Craigavon

Researchers are studying the use of ziltivekimab to treat people who have heart failure along with inflammation. The study aims to compare ziltivekimab with a placebo to understand its effects on heart failure and inflammation. This is a Phase 3 study sponsored by Novo Nordisk AS, focusing on patients with heart failure who have mildly reduced or preserved heart function and systemic inflammation. Participants will receive monthly injections of either ziltivekimab or a placebo, administered under the skin using either a pre-filled syringe or a pen-injector. The study medicine is given once a month for up to 4 years, alongside standard heart failure care. Two groups exist one receiving the active drug and the other receiving placebo injections, both continuing standard treatments. During the study, participants will attend up to 20 clinic visits and use a study app on their phones to record each injection and complete questionnaires. Researchers will monitor heart failure events such as hospitalizations and urgent visits, cardiovascular deaths, kidney function, inflammation markers, and quality of life measures over up to 48 months. Safety and disease progression will be closely followed throughout the study period.

Heart failure is a common condition in the United Kingdom, where many patients depend on family members or friends to help care for them. These caregivers often face challenges and stress due to their role, which can affect their own mental and physical health. The Heart Failure Carer Support Programme HELP is the first intervention developed in the UK to support these carers by helping them care for themselves and the patients they assist. The study aims to find the best way to provide HELP across the UK and measure its effects on both carers and patients. HELP is delivered by heart failure nurses to about 180 informal carers across three UK locations. The programme consists of six weekly online support group sessions lasting one hour each, led by specialist nurses via video calls. Carers also receive an educational booklet and access to a website for additional guidance. Patients supported by these carers, also around 180 individuals, will provide information to assess how HELP affects both carers and patients over time. Participants will provide information at different times before the programme starts, during the six weeks of HELP, immediately after finishing, and six months later. Researchers will collect data through interviews, logs, and questionnaires to understand how well HELP is delivered and what factors influence its success. They will also measure hospital admissions, doctor visits, and quality of life for patients, as well as burden, preparedness, and quality of life for carers. The study will last up to one year, including monitoring costs and long-term effects.

Acute respiratory infections ARI are a common cause of hospital admissions and antibiotic use, caused by various pathogens including viruses like influenza and coronaviruses. This observational study aims to describe routine diagnostic and treatment practices for ARI and to characterize the adult patient population presenting with ARI in acute hospital settings across Europe. The study also seeks to understand the causes of ARI in these patients and variations in clinical outcomes. The study collects data from adults with ARI who visit emergency rooms or acute medical assessment units, including those admitted to hospital and those discharged the same day. Diagnostic methods such as laboratory and point of care tests, as well as pharmacological treatments like antibiotics and antivirals, are recorded. A subset of participants will have a respiratory sample taken within 24 hours to identify pathogens using molecular methods. Participants will undergo data collection about their clinical condition, laboratory tests, and treatments received. Researchers will track the use of microbiology and virology tests, antibiotic and antiviral treatments, clinical outcomes, hospital and ICU stays, and mortality up to 28 days after admission or discharge. Patient demographics, symptoms, comorbidities, physiological measurements, and ARI causes will also be studied. The study is ongoing and observational, with no direct interventions beyond data collection.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis IPF is a progressive lung disease causing scarring that leads to coughing and breathlessness. Many IPF patients also have reflux disease, where stomach acid can damage the lungs. This research aims to find out if treating IPF patients with proton pump inhibitors PPIs, which reduce stomach acid, can slow down the progression of IPF. The trial is a randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 298 IPF patients across about 37 UK hospitals. Participants will be randomly assigned to take either lansoprazole a PPI or dummy tablets twice daily for 12 months. They will start weekly breathing tests at home using equipment provided and, if they have a cough, use a device to count coughs over 24 hours. Participants will complete questionnaires about coughing, breathlessness, sleep habits, and overall health. Some will also wear activity and sleep monitors during cough monitoring sessions. Dose reduction is allowed if side effects occur. During the study, patients will complete regular questionnaires and provide blood samples for safety checks at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Weekly home spirometry will continue for the full year. Researchers will track lung function, cough frequency and severity, breathlessness, quality of life, sleep quality, reflux symptoms, and hospital-free survival. Remote and in-person visits are possible, and participants will receive training on study procedures. The primary outcome is the change in lung function 12 months after starting treatment.