All Clinical Trials

Objective: Human T-lymphotropic virus type-I-associated myelopathy / tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a rare neurologic disorder that affects less than 5% of patients infected with the HTLV-I virus. The purpose of this protocol is to study the natural history of HAM/TSP by monitoring clinical progression of patients longitudinally. Additionally, we will attempt to define the virological and immunological changes of HAM/TSP. Study Population: Patients with HAM/TSP who fulfill World Health Organization diagnostic criteria are eligible to participate in this protocol. Asymptomatic seropositive individuals and individuals with indeterminate HTLV-1 serology are also eligible to participate. Design and Outcome Measures: A longitudinal assessment of clinical, virological and immunological progression in HAM/TSP will be accomplished through periodic testing and evaluation. Asymptomatic seropositive individuals, those with seroindeterminate HTLV-I serology and normal volunteers may serve as controls. Longitudinal standardized neurological examinations will be performed. Longitudinal samples of serum, plasma, and lymphocytes may be obtained from participants. Lumbar punctures may be performed on all participants. These samples will be used virological and immunological assays. A focus is on the relationships between the characteristics of viral infection, the immune response, and the genetic makeup. Read Less

Title: Evaluating New Radiation Techniques for Cardiovascular Imaging Background: - Imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT) scans involve the use of radiation to create the pictures. Heart and blood vessel CT scans can cause high radiation exposure. Different methods of creating CT pictures have been developed to reduce the radiation dose. Researchers want to see how effective these new methods are in producing accurate CT scans. Objectives: - To study new ways of taking pictures of the heart or blood vessels using computed tomography. Eligibility: - Adults at least 18 years of age who will be having imaging studies to help detect heart or blood vessel problems. Design: * Participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. Blood samples will be taken to check kidney function. * Participants will have a CT scan of the heart and blood vessels. A contrast agent may be used to improve the quality of the images. The scanning session may last up to 2 hours. * Timing of and the need for follow up contact will depend on results from the initial scan and may be repeated to assess for late events. Telephone, office contact, or other follow-up of subjects may be done after CCTA to evaluate if the subject had subsequent cardiovascular testing. Further follow up will be based on reported test results. Read Less

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 4 (ALS4) is an inherited motor neuron disease. People with ALS4 have a change in the amount of RNA and DNA that bind together. This binding of RNA with DNA forms units called R-loops. Researchers want to learn how R-loops are related to ALS4. To do this, they will study people with inherited neurological conditions that may affect R-loop levels. These include ALS4, progressive external opthalmoplegia with mitochondrial deletions (PEOB2), Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome (AGS), and ataxia and oculomotor apraxia type 2 (AOA2). Objective: To learn how the binding of RNA with DNA (R-loops) is related to neurological disease. Eligibility: People age 5 and older with ALS4, PEOB2, AGS, and AOA2. Healthy relatives and nonrelatives are also needed. Design: Participants may be screened with a review of x-rays and other medical records. Healthy relative and nonrelative participants will have 1 visit. All other participants will have 4 visits over 3 years. At visits, participants will undergo some or all of the following: Medical history Physical exam Tests of muscle strength and volume and physical function Blood tests Pregnancy test (for some females) Skin biopsy of forearm Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Some tests are optional. The MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to take pictures. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of the scanner. The scanner makes noise. They will get earplugs. The DEXA scan uses x-rays to take pictures. MRI and DEXA will be used to measure muscle, fat, and lean body mass. ... Read Less

Background: SBMA is an inherited chronic disease. It affects males in mid to late adulthood. It causes slowly progressive weakness of muscles and hand tremors. Researchers want to learn more about the effects of SBMA. Objective: To identify measurements that change over time in SBMA, including tests of muscle strength and function, as well as measurements of muscle and fat size. Eligibility: Men over the age of 18 both with and without a history of SBMA. Design: Participants will have a medical history, physical exam, and blood and urine tests. They will have neuromuscular ultrasound. They will have a lumbar puncture to obtain spinal fluid. For this, a needle will be inserted into the spinal canal in the lower back. Participants will have muscle strength and function tests. These tests may include pushing, pulling, rising from a chair and sitting back down, and/or walking. During these tests, they may wear an accelerometer (activity tracker) on their wrist. Participants will get an activity tracker to wear on their wrist for 10 days at home every 3 months. Participants with SBMA will also have lower limb magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and optional whole-body MRI. They will have lung function tests. They will have speech and swallow tests. They will complete questionnaires. They may have optional body scans to measure bone density and lean body mass. They may have optional muscle biopsies. For biopsies, a needle will be used to take a small piece of muscle from the leg. Participants with SBMA will have 5 study visits over 2 years (every 6 months). Participants without SBMA will have 1 study visit. Read Less

Background: People with intellectual disability (ID) often have physical disabilities as well. These physical problems can affect their bones, muscles, nerves, and gastrointestinal tracts. All of these issues can also cause pain. Yet little research has been done on pain in people with ID. Objective: To compare brain responses to unpleasant stimuli in people with and without ID. Eligibility: People aged 8 to 30 years diagnosed with an ID. Healthy volunteers without an ID are also needed. Design: The study requires only 1 visit of up to 4 hours. Participants with ID may come for up to 5 shorter visits instead. Participants will take a test to measure their level of ID. They will have a physical exam. Both groups will answer questions about pain and how their bodies react to it. They will answer questions about how they respond to things they see, feel, hear, smell, and taste. They will answer questions about their social behaviors. Caregivers may answer questions if the participant cannot. Both groups will have a test to measure their brain activity. Participants will wear a special cap, like a swim cap, with sensors and wires. Sensors to examine the heart will be placed on the skin of their chest with stickers. An elastic band will be placed around the middle of their body to measure how fast they are breathing. Sensors to measure sweat will be placed on two fingers. Participants will have heat, cold, brushing, and mild electrical stimuli to different parts of their body. Participants will rank how each stimulus feels using a scale with numbers or a scale with faces. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of MK-0472 administered as monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab (MK-3475) or MK-1084 in participants with histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of advanced/metastatic solid tumors. Read Less

Background: Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) gene regulates the formation of blood cells. People with mutations of this gene may bleed or bruise easily; they are also at higher risk of getting cancers of the blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Objective: To test a drug (imatinib) in people with RUNX1 mutations that cause symptoms. Eligibility: Adults aged 18 and older with RUNX1 mutations. Healthy people without this mutation, including family members of affected participants, are also needed. Design: Participants with the RUNX1 mutation will be screened. They will have a physical exam with blood and urine tests. They will have a test of their heart function. They may need a new bone marrow biopsy: A sample of soft tissue will be removed from inside a bone. Imatinib is a tablet taken by mouth once a day, every day, at home. Affected participants in different parts of the study will take imatinib for either 28 days or up to 84 days. Participants will visit the clinic once a week for the first 28 days that they are taking the imatinib. Then they will come once every 2 weeks if they are taking the drug for 84 days. Blood, urine, and tests of heart function will be repeated. They may opt to have the bone marrow biopsy repeated after they finish their course of imatinib. Participants will have a follow-up visit 30 days after they stop taking imatinib. Participants who do not have the RUNX1 mutation will have 1 clinic visit. They will have blood tests. They will fill out questionnaires. They may opt to have a bone marrow biopsy.... Read Less

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in Western countries. The purpose of this study is to assess how well ABBV-453 works adult participants with relapsed/refractory (R/R) untreated CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Adverse events, pharmacokinetics, and change in disease activity will be assessed. ABBV-453 is an investigational drug for the treatment of CLL and SLL. There are 2 parts to this study. In part A participants will be placed 1 of 5 cohorts with a specific target dose for each cohort and receive obinutuzumab during the debulking period followed escalating doses of ABBV-453, until the appropriate target dose is achieved. In part B participants will be placed in 2 cohorts and receive up to the maximum dose in part A, with cohort 2.1 including a debulking period (obinutuzumab) as in part A. Approximately 80 adult participants with previously R/R CLL/SLL will be enrolled in the study in approximately 40 sites across the world. Participants in part A will placed into 1 of 5 cohorts with a specific target dose for each cohort and will receive intravenous (IV) obinutuzumab as part of the debulking period, followed by escalating doses of oral ABBV-453 until the appropriate target dose is achieved. Participants in part B will be place in one of 2 cohorts. Participants in cohort 2.1 will receive IV obinutuzumab as part of the debulking period, followed by escalating doses of oral ABBV-453 until the maximum target dose from part A is achieved. Participants in cohort 2.2 will receive no treatment during the the debulking period, followed by escalating doses of oral ABBV-453 until the maximum target dose from part A is achieved. The estimated study duration is 5 years. There may be higher treatment burden for participants in this trial compared to their standard of care. Participants will attend regular visits during the study at a hospital or clinic. The effect of the treatment will be checked by medical assessments, blood tests, and checking for side effects. Read Less

The purpose this pragmatic trial to test the effectiveness of an existing, ongoing clinical service, the VA National TeleOncology program (NTO), a multilevel telehealth population health management program. The primary aims are to study the intervention and determine its effectiveness on telehealth engagement, clinical quality, and healthcare cost outcomes across levels of Social Determinants of TeleHealth (SDTH) with the goal of promoting health equity. Read Less

Cryptococcal meningitis is a fungal infection that causes a severe syndrome of meningitis that is 100% fatal without antifungal therapy. Even with antifungal therapy, mortality rates remain high, especially in low and middle income countries where the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic increases the risk of cryptococcosis among persons living with HIV infection. The combination of amphotericin and flucytosine (5-FC) has been the mainstay of therapy for the initial management of cryptococcal meningitis for 4 decades. Indeed, the effective delivery of these first line therapy in Africa can lower mortality to 25%. However, several challenges exist. First, even while 5-FC is included on the WHO list of essential medicines, the availability of 5-FC worldwide is limited. Second, liposomal amphotericin (Ambisome ®) is currently available from a single source supplier, creating risk. Third, current therapies have substantial toxicity. Lastly, with widespread agricultural fungicide use of azoles, the median fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50 ) for Cryptococcus has doubled since 2013. Globally, new or improved antifungals are needed for cryptococcal meningitis, particularly those which have less toxicity, greater efficacy, a prolonged half-life, and minimal drug-drug interactions. As multiple new antifungal medicines are on the horizon, this platform trial utilizes a master protocol to investigate, multiple regimens using standardized eligibility criteria, standardized study schedule of events, and standardized contemporary endpoints. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to generate clinical evidence on valve safety and performance in subjects treated by redo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). Read Less

Background: PDE4D is a protein in the body that plays a role in thinking and depression. This protein may play a major role in disorders such as Alzheimer disease or major depressive disorder. To learn more about these disorders, researchers want to be able to detect levels of PDE4D in the brain. 11C-JMJ-129 is a new radiotracer (a radioactive substance that highlights parts of the body during imaging scans) that was developed to attach only to PDE4D. Objective: To test the new radiotracer 11C-JMJ-129 during imaging scans in healthy volunteers. Eligibility: Healthy people aged 18 years and older who had a screening assessment under protocol 01-M-0254. Design: Participants will have 2 to 4 clinic visits. Participants will be screened. They will have a physical exam. They will have blood tests and a test of their heart function. Participants will undergo 1 or more of these scans: A positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the whole body. The radiotracer will be injected through a tube placed in a vein in the arm. Participants will lie on a table while a donut-shaped machine passes over them. Blood will be drawn from the arm during this scan. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. Participants will lie on a table that slides into a tube. A PET scan of the brain. These participants will be injected with the radiotracer. They will lie on a table with their head in the scanner. Participants will be called within 3 days after each PET scan for a check on their health. Read Less