View clinical trials related to Aplastic Anemia.
Filter by:Evaluated Exjade efficacy and safety in patients with aplastic anemia and transfusion-dependent iron overload, undergoing treatment programs of immunosuppressive treatment (Cyclosporine A) , in comparison with a group of patients undergoing treatment programs of immunosuppressive treatment (Cyclosporine A) without chelation therapy.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the multi-lineage hematopoietic chimerism for unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB) grafts pooled from two to three cord blood units. Also to evaluate the toxicity, and antitumor responses of pooled unrelated UCB transplants.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether flushing Central Venous Catheters (CVCs) with Normal saline once per week is not inferior to flushing with 10U/ml heparin 3 times per week, in preventing CVC occlusions.
Aplastic Anemia (AA) is an autoimmune hematologic stem cell disease mediated by activated T-lymphocytes that leads to pancytopenia. The disease related morbidity and mortality if left untreated can approach 90%. For over 30 years, anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) in combination with cyclosporine (CsA) remains the standard therapy. However, the treatment response with ATG is at best between 50-60% with a sizeable number of partial responses. Treatment with ATG is also associated with significant toxicity and high relapse rate that can be as high as 45%. Since the prognosis in refractory and relapsed AA remains poor, there is a need for less toxic novel immunosuppressive agents that can improve response rates and remission duration in refractory and relapsed AA. Alefacept is a human recombinant dimeric fusion protein composed of the terminal portion of leukocyte functioning antigen-3 (LFA3/CD58) and the Fc portion of human IgG1. It prevents co-stimulatory signals between antigen presenting cells and memory T cells by competitive inhibition of CD2 in T cells, induces selective apoptosis of CD4+ and CD8+ memory effector T cells by interaction between the Fc portion of IgG1 and the FcyIII in NK cells, and possibly direct ligation of CD2 molecules on T cells that subsequently result in the alteration in T cell agonist signaling. It has been used successfully in the treatment of other T cell mediated disorders particularly psoriasis and steroid refractory graft versus host disease (GVHD) with minimal side effects. In a case of liver transplant associated AA (similar to transfusion associated AA) which is fatal in most patients, Alefacept induced remission after patient did not respond to ATG and other immunosuppressants. The investigators hypothesize that the LFA3-CD2 co-stimulatory pathway play an important role in the immune pathogenesis of AA and treatment with Alefacept can help treat refractory/relapsed cases of AA.
Patients have been diagnosed with severe Aplastic Anemia that have not responded to treatment with immunosuppressive therapy (drugs that suppress the immune system, for example Steroids). The immune system is the system in the body that helps protect the body and fights bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Research studies have shown that patients with Aplastic Anemia have improved survival (may live longer) after receiving a HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) identical sibling (brother and sister) stem cell transplants. Patients who do not have matched siblings can undergo immunosuppressive therapy, which has also shown to improve outcome. Unfortunately patients who do not respond to immunosuppressive therapy usually die. The best chance of survival for these patients is an HLA matched unrelated or mismatched related stem cell transplant as described below. Stem cells are created in the bone marrow. They mature into different types of blood cells that people need including red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body, white blood cells which help fight infections, and platelets which help the blood to clot and prevent bleeding. For a matched unrelated stem cell transplant, stem cells are collected from a person (donor) who is not related to the patient but who has the same type of stem cells. For a mismatched related stem cell transplant, stem cells are collected from a donor who is related to the patient and whose stem cells are almost the same as those of the patient but not exactly. The patient then receives high dose chemotherapy. This chemotherapy kills the stem cells in the patient's bone marrow. Stem cells that have been collected from the donor are then given to the patient to replace the stem cells that have been killed. The major problems associated with these types of stem cell transplants are graft rejection (where the patient's immune system rejects the donor stem cells) and severe graft versus host disease (GVHD), where the donors stem cell reacts against the patient's tissues in the body.
This study will explore the role of oral contraceptive pills in managing uterine bleeding in women who have low blood platelet counts as a result of aplastic anemia. Oral contraceptive pills have been shown to be effective in managing uterine bleeding in healthy women, but the effects have not been thoroughly studied in women who have low platelet counts. The purpose of the study is to determine whether oral contraceptive pills are a useful complement to platelet transfusions in women with aplastic anemia and uterine bleeding. Volunteers for this study must be women between 12 and 55 years of age who have been diagnosed with aplastic anemia (with a platelet count of less than 50,000/microliter) and currently have active uterine bleeding. Candidates must not be pregnant or breastfeeding, must have a uterus and at least one functioning ovary, and must be willing to use nonhormonal methods of birth control (such as condoms or a diaphragm) for the duration of the study. On the first visit, candidates will be screened with a complete medical history (including obstetric and gynecological history) and will undergo a physical examination, a pelvic exam and a pelvic ultrasound. Blood and urine samples will also be taken on this first visit. The study will last approximately two weeks. Participants will be asked to monitor their medication doses and severity of bleeding during the course of the study. After the first visit, participants will be separated into two randomized groups and will receive either one tablet of oral contraceptive or a placebo twice daily, to be taken 12 hours apart at the same times each day. Participants will also receive platelet transfusions as needed to ensure that their platelet counts remain over 20,000/microliter. After seven days, researchers will assess participants' uterine bleeding and all participants will be given oral contraceptives in the second week of the study. Participants whose bleeding has decreased will receive only one tablet; participants who still have moderate to severe uterine bleeding will receive two tablets. A final assessment will be performed on day 14 of the study.
RATIONALE: Giving chemotherapy and total-body irradiation before a donor umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of abnormal cells. It also helps stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into the patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil before and after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of total-body irradiation when given together with cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin in treating patients with severe aplastic anemia undergoing umbilical cord blood transplant.
The purpose of this study is to assess early treatment failure within 100 days and to assess the effect of this regimen on engraftment, GVHD, immune recovery, relapse of malignancy and survival.
Participants in this study are suffering from rare and serious blood disorders. In aplastic anemia, the bone marrow stops producing red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. In pure red cell aplasia, the bone marrow stops producing red cells, and in amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenic purpura, the bone marrow stops producing platelets. Current treatment approaches for these disorders include bone marrow transplant and/or immunosuppression. However, bone marrow transplant is not always possible, and immunosuppression has serious side effects. This study will investigate whether daclizumab can be used to treat these disorders. Daclizumab is a genetically engineered human antibody that blocks the interleukin-2 receptor on immune cells. It has been used successfully in many transplant patients to reduce the rate of organ rejection. Participants will undergo a complete history and physical examination. A bone marrow aspiration and biopsy will be performed to confirm the type of bone marrow failure. About 5 tablespoons of blood will be drawn for baseline tests and research purposes. Daclizumab will be administered every 2 weeks by vein in a 30-minute infusion. The first dose will be given at NIH and the next four may be given at NIH or by the participant's primary hematologist. The treatment will last 8 weeks. Participants must also see their referring physician or NIH physicians every 2 weeks for blood counts. In the fourth and eighth weeks of the study and at the 3-month follow-up visit, 2 tablespoons of blood will be drawn at NIH. At the 1-month follow-up visit to NIH, 5 tablespoons of blood will be drawn and another bone marrow aspiration and biopsy performed. Risks from bone marrow aspiration and biopsy and blood draws include discomfort. Daclizumab is usually well-tolerated; however, it may weaken immunity against certain bacteria and viruses.