Active clinical trials for "Anemia, Sickle Cell"

The vast majority of births with sickle cell disease (SCD) occur in Africa and 90% are thought to die before the age of five. Hydroxyurea (HU) is the only drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of sickle cell anemia. Although HU is used to treat small numbers of patients in Africa, cost, fear of toxicity, and lack of awareness and availability limit its use. The leukopenia that may be seen with HU raises the possibility of increased susceptibility to infection. Risk stratification - i.e., identification of patients most likely to benefit- could focus therapy and provide confidence that the risk:benefit ratio is favorable. Several clinical measures of future risk are well defined and findings on modifier genes in the US, primarily related to fetal hemoglobin (HbF), have further improved risk prediction. Whether the genetic variants predict severity in Africa is not known. The investigators have established a SCD cohort in Ibadan, Nigeria. In the first phase of this research the investigators will implement clinical risk examinations and assess the relationship between clinical characteristics (including levels of HbF) and known genetic markers. As a proxy for a birth cohort, the investigators will compare the frequency of the genetic markers in adult patients (i.e., "survivors") to children. In the second phase the investigators will randomize 40 high risk adult patients to fixed low dose HU or no HU treatment in a crossover design and monitor hematologic and physiologic parameters to document hematologic effects and safety. This work will lay the basis for a large-scale trial to document safety and efficacy.

The purpose of this study is to assess the tolerance and efficacy of mobilizing hematopoietic stem cells after a single injection of plerixafor (0.24mg/kg) in 3 adult patients (or 5, if results of the first 3 patients are not reproducible) affected by sickle cell disease.

Acute chest syndrome is a severe sickle cell disease complication in children requiring blood transfusion therapy to prevent acute respiratory failure and death. Nitric oxide is a potent vasodilator that could reverse pulmonary vascular occlusion and restore normal oxygenation. The randomized trial will test that hypothesis.

Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is similar to severe pneumonia and is a common cause of hospitalizations for people with sickle cell disease (SCD). Blood transfusions are one treatment option for ACS. High levels of an enzyme called secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) may be present in people before they develop ACS. This study will determine how well sPLA2 levels can predict the onset of ACS and whether identifying high sPLA2 levels allows enough time to prevent ACS with blood transfusions. Results from this study will help to determine the feasibility of conducting a larger study that would further examine the use of sPLA2 levels and blood transfusions to prevent ACS in people with SCD.

This study tests the clinical outcomes of one of two preparative regimens (determined by available donor source) in patients with non-malignant hemoglobinopathies. The researchers hypothesize that these regimens will have a positive effect on post transplant engraftment and the incidence of graft-versus-host-disease. Regimen A2 has replaced Regimen A in this study. Two patients were treated on Regimen A but did not have evidence of initial engraftment thus triggering the stopping rule for that arm of this study.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the new orally active iron chelator, ICL670, is as safe as deferoxamine in preventing accumulation of iron in the body while a patient is undergoing repeated blood transfusions.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effects of L-glutamine as a therapy for sickle cell anemia and sickle ß0-thalassemia. as evaluated by the number of occurrences of sickle cell crises.

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of fructose administered every 6 hours for up to 72 hours to patients in active sickle cell crisis. II. Obtain tolerability information in selected patients treated with fructose for more than 72 hours.

ICA-17043 is being developed for the chronic treatment of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in both adults and children. ICA-17043 is a potent and specific inhibitor of a channel in human red blood cells (RBCs) that blocks RBC dehydration. ICA-17043 is expected to inhibit RBC dehydration and thus should prevent or delay the sickling process. By reducing sickled cells, an improvement in anemia, a reduction in painful crises, and ultimately, less end-organ disease is anticipated.

This is a study to determine if oral arginine will increase nitric oxide in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients with acute chest syndrome (ACS). It will also assess the effects of arginine in the body and how the body uses nitric oxide in ACS.