Clinical Trials

This is a technical development study with the goal to develop 3D techniques for atherosclerosis plaque characterization. We hypothesize that 3D MRI is superior to 2D MRI in characterizing major plaque constituents that contribute to severe clinical events such as myocardial infarction or stroke. The major advantages of the 3D techniques to be developed will include high spatial resolution, reduced scan times, and optimized image contrast. The use of contrast injection is not needed with the new techniques, which is greatly beneficial for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. This is not a funded clinical trial.

Is your family from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, or Sri Lanka? If so, you may be able to participate in a clinical study looking at cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke among people of South Asian descent. Participants must be between 40 and 84 years old and have no history of heart attack or stroke, heart failure, angina, or atrial fibrillation. This study is taking place in San Francisco, California, Chicago, Illinois, and New York City, New York.

Are you at least 40 years old and living with HIV? In this study, researchers are looking at how effective educational text messages are in reducing cardiovascular risk among persons living with HIV. You may be able to participate if you do not currently have atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fats and cholesterol on your artery walls. The study is taking place in San Francisco, California.

Are you an adult with carotid artery stenosis (CAS)? Researchers in this study want to learn more about the plaque that causes atherosclerosis in patients with carotid artery stenosis. To be in the study, you must be at least 18 years old and will undergo a carotid positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging exam so researchers can lean more on the new PET imaging approach for risk prediction in these patients. The study is taking place Saint Louis, Missouri, and in Los Angeles, California.

Are you planning to have coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery to treat your heart disease? This study aims to use computed tomography (CT) imaging to help doctors and their patients make better decisions about heart surgery. To participate in this study, you must be at least 40 years old and be scheduled for a CABG. This study is located in Palo Alto and San Diego, California

Have you been diagnosed with orthostatic intolerance? This study aims to find out how the body’s regulation of basic functions, such as heart rate and blood pressure, is altered in people who have orthostatic intolerance. This condition, which has an unknown cause, is characterized by a racing heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness, and other symptoms that occur when a person stands up. To participate in this study, you must be between 18 and 80 years old and have orthostatic intolerance. This study is located in Nashville, Tennessee.

The investigators propose to study the relationship between right ventricle (RV) steatosis and RV function, exercise capacity, and outcomes in humans with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and to identify potential drivers of lipid accumulation.

The Investigators propose a randomized trial of smart texts versus usual care for 6 months. The Investigators will randomize 100 PAH patients to the mHealth intervention or usual care. The Investigators will test the effect of a text-based mHealth intervention on HRQOL in PAH using the PAH-specific emPHasis-10 questionnaire. The Investigators will also test the effect of an mHealth intervention on exercise capacity, measured by a supervised home-based 6MWD test. Finally, the Investigators will examine the effect of the intervention on time to clinical worsening (composite of PAH therapy escalation, PAH hospitalization, and death) one year after randomization.

The investigators propose to study the relationship between right ventricle (RV) steatosis and RV function, exercise capacity, and outcomes in humans with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and to identify potential drivers of lipid accumulation.

Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have reduced health related quality of life (HRQOL) and impaired exercise capacity. Despite fourteen approved therapies, most patients die within ten years. Increasing physical activity is highly efficacious in PAH, resulting in six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and HRQOL improvement that often exceeds the effect of medications. Prior activity studies required inpatient rehabilitation, which is impractical, hard to sustain, and poorly scalable to a rare disease.

The Investigators propose a randomized trial of smart texts versus usual care for 6 months. The Investigators will randomize 100 PAH patients to the mHealth intervention or usual care. The Investigators will test the effect of a text-based mHealth intervention on HRQOL in PAH using the PAH-specific emPHasis-10 questionnaire. The Investigators will also test the effect of an mHealth intervention on exercise capacity, measured by a supervised home-based 6MWD test. Finally, the Investigators will examine the effect of the intervention on time to clinical worsening (composite of PAH therapy escalation, PAH hospitalization, and death) one year after randomization.