable cancer population. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the delivery of a TSSP during a one-on-one motivational interviewing counselling session with HNC survivors to determine whether the intervention results in improved implementation of recommendations for HNC survivors compared to usual care. Secondary study objectives will evaluate quality of life and satisfaction with care at 12 months post-intervention between the usual care and intervention group. Primary care providers of patients assigned to the intervention group will also be surveyed on the utility of the TSSP.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease where the immune system attacks the body by mistake, causing inflammation of the joints and other body parts. People with rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of infections, heart problems, and bone issues compared to others. They regularly see rheumatologists, arthritis care physicians, to manage their disease. However, managing these other health problems alongside their main treatment is difficult for rheumatologists due to limited resources. This clinical study is being conducted to see if adding a family doctor to a team of rheumatologists can help. Rheumatologists will complete a case report form about the patient's health and send them to a special family physician clinic. This clinic will focus on improving vaccination against diseases, heart health, and bone strength. They will check if patients need special vaccines to protect them from infections. They will screen for heart disease using blood pressure measurements, and order blood work for high cholesterol and diabetes if needed. They will also review bone health and send people for tests to check their bone density if needed. A change in routines and medications may be recommended after their checkup. Rheumatologists will complete another case report about the patient's health 6 months after their family doctor appointment. The study will assess how these markers of health management improve after this family doctor joins the team. It hopes to prove that this new way of working in the community will give people with rheumatoid arthritis better protection against certain infections, heart problems and weak bones.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if certain comfort-enhancing interventions can reduce pain and anxiety during flexible cystoscopy and bladder instillation in patients with bladder cancer. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do these interventions reduce patient-reported anxiety during the procedure? * Do these interventions reduce patient-reported pain or discomfort during the procedure? Researchers will compare patients receiving comfort interventions (such as timing of anesthetic gel, calming music, or visual distraction) to those receiving standard care to see if these changes improve patient experience. Participants will: * Undergo a flexible cystoscopy or bladder instillation as part of their usual care * Be randomly assigned to receive one or more comfort interventions, or standard care * Complete short questionnaires about their pain, comfort, and anxiety

The goal of this study is to study how 12-weeks daily (and optional 48-weeks) single inhaler triple therapy (fluticasone furoate (FF)-an inhaled corticosteroid; umeclidinium (UMEC)-a long-acting muscarinic antagonist; vilanterol (VI)-a long-acting β2-adrenergic agonist) works to treat adults with COPD. The investigators will compare the effects of this medication on adults with COPD who are at low risk of a flare-up and adults with COPD who are at high risk of a flare-up. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does FF/UMEC/VI improve ventilation defect percent as measured on 129-Xenon MRI in adults with moderate-severe COPD * Evaluate the relationships between the ventilation defect percent and lung function test results Participants will: * Take the inhaler FF/UMEC/VI once daily for 12-weeks (optional 48-weeks) * visit Robarts 2 times (with optional 3rd visit) for tests and imaging

In this program of research, the investigators aim to answer the question: In patients with asthma aged 18-80, how do the lung airways and vessels respond to biologic therapy and what role does age and asthma duration have in this response? While about 4.6 million Canadians live with asthma, \~5-10% of patients have severe asthma meaning that multiple inhaled and systemic oral corticosteroid treatments have failed to improve symptoms and exacerbations, leading to lost work and school days and substantially diminished ability to participate in normal life. For such people, the vast majority of whom are middle aged and remember asthma as part of their entire lifespan, biologic immunomodulator therapies, which block the function of asthma inflammatory pathways, provide a final step-up therapy option. There is emerging evidence that prescribed in the right patient at the right time, the right biologic can result in clinical remission of asthma. While spontaneous clinical remission of asthma is rare, it has been documented in children in whom lung growth and remodeling is still possible. It remains unknown whether clinical remission in adults is accompanied by the reversal of pathologic remodeling, at the level of the airways and pulmonary vessels. This is critical to elucidate as investigators and physicians move forward with currently proposed criteria for "complete asthma remission". The inconvenient truth about asthma and age is that in older adult lungs, exposed to years of infection, exacerbations, smooth muscle remodeling and pulmonary vascular shunt, the mechanisms by which complete pathologic remission may be achieved are complex and poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, the investigators will evaluate 150 patients (Vancouver, Ottawa, Hamilton, London) (in three age tertiles 18-29; 30-59; 60-80) with severe asthma and 50 age- and sex matched healthy volunteers over 2-years using chest CT, MRI and pulmonary function tests. The investigators will use the pulmonary imaging measurements to generate an imaging-index of normal airway structure and function which will be compared with and significantly correlate with MR-guided bronchoscopic sample measurements made before and after 1-/2-years of treatment. The investigators will reveal the pathobiologic relationship between age, asthma duration, clinical remission and imaging normalization with direct comparison to histology-based airway measurements.

This is a longitudinal study of the long-term health impact of cannabis smoking on the lungs. Participants will be followed over a period of 3 years, and impacts of cannabis smoking on the lungs will be measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using hyperpolarized xenon-129 gas, pulmonary function tests, exercise capacity, computed tomography images and questionnaires.

This is a longitudinal study of the long-term health impact of e-cigarette smoking on the lungs. Participants will be followed over a period of 5 years, and impacts of e-cigarette smoking on the lungs will be measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using hyperpolarized xenon-129 gas, pulmonary function tests, exercise capacity, computed tomography images and questionnaires.

Testicular cancer represents 1% of adult neoplasms and is the most common solid malignancy in young men. At diagnosis, approximately 90% of cases are germ cell tumours (GCT), categorised as either seminoma (55-60%) or non-seminoma types (40-45%). For many years, the management of patients with CS IIA/B seminoma and retroperitoneal lymph node involvement ≤ 3 cm are eligible for treatment with either radiotherapy or chemotherapy Despite high cure rates for CS II seminoma (approximately 90%) with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, concerns persist regarding short and long-term treatment-related toxicities (such as increased risks of cardiovascular disease and secondary malignancies As such, an alternative strategy which has been explored in this study is the role of RPLND for the management of these patients

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common surgery that eases pain, restores functional movement, and improves the overall quality of life in people with severe hip osteoarthritis (OA). Unfortunately, problems with postural stability, commonly known as balance, are still noticed in people even years after the surgery. These postural stability problems typically result in falls. The aim of the proposed study is to investigate how THA surgery affects a person's overall quality of life, both physically and psychologically, in terms of postural stability and balance confidence (self-efficacy) within the first three months after THA for osteoarthritis. This prospective cohort study will focus on people over 60 years old.

This study is to assess the addition of 3D ultrasound guidance during standard care ablation or biopsies of liver or kidney tumours. 3D ultrasound only differs from conventional 2D ultrasound in that the ultrasound transducer is mounted on a special assembly that moves the transducer in precise, stepped movements while a succession of 2D images are collected by the computer. Special software written specifically for 3D ultrasound precisely aligns these 2D images into a 3-demensional volume , allowing area in question to be viewed in many different planes. 3D ultrasound is a safe, fast, non-invasive imaging procedure. Ultrasound images will be checked against the pre- and post- procedure CT images to make sure the tumours were completely removed or properly targeted during biopsy.

"More Than Words® - The Hanen Program® for Parents of Autistic Children or Children Who May Benefit from Social Communication Support" is a family-focused intervention program delivered by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). The goal of More Than Words is to empower parents to be the main facilitator of their child's social communication development, which increases the child's opportunities to develop social communication skills in everyday situations. It is one of the programs offered to families who receive services from Ontario's Preschool Speech and Language program, although some regions are not able to offer it at all or are only able to offer a shortened version of the program. The Hanen Centre recently made updates to the More Than Words program to allow it to be delivered virtually (online) and to align with the latest evidence. Past research has found some evidence that the More Than Words program is effective, but knowledge is needed about the latest version of the program, including how effective it is when delivered online. It is important to understand who this program works best for and why. The purpose of the current study, called a pilot study, is to test a study plan that could be used in a future large study to answer these questions. In this pilot study, the investigators will test procedures for comparing the outcomes of families who receive the More Than Words program to families who have not yet received it. Additionally, procedures for understanding varying responses to treatment will be tested. The study aims to determine whether the methods used for recruiting families, delivering the program, and monitoring progress are practical and function as expected in preparation for the future large-scale study.

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to learn if guided Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can treat tinnitus-related distress and its associated comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and quality of life among adult tinnitus patients in Canada. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does guided internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of tinnitus reduce tinnitus-related distress and tinnitus-associated comorbidities (depression, anxiety, insomnia, quality of life) among adult tinnitus patients aged 18-79 years in Canada from pre-treatment to post-treatment and 3-month follow-up? * Do participants in the personalized ICBT treatment group show worse improvements in patient-reported outcomes from pre-treatment to post-treatment and 3-month follow-up than the standard ICBT control group? The researchers will compare a personalized ICBT program to a standard ICBT program to investigate if participants in the personalized ICBT program will show no worse improvements in patient-reported outcomes from pre-treatment to post-treatment and 3-month follow-up than the active comparator, the standard ICBT program. Participants will: * Receive either a personalized ICBT program or a standard ICBT program delivered over 8 weeks consisting of 21 modules. * Receive guided support of approximately 10-15 minutes per week by video chat or phone from a trained Guide over the 8-week duration of the program. * Complete assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up through online REDCap surveys with automatic emails and telephone reminders.

This comparative study will recruit 30 females who are scheduled for mammography and ultrasound assessment. The clinical 2D ultrasound is performed routinely, and the research portion of this study will add a few extra 3-D ultrasound images during the procedure. The ultrasound imaging laboratory under the direction of Dr. Aaron Fenster has developed a customized device designed to acquire 3D ultrasound of the breast using a commercial ultrasound machine. The purpose is to see how well 3-dimensional ultrasound acquire from that device is able to visualize tumours and other key features in comparison to the clinical system InveniaTM developed by GE Medical.

This project is randomized controlled trial which will explore the effect of pairing repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Cycling on lower extremity function in people with incomplete spinal cord injury and compare the effects to each one of these interventions alone.

Brachytherapy treatment in gynecological cancers is an essential component to delivering adequate doses of radiation to a tumour while sparing normal tissue. Interstitial or intra-cavitary brachytherapy are often needed in advanced or recurrent disease, in cases where intrauterine brachytherapy may not deliver the optimal outcome. Interstitial or intra-cavitary brachytherapy are based on a defined template-and-needle system, and the procedure relies on clinical examination and pre-treatment imaging to guide needle insertion. There is currently no standard image-guided process to help direct needles in the pelvis. We propose using 3D ultrasound to provide real-time imaging for the brachytherapy procedure, which will aid in avoiding needle insertion into pelvic organs and result in optimal dose coverage to the tumour.

The gold standard for reconstruction of the jaw is the utilization of a bone free tissue transfer. Scapula reconstruction is an excellent option for elderly patients, those with significant comorbidities and for complex defects with large soft tissue reconstructive requirements. The scapula is supplied by the angular artery and circumflex scapula arteries. No studies have shown with objective measures, the viability of the lateral border of the scapula bone supplied by either the angular artery or circumflex scapula arteries. The aim of this observational study is to demonstrate with objective clinical measures, via SPY-Q software analysis, that the angular artery can adequately supply the scapula tip flap including with a single osteotomy giving two bone segments, in 30 patients who will undergo reconstructive head and neck surgery at LHSC.