There are about 173942 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in United States. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
Introduction Patients with advanced cancer often experience high levels of debilitating pain and pain-related psychological distress. Although there is increasing evidence that non-pharmacological strategies are needed to treat their pain, pharmacologic modalities remain the preferred strategy. Guided imagery is a form of focused relaxation that helps create harmony between the mind and body and has been shown to significantly improve cancer pain. This study presents Virtual Reality Assisted Guided Imagery (VRAGI) as an alternative pain treatment modality. The investigators of this study will conduct a randomized control trial to test its efficacy, feasibility, and safety in the home setting, for patients with advanced cancer. Methods and Analysis The study will recruit 80 participants from Prisma Health, a tertiary level health care center based in Greenville, South Carolina, USA using a stringent set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The prospective 6-week, 2x2 randomized controlled trial will randomize participants to four groups: (1) VRAGI, (2) Laptop Assisted Guided Imagery (AGI), (3) VR (no guided imagery or other audio), and (4) laptop (no guided imagery or other audio). Participants allocated to VR groups will be trained to use a head-mounted display (HMD) that immerses them in 3D audio-video content. The non-VR group will use a laptop displaying 2D video content. Content includes relaxing natural scenes across three calendar seasons (spring, summer, fall). Investigators will collect measures pre, during, and post intervention including patient reported outcomes (PROs) of pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue. Additionally, investigators will assess the feasibility, acceptability and safety of VRAGI use in a home setting. Trial Registration Number #Pro00114598 Strengths and Limitations - This study uses a novel design that combines the use of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology with guided imagery processes to treat chronic pain in advanced cancer patients. - Investigators propose a reproducible intervention that can be self-administered in a home setting, thus eliminating the need for trained personnel, transportation modalities, or healthcare facilities. - VR content will be preloaded onto HMDs, thus eliminating the need for access to the internet and decreasing the variability of the intervention. - Investigators will collect patient reported outcomes (PROs) on pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and opioid use, but not continuous user feedback or biofeedback. - This study focuses on patients < 65 years of age with advanced cancer. This allows the study to focus on a large group of patients but may limit the overall generalizability of the findings.
The investigators are testing the hypothesis that lower pressure pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic large bowel surgery protects the bowel from postoperative ileus and bowel dysfunction leading to faster recovery and discharge from the hospital. Our study will focus on the effects of high or low intraperitoneal pressure as well as pressure variations on the course of postoperative ileus, time to hospital discharge, and postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction in adult patients undergoing laparoscopic large bowel resection (i.e., sigmoidectomy and right colectomy). A randomized parallel group study will be conducted involving 5 arms of surgical patients to test whether differences on postoperative ileus outcome parameters occur between high (15 mm Hg) and low pressure pneumoperitoneum (8-12 mm Hg), as well as whether there are differences between the 2 insufflation devices that provide constant or variable intrabdominal pressure throughout the laparoscopic surgery. For high pressure pneumoperitoneum, either neostigmine or sugammadex are used for reversal of moderate neuromuscular blockade. For low pressure pneumoperitoneum, sugammadex is used for reversal of deep neuromuscular blockade. The investigators plan to use 2 types of gas insufflation devices, one of which will provide a relatively stable pressure level throughout surgery (AirSeal® device), and the second one will provide a more variable pressure (Olympus standard insufflation device). Using both pressure modalities, the investigators will study the effects of different pressure characteristics on the course of postoperative ileus, duration of in-hospital treatment, pain level, and the stability of hemodynamic and respiratory parameters during surgery. Changes in intrabdominal pressure during the surgery will be monitored and recorded using a custom software for later analysis of fluctuations in pressure to relate them to outcomes. Other parameters will be obtained from EPIC (IHIS) medical charts. In addition, clinical data on postoperative ileus will be correlated with experimental outcomes from in vitro exploratory studies done using human samples of peritoneal lavage fluid, serum, and a small portion of the surgically removed bowel from each patient (that is otherwise discarded). A panel of inflammatory markers will be analyzed and biochemical, imaging, histological, immunochemical, molecular signaling, and glial activation studies will be done to evaluate the potential mechanisms of dysfunction associated with postoperative ileus.
The purpose of this study is to examine the use of activated T cells (ATCs) to assess the safety and tolerability of autologous activated T cells, as measured by the number of Grade 3 or higher toxicities, the number of serious adverse events, and treatment-related toxicities, according to National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) Version 5, to find the maximum tolerated dose. The secondary objectives include evaluating the rate of overall survival, rate of progression-free survival, health-related quality of life parameters, overall response rate, immune response, and tumor stem cell antigen expression.
The purpose of this research is to gather information on the safety and effectiveness of a new procedure called Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion (FETO).
The Thermedical Ablation System and Durablate catheter is indicated for use in patients with recurrent, sustained, monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) refractory to drug therapy and conventional (approved) catheter ablation. Subjects with recurrent, SMVT refractory to drug therapy and conventional catheter ablation who are not eligible for, or will not likely benefit from repeat endocardial ablation using an approved catheter.
In order to determine if NfL can be a prognostic biomarker for VCID, participants will undergo a baseline evaluation consisting of neuropsychological testing and a blood draw with a 12-month follow-up consisting of neuropsychological testing and blood draw. After indicated interest in the study, participants will be screened either in person during a regularly scheduled clinic visit or by phone for eligibility. After consenting, participants will be scheduled for a baseline testing session. One session, lasting about 3 hrs, will include neuropsychological testing and a blood draw. After completion of baseline testing, participants who agree to take part in the clinical trial will begin a 12-week treatment of Ang-(1-7) via daily subcutaneous injections. During the drug treatment, participants will be called weekly to ensure that everything is going well with the injections. After participants have completed the 12-week injection period, participants will be scheduled for a second appointment which will include a blood draw and neuropsychological testing. All participant will be scheduled for a 12-month follow-up, which will include a blood draw and neuropsychological testing. Participants will be called every second month by research staff for a brief update on changes to health status, and to increase compliance with the 12-month follow-up. Our One-Year outcome for this study is to provide early proof-of-concept clinical trial data that will support a larger, more comprehensive NIH funded study on the safety and efficacy of Ang-(1-7) to prevent cognitive impairment in HF patients at risk for developing VCID/ADRD. Our Long-Term outcome is to demonstrate whether plasma NfL exhibits characteristics making it useful as a Prognostic Biomarker to predict cognitive decline in early heart disease-associated VCID and identify pre VCID-symptomatic in individuals with symptomatic HF. Our goal will be to use levels of plasma Nfl as an enrollment enrichment factor in future trials to allow enrollment or stratification of patients more likely to develop VCID or ADRD and be responsive to Ang-(1-7) therapy.
A double blind, placebo controlled, randomized control trial studying the safety and efficacy of pyridostigmine as a rescue therapy for postoperative ileus. Patients who undergo elective colorectal resection with or without creation of an ostomy, and subsequently develop postoperative ileus will be eligible for enrollment. Patients will be randomized to receive either pyridostigmine or placebo in addition to the current elements of standard of care. Patients will also complete the pyridostigmine bromide side effects scale (PBSES) upon enrollment and following each administration of either intervention or placebo to monitor treatment safety and evaluate for the development of side effects.
In this study, researchers propose a unique (individualized) approach to steroid treatment seeking to give the right dose of steroid to the right patient and at the right time. This study seeks to compare usual care to an individualized steroid dosing strategy by testing a marker of inflammation in the blood called C- reactive protein (CRP). The overall goal is to reduce an individual's exposure to steroids and the risk of potential side effects thereby increasing the potential benefit of using steroids to control inflammation in pneumonia.
The purpose of this study is to see if two treatments (extracorporeal photopheresis and Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) infusion, can be given safely together, and if they improve the symptoms of a Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD), a complication that can occur in people who undergo stem cell transplant.
The aim of this study is to develop and assess the feasibility and effect of a web-based, personalized risk-estimation for Crohn's disease (PRE-CD) tool on behaviors and biomarkers associated with risk for Crohn's disease in unaffected first-degree relatives of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We hypothesize that personalized risk disclosure via the PRE-CD educational tool is both feasible and successful in modifying behaviors associated with Crohn's disease risk and normalizing pre-clinical disease biomarkers when compared to standard Crohn's disease education. Broadly, completion of this project will also help elucidate the role of lifestyle and dietary factors in pre-clinical Crohn's disease development in high-risk individuals, and provide novel insight into potential strategies for disease prevention in this population.