Pennsylvania Paid Clinical Trials

While many have strongly suggested that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may represent a beneficial intervention for patients with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), this promising technology has not yet been applied widely in clinical settings. This treatment gap is underscored by the absence of any neurally-focused standard-of-care treatments to mitigate the devastating impact of aphasia on patients' family, work, and social lives. Given that tDCS is inexpensive, easy to use (it is potentially amenable to home use by patients and caregivers), minimally invasive, and safe there is great promise to advance this intervention toward clinical use. The principal reason that tDCS has not found wide clinical application yet is that its efficacy has not been tested in large, multi-center, clinical trials. In this study, scientists in the three sites that have conducted tDCS clinical trials in North America-Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania in the US, and the University of Toronto in Canada, will collaborate to conduct a multi-site, Phase II clinical trial of tDCS a population in dire need of better treatments. Read Less

The goal of the NANO trial is to study the longstanding clinical practice of empirically administering intravenous antibiotics to extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants in the first days of life. In this 802-subject multicenter placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, the hypothesis to be tested is that the incidence of adverse outcomes is higher in babies receiving empiric antibiotics (EA) in the first week of life compared to babies receiving placebo. The study targets a population of ELBW infants in whom the clinical decision to use or not use EA is currently most challenging -- infants that are clinically stable that did not have a known exposure to intraamniotic infection and were not born preterm for maternal indications. The primary outcome is the composite outcome of late-onset sepsis (LOS), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), or death during the index hospitalization. Secondary safety outcomes will include total antibiotic days, days to full enteral feedings, and common morbidities in preterm infants that have previously been linked to EA, e.g. retinopathy of prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Weight and length z-score, and head circumference, are standard measures to be collected weekly by clinical team per a standardized protocol. Read Less

In this longitudinal prospective natural history study of multiple sclerosis (MS), the overarching goal is to understand the factors that influence individual variation in disease trajectory and treatment response and pave the way for realizing precision medicine in MS. Because MS is a chronic neurological disorder, this observational cohort study will span a 30-year time frame. Read Less

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is advocating that Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) receive recovery-oriented, rehabilitation approaches that target real-world functioning. One such approach is Cognitive-Behavioral Social Skills Training (CBSST). Unlike traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy, CBSST is a more recovery-oriented psychosocial rehabilitation intervention that teaches Veterans with SMI to correct errors in thinking and build social skills. While effective, CBSST has only been tested when facilitated by masters- or doctoral-level therapists, which limits its use in VHA. However, the investigators' pilot data shows that Peer Specialists-individuals with SMI who are hired and trained to use their own recovery experience to assist others with SMI-can also provide CBSST (called CBSST-Peer). Stand-alone social skills training (SST) is also a recovery-oriented program that VHA is attempting to rollout nationwide for Veterans with SMI. A few Peer Specialists have been trained to co-lead SST with professionals. However, SST is not widely implemented because professionals are busy and Peer Specialist delivered SST has not been tested. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of Peer Specialist-delivered CBSST and SST, which would increase access Veterans with SMI have to effective treatment. The investigators' aims are: Aim 1 (Effectiveness): To compare the impact of CBSST-Peer on outcomes in Veterans with SMI to Veterans receiving Peer Specialist-delivered SST groups of equal duration and to treatment as usual. The investigators will also assess fidelity of SST and CBSST. Aim 2: (Helpfulness of CBSST/SST--Peer and implementation barriers and facilitators): To use focus groups with patients and interviews with Peer Specialists and other staff to assess perceptions of SST- and CBSS Peer and identify potential barriers and facilitators to future implementation. Methods: This is a randomized, Hybrid 1 trial involving 252 Veterans with SMI (n=126 each from Pittsburgh, San Diego) comparing 3 treatment arms: CBSST-Peer vs. SST-Peer vs. treatment as usual. Hybrid 1 trials test the effectiveness of an intervention and collect implementation data that could inform its future adoption. At each site, across 6 waves (a wave = 1 CBSST-Peer and 1 SST-Peer group), 2 Peer Specialists will co-lead 12 groups, each lasting 20 weeks. Peer Specialists will be trained and receive an hour of supervision weekly by the CBSST developers. Master trainers from the SST rollout will train and supervise Peer Specialists in each site. All three arms' sessions will be taped and 25% rated for fidelity on standardized measures. A survey battery that assesses functioning, quality of life, recovery, and symptoms will be administered to the Veterans in each wave at: baseline, mid-intervention (10 weeks), end-of-intervention (20 weeks), and follow-up (32 weeks, 3 months post intervention). The investigators will examine all outcomes using Hierarchical Linear Models (HLM), with treatment condition included as a time-invariant covariate, and random intercepts for person and random slopes for time. Relevant covariates will include site, treatment attendance, symptom severity, service use, and demographic variables. The investigators will evaluate the effect for treatment conditions (CBSST-Peer vs. SST-Peer vs. treatment as usual group) in the expected direction and the time X group effect. Qualitative data on SST- and CBSST-Peer helpfulness and implementation factors will be collected from 8 focus groups, audio-recorded from a random sample of Veterans who participated in SST- and CBSST-Peer. Interviews will be conducted with participating Peer Specialists (n=approximately 8 per site), and key mental health staff (n=3-4 per site). The qualitative interviews and focus groups will be analyzed using rapid assessment, a team-based, iterative data collection and analysis approach providing data on the barriers and facilitators to future implementation of SST- and CBSST-Peer. Innovation: No study has tested peer-delivered SST or CBSST, or compared the two, in a rigorous trial. Significance/Expected Results: CBSST and SST are not widely available. If SST- or CBSST-Peer is effective, it could greatly increase the delivery of evidence-based services Veterans receive and enhance the services by VHA Peer Specialists. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of four dehydrated complete human placental membrane, also defined as Cellular, Acellular, Matrix-like Products/skin substitutes, plus SOC versus SOC alone in achieving complete closure of hard-to-heal diabetic foot ulcers over 12 weeks using a modified platform trial design. Read Less

This is a prospective, double-blind, sham-controlled, multicenter, randomized clinical trial is to study the effects of remote ischemic preconditioning on contrast-associated acute kidney injury, functional capacity, and major adverse kidney events in in patients with congestive heart failure undergoing cardiac catheterization and/or percutaneous coronary intervention. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to better understand why pancreatic cancer develops in some people who are known carriers of the gene mutation (an abnormality) called BRCA, or its close relative PALB2. The investigators hope to do this by establishing a BRCA/PALB2 mutation carriers Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (the common form of pancreatic cancer) Registry. A registry is a database of information. Read Less

The Conduit cages are intended to restore the intervertebral height and to facilitate the intervertebral body fusion in the cervical and lumbar spine in skeletally mature patients with degenerative disc disease and instabilities at one or more levels of the spine. The Fibergraft Bioactive Glass (BG) is engineered to mimic the body's natural bone healing process. While previous studies have described the use of conduit cages in interbody fixation procedures, these studies did not specifically study the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients who have received these implants in addition to Fibergraft. We aim to recruit patients with degenerative disc disease, and instabilities at one to multilevel contiguous levels between C2-T1 and 1-2 contiguous levels between L2-S1 of the spine with accompanying radicular symptoms, ruptured or herniated discs, and pseudarthrosis and spondylodesis. We will then follow these patients for a duration of two years to report their clinical and radiographic outcomes to determine fusion, complication rate, and revision surgeries if any. Read Less

This is a multi-aim study, studying the effects of conventional exercise (measured through Cardiopulomary Exercises Testing or an in-bed pedal exercise) and passive exercise through periodic acceleration (pGz). Aim 1 will focus on the differences between primary mitochondrial disease (PMD) patients and healthy volunteers. Aim 2 is an exploratory aim, which will be studying the effects in patients admitted to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Read Less

The goal of this pilot clinical effectiveness trial is to compare a brief parent behavioral intervention (PBI) to a modified sleep focused PBI (SF-PBI) delivered by therapists in pediatric primary care for families of children 3-5 years old with sleep problems and early ADHD symptoms. The main aims are to: Aim 1: Demonstrate the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of the sleep focused PBI (SF-PBI) delivered in pediatric primary care for preschool-aged children (3-5 years old) at elevated risk for ADHD. Aim 2: Examine change in target engagement (sleep) and ADHD symptoms among preschool-aged children at elevated risk for ADHD receiving SF-PBI compared to standard PBI. Read Less

The goal of this study is to characterize early dynamic changes in ctDNA, which can aid in tailoring early therapy in patients with metastatic Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). Response assessment using ctDNA analysis could not only aid in de-escalation but also escalation strategies. Read Less

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the effects of a combination of weekly distribution of healthy foods and intensive nutrition counseling as complementary therapies to the standard insulin therapy in children with new diagnosis of stage 3 type 1 diabetes (T1D). Feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of this intervention will be measured. We will also explore the likelihood of prolonging the honeymoon phase of T1D in the intervention study group. Comparisons will be made between this combined nutrition intervention and free healthy foods vs. current standard nutrition counseling. Both study groups will receive standard of care treatment for T1D (insulin therapy). The results of this study could inform future research that will ultimately lead to design of a larger clinical trial testing implementation of novel medical nutrition therapies for children newly diagnosed with stage 3 of T1D, and may lead to prolongation of the honeymoon phase. The overall goal is to promote the beta cell function survival and to reduce the progression to stage 4 of T1D. Condition or Disease: * Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus * New Diagnosis of Stage 3 Type 1 Diabetes ≤ 60days Intervention/Treatment: - Weekly Free Healthy Foods + Intensive Nutrition Counseling for 12 weeks Read Less