View clinical trials related to Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is: 1. To assess the efficacy of a lipid-lowering agent (atorvastatin) on the development of atherosclerosis that predisposes children with SLE to cardiovascular events in adulthood. 2. To assess the safety of intermediate-term (36 months) treatment of children and young adults with atorvastatin. 3. To further characterize the course of SLE in children and young adults, by establishing a cohort of pediatric SLE patients to be followed prospectively. 4. To establish a mechanism for conducting clinical trials in rare pediatric rheumatic diseases using the Children's Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA).
This study will examine families in which one sibling of a sibling pair, or twin pair, has developed a systemic rheumatic disease and one has not, to see if and how the two differ in the following: - Blood cell metabolism; - Types of cells in the blood; - Environmental exposures or genetic factors that might explain why one developed disease and the other did not. Families in which one sibling has developed a systemic rheumatic disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, or myositis, and the other has not, are eligible for this study. The siblings may or may not be twins, but must be of the same gender and be within a 5-year age difference. Biological parents, or, in some cases, children, will also be included in the study. Normal, healthy volunteers will serve as control subjects. Participants will undergo some or all of the following tests and procedures: - Medical history and physical examination. Participants will also be asked permission to obtain medical records for review. - Questionnaires about environmental exposures at work, at home, and elsewhere. Probands (participants with rheumatic disease) and their healthy siblings will also answer questions about infections, vaccinations, medications or dietary supplements, sun exposure, and stressful events during the year before disease diagnosis in the affected sibling. - Blood and urine collection for the following tests: - Routine blood chemistries and other studies to rule out certain diseases or medical problems; - Evidence of past toxic exposures and certain infections; - Presence of cells from the mother in the child s blood and vice versa. (Recent studies suggest that during pregnancy or delivery, cells from the mother and baby may be exchanged and circulate in the body for many years, possibly causing problems); - In twin or sibling pairs, presence of certain genes that may be more common in patients with systematic rheumatic diseases as compared with their unaffected siblings and normal volunteers; - In identical twins, comparison of their blood cell metabolism to see if and how the metabolism differs in people with rheumatic disease. Participants may be asked for permission to have some of their blood and urine samples stored and to obtain previously collected blood or tissue biopsy specimens that are no longer needed for clinical care, for research purposes. They may also be asked to give additional blood or urine samples. Participants will be followed every year for 5 years (either in person or by questionnaire) to evaluate any changes in their condition. The final 5-year evaluation will repeat some of the questionnaires and procedures described above.
The purpose of this study is to find the best way to prevent heart disease and stroke in people with lupus (systemic lupus erythematosis, or SLE). The study will evaluate the effectiveness of medication and a phone-based education program in controlling four risk factors for heart disease: smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and inactivity. The study will also test the safety of commonly used heart medications in people with lupus.
This study will examine the safety and effects of the monoclonal antibody MRA in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Antibodies normally fight invading organisms. In autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, however, antibodies attack the body s own tissues. MRA is an antibody manufactured in the laboratory that blocks the action of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a substance that increases antibody production and is involved in inflammation that may cause organ damage in SLE. Patients 18 years of age and older with moderately active systemic lupus erythematosus may be eligible for this 6-month study. Candidates will be screened with blood and urine tests, chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), and screening tests for certain cancers. Participants will receive a total of up to seven infusions of MRA given every 2 weeks in the clinic. The MRA is infused over a period of about 1 hour through a catheter (thin plastic tube) inserted into an arm vein. Patients will be observed for 1 to 2 hours after each infusion for drug side effects. For the first and last infusions, patients will return to the clinic for blood tests 24 to 48 hours after the infusion. Additional tests may be done if medically indicated. Three different doses of MRA will be used in three groups of patients. The first group (4 patients) will receive the lowest dose. If this dose is well tolerated, a second group (6 patients) will receive a higher dose. If this dose is also well tolerated, a third group (6 patients) will receive the highest study dose. Patients will be evaluated at various intervals for up to 3 months after the last dose of MRA. The follow-up visits will include a review of the patient s medical history, a physical examination, blood and urine tests, and an EKG.
This study will examine the possible relationship between certain antibodies found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cognitive (thought processing) impairment in these patients. Antibodies are proteins produced by cells of the immune system to fight foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. In autoimmune diseases like SLE, however, the immune system produces antibodies against the body's own healthy tissues. Antibodies targeting the brain may cause cognitive dysfunction. Many patients with SLE have mild to severe cognitive impairment involving, for example, short- or long-term memory, thought processing and relating objects in time and space. Patients 18 years of age and older with SLE may be eligible for this study. Participants will undergo the following tests and procedures: - Medical history and physical examination, including blood and urine tests - Psychiatric interview and questionnaire to assess depression - Neuropsychological tests - answering questions given by an examiner or filling out a test form or questionnaire - Tests of cognitive function - answering questions given by an automated computer program or performing tasks using a computer mouse - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain - a test that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to generate images of the brain. The patient lies still on a stretcher inside a cylinder containing a magnetic field. The patient's head is stabilized with a plastic strap and foam pads. During the imaging, a substance called gadolinium-DTPA is injected into an arm vein through a catheter (thin plastic tube). This substance is used to enhance the images. Patients may also be asked to undergo an optional procedure called a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to examine the relationship between cognitive impairment and the amount of antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)- fluid that circulates around the brain and spinal cord. For this procedure a small area of skin on the lower back is numbed with a local anesthetic. A needle is then inserted in the space between the bones in the lower back, and about 2 tablespoons of CSF is withdrawn through the needle.
The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of rituximab (anti-CD20) in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). White blood cells in the body called B cells give off substances that are active in promoting SLE disease. Researchers have found that anti-CD20 can block production of these substances in another disease. This study explores whether anti-CD20 will also be safe in people with SLE and whether it may be effective in treating SLE.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether LJP 394 (abetimus sodium) is safe and effective in delaying and reducing renal flares in patients with lupus nephritis.
This study will examine whether PET imaging can reveal what is happening in lymph nodes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, or lupus, during periods of active disease. Patients may have periods of active disease when they may feel sick with fever, fatigue, and aching or swollen joints. Their blood tests are abnormal and their kidney, lungs or heart may be affected. At other times, the disease is inactive, and patients feel well, their blood is normal, and there is no evidence of organ disease. In lupus, like other autoimmune diseases, the body's immune system attacks it own healthy tissues. Activated lymphocytes (a type of immune cell) lead to the production of antibodies and chemical signals that contribute to the disease process. In animals with lupus, these cells are activated in the lymphoid organs, such as the lymph nodes or spleen. It is not known exactly where these cells are activated in humans. Because some lymph nodes are located deep inside the chest and abdomen; surgery is currently the only way to examining them. PET imaging may provide an alternative, non-invasive, means of obtaining information on lymph node activity in humans. This test uses a radioactive sugar molecule called F18-FDG to find areas of increased cellular activity in the body. (Cells use sugar for fuel, so active cells, such as active lymphocytes, uses more FDG than other body tissues.) This study will determine whether PET can detect these areas of increased activity in lupus during active disease. Patients with active or inactive lupus may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a history, physical examination, and routine blood and urine tests. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may not participate. Participants will undergo PET scanning. On the day of the scan they have a brief medical history and physical examination and a blood sample is drawn to check blood count and look for markers of lymphocyte activation. Then, a small plastic tube (catheter) is placed into a vein in the patient's arm, the FDG is injected through the catheter, and the patient rests for an hour. For the scan, the patient lies flat in a cradle that is moved into the central hole of the doughnut-shaped PET camera, and pictures are taken over the next 2 hours, with the patient lies quietly, without moving the head or arms. After the scan is finished, the patient empties the bladder approximately every hour for 6 hours to excrete the radioactive sugar.
A six-month clinical research trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an investigational medication for the treatment of dry eye syndrome in patients that have been diagnosed with moderate to severe dry eye syndrome, an autoimmune disorder AND/OR females 65 years of age or older.
This study will examine the safety of a new genetically engineered antibody called hLL2 (epratuzumab) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It will also evaluate whether hLL2 can lessen overall disease activity in SLE or kidney damage in patients with lupus nephritis. Patients 18 years of age and older with mild to moderately active SLE may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with blood and urine tests, a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), tuberculin skin test, and screening tests for certain cancers. All participants will receive weekly infusions of hLL2 for 4 weeks. The drug is given through a catheter (small plastic tube) placed through a needle in an arm vein. Each infusion takes about 2 hours, after which the patient is observed in the clinic for 1 to 2 hours before being discharged from the clinic. The first 3 patients in the study will receive the lowest of three different doses used in the study. If this dose is well tolerated, the next 5 patients will receive a higher dose. If the second dose is tolerated, the last 5 patients will be given the highest dose. If any serious problems are encountered at a dose, patients in the next group will receive either the same or lower dose before being advanced to the next level. Patients in the first group will continue taking prednisone at their regular dose. All other patients will have their prednisone tapered gradually, if their condition permits. Patients who have a disease flare may have their prednisone increased for up to 2 weeks, followed by a gradual taper. If the flare is severe or does not respond to the increased prednisone, the patient will be taken off the study and treated to control the disease. Patients will be evaluated at various intervals for up to 8 weeks after the last dose. Several of the screening tests will be repeated throughout the study. No more than 500 ml of blood-the equivalent of a single blood donation-will be collected during a 2-month period. Participants may also be asked to undergo the following optional procedures before starting treatment, 1 week after the last dose and 8 weeks after the last treatment dose: - Bone marrow aspiration - to collect cells from the bone marrow. The hip area is anesthetized and a special needle is used to draw bone marrow from the hipbone. - Tonsil biopsy - The area to be biopsied is numbed with a local anesthetic and small pieces of tissue will be removed with a special type of forceps. (The procedure may be done under general anesthetic.) - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen - The patient lies on a table within a metal cylinder (the MRI scanner) for about 30 to 40 minutes while images are obtained with the use of a strong magnetic field and radio waves.