Clinical Trials and Studies

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) impairs oxygen transport to tissue and causes endothelial injury. Thus, therapeutic interventions aim to improve both, but there is an unmet need for biomarkers to determine when intervention is necessary and evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen intervention in individual patients. This study proposes to monitor SCD and its treatment through their impact on cerebral hemodynamics, as the brain is one of the most vulnerable and consequential targets of the disease. Specifically, this study will optimize quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and advanced optical spectroscopy techniques such as frequency-domain near-infrared and diffuse correlation spectroscopies (FDNIRS-DCS) to monitor 1) cerebral oxygen transport with measures of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRO2) and 2) endothelial function with cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR).

Are you a young adult who was born prematurely? Are you a young adult who was born prematurely? Researchers are trying to learn about how salt in the diet influences blood pressure in young adults who were born prematurely. You may be able to participate if you are between 24 and 32 years old and were born at less than 34 weeks. People who were born at full term may also be able to participate. The study is taking place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the SSRI fluoxetine (Prozac) can improve SNS responses during exercise.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a genetic disorder that can cause heart defects, facial abnormalities, and developmental and learning disabilities. The severity of the disorder can vary widely among people. This study will analyze DNA from people with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome to identify genetic variations that may affect the severity of the disorder.

The purpose of this trial is to evaluate if augmenting a usual audit and feedback implementation approach with telehealth-enabled support improves coordinated spontaneous awakening/breathing trials and patient outcomes for mechanically ventilated patients.

Do you have high blood pressure? In this clinical trial, researchers are studying different ways to improve home blood pressure monitoring. You may be able to participate if you are between 18 and 85 years old and diagnosed with high blood pressure. Participants will work closely with clinicians or other healthcare providers to schedule appointments, coordinate care, measure blood pressure, answer your questions, and treat your high blood pressure. The study is taking place in Rochester, New York.

Are you at least 13 weeks pregnant? This study looks at how being less active for most of the day, like sitting a lot and sleeping, affects pregnancy and the mother’s heart health over time. Participants must be 18 to 45 years old and pregnant. They will also wear devices that track their movement and activity. The study is taking place in locations in Iowa, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The overall objective of research is to test, adapt, refine and validate the HEMOTAG® system to be used outside the usual medical care environments to reduce hospital readmissions.

Ventilated pediatric patients are frequently over-sedated and the majority suffer from delirium, a form of acute brain dysfunction that is an independent predictor of increased risk of dying, length of stay, and costs. Universally prescribed sedative medications-the GABA-ergic benzodiazepines-worsen this brain organ dysfunction and independently prolong duration of ventilation and ICU stay, and the available alternative sedation regimen using dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 agonist, has been shown to be superior to benzodiazepines in adults, and may mechanistically impact outcomes through positive effects on innate immunity, bacterial clearance, apoptosis, cognition and delirium. The mini-MENDS trial will compare dexmedetomidine and midazolam, and determine the best sedative medication to reduce delirium and improve duration of ventilation, and functional, psychiatric, and cognitive recovery in our most vulnerable patients-survivors of pediatric critical illness.

Are you an adult with primary light chain amyloidosis? Researchers in this study are investigating new ways to look at the heart to identify when it is not working properly. You may be able to participate if you are at least 18 years old and have been diagnosed with primary light chain amyloidosis. This study is taking place in Boston, Massachusetts.