View clinical trials related to Myositis.
Filter by:IBM is the most common acquired muscle disease occurring over the age of 50. The underlying cause remains unknown and there is currently no effective treatment. Pathological studies have revealed abnormal collections of proteins in the muscle cells from patients with IBM. These include proteins called phosphorylated tau (p-tau). A similar process appears to occur in Alzheimer disease, with accumulations of p-tau developing in brain cells. Lithium decreases the activity of the GSK, an enzyme that has a key role in the development of p-tau. Lithium and other GSK inhibitors have been shown to decrease the accumulation of p-tau in nerve cells in animal models of Alzheimer disease. The proposed research is a pilot study to see if lithium might be an effective treatment for IBM
Comparison of a group of 20 IBM patients with 20 controls matched on age, gender and weight.
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of fish oil supplementation (Lovaza, GlaxoSmithKline) on muscle strength, muscle soreness and inflammation following exercise.
Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common late onset acquired muscle disease. Patients develop progressive weakness that may result in the need for assistive devices including a wheelchair. IBM may be due to abnormal immune activation, due in part to overproduction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Etanercept blocks the activity of TNF-alpha, thereby blunting immune overactivation. Previous unblinded studies and case reports suggest that etanercept may improve strength or slow the progressive weakness in IBM. We are conducting a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to test if Etanercept is beneficial in slowing the progressive weakness in patients with IBM.
The traditional treatment of inflammatory myopathies (IM) and generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) is immunosuppressive therapy, usually beginning with corticosteroids. However, up to 70% of treated patients show an incomplete response, including 10 - 30% who are unresponsive. Corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive therapies presented also many side effects. We propose to evaluate in a pilot, open, prospective, multicentric, phase II study, the interest of rituximab in the treatment of patients with primary IM associated with specific AAb (anti-synthetase and anti-SRP AAbs), or MG (with anti-AchR AAbs), refractory to conventional therapies. Twenty fourth patients with primary IM (12 with anti-synthetase, 12 with anti-SRP AAbs), and 12 with MG will be included in the study.
Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common progressive and debilitating muscle disease beginning in persons over 50 years of age. This study will assess the safety and tolerability of Arimoclomol in IBM as compared to placebo over 4 months of treatment.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of physical exercise on gene expression in muscle biopsies from patients with chronic polymyositis or dermatomyositis
This is a 4 month open trial with TNF-blockade using infliximab (an antibody that blocks TNF) in adult patients with chronic myositis (polymyositis, dermatomyositis, inclusion body myositis) who have persisting muscle weakness and inflammatory active disease despite adequate treatment with immunosuppressives either currently or previously. Infliximab is given as infusions, 5 mg/kg body weight, these infusions are repeated after 2, 6 and 14 weeks. The study involves 15 adult patients. Primary outcome measure is muscle function assessed by muscle function index score. Other outcome measures are Myositis Disease Activity core set: Patient’s global assessment and physicians global assessment on visual analogue scales (VAS). Manual muscle test, Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), serum levels of CPK, LD and extra muscular disease activity score. Muscle biopsy, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of thigh muscles and Health related Quality of life, measured by SF-36.
This study will define the major genetic risk and protective factors for idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), a group of immune disorders affecting connective tissues such as muscles. It will also identify new environmental risk factors for IIM and identify immune responses in myositis and related diseases. There are many forms of IIMs, and the causes of these diseases are unknown. However, scientists suspect that they result when people with some genetic factors that predispose them-that is, put them at greater risk-are exposed to certain environmental triggers. Some of those triggers include food, drugs, biologics (such as a vaccine to prevent disease), medical devices and occupational exposures. Patients, including children under 18, who had a diagnosis of myositis, a related autoimmune disease, or a rheumatic disease, as well as their blood relatives, and control subjects who were in good health have already been recruited for this study. The evaluation consisted of one outpatient visit to the patient's doctor, who will obtain a medical history and conduct a physician examination. Patients spent 20 to 30 minutes to answer written questions. There was a blood collection of about 6 tablespoons. If there was a major change in patients' medical conditions, they were asked to return for a second outpatient evaluation to determine whether any of the blood tests or antibodies, which show an immune response, had changed. Blood samples collected will be used only for laboratory research studies. The samples have been identified by a code, and all other identifying information have been removed. During the study, researchers will explore possible environmental risk factors, including studies of infectious and non-infectious agents. They will analyze the blood for genetic markers and test for certain antibodies. Laboratory results will be evaluated as they relate to the signs, symptoms, and severity of patients' illnesses. That would help researchers to better understand patterns of the diseases and the outcomes for patients. This study will not have a direct benefit for patients. However, results from the study can be made available to patients' doctors for use in appropriate care. Also, it is hoped that information gained can help other people in the future.
Myositis is a disease, believed to be due to immune cells, cells which normally protect the body, but are now attacking the muscles and other organ systems within body. As a result, the affected muscles and organs fail to work properly causing weakness, difficulty swallowing, skin rash, respiratory problems, heart problems, joint stiffness, soft tissue calcification and vasculitis (blood circulation problems). The likelihood of progression of this disease is high. This study is designed to examine whether treating patients with high dose cyclophosphamide (a drug which reduces the function of the immune system) and ATG (a protein that kills the immune cells that are thought to be causing this disease), followed by return of previously collected blood stem cells will stop the progression of myositis.