Linkou District

Researchers are evaluating whether the medicine spesolimab can help adults with ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum PG, a skin condition characterized by painful ulcers. The main goal is to see if spesolimab can lead to healing and closure of these ulcers. This Phase 3 study includes adults with at least one ulcer measuring between 5 cm and 80 cm and is sponsored by LEO Pharma. The study has two parts. In Part 1, participants are randomly assigned to receive either spesolimab or a placebo infusion every 4 weeks, with a 2 in 3 chance of receiving spesolimab. Alongside this, all participants take corticosteroid medicine by mouth for the first 8 weeks. In Part 2, participants are grouped again, where those without open ulcers have an equal chance of receiving spesolimab or placebo, while those with open ulcers receive spesolimab. Treatment infusions continue every 4 weeks throughout the study. Participants will be involved in the study for about 1.5 years, attending around 20 visits to the study site. During visits, doctors will examine their skin for signs of PG, monitor their overall health, and check for any side effects. The study team will compare results between groups, focusing especially on the complete closure of ulcers up to 28 weeks, among other measures of skin healing and pain reduction.

Researchers are evaluating the long-term safety and effectiveness of Abbott deep brain stimulation DBS systems used for various movement disorders, including Parkinsons disease, essential tremor, disabling tremor, and dystonia. This international, prospective, multicenter study collects data from patients implanted with Abbott DBS devices during routine clinical care to understand outcomes over time. Participants implanted with the Abbott DBS system will be observed without altering their treatment, as this is an observational study. The study follows subjects for five years from their initial programming visit to gather information on device performance and patient motor function over time. During the study, participants will have regular assessments using disease-specific motor rating scales such as MDS-UPDRS Part III for Parkinsons disease and FTM-TRS for tremor. Researchers will monitor changes in motor symptoms and record any serious device- or procedure-related adverse events. Study involvement lasts for five years, allowing long-term collection of safety and effectiveness data.

Researchers are comparing two treatment approaches for patients with resectable locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The trial aims to assess overall survival, quality of life, and eating restrictions after different chemoradiotherapy and surgery strategies. This phase III, randomized, open-label study hopes to guide future clinical practice for this condition. One group receives neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by planned esophagectomy. Radiotherapy is delivered in 1.8 Gy fractions five days a week for 23 sessions, combined with weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. The second group undergoes definitive chemoradiotherapy with surveillance esophagectomy is performed only if cancer remains or recurs. Radiotherapy in this group follows one of two dosing schedules, combined with one of three chemotherapy regimens including carboplatin-paclitaxel, cisplatin-5-fluorouracil, or FOLFOX. Participants are monitored for overall survival three years after randomization, and their global health-related quality of life and eating restrictions one year after starting treatment. Additional assessments include quality of life evaluations up to five years, event-free survival, relapse rates, treatment side effects, surgical complications, and nutritional outcomes. The study involves repeated evaluations and follow-up over several years to capture long-term effects of the treatments.

Researchers are investigating the impact of motor and non-motor symptoms on daily activity participation and quality of life in people with early-stage Parkinsons disease PD, aged 45 to 70 years. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of two interventions an online self-management program and on-site task-related training. This trial focuses on early PD and looks to understand how these approaches may help manage symptoms and improve life quality. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups a control group receiving no treatment, an online self-management program group, or an on-site task-related training group. The two intervention groups will have 12 sessions over six weeks, with each session lasting one hour and occurring twice a week. The online program is delivered remotely with guidance from certified occupational therapists, while the on-site training occurs at a hospital and includes balance, hand function, and functional task exercises. Participants will be assessed before treatment, immediately after completing the interventions, and six months later to evaluate both short- and long-term effects. Various tests will measure hand function, daily living activities, motor skills, cognition, sleep quality, fatigue, and quality of life. Researchers will analyze changes over time and between groups to see how the interventions affect activity participation and quality of life for people with early-stage PD.

Population aging is a major global issue, and Taiwan is expected to become a super-aged society by 2025. As people age, physiological functions decline, including muscle mass loss, which is crucial in the aging process. This trial studies the effects of supplementing leucine-rich protein combined with polyunsaturated fatty acids on muscle health in individuals aged 50 and older who are at high risk for sarcopenia. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups one receives animal-based polyunsaturated oil supplementation, and the other receives plant-based polyunsaturated oil supplementation. Both groups will maintain their assigned supplementation for 12 weeks. The study is double-blinded to ensure unbiased results. During the study, muscle mass, muscle function, and physical function will be measured at the start and after 12 weeks of supplementation. These assessments will help researchers evaluate how the supplements affect muscle health. The trial is sponsored by Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and includes ongoing monitoring throughout the 12-week period.