Dexamethasone Treatment Options in Houston, TX

Few studies are specifically designed to address health concerns that are already relevant during pregnancy. The consequence is a lack of evidence on best clinical practice. This includes mothers and their babies when pregnancy is complicated by an abnormally slow heart rate due to maternal antibody-mediated heart disease in the unborn baby (fetus). Since the late seventies, it has been possible to detect and monitor fetal disease by ultrasound images and to treat selected conditions with pharmaceuticals administered via the mother. To this day, physicians need to make decisions about the management of such pregnancies without evidence from prospective clinical trials on drug efficacy and safety. The SLOW HEART REGISTRY is a multi-centered prospective observational study that will address the knowledge gap to guide future management of high-degree immune-mediated heart block to the best of care. The study seeks to establish an international database of the management and outcome of affected fetuses, to be used to publish information on the results of currently available prenatal care and to evaluate the need for additional research. Read Less

Fetal complete (i.e., third degree, 3°) atrioventricular block (AVB), identified in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy in an otherwise normally developing heart, is almost universally associated with maternal anti-Ro autoantibodies and results in death in a fifth of cases. To date treatment of 3° AVB has been ineffective in restoring normal rhythm (NR) which may be because current surveillance is limited to once- weekly fetal echocardiograms. It is hypothesized that there may be a vital transition period of several hours in which incomplete block (2° AVB) may be successfully treated avoiding fully advanced irreversible 3° AVB. To optimize the likelihood of timely detection of the transition period this study comprises three steps: 1) to risk stratify for high titer anti-Ro antibodies, which are necessary but not sufficient to develop fetal AVB; 2) to empower mothers to identify 2° AVB by using fetal heart rate and rhythm monitoring (FHRM) at home, and 3) to rapidly treat mothers who detect an abnormality by monitoring with an urgent echocardiogram that confirms 2° AVB with the hope of reversing 2° AVB before it becomes permanent (3° AVB). In addition, it will be determined if FHRM reduces the need for weekly echoes. Although mothers with low titer anti-Ro will not be continued in Step 2 and therefore not followed by FHRM, birth ECGs will be collected to confirm that low titer antibodies do not confer risk. It is anticipated that this study will provide an evidenced based surveillance strategy for those mothers at high risk of having a child with 3° AVB. Read Less

This partially randomized phase II trial studies how well brentuximab vedotin or crizotinib and combination chemotherapy works in treating patients with newly diagnosed stage II-IV anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Brentuximab vedotin is a monoclonal antibody, called brentuximab, linked to a toxic agent called vedotin. Brentuximab attaches to CD30 positive cancer cells in targeted way and delivers vedotin to kill them. Crizotinib and methotrexate may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. It is not yet known whether brentuximab vedotin and combination chemotherapy is more effective than crizotinib and combination chemotherapy in treating anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Read Less

This phase II trial studies how well clofarabine, idarubicin, cytarabine, vincristine sulfate, and dexamethasone work in treating patients with mixed phenotype acute leukemia that is newly diagnosed or has returned after a period of improvement (relapsed). Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as clofarabine, idarubicin, cytarabine, vincristine sulfate, and dexamethasone, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Read Less

The goal of this project is to rapidly screen promising agents, in the setting of an adaptive platform trial, for treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients. In this phase 2 platform design, agents will be identified with a signal suggesting a big impact on reducing mortality and the need for, as well as duration, of mechanical ventilation. Read Less

This randomized phase III trial is studying low-dose vincristine to see how well it works compared with high-dose vincristine when given together with different combination chemotherapy regimens in treating young patients with intermediate-risk relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) and giving the drugs in different ways and different doses may kill more cancer cells.. Read Less

The purpose of this clinical trial is to compare safety, tolerability, efficacy, and durability of two dose levels of suprachoroidal sustained-release OXU-001 (dexamethasone microspheres; DEXAspheres®) using the Oxulumis® illuminated microcatheterization device compared with intravitreal dexamethasone implant (OZURDEX®) in subjects with diabetic macular edema. Read Less

Subjects have a type of cancer called Hodgkin Disease (HD), a cancer of the lymph system. The lymph system is made up of tissue throughout the body that makes and stores infection-fighting cells. HD is one of the most treatable childhood cancers. The standard treatment for HD involves chemotherapy (treatment with anti-cancer drugs) and radiation therapy (the use of high-dose x-rays to get rid of cancer cells). Although they are cured from their cancer, some patients experience negative side effects from treatment later in life. These kinds of side effects are often referred to as late effects. This can include problems with growth, problems with some organ functions, and sometimes second cancers. These types of effects can be associated with either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The investigators are therefore designing studies to minimize or prevent these late effects. It is thought that if some patients can be successfully treated without radiation, those patients might experience fewer late side effects. Some patients, however, do not respond as well to the first stages of treatment (slow early responders). Slow early responders are considered to be at higher risk for relapse. This study also looks at whether these kinds of patients will benefit from additional chemotherapy. The purpose of this study is to look at how the immune system recovers and at how certain T-cells in the blood behave after receiving chemotherapy with or without radiation. The investigators also want to identify if bio-markers (special proteins in blood and in cancer) relate to the response of HD to study treatment. Read Less

The goal of this clinical research study is to compare the effect of adding either alemtuzumab or tocilizumab to the drug combination of etoposide and dexamethasone in controlling HLH. The safety of the drug combinations will also be studied. This is an investigational study. Alemtuzumab, etoposide, tocilizumab, and dexamethasone are not FDA approved for the treatment of HLH. Etoposide is FDA approved and commercially available for the treatment of testicular cancer and lung cancer. Alemtuzumab is FDA approved and commercially available for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Dexamethasone is a steroid used to reduce inflammation. Tocilizumab is FDA approved and commercially available for the treatment of arthritis. The combination of alemtuzumab, etoposide, tocilizumab, and dexamethasone to treat HLH is investigational. The study doctor can explain how the drugs are designed to work. Up to 40 participants will be enrolled in this study. All will take part at MD Anderson. Read Less

Compare the outcome following manipulation under anesthesia for stiffness in a randomized controlled fashion with one group receiving IV dexamethasone and oral celecoxib at the time of manipulation to a control group receiving manipulation alone. Outcomes will include pain, range of motion, as well as subjective outcome scores. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to assess whether quadratus lumborum (QL) block performed 1 day after cesarean delivery will provide supplemental post-cesarean analgesia and reduce opioid requirements. Read Less

This is a study of a medical procedure that utilizes a commercially available catheter (the Bullfrog® Micro-Infusion Device) to locally deliver a commercially available anti-inflammatory drug (dexamethasone sodium phosphate injection) around the deep veins after DVT recanalization, where DVT symptoms were present for at least 14 days and no more than 60 days prior to recanalization. The goal of the study is to see if local anti-inflammation helps prevent re-thrombosis of the blood vessel and improvement in symptoms for up to 24 months after the initial DVT recanalization procedure. Read Less