Portland, OR Paid Clinical Trials

Muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare but potentially severe disease, in which patients develop pathogenic autoantibodies that specifically target the MuSK protein in the neuromuscular junction. This phase 1 study is being conducted to evaluate the safety of various dosing regimens of an investigational cell therapy, MuSK-CAART, that can be given to patients with anti-MuSK antibody positive Myasthenia Gravis (MuSK MG), who have active disease. Various dosing regimens of MuSK-CAART alone, in combination with cyclophosphamide (CY), and in combination with CY and fludarabine (FLU) will be evaluated. Treatment with MuSK-CAART may potentially lead to complete and durable remission of disease. Read Less

This phase I trial tests the safety, side effects, and best dose of calaspargase pegol-mknl in combination with cobimetinib in treating patients with pancreatic cancer that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced) or has spread to other places in the body (metastatic). Cobimetinib attacks a protein called MEK that has been known to stimulate cells that promote the growth of cancer cells in the body. Calaspargase pegol-mknl is an enzyme that converts the amino acid L-asparagine into aspartic acid and ammonia. Many types of cancer cell rely on the amino acid L-asparagine, and depleting this amino acid with calaspargase pegol-mknl starves cancer cells of this nutrient. Attacking the MEK protein with cobimetinib is thought to further prevent cancer cells from using this amino acid, causing them to die. Giving calaspargase pegol-mknl in combination with cobimetinib may help control the disease in patients with pancreatic cancer. Read Less

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a serious condition that occurs as a complication of medical and surgical diseases, has a mortality of \~40%, and has no known treatment other than optimization of support. Data from basic research, animal models, and retrospective studies, case series, and small prospective studies suggest that therapeutic hypothermia (TH) similar to that used for cardiac arrest may be lung protective in patients with ARDS; however, shivering is a major complication of TH, often requiring paralysis with neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) to control. Since the recently completed NHLBI PETAL ROSE trial showed that NMBA had no effect (good or bad) in patients with moderate to severe ARDS, the CHILL trial is designed to evaluate whether TH combined with NMBA is beneficial in patients with ARDS. This Phase IIb randomized clinical trial is funded by the Department of Defense to compare TH (core temperature 34-35°C) + NMBA for 48h vs. usual temperature management in patients in 14 clinical centers with the Clinical Coordination Center and Data Coordinating Center at University of Maryland Baltimore. Planned enrollment is 340 over \~3.5 years of the 4-year contract. COVID-19 is considered an ARDS risk-factor and patients with ARDS secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia will be eligible for enrollment. Primary outcome is 28-day ventilator-free days. Secondary outcomes include safety, physiologic measures, mortality, hospital and ICU length of stay, and serum biomarkers collected at baseline and on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7. Read Less

Different treatment options are available for massive or irreparable rotator cuff tears. An arthroscopic or an open repair approach is possible in the majority of cases and functional outcomes are improved, particularly when a complete arthroscopic repair can be achieved. However, the healing rate of massive rotator cuff tears after repair may remain low and failure of healing is associated with progression of arthritis. An alternative to arthroscopic or open repair is reverse shoulder arthroplasty which decreases pain and improves function, active shoulder elevation and quality of life. The primary goal of this prospective multicentric randomized study is to determine if there is a difference of functional outcomes between rotator cuff repair (RCR) repair and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). Read Less

Background: Over 26 million Americans have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Unfortunately, few patients receive proven therapies and many receive therapies known to have safer alternatives. One major reason is the competing demands of primary care providers (PCPs) who manage 90% of patients with COPD. The research team has developed a population management approach where pulmonary specialists provide evidence-based recommendations as an E-consult with unsigned orders to PCPs. PCPs can then quickly review the E-consult and sign, modify, or discontinue these orders. The investigators found this intervention led to marked improvements in the quality-of-care delivered and patients' COPD-related quality-of-life. While promising, this approach is limited by a paucity of pulmonary providers nationwide. Clinical pharmacists are 20 times more prevalent as pulmonary specialists and some regions of VA (VISN 17, COPD Cares) have assigned clinical pharmacists a role in the management of patients with COPD. However, the relative effectiveness of pharmacist-led management is yet to be established. Study Description: This study tests population management for COPD provided by pharmacists relative to pulmonary specialists. The investigators are conducting a cluster randomized clinical trial at five medical centers and their associated clinics within the Department of Veterans Affair. Study staff will randomize PCPs to population management conducted by either pulmonary specialists or pharmacists. Within PCPs' panels, study staff will use VA electronic health record to identify patients with evidence of COPD. Pulmonologists and pharmacists will review these patients and provide guideline-based recommendations to PCPs. Pulmonary specialists and pharmacists will then deliver evidence-based recommendations through E-consults coupled with unsigned orders for primary care providers to sign, modify or decline. Outcomes: Investigators will assess if proactive, population management recommendations by clinical pharmacists and pulmonary specialists lead to non-inferior outcomes for patients with COPD. The primary outcome will be a composite endpoint of COPD exacerbation, pneumonia, hospitalization, or death six month after intervention. Secondary outcomes will include 1) the proportion of guideline recommended therapies received by patients, 2) COPD-related quality-of-life as measured by the Clinical COPD Questionnaire, and 3) PCP acceptance of recommendations, 4) each individual outcome within the primary composite endpoint above, and 5) patient- and caregiver-incurred costs. Read Less

This study will follow participants who are screened and confirmed with a genetic diagnosis of Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2E (LGMD2E/R4), Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2D (LGMD2D/R3), Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2C (LGMD2C/R5), or Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A (LGMD2A/R1). These enrolled participants will be followed to evaluate mobility and pulmonary function for up to 5 years after enrollment for participants with LGMD2C/R5, LGMD2D/R3, and LGMD2E/R4 with a North Star Assessment for Dysferlinopathy (NSAD) ≥ 25 at Baseline, up to 3 years for participants with LGMD2C/R5, LGMD2D/R3, and LGMD2E/R4 with a NSAD \< 25 at Baseline, and up to 3 years for participants with LGMD2A/R1. Additional participant data will be collected from the time the individual began experiencing LGMD symptoms to the present. Read Less

To capture observational data of the Abiomed Impella RP Flex in a real-world setting. Read Less

There is a fundamental gap in understanding the maternal and neonatal effects of antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) administration in women with threatened preterm birth (PTB) who have diabetes. Since the initial discovery of ACS for neonatal benefit in 1972, more than 40 randomized controlled trials have been performed evaluating its efficacy. However, none of these trials have included women with T2DM, and there is limited data among women with gestational diabetes. While ACS have been shown to reduce neonatal morbidity associated with PTB in non-diabetic women, the side effects of ACS (maternal hyperglycemia and fetal hyperinsulinemia) may mitigate the neonatal benefit of ACS in women with diabetes. Before neonatal benefit of ACS can be evaluated in this population, the first step is to optimize maternal glycemic control after ACS. Previous studies evaluating maternal hyperglycemia after ACS have been limited by small sample size, retrospective study design, or insufficient glucose data. Use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in a randomized clinical trial provides a unique opportunity to overcome these challenges. Our long-term goal is to improve maternal and child health among women with diabetes as an independently funded clinical researcher. The research objectives of this proposal are to test the efficacy of three treatment strategies at achieving maternal glycemic control after ACS and evaluate the association between maternal glycemic control and neonatal outcomes. Our central hypothesis is that treatment with a continuous insulin infusion will improve maternal glycemic control, which is key to improving neonatal outcomes, but at the cost of less patient satisfaction and more health resource utilization. This hypothesis will be tested by pursuing the following specific aims: 1) Test the efficacy of three treatment strategies (addition of sliding scale insulin, up-titration of home insulin, and continuous insulin infusion) at achieving maternal glycemic control after ACS and 2) Quantify the association between maternal glycemic control after ACS and neonatal morbidity. Completion of these aims will determine the optimal strategy to achieve maternal glycemic control after ACS and inform a larger, multicenter trial to improve neonatal outcomes among women with diabetes and threatened PTB. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to learn more about a type of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) known as "somatosensory tinnitus." This type of tinnitus is suspected when the tinnitus perception changes following head and/or neck movements. This study is also exploring a possible way to treat somatosensory tinnitus. Read Less

This study will establish a non-invasive diagnostic approach and evaluate clinical outcomes for children at high-risk for pulmonary invasive fungal infection (PIFI). Read Less

The purpose of this study is to obtain informed consent to use stored human biological materials (HBM) (e.g., blood and other tissues) for future studies that may include genetic testing. Read Less

Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) will be used in an open label, single agent, multicenter, study for patients with neuroblastoma in remission. In this study subjects will receive 730 Days of oral difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) at a dose of 750 mg/m2 ± 250 mg/m2 BID (strata 1, 2, 3, and 4) OR 2500 mg/m2 BID (stratum 1B) on each day of study. This study will focus on the use of DFMO in high risk neuroblastoma patients that are in remission as a strategy to prevent recurrence. Read Less