View clinical trials related to Autoimmune Diseases.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to determine whether weaning to whey-based hydrolysed formula or essentially bovine insulin free whey-based FINDIA formula instead of standard cow's milk based formula is effective in the prevention of type 1 diabetes associated beta-cell autoimmunity in children at genetic risk of type 1 diabetes.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of switching rheumatoid arthritis (RA) participants who have an inadequate response to their current treatment with either etanercept + methotrexate or adalimumab + methotrexate to treatment with golimumab 50 milligram (mg) subcutaneous (SC) injection (a needle inserted under the skin in the back of upper arm, upper thigh or stomach area) every 4 weeks + methotrexate. This study is also designed to evaluate the benefit and safety of switching participants from treatment with golimumab 50 mg subcutaneous injection every 4 weeks + methotrexate to golimumab 2 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) intravenous every 8 weeks + methotrexate, for those who do not achieve a marked improvement of their RA at Week 16.
Background: - Laboratory research studies require control samples from healthy volunteers to compare with samples from patients. These studies will help researchers better understand and refine treatments for immune system and inflammatory diseases. Objective: - To obtain blood, urine, buccal (mouth) mucosa, normal tissue and bone marrow samples and/or leukopheresis cells from healthy volunteers. Eligibility: - Healthy individuals at least 8 years of age. Design: - Volunteers will be recruited through the Program for Healthy Volunteers, Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office, or self-referral through the clinicaltrials.gov Web site. - Health will be confirmed by a brief history and physical examination and blood work. - Volunteers 8 years of age and older will provide blood and urine samples using standard procedures. Buccal mucosa samples will be obtained by scraping the insides of both cheeks with a sterile nylon brush. - Bone marrow samples will be obtained from volunteers 18 years of age and older by taking two aspirates from the posterior iliac crest (an area near the hip). - Normal tissue samples will be obtained from volunteers 18 years of age and older by taking superficial skin samples (punch biopsies) - Leukopheresis or lymphapheresis will be performed on volunteers 18 years of age and older to obtain white blood cells for research - Samples will be assigned a unique code and will be stored until they are no longer of scientific value or the volunteer withdraws consent for their use.
Background: - Membranous nephropathy is associated with damage to the walls of the glomeruli, the small blood vessels in the kidneys that filter waste products from the blood. This damage causes leakage of blood proteins into the urine and is associated with low blood protein levels, high blood cholesterol values, and swelling of the legs. These problems can decrease or go away without treatment in about 25 percent of patients, but if they persist, some patients may experience impaired (or loss of) kidney function, blood vessel and heart disease, and a risk of forming blood clots in veins. - Kidney biopsies that show that antibodies have been deposited along the glomeruli suggest that specialized cells of the immune system, called B and T cells, are causing damage to the kidneys through their increased activity. To suppress the action of B and T cells and to decrease the harmful deposits in the kidneys, drug treatments are required. - Patients with membranous nephropathy are often treated with immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporine or cytoxan plus steroids that attempt to reduce or suppress the activity of the immune system, decrease antibody production, and reduce antibody deposits in the kidney. However, not everyone responds to these medications and the kidney disease can return in some patients when the drugs are stopped. Also, there are side effects associated with long term usage of these medications. Rituximab, a different immunosuppressant, has also been used for this purpose. Although cyclosporine and Rituximab have been used separately, they have not been tried in combination as a possible treatment for membranous nephropathy. Objectives: - To determine the safety and effectiveness of combining rituximab and cyclosporine to treat membranous nephropathy. Eligibility: - Individuals 18 years of age and older who have been diagnosed with membranous nephropathy based on a kidney biopsy done within the preceding 24 months, and who have had excess levels of protein in the urine for at least 6 months based on urine and blood tests. Design: - Potential participants will be screened with an initial clinic evaluation and full medical history. - Before the treatment, there will be a run-in period that will last up to 2 months. During this time, participants will be placed on a blood pressure lowering medication and will not take any other immunosuppressant medications. - Participants will visit the NIH clinical center for a baseline evaluation, four intravenous infusions of rituximab, and also at 1- to 6-month intervals throughout the study. - Active treatment period will involve a 6-month course of cyclosporine and a total of four doses of rituximab. Participants will take cyclosporine tablets twice daily, and have two infusions of rituximab given 2 weeks apart, After 6 months, the cyclosporine dose will slowly be decreased over several weeks and then completely discontinued. Participants will then receive another course (two doses 2 weeks apart) of rituximab, depending on results of blood work. - Participants will have frequent blood and urine tests performed to monitor the results of treatment and reduce the chance of side effects.
This study is a methodology study to evaluate a microdose strategy for Drug-Drug Interaction (DDI) which will be useful in the evaluation of the backup compounds for GSK706769, as well as possibly other assets. The safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics will be evaluated in healthy adult subjects. This will be an open-label fixed-sequence 2-period study in healthy male volunteers after oral administration of [14C]-GSK706769 alone and in the presence of Ketoconazole.
Background: - For every CHI research study, patients must fulfill a list of criteria, based primarily on their medical condition. To determine whether a patient meets these eligibility criteria to participate in a research protocol, researchers must perform a series of diagnostic tests and procedures. - These evaluations are designed to evaluate a participant s general medical condition (i.e., blood tests, function of certain organs such as the lungs, heart, liver, or kidneys), and to confirm a diagnosis or ensure that a healthy volunteer is in good condition. They maximize the safety for the patients and healthy volunteers at CHI. Objective: - To determine the eligibility of patients and healthy volunteers for active CHI research protocols. Eligibility: - The procedures included in this protocol will determine eligibility for active CHI research protocols. - Both healthy volunteers and patients will be evaluated. Design: - Required tests and procedures for various research studies may include the following: history and physical examination, blood and urine tests, lung and heart function tests (echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, stress test), imaging studies (X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT), and tissue collection. - Participants will be asked to undergo tests only for the study or studies for which they are being considered. The research team will provide further information on any additional tests that may be required. - After all eligibility assessments are complete, participants may be offered participation in one or more CHI research protocols or referred back to a home physician.
The primary purpose of the study is to describe by a prospective observational study the serious adverse events occurring in patients treated off-label by rituximab for various auto-immune diseases.
Background: - Bronchiectasis is a disease characterized by airways that are inflamed, abnormally dilated, and chronically infected. Individuals with bronchiectasis have a history of chronic and recurring respiratory infections. Depending on the underlying cause, these infections may involve the entire respiratory tract, resulting in sinus, ear, and lung disease. - Bronchiectasis continues to be a significant problem in developing countries and in specific groups of individuals, particularly in people who have cystic fibrosis. Although treatments are available or under development for bronchiectasis related to cystic fibrosis, many of the disease-specific treatments may not be effective for bronchiectasis not related to cystic fibrosis. Objectives: - To study the natural history of bronchiectasis to identify inherited and immune factors that may explain why certain individuals have chronic recurring infections. Eligibility: - Individuals 5 years of age and older who have an established diagnosis of bronchiectasis or a history of chronic/recurring respiratory infections. - Direct family members (e.g., parents, siblings, children) of patients in the study may also be asked to participate. Design: - Potential participants will be screened with an initial clinic evaluation and full medical history, as well as a general quality of life and respiratory symptom questionnaire. - The following standard procedures may be done as part of the study: air sampling from the nose; imaging studies, which may include an x-ray or computed tomography (CT), lung function tests; and collection of samples of blood, urine, and sputum (phlegm or mucus). Other tests may be performed as required by the researchers, and will be explained to patients as needed. - Both patients and relatives (if asked to participate) will provide the following samples: blood or buccal (cheek swab) cells for genetic testing, sputum, and urine. - To prevent infections and potential disease progression, patients may receive standard medical care and treatment for bronchiectasis and related infections during this protocol.
The investigators hope to determine if "wet" AMD patients differ from patients with "dry" AMD or normal eyes in the production of anti-retinal pigment epithelium (anti-RPE) or anti-retinal antibody formation. To explain: the immune system can make antibodies that attack our own cells, specifically the RPE and the retina. Normally the RPE and retinal cells are ignored by the immune system, but when disease occurs, immune reactions can occur, making an autoantibody that can attack the patient's own cells and make things worse. This production of autoantibodies that react with our own RPE and retinal cells is what the investigators want to test in this proposal to see if they may contribute to, or are responsible for, a poor response to treatment. The investigators also want to know how those patients who initially respond to the standard-of-care treatment, ranibizumab injections, differ in the production of anti-RPE or anti-retinal antibody formation, from those patients who do not respond initially after 4 consecutive injections.
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is the common primary glomerulonephritis in the world. Much literature suggests that vitamin D and its analogs have profound effects on immune system function and glomerular mesangial cell proliferation. Therefore, the investigators plan to conduct a randomized clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of Calcitriol in the treatment of IgA nephropathy. Forty patients with biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy will be recruited. They will be randomized to Calcitriol for six months or no treatment. Proteinuria, renal function, serum and urinary inflammatory markers will be monitored. This study will explore the potential anti-proteinuric and anti-inflammatory effects of Calcitriol in the treatment of IgA nephropathy, which has no specific treatment at present.