Los Angeles, CA Paid Clinical Trials

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) serves a growing spectrum of patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). Approximately 80% of surgical aortic valve replacements is performed using a bioprosthesis1. Durability of surgical bioprostheses varies based on the patient's age at the moment of implantation, type and size etc2. TAVI has become the preferred treatment for degenerated aortic bioprostheses in elderly patients3. The median time since index surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and for bioprosthetic valve degeneration is typically 8 - 10 years4-6. TAVI in this setting has proven to have equally favorable results as in native aortic valves7. Balloon expandable8 and self-expanding9 transcatheter heart valves (THV) can be used in a degenerated bioprosthesis and each have specific assets and limitations. TAVI in a failed bioprosthesis can cause coronary obstruction, THV migration, paravalvular leakage and prosthesis patient mismatch. The SAPIEN-3 / Ultra and EVOLUT R/Pro are the 2 most commonly used THV platforms in contemporary clinical practice including treatment of failing surgical aortic bioprostheses. Objective: To compare TAVI with EVOLUT R/Pro vs. SAPIEN-3 / Ultra in terms of device success. Study design: International multi-center randomized study with 1:1 randomization to TAVI with SAPIEN-3 / Ultra or Evolut R/Pro. Study population: 440 patients with a failing surgical aortic bioprosthesis (aortic stenosis with or without aortic regurgitation) and selected for transfemoral TAVI by heart-team consensus. Investigational intervention: Transfemoral TAVI with SAPIEN-3 / Ultra or Evolut R/PRO Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary endpoint is device success at 30 days Defined by Absence of procedural mortality AND Correct positioning of a single prosthetic heart valve into the proper anatomical location AND Intended performance of the prosthetic heart valve (no severe prosthesis- patient mismatch and mean aortic valve gradient < 20 mmHg or peak velocity < 3 m/s, AND no moderate or severe prosthetic valve regurgitation). Severe prosthesis patient mismatch is defined by effective orifice area (EOAi) ≤0.65 cm2/m2 Safety endpoint at 1 year defined by the composite of all-cause death, disabling stroke, rehospitalization for heart failure or valve related problems. Read Less

The primary efficacy endpoint for this study is the proportion of subjects with complete closure of Target Ulcer during the 20-week Treatment Phase, which is assessed by the blinded independent evaluator. Read Less

Water exchange (WE) is an effective insertion method to minimize insertion discomfort and maximize ADR. It is characterized by infusing water to guide insertion in an airless lumen with suctioning of infused water during insertion and almost complete removal of the infused water when cecal intubation is achieved. A modified Delphi review reported water exchange showed the highest overall ADR, ADR in screening cases, and in the right side of the colon compared with water immersion and air (or CO2) insufflation. One of the plausible mechanisms of improving ADR by water exchange is salvage cleaning during insertion, which might help artificial intelligence by removing the interference of fecal debris and bubbles. However, no RCT has been performed to evaluate the effect of CADe on WE colonoscopy. Therefore, investigators will conduct a RCT comparing the ADR of CADe assisted colonoscopy inserted with either WE or insufflation. Our hypothesis will be that CADe assisted WE colonoscopy achieves higher ADR than CADe assisted air insufflation colonoscopy. Read Less

This is a study to help understand how well new combinations of immunosuppressive medications (medications that weaken your immune system to prevent your body from rejecting the transplanted liver) work compared to standard immunosuppressive medications after your liver transplant. Also the study will assess how safe the new combination of immunosuppressive medicines are and if there are any changes in how your kidneys work after taking these medicines. Read Less

This study will determine the safety and effectiveness of the Artisan Aphakia Lens when used as a secondary implant to correct aphakia in adults. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of the Artisan Aphakia Lens in the treatment of aphakia in children. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical benefit and characterize the safety profile of tabelecleucel for the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV+ PTLD) in the setting of (1) solid organ transplant (SOT) after failure of rituximab and rituximab plus chemotherapy or (2) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) after failure of rituximab. Read Less

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound are increasingly being used to manage complex disease of the bile duct, pancreas and cancer. Gastroenterology patients at the Los Angeles County Hospital presents a unique and diverse patient population. Our aim is to study the biochemical, radiographic, and clinical predictors of bile duct stones. Exploratory aims include the study of the management of cholangitis, bile leaks, GI cancer diagnosis and management, and the management of pancreaticobiliary problems in the underserved. All patients managed by EUS or ERCP at the LA County & USC University Hospitals will be enrolled in the databaseThe timing, clinical presentation, and objective details of patient presentation are recorded prospectively. Additionally the results of the subsequent ERCP and EUS procedures. Subsequent, clinical course and pathology will also be recorded. Read Less

Our aim is to compare the efficacy, safety, procedural time required, and costs of a strategy initially employing cholangioscopy guided intraductal lithotripsy (laser/electrohydraulic lithtripsy (EHL)) versus a strategy initially using papillary dilation for removal of large bile duct stones. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to develop a mechanism for utilizing the comprehensive clinical database of childhood cancer survivors at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) for research purposes. Using clinical information obtained from follow-up visits of childhood cancer survivors, the database will focus on interventions to improve health status and health-related quality of life in childhood cancer survivors. This study allows for establishment and analyses of a research database for LIFE survivors by the investigators listed herein. Over the last three decades, there has been marked improvement in survival following childhood cancer, with 5-year survival rates now approaching 80%. However, the use of cancer therapy at an early age can result in complications that may not be apparent until years later as the child matures. These resulting complications, called late effects, are principally related to the specific therapy employed and the age of the child at the time the therapy was administered. Late effects may affect virtually every body system and substantially impair quality of life. As many as two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors develop at least one late effect as a result of treatment, and approximately one-third have a late effect classified as severe or life threatening. Read Less

The purpose of this research study is to determine the effects bevacizumab (the study drug) combined with Optune (the study device) tumor treatment field therapy has on meningiomas. Bevacizumab is considered investigational because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved its use for the treatment of meningiomas. The study drug is a medication that blocks the growth of new blood vessels. It is thought that the study drug may interfere with the growth of new blood vessels and therefore might stop tumor growth, and possibly shrink the tumor by keeping it from receiving nutrients and oxygen supplied by the blood vessels. Optune is also considered investigational because the US FDA has not approved its use for the treatment of meningiomas. Optune is a device that the patient will wear and use for at least 18 hours of each day. It delivers alternating electrical current to the patient's brain tumor and by doing so interrupts a process called mitosis. Mitosis needs to occur in order for cell division to occur and allows tumors to grow. By slowing this process, we hypothesize that meningioma growth may also be slowed. Read Less

Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder in children and is associated with increased neurovascular inflammation, suicidality, adulthood mental health disorder, and major adverse events. Reminder focused positive psychiatry (RFPP) has been shown as well tolerated feasible trauma focused intervention that is associated with improved core PTSD symptoms, decreased severity of reactivity to PTSD trauma reminders, and increased vascular function. This study evaluates the clinical and biomolecular characteristics of RFPP in adolescents with PTSD. Research Design/Overall Impact: After obtaining parents' informed consent and adolescent's assent, 60 adolescents aged 11-15 years old with PTSD, and free of known medical and other major psychiatric disorders will be recruited from the pool of eligible adolescents at Olive View UCLA Pediatrics Clinics (>3000 adolescents with PTSD). Eligible adolescents will be randomized to 1) RFPP group intervention, or 2) an attentional control condition (group process). Thirty subjects in each group will receive twice weekly telehealth intervention of either RFPP or group process, for 6 weeks, and undergo 4 blinded neuropsychiatric assessments at baseline, 3, 6, and 24 weeks. Parents will receive weekly interventions of either positive psychoeducation or group process, for 6 weeks and undergo baseline, 3, 6- and 24-weeks neuropsychiatric assessment. Vascular function, inflammatory biomarkers including CRP, homocysteine, and stress involved gene expression biomarkers (i.e. changes in gene expression of FKBP5, DDX6, B2M, LAIR1, RTN4, NUB1, and a multi-gene Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity score (CTRA) will be measured at baseline and 6-week. The primary and secondary endpoints are a) changes in PTSD core and reactivity to trauma reminder severity score in response to RFPP intervention, b) changes in wellbeing, biopsychosocial trait, vascular function, neuroinflammation and gene expression biomarkers in response to RFPP, and c) changes in parents' wellbeing and biopsychosocial trait as well as child-parent interactions. Read Less