View clinical trials related to Scleroderma, Systemic.
Filter by:Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare multisystem connective-tissue disorder characterized by three major pathological hallmarks: widespread fibrosis, vasculopathy and immunological abnormalities. As all connective tissues can be affected, this condition has multiple effects on the orofacial region. Indeed, the latter is involved in approximately 80% of SSc patients. Oral manifestations have a major impact on quality of life and require specific treatments that should be performed as early as possible. Widening of the periodontal ligament space, that seems to be linked to an increased collagen synthesis, is one of the most common dental radiographic finding. However, this radiologic sign has been mostly studied on two-dimensional radiographs. The investigators have recently described in a patient suffering from SSc the existence of calcifications within the periodontal ligament space using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) approach (Jung et al., Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2013). Such calcifications, that have never been observed before, could be part of the phenotypic spectrum of the disease, in particular when dystrophic calcinosis is associated. They could furthermore constitute a specific feature of SSc. However, this radiographic sign requires to be investigated in a largest number of patients. Several cytokines have been implicated in SSc pathogenesis. A recent study has revealed that elevated CXCL4 serum levels correlate with disease complications, suggesting that this molecule could be used as a prognostic biomarker. Increased IL-6 serum levels also correlate with SSc severity. Gingival crevicular fluid can be easily collected from the gingival crevice surrounding the teeth and constitute an indicator of local but also systemic inflammation. Analysis of gingival crevicular fluid cytokine profile could contribute to the identification of specific SSc biomarkers and allow a better comprehension of oral manifestations pathogenesis. The aim of this case-control study is to characterize precisely the oral manifestations associated with SSc within the National Referral Center for Rare Autoimmune Diseases (Strasbourg, France) patient cohort in order to identify specific radiological, clinical and/or biological signs. Some of them could be correlated to the severity or to the prognosis of the disease. To the investigators knowledge it is the first study using tridimensional CBCT approach.
Doppler signals can be recorded from the lung parenchyma by means of a pulsed Doppler ultrasound system incorporating a special signal processing package; i.e. the transthoracic parametric Doppler (TPD) (EchoSense Ltd., Haifa, Israel). Systemic sclerosis patients often develop pulmonary vascular disease leading to pulmonary hypertension. The TPD system may provide important insight into pulmonary blood vessels characteristics by the LDS signals that are related to pulmonary hypertension. The TPD performance in detecting PAH in SSc patients will be assessed in the study.
Doppler signals can be recorded from the lung parenchyma by means of a pulsed Doppler ultrasound system incorporating a special signal processing package; i.e. the transthoracic parametric Doppler (TPD) (EchoSense Ltd., Haifa, Israel). Systemic sclerosis patients often develop pulmonary vascular disease leading to pulmonary hypertension. The TPD system may provide important insight into pulmonary blood vessels characteristics by the LDS signals that are related to pulmonary hypertension. The TPD performance in detecting PAH in SSc patients will be assessed in the study.
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of pomalidomide in the treatment of patients with systemic sclerosis with interstitial lung disease.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and safety of the drug Gleevec (imatinib) as a new treatment for patients with active diffuse scleroderma. This drug has not been used previously to treat scleroderma, but it has been found to advance the treatment and life span of patients with a type of leukemia called chronic myeloid leukemia or CML. Gleevec acts on chemical signals in the cells that may decrease fibrosis (the hardening of the skin that occurs in scleroderma). It works by interfering in the process that activates many molecules that cause fibrosis, including TGFbeta (which may be a key part of disease activity in scleroderma). This study proposes to treat patients that have significant diffuse scleroderma with Gleevec for 6 months and investigate several measures of scleroderma disease activity before, during and at the end of treatment (0, 3 months and 6 months). This is a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial: 20 patients will be divided into two groups in a 4:1 ratio, with 16 patients taking 400mg of Gleevec per day and 4 taking a placebo. The differences between the groups that will be measured include safety, Modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), global assessments (100mm VAS) and changes in biomarkers in blood and skin biopsies.
The DUAL-2 study is designed as a multicenter, double-blind two-period study with an initial fixed 16-week Period 1, followed by a Period 2 of variable duration. All patients completing Period 1 will continue on their original randomized treatment into Period 2, until the last randomized patient has completed Period 1. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio (macitentan 3mg: macitentan 10mg: placebo). The primary objective is to demonstrate the effect of macitentan on the reduction of the number of new digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis and ongoing digital ulcers (DU). Other objectives include: - the evaluation of the efficacy of macitentan on hand functionality and DU burden at Week 16 in SSc patients with ongoing DU disease. - the evaluation of the safety and tolerability of macitentan in these patients. - the evaluation of the efficacy of macitentan on time to first DU complication during the entire treatment period.
ASSIST I was the first randomized trial in patients with scleroderma to not just slow disease progression but rather actually reverse it. It is the first treatment to have ever demonstrated reversal of lung disease in scleroderma with improvement in FVC, total lung capacity (TLC), high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and QOL. We now, therefore, purpose to compare the ASSIST I conditioning regimen of cyclophosphamide and rATG to a less intense regimen of rATG/cyclophosphamide/Fludarabine. In the new regimen the cyclophosphamide dose is decreased to 120mg/kg (60mg/kg/day x 2) compared to 200mg/kg (50mg/kg/day) in the standard regimen. The lower dose of cyclophosphamide will be less cardiotoxic. This study will determine if the less cardiotoxic regimen will be safer than the standard regimen and as effective as the standard regimen.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate source data for the survival and the investigation of the preliminary efficacy of immunoadsorption in patients with severe systemic sclerosis.
The purpose of this study it to determine whether the use of a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)-agonist (depot-leuprolide acetate) during cyclophosphamide (CYC) therapy in women with rheumatic diseases will provide greater ovarian protection than placebo.
Autoimmune diseases present a special challenge to clinicians and the aim of this protocol is to serve as a last-line effort for patients with unmanageable disease. The primary purpose of this study is to assess feasibility in terms of toxicity and engraftment of a less toxic, nonablative conditioning regimen of Campath-1H, moderate dose fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide for patients with severe autoimmune diseases.