View clinical trials related to Leukocyte Disorders.
Filter by:Background: - Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a disorder in which the body has too many eosinophils (a type of white blood cell). Too many eosinophils in HES can cause damage to the heart, nerves, or skin. Certain drugs can help lower eosinophil counts to prevent tissue damage. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, are used for initial therapy in this disorder. Although most people respond to prednisone, some people develop side effects from it, or do not respond very well to treatment. Better ways of determining the dose to give could help to decide on the best therapy for HES. Objectives: - To determine whether a single-dose of prednisone can be used to predict which people with hypereosinophilia respond to treatment. - To study lack of response to steroid treatment in people with HES. Eligibility: Inclusion criteria: - Individuals with hypereosinophilic syndrome with high eosinophil counts. - Individuals who are willing to have blood drawn before and after getting steroids. Exclusion criteria: - Individuals who are on more than 10mg of prednisone (or similar drug) - Individuals with hypereosinophilic syndrome who are on other medications that could interfere with the study - Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding - Individuals who have a known gene mutation associated with chronic eosinophilic leukemia - Children less than 18 years old who weigh less than 48kg or 106lb Design: - Participants will have a screening visit with a physical exam and medical history. Blood and urine samples will be collected. - Participants will have a single dose of the steroid prednisone by mouth in the morning. Blood samples will be collected 2, 4, 24 hours after this dose. - On the day after the steroid dose, participants will provide another blood sample in the morning. - Participants will start to take prednisone daily when they return home. Blood samples will be collected weekly at the participant s doctor s office. The dose of prednisone will be lowered depending on the weekly eosinophil count. We will try to get each person on the lowest dose of prednisone possible that will control the disorder. Participants who do not respond or have severe side effects will be taken off prednisone. Other treatments will be considered for people who do not respond to steroids. The goal is to evaluate the response to prednisone. Our research will try to figure out why some people do not respond to steroids. Most people will complete the study within 6 to 16 weeks, depending on their response to prednisone.
To test the hypothesis that leukocyte filtering during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) might reduce the inflammatory response and protect the lungs against the acute injury
In recent decades, hematologists have noticed that persons of African descent sometimes have lower white blood cell counts of a certain type, called granulocytes. These cells help to fight infections. The lower number of granulocytes in this situation does not appear to lead to more infections, and these individuals do not have any symptoms. This condition is called benign ethnic neutropenia (BEN), and is observed in a small percentage of individuals of African descent. This study will investigate the condition by studying people with and without BEN. The goals of this study are to: 1. identify individuals of African descent with BEN. 2. determine the effects of two drugs, G-CSF and dexamethasone, on granulocyte production and movement. 3. determine whether there are differences in those with and without BEN in the way genes are stimulated after the administration of G-CSF and dexamethasone. Study participants will be asked to interview with the research team, undergo physical exams, donate a blood sample, and receive G-CSF by injection, followed by dexamethasone (orally) about three weeks later. They also will be required to undergo apheresis three times, a procedure in which blood is drawn from a donor and separated into its components. Some components are retained for research analyses, such as granulocytes, and small amount of blood; the remainder is returned by transfusion to the donor. This procedure will be required of participants before they receive G-CSF, the day after they receive G-CSF, and the day after they receive dexamethasone. Gene messages (mRNA will be isolated from granulocytes, and analyzed to better understand granulocyte growth and movement.
This study will try to determine what causes learning, behavioral and emotional problems in children with chronic granulomatous disease (GCD) and other phagocyte disorders. (Phagocytes are a type of white blood cell.) Children with these disorders have frequent severe infections that require hospitalization, sometimes for long periods of time. Many of them also have problems with school, learning, behavior, anxiety and depression. This study will explore whether these latter problems are a direct result of the illness itself or are a consequence of frequent, long hospitalizations, or are due to other factors. Test findings in these children will be compared with those of children with cystic fibrosis-another disease that causes frequent infections requiring prolonged hospitalization. Patients age 2 or older with GCD or other phagocytic disorders or cystic fibrosis may be eligible for this study. Participants (or a parent or guardian) will complete questionnaires including personal information such as age, gender and marital status, a family medical history, and information on their illness. Patients will be given various psychological and intelligence tests, and they and their parents or guardians will be interviewed by a child psychiatrist. The tests and interviews take a total of about 5 hours and are given in two or three separate sessions. The tests may reveal problems such as learning disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, or depression. If any of these problems are identified, appropriate referrals will be made for specialized services, such as special school placement, tutoring, or counseling.