Clinical Trials

This project will determine the health impact of parenthood on people with cystic fibrosis (CF). The study team will use retrospective data to provide relatively immediate evidence on parenthood's effect on pulmonary health.

The purpose of this study is to look at lung ventilation in people with cystic fibrosis over time (1 year) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with an inhaled contrast gas, and compare these measures to lung function assessed by spirometry and multiple breath nitrogen washout. This study also looks at how these measures change in response to a pulmonary exacerbation and treatment (if applicable). Over the span of a year, participants would be asked to complete 3-5 visits to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). with each lasting up to 4 hours. If participants do not have a pulmonary exacerbation during the year they would be asked to complete 3 visits (one at enrollment, a second roughly 2 weeks later, and the third approximately a year later). If participants do experience a CF pulmonary exacerbation they would complete 5 visits (Visit 1, Visit 2, two exacerbation visits with one before treatment and the other after, and Visit 3 at one year after Visit 1). Only one exacerbation per participant will be tracked. Participants are eligible for this study if they are 18 years old or older, have Cystic Fibrosis (CF) with mild lung disease (FEV1 >/= 60%), and can undergo an MRI. There are no known benefits for participating in this study.

Data from a randomized clinical trial are urgently needed to determine the effect of ketamine versus etomidate on cardiovascular complications and clinical outcomes of emergency tracheal intubation.

Do you or your child have sickle cell disease and also have an interest in contributing to long-term data collection? This study is monitoring patients and collecting biological samples from patients who have sickle cell disease to better understand long-term outcomes. Participants can be any age and must have sickle cell disease. This study is located in six sites in Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Do you want to help find new treatments for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction? This study is testing whether a medicine called spironolactone can help treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction when paired with the standard treatment. Spironolactone helps to remove excess water and sodium from the body. To participate in this study, you must be between 50 and 99 years old and diagnosed with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Are you an adult with both asthma and obesity? This study is testing whether a medicine called L-citrulline can help treat asthma and improve lung function in people who have obesity. To participate in this study, you must be 18 to 65 years old and have asthma and obesity. This study takes place in Durham, North Carolina.

Are you an adult who has overweight or obesity and would be interested in a weight-loss study? This study is testing whether a medicine called phentermine is safe and effective for treating obesity over a long period. This study has multiple locations in the United States.

Do you have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF)? This study is testing the efficacy of a diuretic medicine called spironolactone that stops your body from absorbing too much salt and keeps your potassium levels from dropping too low. Participants of this study must be between 50 and 99 years old and already taking diuretic medicine. This study takes place in multiple locations across the United States and Sweden.

Are you an adult who receives long-term red blood cell transfusion therapy for sickle cell disease? This 3-month study tests whether donated blood that is more than 30 days old leads to more infections in people with sickle cell disease than blood that is less than 10 days old. Some hospitals around the United States have requirements regarding the age of donor blood. This research aims to inform new evidence-based policies on the age and use of donor blood in people with sickle cell disease that rely on blood transfusions. To participate in this study, you must be between 16 and 45 years old, have sickle cell disease, and be receiving long-term red blood cell transfusion therapy. This study takes place in Atlanta, Georgia; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Are you an adult who receives regular blood transfusions every 4 to 8 weeks for sickle cell disease? This study tests the effectiveness of blood from a donor with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) enzyme deficiency in a person with sickle cell disease. G6PD enzyme deficiency occurs when a person does not have enough of a protein called G6PD, which helps protect red blood cells from other substances in the blood. Results from this research will determine whether screening donors for G6PD is necessary. This will ensure that people with sickle cell disease receive blood transfusions that work best for them. To participate in this study, you must be between 18 and 80 years old. This study takes place in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.