View clinical trials related to Autoimmune Rheumatologic Disease.
Filter by:People living with Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) face a new and urgent dilemma: immunosuppression increases risk for worse COVID-19 infection, yet an immune stimulation, such as vaccination, could re-activate their disease. Fear of vaccine-related disease reactivation is not of concern in other immunosuppressed groups (e.g. patients receiving chemotherapy or hemodialysis) but in SARDs, disease flare could lead to organ failure or even death. Specific research in this population is therefore critical. Moreover, among SARD patients, those on anti-CD-20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) (i.e. rituximab (anti-CD-20 mAb)), a medication used to treat inflammatory types of arthritis, have extremely low immunity post-COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. This study will test the hypothesis that a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine is safe and enhances post-vaccine humoral and cellular responses in SARDs patients on anti-CD-20 mAb treatment. The magnitude of this response depends on the type of COVID-19 vaccine administered and is optimal when the booster dose is a vaccine from a different group than the one used for primary immunization (mix-and-match approach).
The main objective of this study is to generate diagnosis and therapeutic-decision tools through the identification of molecular causes of PIDs with autoimmunity/inflammation and the variability in disease outcome at the transcriptional level using a combination of omics signatures (transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, metagenomics, metabolomics and lipidomics).
Myocarditis is an important clinical problem which can can occur as a result of viral infections and autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Cardiac MRI is an important non-invasive means of making a diagnosis. However, current MRI techniques have significant limitations. Firstly, in order to create high-quality pictures, patients are required to hold their breath several times for multiple lengths of time. They often struggle with this due to underlying heart/lung problems. This can adversely affect the overall quality and image interpretation. Secondly, current techniques create 2D images that are potentially underestimating the presence and severity of any tissue inflammation/ injury. This may result in inappropriate treatment, particularly for patients with underlying autoimmune systemic disease who require immunosuppression. Diagnosis by MRI rests on detecting tissue injury through T2 and T1-weighted sequences which detect tissue inflammation and tissue injury. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of novel 3D free-breathing sequences for T2-weighted and fibrosis/ LGE imaging. Patients with suspected isolated myocarditis (viral/idiopathic) or myocarditis as part of an autoimmune systemic disease will be recruited to ensure that the novel techniques are tested in a broad spectrum of patients with inflammatory heart muscle disease.
The study is a prospective, single centre, double-blinded randomized controlled trial whose goal is to compare the immune response of a population of immunosuppressed pediatric rheumatology patients on immunosuppressive medications to two different doses of Hepatitis A vaccine. The objectives are (a) to confirm that adolescents, like their adult counterparts, have a reduced immune response to hepatitis A vaccine, and (b) to compare the immunogenicity of two different dosing options of vaccine for this age group after one and two doses. A total of 60 adolescents aged 12 - 15 years with confirmed chronic rheumatologic conditions for which they are being treated with an immunosuppressive therapy will be recruited from the Rheumatology Clinic at Alberta Children's Hospital (ACH). Those found to have no immunity to hepatitis A will be enrolled. Informed, written consent will be obtained from the parent or guardian of subject, with assent obtained from the study subjects. Subjects will be randomly assigned to two doses of either Avaxim Pediatric® or Avaxim ® (adult) vaccine (Sanofi Pasteur Canada), six months apart, with hepatitis A titres done at baseline and one month after each dose. Both formulations are licensed for this age group.
Needle-related procedures are the most important source of pain and anxiety in pediatric patients. Consequently, needle-phobia and anxiety are common in children with auto-immune disease and immune deficiency and may be barriers to adherence in treatment. The use of a non-pharmacological and easy-to-use approach, like the Buzzy® device, could be an alternative or adjuvant for the management of procedural pain and anxiety of these children during needle-related procedures. This study aims to determine the feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction of the Buzzy® device for procedural pain and anxiety relief of immunology-rheumatology patients undergoing needle-related procedures. The investigators will compare the Buzzy® device with an anaesthetic cream (Maxilene®) during needle-related procedures. The investigators also plan to assess feasibility outcomes and satisfaction of the nurses and the children with the use of the Buzzy® device. This pilot study should refine or modify the research methodology and improve the intervention being piloted before it's efficacy will be verified within a larger scale-study. The investigators strongly believe that the use of the Buzzy® device in immunology rheumatology department could optimise procedural pain and anxiety management. Since most of the treatments administered for auto-immune diseases and immune deficiency diseases are through subcutaneous or intramuscular injections, pain and anxiety management using non-pharmacological and/or pharmacological interventions should be prioritized. Given this knowledge, the investigators feel that this pilot study has the potential to contribute to pain and anxiety management of children undergoing needle-related procedures.
Several questionnaires have been developed for clinical research in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The objective of this study is to evaluate the consistency and relevance of two questionnaires, the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) and the Body Constitutions Questionnaire (BCQ).