Projects and Grants

  1. Atherosclerotic Plaque Characteristics Associated with a Progression Rate of the Plaque in Carotids and a Risk of Stroke (The ANTIQUE Study)
    1. Project ID: NV17-31016A; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02360137
    2. Principal investigator: David Školoudík, Prof, MD, PhD, FESO, FEAN
    3. Period: 2/2015 – 12/2025
    4. Provider: Ministry of Health, Czech Republic
    5. Status: Ongoing
    6. Annotation: Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of stroke. The aims of the project are to compare the visual and digital analysis of sonographic images of atherosclerotic plaque in carotids in vivo, in vitro, and with a histological composition of the plaque obtained from patients indicated to carotid endarterectomy, to compare the characteristics of symptomatic and asymptomatic atherosclerotic plaques and, subsequently to verify a hypothesis that ultrasound can identify the sonographic plaque characteristics associated with an increased risk of plaque progression and of ischemic stroke (unstable plaque) in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Identifying the sonographic characteristics of unstable plaque will allow for improved indication criteria for carotid endarterectomy or stenting and also potential changing of a drug therapy in patients with unstable plaque in the future. Cost efficiency and availability of duplex ultrasound equipment may enable to improve diagnosis of unstable plaque using this new plaque characteristics evaluation in the majority of patients with carotid plaques.

  2. Influence of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Metabolome on the Embolization Potential
    1. Project ID: NU22-04-00389
    2. Principal investigator: David Školoudík, Prof, MD, PhD, FESO, FEAN
    3. Period: 5/2022 – 12/2025
    4. Provider: Ministry of Health, Czech Republic
    5. Status: Ongoing
    6. Annotation: Large vessel atherosclerosis is the most common cause of ischemic stroke and the most frequent cause of death and disability worldwide. The carotid atherosclerotic plaque diagnosis has shifted from pure stenosis quantification to more detailed plaque characterization including plaque composition and microembolization potential, which allows more precise patient risk stratification and management. Development of omics technologies has enabled the metabolomic and lipidomic non-target screening of atherosclerotic plaques as well. Recently published studies revealed disruption in glutathione and purine pathways affecting redox homeostasis in atherosclerotic lesions, moreover, increased levels of lysophospholipids, sphingomyelins and ceramides were observed. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is able to detect microembolic material (both gaseous and solid) in intracranial arteries non-invasively. Although these microemboli are clinically silent, they may be clinically important by indicating an increased risk of stroke or cognitive decline. We hypothesize that: 1/ plaque and/or plasma metabolomes (including lipidomes) differs significantly between symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid plaques causing stenosis over 50 %; 2/ plaque metabolome (including lipidome) correlates significantly with detected microembolic signals using transcranial Doppler prior to carotid endarterectomy. 3/ metabolome (including lipidome) of thromboemboli differs between patients with cardioembolic and large vessel atherosclerosis etiology of stroke whereas thromboembolus metabolome in patient with symptomatic carotid stenosis will correlate with metabolome (including lipidome) of respective unstable carotid plaque. Preliminary data were obtained, sample size calculations were performed.

  3. Diagnosis of Atherosclerotic Plaque of Carotid Arteries by Non-invasive Imaging Methods and the Risk of Stroke
    1. Project ID: 00736/2023/RRC
    2. Principal investigator: David Pakizer, MSc
    3. Period: 9/2022 – 6/2025
    4. Provider: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Moravian-Silesian Region
    5. Status: Ongoing
    6. Annotation: The goal of the project is to discover the characteristics of the atherosclerotic plaque of the carotid arteries, which occur more often in various risk groups of patients or are responsible for cerebrovascular complications, and from the knowledge gained in the detection of individual characteristics to create uniform examination protocols for the examination of carotid plaques by non-invasive imaging methods (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, eventually positron emission tomography). The goal of improved diagnosis of risk characteristics is the prevention of stroke – in patients with the confirmed occurrence of carotid plaque risk characteristics, early and effective treatment could be started.

  4. Noninvasive imaging of carotid plaque characteristics and risk of stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    1. Project ID: SGS21/LF/2023
    2. Principal investigator: David Pakizer, MSc
    3. Period: 1/2023 – 12/2023
    4. Provider: Specific University Research
    5. Status: Ongoing
    6. Annotation: Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the most common cause of disability worldwide and a great burden from the economic point of view due to treatment and post-stroke care. Atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries is one of the main causes of ischemic stroke in adults, but also a marker of vascular health and risk assessment. In addition to the degree of focal carotid stenosis, plaque components appear to be an important risk factor for plaque instability and subsequent TIA or stroke. Therefore, understanding the relationship between such characteristics of the carotid plaque and the risk of a subsequent stroke may improve the risk assessment of patients with carotid atherosclerosis to address this risk and prevent further events.

  5. Research and development of food supplement CAPIRAX
    1. Project ID: CZ.01.1.02/0.0/0.0/21_374/0026837
    2. Principal Investigator: Martin Roubec, MD, PhD
    3. Period: 8/2021 – 5/2023
    4. Provider: Faculty of Medicine, Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation for Competitiveness (OP EIC)
    5. Status: Ongoing
    6. Annotation: 1. Testing and optimization of the production process of the Capirax preparation with a standardized composition of active substances in the preparation. 2. Evaluation of the tolerability of oral administration of active substances in the compound Capirax preparation with optimization of the dose of individual components according to tolerability, determination of tolerance and plasma levels of active substances in a study on volunteers. 3. Evaluation of bioavailability and pharmacokinetics with analysis of changes in plasma levels of individual substances of the Capirax preparation after its administration with optimization of the composition, form of administration and daily dosage of the preparation. 4. Registration of the food supplement Capirax. 5. Placing Capirax on the market.

  6. SONOlysis in Prevention of Brain InfaRctions During Internal Carotid Endarterectomy (SONOBIRDIE Trial)
    1. Project ID: IG161501; 16-29148A; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02398734
    2. Principal investigator: David Školoudík, Prof, MD, PhD, FESO, FEAN
    3. Period: 3/2015 – 12/2022
    4. Provider: Ministry of Health, Czech Republic
    5. Status: Solved
    6. Annotation: SONOBIRDIE Trial is a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled study designed for a demonstration of the safety and effectiveness of sonolysis (continual transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring) in reduction of risk of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), brain infarctions and cognitive decline using a 2-MHz diagnostic probe with a maximal diagnostic energy on the reduction of risk of brain infarctions by the activation of endogenous fibrinolytic system during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with ≥ 70% symptomatic or asymptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis.

  7. Comparison of Internal Carotid Stenosis Evaluation Using Modern Imaging Methods with Creation of Optimal Evaluation Algorithm for Duplex Sonography
    1. Project ID: SGS18/LF/2022
    2. Principal investigator: David Pakizer, MSc
    3. Period: 1/2022 – 12/2022
    4. Provider: Specific University Research
    5. Status: Solved
    6. Annotation: Atherosclerosis and its complications cause about 50% of deaths. Carotid bifurcation is the most common site of atherosclerotic plaque and subsequent hemodynamic stenosis, with carotid bifurcation stenosis being one of the most common causes of ischemic stroke. Extracranial carotid artery stenosis is responsible for approximately one-third of all strokes. If the stenosis is greater than 50% in symptomatic patients or greater than 70% in asymptomatic patients, according to current criteria, interventional management of stenosis (surgical carotid endarterectomy or intraluminal carotid angioplasty with a stent) should follow. Because the various diagnostic methods of carotid stenosis use different physical principles, the agreement in the assessment of severity between the individual methods is still relatively low. The aim of the project is to compare the evaluation of internal carotid artery stenosis using ultrasound (B image - NASCET and ECST measurement techniques; duplex sonography - maximum flow rate and flow rate ratio), magnetic resonance and computed tomography (using the NASCET method) according to the latest criteria and subsequently creating optimal stenosis evaluation algorithm.

Updated: 10. 10. 2023