View clinical trials related to Rheumatic Diseases.
Filter by:Ischemic heart disease (IHD) and its treatment carry profound public health and economic implications. Among Veterans, IHD represents one of the most common causes of death and disability, with over 500,000 affected individuals' annually. Rheumatic disease, though far less common than IHD can affect multiple organ systems and requires therapies costing in excess of $50,000 a year. Optimal treatment of Veterans with IHD and rheumatic disease requires a number of medications to maintain or improve health. Not taking medications as prescribed, however, is common and increases the risk of subsequent adverse events (cardiac death and myocardial infarction [MI]). To improve medication adherence rates and the cardiac health of Veterans with IHD, the investigators propose to test a medication adherence intervention. Known as VA SEPPRMACI-ARM (Secondary Event Prevention using Population Risk Management After PCI and for Anti-Rheumatic Medications), this intervention will consist of: proactive real-time adherence monitoring of patients and targeting of individuals if they have not refilled their medication a given number of days after it was due for refill. The intervention will employ a tailored, escalating-intensity approach which begins with some combination of personalized short messaging service (SMS) text messages and interactive voice response (IVR) telephone technology, depending on patient preference. Patients not completing SMS and then IVR by not refilling their medication (or declining SMS and not completing IVR) escalate to a trained research interventionalist. The interventionalist will contact the patient and address adherence barriers based on the dimensions outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) that are specific to each patient. The investigators will test the intervention on IHD patients who have recently undergone PCI-a cardiac procedure commonly used among IHD patients to improve the heart's blood flow and in patients starting anti-rheumatic medication. The investigators will test the intervention at four VA Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories (CCLs) and have 12 sites serving as usual care controls.
The purpose of this research is to obtain ovarian tissue from female participants who will receive therapy which is expected to result in a loss or impairment of ovarian function and/or infertility and wish to preserve (freeze) ovarian tissue for the purpose of initiating a pregnancy in the future. Removal of the ovary for cryopreservation is an investigational procedure. 100% of the tissue will be used for the participant's future use. There have been 86 pregnancies as a result of frozen ovarian tissue that has been re-implanted back into the pelvis and hormonal function has been restored in individuals for up to 7 years. By doing this study, the investigators hope to learn of how to successfully freeze and thaw ovarian tissue in a manner that permits subsequent use by patients at some point in the future. Participation may also advance our knowledge of how to successfully mature follicles and oocytes (eggs) that are contained in these tissues which may help others in the future.
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).
This study will determine the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Lusaka, Zambia through school-based screening methodology using ultraportable echocardiography and a recently validated, abridged screening protocol based on World Heart Federation criteria. Children that screen positive for RHD at schools will undergo confirmatory evaluation at University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka's main referral hospital.
The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of two local cryotherapy (ice or cold gas) applications on arthritic knees. Evaluation criteria (before/after treatment): - synovial power-Doppler semi-quantitative score - pain VAS (mm) - cytokine levels in synovial fluid - leukocyte count in synovial fluid
The purpose of the study is to determine whether crosslinked Marathon and standard Enduron polyethylene liners show differences in survivorship due to wear-related revisions at minimum 14-year follow-up and every 5 years after.
Background: - The rare disease melorheostosis causes bones to thicken. This may lead to pain, and can affect bones, joints, and muscles. Researchers want to learn more about the disease and how it progresses. Objective: -To see what happens to people with melorheostosis over time and understand the causes of the disease. Eligibility: - People 18 and over with melorheostosis. - Their unaffected relatives. Design: - All participants will have a medical history and physical exam. - Participants who are relatives will give samples of blood or cheek cells. - Other participants will be in the study for about 1 week. - They will have blood and urine collected. - Strength, walking, and range of motion will be measured. - Participants may also have - X-rays and scans. - A pain and neurological evaluation. - Their skin evaluated by a dermatologist. - A small sample of bone taken. - Nerve conduction studies. Small electrodes with to wires will be put on the skin. A metal probe will give a small electrical shock. - Electromyography. A thin needle will be placed into the muscles. - An ultrasound, which uses sound waves to examine the muscles and nerves. An ultrasound probe will be placed over the skin. - A bone scan. They will get a small amount of radioactive fluid through a needle in an arm vein. This fluid travels to the bones. The bones will be photographed in a machine. - Bone Densitometry, a low-level x-ray. - Photographs taken. - A small circle of skin removed with a surgical instrument. - Questionnaires about their quality of life. - Participants will be asked to return about every 2 years. At these visits, participants may have blood and urine tests and x-rays.
Neutrophils emerge as key immune cells in the initiation and perpetuation of immune responses in autoimmune diseases. They display marked abnormalities in phenotype and function in various autoimmune diseases, including systemic vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These neutrophils are characterised by an extended life span, increased capacity to produce reactive oxygen species, active gene expression and release of extracellular traps. Consequently, there is a need for better understanding of neutrophil phenotype and functions in these conditions, as well as for identifying molecules capable of specifically manipulating neutrophil function. The investigators have recently discovered that interferon lambdas (IFN-λs), also known as interleukin 28 (IL28) and interleukin 29 (IL29), class II cytokines with previously studied anti-viral biological functions, specifically suppress neutrophil infiltration and interleukin-1β production and thereby, halt and reverse the development of collagen induced arthritis (CIA). The investigators propose to further investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this suppression and examine the translational potential of the investigators' finding by examining the IFN-λ receptor expression and function in neutrophils isolated from the blood of healthy donors and rheumatic patients (early rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis).
Rituximab is frequently used in adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, lymphoma (a cancerous growth made up of lymphoid tissue), graft-versus-host-disease (complication that can occur after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant), diseases of the immune system (the cells and substances that protect the body from infection) and rheumatologic conditions. Rituximab works by decreasing or temporarily eliminating a specific type of white blood cell, the B-lymphocyte. Overall, rituximab is generally well tolerated. The likelihood of an infusion-related reaction, or symptoms such as fever, chills, hives, low blood pressure or swelling, is very low, but highest during a patient's first infusion of rituximab and decreases with each additional dose. Adults commonly receive rituximab at a faster rate if they have done well with the first infusion, this study will help determine if the same approach is well tolerated in children. In this study, the investigators are testing a new method of administering rituximab which may reduce the time it takes to receive the medication. The initial ordered amount of rituximab will not change from the current standard of care (meaning what is usually done by doctors, and would likely be done if you were not on this study). The period of time over which rituximab is given is what is being studied.
This study evaluates the safety and efficiency of surgical prevention of atrial fibrillation in patients with valvular heart disease and left atrium enlargement