COVID19 Paid Clinical Trials in Massachusetts

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how to better track smell recovery in people who have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19). Many people who have been infected by this virus develop changes in their sense of smell (olfaction). We are interested in measuring smell function objectively via smell cards that test odor intensity, identification, and discrimination. Objective and precise olfactory testing that can be performed in the convenience of one's home will help identify people with smell loss after infection by SARS-CoV-2. We will use results from this test to better understand the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and recovery of olfactory function and to learn whether the AROMHA longitudinal smell test is a reliable olfactory function tracking tool to quantify smell loss in the context of COVID infection. These results may inform the design of therapeutic clinical trials to accelerate the recovery of smell function. Read Less

Novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a major international public health concern. While much of the morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 has been attributed to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or end-organ failure, emerging data suggest that disorders of coagulation, in particular hypercoagulability and venous thromboembolism (VTE), may represent an additional major, and possibly preventable, complication (Wu C, et al. JAMA Intern Med. 2020 Mar 13. [Epub ahead of print] and Tang N, et al. Thromb. Haemost. 2020 Feb 19. [EPub Ahead of Print]). Abnormal coagulation testing results, especially markedly elevated D-dimer and FDP, have been associated with a poor prognosis in COVID-19 infection. We propose the following Electronic Health Record (EHR)-guided 10000-patient, retrospective observational cohort study to assess VTE incidence, risk factors, prevention and management patterns, and thrombotic outcomes in patients with COVID-19 infection. In order to gain the valuable perspective of other regional and national centers providing care for large populations of COVID-19, we have started a collaborative network with 5 additional sites which will provide us with de-identified data from 1000 patients each. These 5000 patients in addition to the 5000-patient cohort we are enrolling within the Mass General Brigham Network will comprise this study population. Read Less

The purpose of the study is to evaluate a new radiotracer called 64Cu-FBP8 for PET-MR imaging of thrombosis. The tracer has the potential of detecting thrombosis anywhere in the body, for instance in the left atrial appendage of patients with atrial fibrillation, and thereby may provide a non-invasive alternative to the current standard-of-care methods. Read Less

The current standard of care for diagnostic of SARS-CoV-2 infection involves sample collection which is then prepared and measured via real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This process is time consuming and dependent on expensive instrumentation and trained technicians to perform both the sample preparation and assay. In many cases, sample turn-around times can take hours to several days. There are no established monitoring nationwide protocols for COVID-19 prevention of infection. Due to the lack of such protocols, this study will provide the proper experience to design a safe monitoring schema of asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. Self-testing using currently available RDT has a high specificity and relatively high sensitivity to identify individuals with a high probability of contagiousness. Therefore, we intend to use these RDT (Rapid diagnostic tests) for other use. There are several studies that point to the importance of the use of RDTs to monitor COVID-19 (3). The recent metadata indicate that the performance of the antigen test is crucial for obtaining good results to detect positive cases. We have already validated in the laboratory and using relevant clinical samples several different labels of antigen tests and we have compared them with already approved USA FDA antigen tests to confirm their performance prior to using them in this study. This project aims to monitor once a week the presence of SARS CoV-2 antigens using anterior nares (AN) swab self-process, executing the test and recording of the result, immediately after. The lack of affordable diagnostic tests which can detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the general population which can give near real-time results is one critical missing control intervention in USA for the control of the pandemic and the spread of this disease. As public health restrictions begin to ease and people return to normal activities, while the COVID-19 pandemic is still a threat, a rapid diagnostic assay that does not require the sophisticated laboratory equipment and techniques could provide a significant advantage to screen asymptomatic individuals. The routine use of such rapid tests is a key element to show efficacy of protocol. We adjusted to once a week testing based on the medium to low risk of the elderly population of this study. The list of rapid nucleoprotein tests utilized in the current study are: NETO Corona test, Novir INSTA-TM COVID-19 Rapid Antigen test, COVICHEK COVID-19 Ag Test, SpectraBiotech COVID-19 track antigen test, Blandford Biotech AS-15™ Rapid Antigen Detection Kit SARS-CoV-2 Test (Colloidal Gold Method), Abbott BinaxNow tests. BACKGROUND The SARS-CoV-2 Direct Antigen Rapid Test ("Lateral flow") is an immunoassay developed for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral particles/secreted protein in anterior nasal swabs and/or saliva samples from both asymptomatic and suspected participants with COVID-19 infection. Lateral flow strips are printed with a monoclonal antibody that binds the signature SARS-CoV-2 viral particles/protein (Test line) and a control antibody (Control line) for quality control. A second monoclonal antibody is attached to gold nanoparticles (conjugate) and quencher buffer, and mixed with the nasal sample. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein attach to both antibodies resulting in a visual line on the test strip within 15 minutes. Prior experience in the detection of virus and viral proteins via antibody binding using lateral flow have been done through IDx20, Inc. The Housing Authority and the Public Health Department of the City of Chelsea will be overseeing this study. Read Less

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused considerable morbidity and mortality in over 170 countries. Increasing age and burden of cardiovascular comorbidities are associated with a worse prognosis among patients with COVID-19. In addition, serologic markers of more severe disease including coagulation abnormalities and thrombocytopenia, are not uncommon among patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 infection and are more common in patients who died in-hospital. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, there is a pressing need to identify safe, effective, and widely available therapies that can be scaled and rapidly incorporated into clinical practice. Understanding the putative mechanism of increased mortality risk associated with abnormal coagulation function and cardiac injury is critical to guide studies of promising therapeutic interventions. Published and anecdotal reports indicate that endothelial dysfunction and thrombosis are common in critically ill patients with COVID-19, including reports of diffuse microvascular thrombosis in the lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys. Patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors are known to have endothelial dysfunction and a heightened risk of thrombosis. A recent study of COVID-19 inpatients from Wuhan, China observed that an elevated D-dimer level greater than 1 ug/mL was associated with an 18 times higher risk of in-hospital death, underscoring the importance of increased coagulation activity as a potential modifiable risk marker that may drive end-organ injury. Given the established link between endothelial dysfunction and thrombosis in patients with cardiovascular disease, and the association between coagulopathy and adverse outcomes in patients with sepsis, the association between increased coagulation activity, end-organ injury, and mortality risk may represent a modifiable risk factor among COVID-19 patients with critical illness. Therefore, we propose to conduct a randomized, open-label trial of therapeutic anticoagulation in COVID-19 patients with an elevated D-dimer to evaluate the efficacy and safety. Read Less

The study will be a prospective cohort design to determine if children generate aerosols that harbor a viral load similar to adults. Prior to beginning enrollment, researchers may recruit up to 10 participants (adults or children who meet inclusion criteria for the main study) to perform a small pilot to optimize our cold chain and laboratory procedures. The study will include children and adults who are confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive and aim for a total sample size of at least 10 children and 10 adults. Hypothesis: As children have a high viral load in the nasopharynx, we hypothesize that children generate aerosols that contain SARS-CoV-2 virus. Aim: To estimate the viral load in aerosols generated from children with COVID-19 infection, and to compare the viral load contained in aerosols from children with aerosols from adults Read Less

Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for developing serious complications related to SARS-CoV-2 resulting in prolonged sequelae. The goal of this proposal is to compare the benefits of home-based lower limb heat therapy to exercise training on cardio-metabolic function and mobility in older adults during their convalescence from hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2. Read Less