Clinical Trials and Expanded Access

The study objective is to investigate the diagnostic value and consistency of chest CT as compared with comparison to RT-PCR assay in COVID-19 in patients which were stratified for hospital admission.

This study will be concerned with managing patients of Covid-19 while being home isolated.

The purpose of this study is to asses the efficacy of the Gammacore device reducing the need for mechanical ventilation in patients diagnosed of Covid-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic, this is especially since the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is thought to occur mainly through respiratory droplets generated by coughing and sneezing, by direct contact with contaminated surfaces and because in a large number of patients COVID-19 disease may be asymptomatic. As recommended by the CDC medical personnel should be equipped with full personal protective equipment (PPE) for AGP in contact with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 patient. Therefore, it is reasonable to search for the most effective methods of intravascular access in those conditions.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the end of 2019 has seen numerous patients experiencing severe acute lung injury (ALI), which developed into severe respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The mortality was as high as 20% -40%. Due to the lack of effective antiviral treatments, supporting treatment is the predominant therapy for COVID-19 pneumonia. Its cure is essentially dependent on the patient's immunity. While the immune system eliminates the virus, numerous inflammatory cytokines are produced and a cytokine storm occurs in severe cases. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play an important role in injury repair and immune regulation, showing advantageous prospects in the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia. MSCs prevent cytokine storms by retarding the TNF-α pathway, alleviate sepsis by modulating macrophages, neutrophils, NK cells, DC cells, T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. After infused, MSCs aggregate in the lungs, improve the lung microenvironment, protect alveolar epithelia, and improve pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary function.

Prospective, observational, multicenter study aiming to evaluate the number of COVID-19 pneumonia related patients treated with non-invasive ventilatory support outside the intensive care unit. In addition, the study aims to obtain information related to the clinical characteristics and hospital results of these patients.

This is an open-label trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunological profile of INO-4800 administered by intradermal (ID) injection followed by electroporation (EP) using CELLECTRA® 2000 device in healthy adult volunteers.

Background and Project Rationale: Degenerative aortic valve stenosis affects 2% of the elderly population aged 70 years or older and progresses insidiously with advancing age [1] before manifesting with symptoms such as decreased exercise tolerance, shortness of breath, chest pain and syncope on exertion. Without aortic valve replacement, the survival prognosis of patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis is poor. In the PARTNER 1B trial, all-cause mortality among 179 inoperable patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis allocated to conservative management amounted to 51% at one year [2]. Consistently, prospective registry data reported a mortality rate of 55% at 1 year in 78 patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing conservative management [3]. The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge for healthcare systems. A limited number of ventilators and ICU beds call for a careful allocation of healthcare resources. On March 20 2020, the Federal Council prohibited elective interventions in all hospitals in Switzerland. Patients with untreated severe aortic stenosis are particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection [4] and face the dual risk of cardiac death from aortic stenosis on one side, and death from acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection on the other. While the balance between the two risks is a matter of clinical judgement, the investigators established an algorithm for the management of patients with severe aortic stenosis during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Patients with aortic stenosis deemed critical will undergo valvular replacement in spite of the ongoing pandemic while patients with severe but not critical aortic stenosis will undergo deferred intervention once the number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections flattens. In the current situation, aortic valve replacement in patients with severe, non-critical aortic stenosis will be deferred in order to give priority to SARS-CoV-2 patients. This unique situation allows the investigators to study the effect of deferral of aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis. The study is an amendment to the Swiss-TAVI registry. In contrast to the Swiss-TAVI registry, patients are not enrolled at the time of aortic valve replacement, but already at the time of referral for aortic valve replacement. Primary Objective: The aim of the present observational study is to explore the effect of deferral of valvular replacement in patients with severe but not critical aortic stenosis on morbidity and mortality. The primary objective is to describe rates of morbidity and mortality among patients with severe but not critical aortic stenosis in the interval from referral/indication for valvular replacement to intervention. Project Design: The study is a prospective cohort study of patients with severe aortic stenosis referred for aortic valve replacement. All referrals for aortic valve replacement will be allocated to either "transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)/ surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) (standard of care)" or "deferred intervention" based on prespecified criteria. Patients with critical aortic stenosis as defined by an aortic valve area (AVA) <0.6 cm2 or a transvalvular mean gradient of >60 mmHg or a history of cardiac decompensation during the previous 3 months or clinical symptoms on minimal exertion (NYHA III) will be allocated to TAVR or SAVR. All other patients with severe aortic stenosis defined by an AVA <1.0 cm2 will be scheduled for a deferred intervention.

The ISACS STEMI COVID-19 has been established in response to the emerging outbreak of COVID-19 to provide a European overview to estimate the real impact of COVID-19 pandemic on treatment and outcome of STEMI by primary angioplasty, and to identify any potential category of patients at risk for delay to treatment or no presentation.

Various guidelines for endotracheal intubation (insertion of breathing tube for mechanical ventilation) of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients recommend the use of videolaryngoscope (medical device used for intubation that has a camera to visualize the vocal cords between which the breathing tube will pass) over direct laryngoscope (conventionally-used medical device for intubation that depends on anesthetist's direct visualization of vocal cords). The reasons for this recommendation are to maximize the distance between the medical personnel and the patient's face during intubation to decrease the risk of viral particles transmission and to improve intubation success. For patients infected with COVID-19, Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is recommended as an alternative to N95 masks during aerosol-generating procedures such as intubation because N95 masks may not fully protect medical personnel from viral transmission during intubation. There is no evidence to suggest that videolaryngoscope (VL) is superior to direct laryngoscope (DL) for intubation when PAPR is donned. The purpose of this study is to determine if McGrath VL is superior to DL for intubation when the anesthetist is wearing a PAPR. The investigators' hypothesis is that McGrath VL will decrease the time to intubation by 20 seconds and more compared to DL when PAPR is donned. The investigators also hope to learn if there is any difference in the difficulties encountered between the use of VL and DL.