View clinical trials related to Sclerosis.
Filter by:Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an orphan, multiorgan disease affecting the connective tissue of the skin and several internal organs. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a fatal disorder characterized by an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, which leads to right ventricular failure. Despite being recently the object of greater attention and despite therapeutic advances, pulmonary hypertension due to SSc remains associated with a dismal 47 - 67% 3-year survival. Among SSc patients prospectively followed in the "European League Against Rheumatism Scleroderma Trials and Research" (EUSTAR) cohort, 26% of death was related to pulmonary hypertension. Although some previous data have suggested the protective effects of calcium channel blockers on the development of pulmonary hypertension, the potential preventive effects of vasodilators for the prevention of Pulmonary hypertension have not been determined yet. In addition to be considered routinely for the treatment of SSc-related pulmonary hypertension, prostanoids, endothelin receptor antagonists (ETRA) and Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) can also be used for this indication. This observational trial is one out of five observational trials of the collaborative project "To decipher the optimal management of systemic sclerosis" (DeSScipher). Aim of this observational trial is: - to compare the outcomes of adult and juvenile SSc patients who are at high risk of developing pulmonary hypertension and are receiving either different vasodilator treatments or no vasodilator treatment.
Systemic sclerosis is an orphan, multiorgan disease affecting the connective tissue of the skin and several internal organs. Digital ulcers are frequent and have a major impact on the quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis. The etiology of digital ulcers is complex and multifactorial and the principal mechanisms underlying the digital ulcers formation are ischemic, mechanic and inflammatory, alone or in combination, on the basis of the systemic sclerosis vasculopathy. Consequently, there are at least three types of DU: (i) those localized at the tips of the fingers and toes, mainly resulting from an ischemic process, (ii) those localized on the dorsal aspect of the fingers where the skin retraction due to fibrosis over bony prominences seems to be the main cause, and (iii) those evolving on a pitting scar or subcutaneous calcinosis due to a combined irritative-inflammatory mechanism. An early therapy to prevent or rapidly heal digital ulcers is today considered a mandatory approach to maintain quality of life and spare the enormous costs due to conventional digital ulcer management. This observational trial is part of the collaborative project "DeSScipher", one out of five observational trials to decipher the optimal management of systemic sclerosis. Aim of this observational trial is: 1. To identify the best treatment combination for prevention of digital ulcers in patients with fulfilment of the new ACR/EULAR SSc criteria or the preliminary VEDOSS criteria for very early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis 2. To identify the best treatment associated with improved healing of digital ulcers in patients with fulfilment of the new ACR/EULAR SSc criteria Thus, the observational trial consist of a prevention arm and a healing arm.
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an orphan, multiorgan disease affecting the connective tissue of the skin and several internal organs. Beside skin involvement, digital ulcers, tendinitis, calcinosis and flexion contractures, the presence of hand arthritis is a major contributor to impairment of hand function in systemic sclerosis. Several immunomodulatory drugs used in other rheumatic diseases (including methotrexate, leflunomide, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil and low-dose corticosteroids) can potentially improve arthritis and consequently hand function in systemic sclerosis. For the assessment of arthritis, the CDAI (clinical disease activity index) is validated in rheumatoid arthritis, and may be useful for SSc-related arthritis, too. This observational trial is part of the collaborative project "DeSScipher", one out of five observational trials to decipher the optimal management of systemic sclerosis. Aim of this observational trial is to: - investigate the efficacy and safety of different treatments on hand dysfunction in systemic sclerosis patients with hand arthritis and - to validate the CDAI for arthritis in systemic sclerosis.
Systemic sclerosis is an orphan, multiorgan disease affecting the connective tissue of the skin and all internal organs. Cardiac involvement, mainly characterised by small intramyocardial coronary artery involvement and myocardial fibrosis, can cause the development of impaired diastolic ventricular filling, cardiac blocks and ventricular arrhythmias, and can ensue in congestive heart failure and sudden death. Until now, no drug has been proven to have a therapeutic effect on SSc myocardial disease on an evidence-based level. Short-term trials and retrospective studies have suggested a favourable and protective effect of calcium channel blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with myocardial involvement. However, no data are presently available on the prevention and treatment of severe heart disease. This observational trial is part of the collaborative project "DeSScipher", one out of five observational trials to decipher the optimal management of systemic sclerosis. Aim of this observational trial is to assess the efficacy and safety of calcium channel blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in asymptomatic SSc patients with cardiac involvement.
Multiple sclerosis - MS - affects 1.3m people worldwide, costing the European Union economy €9 billion/year, through both direct and indirect consequences of progressive disability. Despite the usual relapsing-remitting presentation, over 80% of patients develop progressive disability; 40% require a wheelchair within 10 years of diagnosis. At present, there are no treatments that reverse, halt or even slow progressive disability in MS. The investigators recently completed one of the first feasibility/safety trials in the world of reparative bone marrow cell therapy in 6 patients with longstanding MS (www.nature.com/clpt/journal/v87/n6/full/clpt201044a.html). Safety was confirmed, and intensive repeated tests on the patients measuring nerve conduction in various pathways in the brain and in the spinal cord showed statistically significant improvements at 12 months in every patient. While highly preliminary and involving only a very small number of patients, these results at least raise the possibility of a significant (though very partial) underlying repair effect within the damaged nervous system. The investigators believe this urgently requires further testing - both to accelerate benefit for patients, and to begin improving therapeutic efficacy. The investigators therefore propose a programme of translational and clinical stem cell research, aiming (1) to continue translation with a phase two controlled trial of bone marrow cells in patients with longstanding MS; and (2) to explore in parallel the potential mechanisms of action, by studying bone marrow cells from treated patients and control subjects, aiming to establish which of the various relevant bone marrow subpopulations contribute to efficacy, and which particular reparative mechanism(s) are important. The investigators hope these studies will not only confirm the therapeutic benefit of this approach, but also provide the basis for improving the magnitude and impact of this novel and exciting treatment modality.
The purpose of this registry is to (A) better describe the incidence and prevalence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in the United States;(B) examine appropriate factors, such as environmental and occupational, that may be associated with the disease; (C) better outline key demographic factors (such as age, race or ethnicity, gender, and family history of individuals who are diagnosed with the disease) associated with the disease; and (D) better examine the connection between ALS and other motor neuron disorders that can be confused with ALS, misdiagnosed as ALS, and in some cases progress to ALS.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be associated to many psychological symptoms. One of the most relevant is the experience of distress related to the disease, that can lead to the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As far as we know there are no studies on the efficacy of psychological treatments in MS in spite of its relevance for patients' quality of life. Primary aim is to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment with Eyes Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing(EMDR) in PTSD secondary to MS. EMDR is the elective treatment (together with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for PTSD according to international guidelines. The secondary aims are to evaluate the efficacy of EMDR on the PTSD-associated symptoms of anxiety and depression and Quality of Life. The study design is a randomized clinical trial. Sixty patients with MS and PTSD will be pre-screened by using the IES-R and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale. The patients will be randomized in two groups (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group).The psychological assessment will be performed in both groups with the same timing and tools: at baseline (T0), after treatment (T1) and 6 months later (T2) by two trained clinical psychologists (independent and blind to treatment) with the CAPS and the administration of self reports: Trauma Antecedent Questionnaire, Chicago Multiscale Depression Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis. The experimental group will undergo 10 weekly sessions of 60 minutes each with EMDR following Shapiro's protocol for traumatic events. The efficacy will be evaluated comparing the results between T0, T1 and T2 and comparing the scores of the experimental and the control groups. Primary outcome measures will be: 1) the proportion of participants at T1 and T2 no longer meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM IV-TR) diagnostic criteria for PTSD; 2) the reduction of CAPS scores for the four PTSD dimensions from pre-treatment to post-treatment evaluation and follow-up (avoidance, reexperiencing the traumatic event, hyperarousal and numbing). Secondary outcome measures will be: comparison of the scores of CMDI, HADS and FAMS of the two groups at T0, T1 and T2. The statistical procedure applied will be a repeated measures analysis of covariance both on the primary outcome continuous measures and on the secondary ones.
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disease that leads to mental retardation in over 50% of patients, and to learning problems, behavioral problems, autism and epilepsy in up to 90% of patients. The underlying deficit of TSC, loss of inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein due to dysfunction of the tuberin/hamartin protein complex, can be rescued by everolimus. Everolimus has been registered as treatment for renal cell carcinoma and giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA). Evidence in human and animal studies suggests that mTOR inhibitors improve learning and development in patients with TSC.
The aim of the study is to assess improvement in visual evoked potential, cognition, fatigue, micturation and walking impairment under 3 months of Fampyra treatment
This is a prospective, observational study designed to describe disease progression, symptom change, quality of life, diet and lifestyle habits, and frequency of adverse events among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In addition to describing the patterns of CAM use, this study will also identify and describe the positive deviants, those individuals with the highest quality of life and least amount of disease activity. Positive deviants will be compared to controls in order to describe medication, diet, and lifestyle patterns associated with a lack of MS disease progression and high quality of life.