Pennsylvania Paid Clinical Trials

Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) who use hemodialysis to filter their blood require vascular access for the dialysis machine; the most common type of vascular access is called an arteriovenous fistula (AVF). The AVF is a direct connect between an artery and vein. Until recently, AVFs were only created through surgery that requires general anesthesia and opening up the skin. Now there are 2 FDA-approved devices designed to create AVFs using endovascular techniques (endoAVF), which means a device that goes through the skin instead of opening the skin up. Also patients are not required to be under general anesthesia, they can receive local anesthesia instead. Due to the relatively new approval of these devices, there is not a randomized study to compare the results of endoAVF versus surgAVF. This study is a pilot study for an eventually larger scale study to compare the results of endoAVF versus surgAVF. The study aims to determine what the proportion of patients seeking hemodialysis access could qualify for receiving either an endoAVF , surgAVF, or both. Patients who are screened for hemodialysis access must undergo a duplex ultrasound of the blood vessels in the arm to confirm correct sizing. If participants qualify for both procedures they will be randomized to either endoAVF or surgAVF and will track the clinical and patient-reported outcomes of each procedure. Our pilot study hopes to enroll 90 participants. Those outcomes will inform a larger scale study. If the potential participant chooses to abstain from participation in the randomized trial, preferring to decide the method of AVF creation, we will offer to them a chance to join an endoAVF/surgAVF registry that will track the clinical outcomes of the procedure via medical record monitoring. Read Less

This randomized controlled comparative effectiveness study examines manipulation of a key component of an established and efficacious treatment for naming impairments in aphasia, along with cognitive and brain correlates of treatment success. Study participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions comparing two different versions of Semantic Feature Analysis treatment. Their performance on standardized and study-specific measures will be used to determine which version of the treatment provides superior outcomes, and measures of automatic language processing and functional brain imaging will also be used to identify the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms associated with positive treatment response. Read Less

Our intent is to establish the International Registry to Improve Outcomes in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer (IRONMAN) as a prospective, international cohort of minimum 5,000 men with advanced cancer, including men with mHSPC and M0/M1 CRPC. The goal is to establish a population-based registry and recruit patients across academic and community practices from Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). Target accrual number and number of participating sites are subject to change based on accrual, funding, and interest in participation by other international sites. This cohort study will facilitate a better understanding of the variation in care and treatment of advanced prostate cancer across countries and across academia and community based practices. Detailed data will be collected from patients at study enrollment and then during follow-up, for a minimum of five years. Patients will be followed prospectively for overall survival, clinically significant adverse events, comorbidities, changes in cancer treatments, and PROMs. PROMs questionnaires will be collected at enrollment and every three months thereafter. Physician Questionnaires will be collected from all participating sites at patient enrollment, time of first change in treatment and/or one year follow-up, at each subsequent change of treatment, and discontinuation of treatment. As such, this registry will help identify the treatment sequences or combinations that optimize overall survival and PROMs for men with mHSPC and M0/M1 CRPC. By collecting blood at enrollment, time of first change in treatment and/or one year follow-up (plasma, cell free DNA, buffy coat / RNA), this registry will further identify and validate molecular phenotypes of disease that predict response and resistance to specific therapeutics. Additionally, every effort will be made to collect blood specimen at each subsequent change in treatment due to progression of disease. When feasible, existing tumor tissue may be collected for correlation with described blood based studies. All samples will be used for future research. This cohort study will provide the research community with a unique biorepository to identify biomarkers of treatment response and resistance. Read Less

Huntington's Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disease manifested in a triad of cognitive, psychiatric, and motor signs and symptoms. HD is caused by a triplet repeat (CAG)expansion in the gene Huntingtin (HTT). This disease has classically been conceptualized as a neurodegenerative disease. However, recent evidence suggests that abnormal brain development may play an important role in the etiology of HD. Huntingtin (HTT)is expressed during development and through life. In animal studies, the HTT gene has been shown to be vital for brain development. This suggests that a mutant form of HTT (gene-expanded or CAG repeats of 40 and above) would affect normal brain development. In addition, studies in adults who are gene-expanded for HD, but have not yet manifested the illness, (pre-HD subjects) have significant changes in the structure of their brain, even up to 20 years before onset of clinical diagnosis. How far back these changes are evident is unknown. One possibility is that these brain changes are present throughout life, due to changes in brain development,though initially associated with only subtle functional abnormalities. In an effort to better understand the developmental aspects of this brain disease, the current study proposes to evaluate brain structure and function in children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 6-30) who are at risk for developing HD - those who have a parent or grandparent with HD. Brain structure will be evaluating using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with quantitative measures of the entire brain, cerebral cortex, as well as white matter integrity via Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Brain function will be assessed by cognitive tests, behavioral assessment, and physical and neurologic evaluation. Subjects that are gene-expanded (GE) will be compared to subjects who are gene non-expanded (GNE). Changes in brain structure and/or function in the GE group compared to the GNE group would lend support to the notion that this disease has an important developmental component. Read Less

Betalains have well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent investigations examining the effects of a betalain-rich concentrate (BRC) on exercise and recovery performance show promise of BRC as an ergogenic aid. To date, no study has examined the effects of a single dose of a BRC on supramaximal performance and recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of an acute dose of BRC on repeated-sprint cycling performance and recovery. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to see whether adding liver stereotactic ablative radiotherapy/L-SABR to standard drug therapy is better than standard drug therapy alone for people with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer/NSCLC. Read Less

Thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS) is a complex condition that involves chest wall deformities that can affect normal breathing and lung growth. In most cases, children with TIS are also born with spine disorders such as scoliosis. The inability of the thorax to support normal respiration or lung growth can cause respiratory distress and even mortality. Investigators aim to validate MRI imaging sequences to use as an assessment tool for pulmonary function. Read Less

This study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy (objective response rate) of using hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab or with nivolumab alone in subjects with advanced/metastatic melanoma. Read Less

This clinical trial is evaluating a drug called BT5528 alone and in combination with nivolumab in participants with advanced solid tumors historically known for expression of EphA2. The main goals of this study are to: * Find the recommended dose(s) of BT5528 that can be given safely to participants alone and in combination with nivolumab * Learn more about the side effects of BT5528 * Learn about how effective BT5528 is for the treatment of ovarian cancer, urothelial/bladder cancer, lung cancer (NSCLC), triple-negative breast cancer, head and neck cancer (HNSCC), and gastric/upper gastrointestinal cancer. * Learn more about BT5528 therapy alone and in combination with nivolumab. Read Less

The goal of this research is to investigate whether a peer-delivered illness self-management program called Taking Action can help college students with serious mental illnesses. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental condition (Taking Action) or the control condition (information only). Participants in the experimental condition will attend five 2.5-hour Taking Action sessions. Participants will complete three interviews (baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up) to assess how well the program works, is liked, and benefits students clinically and academically. The investigators seek to test the following hypotheses: Compared to controls, students who do the Taking Action program will report greater improvements in mental health self-management attitudes, skills, and behaviors and will report greater improvements in mental health symptoms and recovery, and better academic outcomes. Read Less

The goal of this prospective study is to analyze volumetric changes in the lower face after hyaluronic acid filler injections over 90 days. The main question it aims to answer is: To quantify volume change of the lower face area over time after injection of filler * Participants will receive hyaluronic acid filler injections (Juvéderm Volux XC) for contouring of the jawline. Each patient will receive FDA approved dosages of filler to the lower face region to treat facial contour or asymmetry, as per FDA approved indications. * Prior to injection patients will be imaged with 3-dimensional photogrammetry. Subjects will return post-injection in 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months for re-imaging. Read Less

The aim of our study is to compare neonatal and maternal outcomes using different thresholds for the initiation and titration of pharmacotherapy for gestational diabetes (GDM). Our goal is to compare a Strict and permissive threshold. The Strict study arm target range will be 65-120 mg/dL, with time in range goal of 70%. The permissive study arm target range will be 65-140 mg/dL, with target time in range goal of 70%. Read Less