Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Impact of Dietary Flavanols on Vascular Health in a General Population of Healthy Middle-aged Europeans: a Randomized Controlled Study
Brief Summary: Atherosclerosis progressively occurs with increasing age in the general population. So far most dietary intervention studies with flavanols were performed over short time frames and in small groups of young healthy and older patients with manifest cardiovascular disease, respectively. Vascular health is defined as absence of vascular disease and the presence of optimal parameters that determine the development and progression of arteriosclerosis (endothelial function, blood pressure, plasma lipids, and glucose). It is not clear whether flavanols can improve parameters of vascular health, most importantly endothelial function, when given repetitively to healthy middle aged and which factors affect the efficacy of flavanol interventions.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Heart failure ( NYHA ≥II, LVEF\<50%, independent of aetiology)
2. Nonsmokers
3. Age: 30-80
4. Written obtained informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Decompensated Heart failure
2. Instable Angina pectoris
3. Smokers
4. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias or AV-Block \>I°
5. Renal failure (\>200 umol)
6. Liver disease (ALT or AST \>150 IU)
7. Diabetes mellitus
8. Obesity (BMI \>30 kg/m2)
9. Symptomatic hypotension, hypertension \>160/100mmHg
10. Known allergy to compounds of Nestlé noir intense
11. History of gastric ulcer or bleeding, current diarrhea
12. Venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, at present or recurrent history of Infectious disease, acutely or chronic
13. Disease with systemic inflammation (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, M. Crohn)
14. Neoplasia (unless healed or remission \>5 years)
15. Participation in another study within the last month
16. Concomitant vitamin supplements
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* male, age 35-60 years, healthy
* female, age 35-60 years, healthy

Exclusion Criteria:

* diabetes mellitus, acute inflammation, arrhythmia, active malignancy, terminal renal failure, signs, symptoms or medication indicative of manifest cardiovascular disease (CAD, PAD, CVD)
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* healthy male participants between 18-35 years
* healthy male participants between 50-80 years

Exclusion Criteria:

* acute inflammation
* cardiac arrhythmia
* renal failure
* heart failure (NYHA II-IV)
* diabetes mellitus
* CRP \> 1 mg/dl
* malignant disease
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Apparently healthy men and post-menopausal women: no medical conditions which might affect study measurements (judged by study physician)
* Willing and able to participate in the study protocol
* Written informed consent
* Age 40-70 years
* 10-year risk of developing CHD \<10%, based on data from the Framingham Heart Study
* BMI \> 18 and \< 30 kg/m2
* Blood pressure, heart rate, haematological and clinical chemical parameters within the normal reference range as judged by research physician
* Willing to comply with the dietary restrictions of the study.
* Accessible veins on arm(s) as determined by examination at screening

Exclusion Criteria:

* Previous cardiovascular event(s) (stroke, TIA, angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure)
* Diabetes mellitus
* Reported alcohol consumption \> 14 units/week (female) or \> 21 units/week (male)
* Currently on a medically prescribed diet, or slimming diet
* Reported weight loss or gain of 10% body weight or more during a period of 6 months before pre-study examination
* Reported intense sporting activities \> 10 h/w
* Use of prescribed medication which may interfere with study measurements, as judged by the physician
* Use of antibiotics in the three months before screening or during the study.
* Currently smoking or being a non-smoker for less than 6 months and reported use of any nicotine containing products in the 6 months preceding the study and during the study itself
* Reported intolerance to test products or other food products provided during the study
* Blood donation 1 month (males) or 2 months (females) prior to screening and during the study
* Reported participation in another nutritional or biomedical trial 3 months before screening or during the study.
* Extreme coffee consumption

Answer: B