Active clinical trials for "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis"

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurological disease. An exhaustive and frequent clinical evaluation can lead to establish an adequate and early treatment of the consequences of its evolution. Objectives. To evaluate the evolution of diaphragmatic and peripheral neuromuscular degeneration by ultrasound examination in patients with ALS and to establish possible evolution patterns. To verify the relationship between the degenerative peripheral and diaphragmatic neuromuscular changes evaluated by ultrasonography and changes in clinical scales frequently used. To compare the ultrasonographic features of subjects with ALS and a sample of healthy subjects Methods. A longitudinal observational study in a consecutive sample of patients diagnosed with ALS will be realized. All the patients will be examined 3 times, with an interval of at least 3 months between tests. Bilateral and cross sectional ultrasonography of several peripheral muscles and diaphragm will be performed at rest and during muscle contraction. All the images will be processed and analyzed for obtaining morphometric variables (muscle thickness) and textural ones (echogenic variation, entropy, homogeneity, textural contrast and correlation). Frequency of twitches will be also recorded in peripheral muscles.Also clinical features will be noted, every time of the 3 exams, from Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-r), British Medical Council Research Scale(MRC), and routine pulmonary tests.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset, devastating, neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of cortical, brain stem, and spinal motor neurons. Visual evoked potentials studies in patients with ALS suggest visual pathway involvement. Optic coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive cross-sectional imaging modality measuring the optical reflections in biological tissues. The main objective of this observational cohort study is to explore the correlation between changes on OCT retinal parameters and and clinical disability as measured by the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS-r) in patients with ALS at baseline, 3 and 6 months. A secondary objective is to explore the correlation between changes in retinal OCT parameters and pulmonary function tests (FVC and FEV1) in this cohort of patients with ALS. A parallel cohort of healthy age and sex matched subjects will participate as controls to obtain reference values of their retinal layers' thickness at baseline, 3 and 6 months.

Introduction: About 50-60% of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by hypermetabolism, defined as 10% or more excess resting energy expenditure (REE) compared to theoretical values. Harris and Benedict's (HB) formula is the equation mainly used to predict REE, but others are also applied in current practice. The present study aimed to assess REE in ALS patients compared to control populations and to compare six formulas commonly used to predict REE. Nutritional assessments were performed in ALS patients and in two control populations without hypermetabolism: healthy elderly people (control 1) and patients with non-restrictive-eating disorders (control 2). Weight, height and body composition (by bioimpedance analysis) were assessed. EE was measured (mREE) by indirect calorimetry and calculated (cREE) using HB 1919 and 1984, World Schofield, De Lorenzo, Johnstone and Mifflin formulas. Mann-Whitney and Chi2 tests were used to compare the equations.

The purpose of the study is to measure the negative cognitive consequences of the ventilation under pathological or experimental cortical drive to breath.

The primary objective of the intermediate expanded access protocol is to provide access to the investigational product, CNM-Au8, to up to 300 people living with ALS (pALS). No formal clinical hypotheses are being evaluated with concurrent controls. Secondary objectives include assessment of the safety of CNM-Au8 treatment in pALS. Safety will be assessed through the frequency of serious adverse events (SAEs), treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) assessed as 'severe', discontinuations due to TEAEs, and laboratory abnormalities assessed as clinically significant during routine clinical monitoring (as applicable).

The goal of this study is to examine olfactory function in preclinical subjects or individuals with neurological diseases such as Probable Alzheimer's Disease (PRAD), Frontotemporal Dementias (FTD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Using the original MRI images of 16 ALS patients and 16 normal controls matched by gender, age and education level in the previous study, the differences of brain volume in different parts of ALS patients and normal controls, and the correlation between brain structure and clinical characteristics were compared by precise brain volume quantitative analysis technology.

The primary objective is to provide the investigational product, IC14, at the dose of 8 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks for 12 weeks to 6 participants with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). No clinical hypotheses are being tested. An extension for 6 additional doses every 2 weeks will be allowed if the drug is safe and well tolerated.A second extension for 14 doses every 2 weeks will be allowed if the drug is safe and well tolerated.

It is very important monitoring respiratory muscle function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We have at our disposal Respiratory Functional Tests (forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal mouth-inspiratory force (MIF), maximal mouth-expiratory force (MEF), Cough Peak expiratory flow (cPEF), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), arterial blood gases and nocturnal pulsioxymetry) and Thoracic Image Techniques (inspiratory/expiratory Thorax x-ray and x-ray scope). But all this explorations present some technique limitations. They are two new methods to explore diaphragmatic function: SNIF test and Diaphragm magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). SNIF test is simple and easy to be done and it can avoid some problems that have the other respiratory functional test in this kind of patients. dMRI seems to correlate with respiratory functional test and it can be useful monitoring diaphragmatic mobility. The objective of our study is to compare and to correlate SNIF test and dMRI with x-ray techniques and respiratory functional tests that measure diaphragmatic force and function. First of all we will study 10 healthy people with a forced spirometry, MIF, MEF and dMRI, trying to obtain diaphragmatic mobility reference values with dMRI. Lately, we will study patients with ALS. In the first place, we will perform a transversal study with 30 patients. We will do a forced spirometry, MIF, MEF, MVV, cPEF, SNIF, arterial blood gases and nocturnal pulsioxymetry, forced Inspiratory and expiratory Thorax x-ray, diaphragmatic x-ray scope and dMRI. Secondly, we will perform a prospective study, where we will analyze these variables evolution at 3 and 6 months. We hope we can apply the two new techniques in the future because we think they are simpler, more accurate and more objective to evaluate diaphragmatic mobility.

The purpose of a CSF repository is to collect samples of spinal fluid from controls and patients with neurologic disorders including but not exclusively ALS, Dementia, CRPS, neuropathies, and other neuromuscular diseases. This CSF repository will allow the use of CSF in biochemical studies of various neurologic diseases. It would also provide a supply of the necessary normal and disease control patients. CSF would be obtained from patients who are undergoing spinal taps for other reasons including diagnosis, treatment, or participation in clinical trials. We are proposing to collect an additional < 3 ml of CSF from a lumbar puncture that is already being performed for diagnostic or therapeutic reasons, in order to store it in our laboratory for use in future research studies. No lumbar punctures will be initiated specifically for this protocol.