Clinical Trials

The purpose of this research is assess imaging and identification of soft plaque that undergoes large deformations or strain will identify plaque vulnerable to rupture which could lead to 'silent strokes'. Validation of current study results with MRI will foster use of real-time ultrasound (US) strain imaging and strain indices as a screening tool for identifying normal human participants susceptible to increased vascular aging and developing plaque prone to rupture or micro-embolization.

Current research will evaluate Lagrangian carotid strain imaging (LCSI) for prediction of vascular health on volunteers. In this study, investigators will evaluate age-related strain variations (due to plaque deposition) in the carotid artery, establishing groundwork that will help identify typical and atypical values for these indices. Investigator's hypothesis is that plaques with higher strain indices (softer plaques) are more prone to rupture than plaques with lower strain indices (stiffer) plaques, thus requiring intervention. Clinical criteria for treatment has focused primarily on the degree of stenosis. Long-term objectives are to provide non-invasive methods for screening participants at risk for vascular aging or plaque rupture in asymptomatic participants, expanding upon current criteria for risk assessments based on focal transient ischemic attack (TIA) or strokes. Variations in vessel strain have been associated with, or are precursors to, plaque deposition, vascular aging, or cerebrovascular diseases. Increased arterial strain and pressure changes have been linked to brain aging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based vascular indices, and memory deficits commonly linked to Alzheimer dementia. Stiffening and thickening of the arterial walls have also been associated with cerebrovascular disease. Investigators hypothesize that strain indices as vascular biomarkers can be utilized for screening possible 'vulnerable participants' validated with MRI, with the potential ability to improve endothelial function and reverse vascular aging. Strain indices may enable differentiating study participants with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) from other dementias. Cognitive testing is unable to make this differentiation.

The investigators' central hypothesis is that early combination therapy with two PAH-specific oral therapies that have been shown to be well tolerated in the pediatric population, sildenafil and bosentan, will result in better World Health Organization (WHO) functional class at 12 months after initiation of PAH treatment than therapy with sildenafil alone.

The primary purpose of the Research Database is to have a comprehensive source of observational data that can be used to study HSC transplantation and cellular therapies. A secondary purpose of the Research Database is to have a comprehensive source of data to study marrow toxic injuries.

Does your developing baby have a heart defect? Have you had a stillborn baby? This study tests a new technology to measure fetal heart activity and find possible problems early. These problems include fetal arrhythmia and conduction disorders such as Brugada syndrome. To participate in this study, you must be at least 18 years old and pregnant, and have one of five high-risk complications of pregnancy: a fetus with a major congenital heart defect, hydrops, or gastroschisis; a previous unexplained stillbirth; or twins who share a placenta. This study is located in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Do you have a high-risk pregnancy? This study will investigate the use of a non-invasive scan called fetal magnetocardiography to detect potential problems in the fetus in five high-risk pregnancy conditions associated with stillbirth. The scan is normally used to look at fetal heart rhythms. To participate in this study, you must be at least 18 years old and pregnant with one of the following: having a stillbirth in a previous pregnancy, carrying identical twins, or having a fetus that has been diagnosed with major congenital heart disease, fetal hydrops, or fetal gastroschisis. This study takes place in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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 at least 12 weeks pregnant? This study is recruiting women with healthy pregnancies and women who have experienced an abnormal fetal heart rate or rhythm. Researchers are evaluating fetal magnetocardiography as a new tool to improve the study of fetal heart rate and rhythm. This study is located in Madison, Wisconsin.

Has your child been treated for an asthma attack with an oral corticosteroid medicine in the last 12 months? A study team will recruit 60 teens and young adults (between 12 and 21 years old) with persistent asthma who are at high risk for future exacerbation. This study examines the contribution of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), a protein that is involved in the inflammatory response, in asthma flare-ups. This study takes place in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Are you an adult with asthma, and do you want to help researchers understand how asthma may affect the brain health? This study is examining whether long-term asthma complications are associated with brain structure, function, or cognitive function. In people with asthma, allergens can induce airway inflammation, which activates several cell types that could negatively affect the brain over time. Results from this study may shed light on whether there is a connection between brain health and asthma. To participate in this study, you must be between 18 and 50 years old. This study takes place in Madison, Wisconsin.