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| VASGRA Cohort Study
The Vascular graft cohort study (VASGRA) is an ongoing single-center research project at the University hospital Zurich dealing with adults aged 18 years or older with an implanted vascular graft and/ or prosthetic vascular graft infection (PVGI). It was established in 2013. There is a clear separation between hospital infrastructure and research budget, implementation of a quality control programs and research by nested projects. VASGRA is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF). Our research goals are: Epidemiology
- Determine the incidence and outcome of complications after vascular graft placement
- Determine risk factors, best treatment strategies, and outcome of PVGI
- Determine the influence of different antibiotic regimens on outcome of PVGI due to different bacterial pathogens
- Imaging techniques
- Determine accuracy of PET/CT in the assessment of treatment response in PVGI
- Determine accuracy of MRI, angio-CT and PET/CT for the diagnosis of PVGI
Microbiology - Determine the bacterial diversity of vascular wounds using broad range PCR
- Determine the impact of negative pressure wound therapy on bacterial
- diversity in PVGI using broad range PCR
Biomarkers - Determine cut-off levels of blood leucocytes count, ESR, CRP and
- procalcitonin raising suspicion of a PVGI
Histopathology
Evaluate histopathological features of tissue and excised vascular grafts
Basic Research Collaborators
- Prof. Dr. Annelies Zinkernagel, Divicion of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, USZ
- Prof. B. Ledergerber, Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, USZ
- Prof. Dr. Lars Husmann, Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, USZ
- PD Dr. med Martin Hüllner, Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, USZ
- PD Dr. Ewerton Marques Maggio, Insitute of Surgical Pathology, USZ
- PD Dr. Zoran Rancic, Clinic for vascular surgery, USZ
- Dr. R. Kopp, Clinic for vascular surgery, USZ
- Dr. M. Hofmann, Clinic for vascular surgery, USZ
- Prof. Dr. Alexander Zimmermann, Clinic for vascular surgery, USZ
- Prof. Dr. med. Benedikt Reutersberg, Clinic for vascular surgery, USZ
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| ENVALVE Cohort StudyThe Endovascular and cardiac valve infection cohort study (ENVALVE - ENdovascular and cardiac VALVEinfection Registry: New Pathogens and Diagnostic Possibilities) is an ongoing single-center research project at the University hospital Zurich dealing with adults aged 18 years or older with an endovascular infection. It was established in 2018. - Epidemiology of infective endocarditis
- Accuracy of current diagnostic tools (TTE, TEE, PET/CT)
- Microbiology of infective endocarditis
- Biomarkers and Biobank
- Determine cut-off levels of blood leucocytes, ESR, CRP and procalcitonin raising suspicion of IE.
Collaborators
- Dr. med. Michelle Frank, Heart center, USZ (Principle Investigator)
- Prof. Dr. med. Carlos Mestres, Heart center, USZ
- PD Dr. med. A. Breitenstein, Heart center, USZ
- PD Dr. Dr. med. P. Bode, Institute of Molecular Pathology, USZ
- PD Dr. med. R. Büchel, Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, USZ
- PD Dr. med. A. Flammer, Heart center, USZ
- PD Dr. med M. Greutmann, Heart center, USZ
- Dr. med. Ch. Gruner, Heart center, USZ
- Prof. Dr. med. F. Ruschitzka, Heart center, USZ
- Prof. Dr. med. F. Tanner, Heart center, USZ
- Prof. Dr. med. R. Zbinden, Institute of Medical Microbiology, UZH
- Prof. Dr. med. A. Zinkernagel, Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, USZ
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| Clinical Research Priority Program (CRPP) „Precision medicine for bacterial infections":
Recurrent or chronic infections are an unsolved clinical problem despite the availability of antibiotics to which the bacteria are susceptible. Bacteria isolated from recurrent or chronic infections may be in a dormant, non-growing state, tolerate antibiotic challenges and are capable of resuming growth. These bacteria are called persisters. Persisters are protected from antibiotics, which target processes in growing cells. As clinical scientists, we have the vision of improving the outcome of our patients suffering from chronic and recurring bacterial infection as well as identifying patients at risk and prevent chronic infections. In-depth characterization of both the patient as well as the pathogenic bacteria will help selecting custom-tailored antimicrobial therapy thus aiming to reduce the duration of antimicrobial treatment as well as avoiding extensive surgery, while at the same time reducing relapse rates. Improved and patient tailored microbiological diagnostics combined with biomarkers and imaging will help to optimize the necessary treatment duration. With this research project, we aim to establish a multidimensional assessment of individual patients with bacterial infections combining clinicians, clinical microbiologists and computational biologists/scientists in order to improve diagnosis, treatment and outcome of chronic bacterial infections, namely endovascular, bone and prosthetic joint as well as skin and soft tissue infection read more
Publications CRPP (PDF)
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| HIV and
Aging:
In the
setting of long term successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) conditions
referred to as “metabolic” or potentially related to premature aging, including
cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, neurocognitive dysfunction, renal and
endocrinologic disorders, are increasingly important determinants of the long
term health of HIV-positive individuals. Their exact frequency, impact, and
pathogenesis are not completely defined, including the relative contribution of
traditional risk factors, demographic, HIV- and ART-related, genetic, and other
factors. The Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) core project “Metabolism and Aging”
(M+A) is a 6-year project that started recruiting patients ≥45 years of age in
late 2013. It includes obtaining fasting urine and plasma samples, assessing
bone mineral density using DXA, neurocognitive assessment by a
neuropsychologist and in participants from the Zurich and Geneva center
additionally assessing subclinical coronary atherosclerosis by coronary CT
angiography. In the
NAMACO study, which is integrated in the “Metabolismus und Aging" project,
the role of HIV in neurocognitive disorders is investigated in depth.
http://www.shcs.ch/ Research
Collaborations
- Prof. Dr. med. Philip Tarr, University Department of Medicine and Infectious Diseases Service, Kantonsspital Baselland, University of Basel, Bruderholz
- PD Dr. med. Helen Kovari, Zentrum für Infektionskrankheiten; Klinik im Park, Klinik Hirslanden im Park, Zurich
- Dr. med. Diana Frey, Department of Rheumatology, USZ, Zurich
- Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Cavassini, Service des maladies infectieuses, CHUV Lausanne, Lausanne (PI Namaco Study)
- Dr. med. Ilias Jelcic, Department of Neurology, USZ, Zurich (Namaco Study)
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| Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology Barbara Hasse; MD University hospital Zurich Raemistrasse 100 8091 Zurich Phone.+41 44 255 92 37
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