Clinical Trials

The main goal of this study is to determine whether the treatment will lead to a complete absence of severe vaso-occlusive events (VOEs) in patients with severe SCD.

Does your child have Down Syndrome? Did they have a complete atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD) repair within the first year of their life? Researchers in this study are investigating how the
brain develops in children with Down Syndrome who have congenital heart disease. To participate, your child must be between 5 and 12 years old and have Down Syndrome. The study will enroll children who have congenital heart disease as well as children who do not have congenital heart disease. The study is taking place in locations in Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, D.C., and Toronto, Canada

The primary goal of this study is to determine whether curative therapies for individuals with SCD will result in improved or worsening heart, lung, and kidney damage when compared to individuals with SCD receiving standard therapy. The investigators will also explore whether certain genes are associated with a good or bad outcome after curative therapy for SCD.

Are you 15 to 40 years old and have severe sickle cell disease? This study is comparing long-term outcomes for patients who receive blood and bone marrow transplants and those who receive standard treatment with medicines. Participants also have an option of contributing blood samples to be stored for future research. Participants must be 15 to 40 years old and have severe sickle cell disease. This study is located in Madison, Wisconsin.

Is your child undergoing heart surgery for congenital heart disease? This study aims to help researchers better understand the developing heart and what controls the strength of its beats by comparing it to adult hearts. Researchers will study small pieces of the heart that are removed as a normal part of surgery or repair for children with congenital heart disease. To participate in this study, your child must be undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and be 18 years old or younger. The study is located in Atlanta, Georgia.

Are you an adult with sickle cell disease? This study aims to determine whether monthly exchange blood transfusions (removing blood and replacing it with transfused red blood cells) can improve health and prevent or reduce the number of pain crises. To participate in this study, you must be at least 18 years old, have sickle cell disease, and have not been on a chronic exchange transfusion program for at least 2 months. This study is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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.

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.

Do you or your child have sickle cell disease and receive blood transfusion treatment? This study aims to determine how long red blood cells survive in people with sickle cell disease. Some people receive blood transfusions from donor blood as a treatment for sickle cell disease. But sometimes, donor blood cells do not survive long once transfused, which can make long-term blood transfusions less effective as a treatment option. Participants in this study must be 6 years old or older and have already been receiving blood transfusion treatment for more than 3 months. This study takes place in Atlanta, Georgia.

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.