View clinical trials related to Scleroderma.
Filter by:In this study, the investigators seek to evaluate the effects of a laser treatment on the redistribution/regeneration of collagen on the clinical, microscopic, and molecular profiles of hypertrophic scars and scleroderma.
This is a pilot research study to determine the feasibility of gentle yoga and breathing exercises for symptom management in patients with scleroderma. Participants will have a first study visit that includes completing demographic and quality-of-life surveys, learning the gentle yoga and breathing exercises, and providing two saliva samples before and after doing the exercises. After this visit, participants will do the gentle yoga and breathing exercises twice daily at home (morning and evening) by following a video hyperlink. Participants will make an entry in their Yoga Practice Diaries each time they practice at home. On the 12th Week, participants will return to MUSC for a final study visit that includes doing the gentle yoga and breathing exercises, providing saliva samples, and completing a satisfaction survey. There will be a total of 2 clinic visits (on Weeks 1 and 12). The study coordinator will telephone participants weekly during the 10 weeks that they do the gentle yoga and breathing exercises at home to answer questions and help solve any problems. Each visit will take about 2 hours for this research study, in addition to any routine clinical examinations. Each home yoga and breathing practice will take 1 hour. The total study duration is 12 Weeks (3 months). Participants will receive compensation for their travel in the form of prepaid Visa gift cards.
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a diverse group of parenchymal lung disorders characterized by restrictive lung function and impaired alveolar diffusion capacity, leading to dyspnea on exertion, reduced exercise endurance, and poor quality of life. Patients usually complain of progressive breathlessness, persisting non-productive cough, which occurs with exercise. Hemoptysis, fever, chest pain are also seen. The most common comorbidity in chronic lung diseases is the progressive loss of exercise tolerance. Not only dyspnea, but also peripheral muscle dysfunction and cognitive deficits such as, anxiety and depression are responsible for the reduction of mobility in the patient. In the context of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program to be applied in interstitial lung diseases; upper and lower limb endurance, stretching and relaxation techniques, aerobic exercise training, respiratory muscle training, training of energy conservation methods, support by determining oxygen requirement, nutritional evaluation, prevention of weight and muscle loss, psycho-social support. The purpose of PR programs in this disease is; to improve muscle strength, endurance, and mechanical activity, to improve dyspnea sensation, to improve functional capacity, to inform and educate the patient about the patient's disease. The use of whole body vibration (TVT) is an increasingly common method of therapeutic use in order to improve neuromuscular performance. TVT applications have shown that increases muscle activity, muscle strength and muscle strength, improves lower extremity blood circulation and balance, and increases growth hormone production. TVT training effects have rarely been studied in patients with pulmonary disease. Muscle strength and performance enhancement were significant effects of TVT, which was emphasized as a promising exercise method for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Over the past decade, endurance and strength training has been established as the most important components of exercise training programs in patients with COPD and ILD. Therefore, inclusion of TVT into exercise training programs in ILD patients may lead to beneficial results. The investigators hypotheses are: 1. the combination of home respiratory exercises with whole body vibration training may lead to more improved respiratory muscle strength, dyspnoea, functional capacity, balance, peripheral muscle strength and quality of life in ILD patients 2. when applied as an isolated intervention, home respiratory exercises programme may lead to lower results than combination programs.
This is a randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial assessing the therapeutic efficacy of Botulinum toxin A (Onabotulinumtoxin A) in treating scleroderma-associated Raynaud's syndrome. Each patient will undergo injection with a treatment dose of Botulinum toxin A in one randomly-selected hand, and the contralateral hand will be injected with sterile saline (placebo) to serve as a control. Study participants at the first study visit will complete study questionnaires, their hands will be assessed clinically for digital ulceration, and their hands will undergo non-invasive laser Doppler imaging to assess blood flow. After this initial assessment, the patients will undergo peri-arterial injection of Botulinum toxin A in one hand, and of sterile saline solution (placebo) in the other, in a randomized, blinded manner. Patient will report the severity of their Raynaud's symptoms weekly over the four month study period. At one month post-injection, the patient will complete study questionnaires, their hands will be assessed clinically for digital ulceration, and their hands will undergo non-invasive laser Doppler imaging. At four months post-injection, the patient will again complete study questionnaires, their hands will be assessed clinically for digital ulceration, and their hands will undergo non-invasive laser Doppler imaging. In addition, patient will be given the option of one week post-injection visit, at which point the same assessment will be performed. At the conclusion of the study, unblinding will occur.
Autologous stem cell therapy has been shown to be effective in patients with systemic sclerosis. Nevertheless treatment is associated with treatment related mortality and patients die during follow up despite successful transplantation. Intention of this trial is to improve overall survival by modifying the existing protocol used for the ASTIS trial. To reduce treatment toxicity we reduce the dose of Cyclophosphamide (CYC) for mobilisation to 2x1g. Especially in patients with cardiac manifestations we also modify the conditioning regimen by adding thiotepa and reducing CYC; as CYC has known cardiotoxic side effects.