Clinical Trials and Studies

Are you an adult diagnosed with COPD? If so, you may be able to participate in a clinical trial where researchers are studying whether a home delivery program with foods meant to help increase the amount of omega-3 that you eat can help with COPD. You must be at least 40 years old and diagnosed with COPD to participate. The study is taking place in Baltimore, Maryland.

Are you a smoker with COPD who is willing to use an e-cigarette to reduce how much you smoke? If so, you may be able to participate in a study that is trying to learn more about the effect of switching from smoking cigarettes to using e-cigarettes on COPD symptoms. You may be able to participate if you are 21 to 74 years old, have mild to moderate COPD, and are willing to try e-cigarettes to cut back on your smoking. The study is taking place in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Do you have both type II diabetes and obesity? Researchers are studying how exercise and weight-loss affect body fat tissues and cells in the body. Participants must be 18 to 50 years old and be able to do moderately intense physical activity. The study is taking place in Chicago, Illinois.

This is a combined retrospective and prospective, longitudinal, observational meta-cohort of individuals age 0-25 years who will enter the cohort with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection at varying stages before and after infection. Individuals with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection and with or without PASC symptoms will be followed to identify risk factors and occurrence of PASC. This study will be conducted in the United States and participants will be recruited through inpatient, outpatient, and community-based settings. Study data including age, demographics, social determinants of health, medical history, vaccination history, details of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, overall health and physical function, and PASC symptoms will be reported by participants or collected from the electronic health record using a case report form at specified intervals. Biologic specimens will be collected at specified intervals, with some tests performed in local clinical laboratories and others performed by centralized research centers or banked in the Biospecimen Repository. Advanced clinical examinations and radiologic examinations will be performed at local study sites with cross-site standardization.

Have you lived in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, or Mississippi for at least two years and are you interested in participating in a clinical study where researchers are trying to better understand health and disease in rural areas? The study team will track your physical activity using a provided Fitbit device and will also ask questions about your health and lifestyle through a cell phone app. You will also receive a kit to measure environmental and health factors in your homes. Participants must live in one of these counties: Dallas County, Alabama; Wilcox County, Alabama; Boyle County, Kentucky; Perry County, Kentucky; Garrard County, Kentucky; Breathitt County, Kentucky; Assumption Parish, Louisiana; Franklin Parish, Louisiana; Oktibbeha County, Mississippi; and Panola County, Mississippi.

The purpose of this study is to non-invasively characterize the fibrotic consequences of single ventricle physiology, its possible solution and effect on lymphatics.

The purpose of this research is assess imaging and identification of soft plaque that undergoes large deformations or strain will identify plaque vulnerable to rupture which could lead to 'silent strokes'. Validation of current study results with MRI will foster use of real-time ultrasound (US) strain imaging and strain indices as a screening tool for identifying normal human participants susceptible to increased vascular aging and developing plaque prone to rupture or micro-embolization.

Current research will evaluate Lagrangian carotid strain imaging (LCSI) for prediction of vascular health on volunteers. In this study, investigators will evaluate age-related strain variations (due to plaque deposition) in the carotid artery, establishing groundwork that will help identify typical and atypical values for these indices. Investigator's hypothesis is that plaques with higher strain indices (softer plaques) are more prone to rupture than plaques with lower strain indices (stiffer) plaques, thus requiring intervention. Clinical criteria for treatment has focused primarily on the degree of stenosis. Long-term objectives are to provide non-invasive methods for screening participants at risk for vascular aging or plaque rupture in asymptomatic participants, expanding upon current criteria for risk assessments based on focal transient ischemic attack (TIA) or strokes. Variations in vessel strain have been associated with, or are precursors to, plaque deposition, vascular aging, or cerebrovascular diseases. Increased arterial strain and pressure changes have been linked to brain aging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based vascular indices, and memory deficits commonly linked to Alzheimer dementia. Stiffening and thickening of the arterial walls have also been associated with cerebrovascular disease. Investigators hypothesize that strain indices as vascular biomarkers can be utilized for screening possible 'vulnerable participants' validated with MRI, with the potential ability to improve endothelial function and reverse vascular aging. Strain indices may enable differentiating study participants with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) from other dementias. Cognitive testing is unable to make this differentiation.

Are you an adult planning to get a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant to treat heart failure? If so, you may be able to take part in a clinical trial about heart failure. Researchers are testing whether a dietary supplement can improve heart function for people with advanced heart failure. To participate, you must be at least 18 years old and be scheduled for elective LVAD implantation. The study is taking place in Seattle, Washington.

Do you have chronic kidney disease? If you are at least 21 years old, you may be able to participate in this study of a medication typically used to treat gout to see if can be used to treat people with chronic kidney disease. The study is taking place in Boston, Massachusetts.

The goal of the study is to learn more about tests that can assess lung health in children with Down syndrome.