Valproate and Levocarnitine in Children With Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Spinal Muscular AtrophySpinal muscular atrophy (SMA), an autosomal recessive disorder, is characterized by muscle weakness due to degeneration of anterior horn cells in the spinal cord and brain stem nuclei. It has a variable incidence of 1 in 6700 to 1 in 25000 live births and prevalence of 0.12 to 25 per 10,000 populations in different geographic areas and genetic constitution. A homozygous deletion/mutation involving exon 7 in SMN1 (survival motor neuron 1) is present in around 95% of the cases, resulting in the biochemical deficiency of the SMN protein. A genomic duplication at the same locus produces nearly identical SMN2 (survival motor neuron 2) that differs from SMN1 by a nucleotide substitution that promotes exon 7 exclusion thus giving rise to only a fraction of the full length protein. Phenotypic variation in SMA correlates with the number of SMN2 gene copies and the level of SMN protein in cells. Several hypotheses including defective inhibition of apoptosis, glutamate excitotoxicity and lack of a neurotrophic factor(s) in nerve or muscle have been speculated in the pathogenesis of SMA. Valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, directly increases SMN expression in SMA patient-derived cell lines in vitro. Till date 3 open label trials and 1 placebo controlled RCT of VPA in human subjects have been published, all indicating a possible benefit in strength and/or motor function. Till date there is no effective therapy for SMA. Therapy is mainly supportive and palliative which can prolong lifespan and prevent complications to some extent without actually curing the disease. Children with SMA may have a reduced capacity to synthesis carnitine consequent to significantly diminished skeletal muscle mass. VPA independently inhibits carnitine transport and its metabolites deplete carnitine levels by binding to them. So along with valproate these patients should be supplemented with carnitine. With this background the investigators have planned a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial of Valproate and levocarnitine in 60 children (30 each in intervention and control arm) with Spinal Muscular Atrophy aged 2-15 years over a 2 year period with one baseline and four follow up visits. The study will be conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, AIIMS at the Myopathy clinic.
Gene-activated Matrix for Bone Tissue Repair in Maxillofacial Surgery
Maxillofacial Bone DefectsAlveolar Bone Atrophy5 moreThe purpose of this study is to evaluate safety and efficacy of gene-activated matrix ("Nucleostim") for regeneration of bone tissue in maxillofacial area. Patients with congenital and acquired maxillofacial defects (sockets of extracted teeth, bone defects after injuries, surgeries, excision of benign neoplasms and pseudotumors, etc.) or alveolar bone atrophy will be included into the study.
Effectiveness and Safety of Method of Maxilla Alveolar Process Reconstruction Using Synthetic Tricalcium...
Partially Edentulous MaxillaAlveolar Bone Atrophy1 moreAutologous MMSCs will be isolated from oral mucosa biopsy sample and expanded in vitro.Tissue engineered construction will be created using synthetic tricalcium phosphate and autologous MMSCs. Patients will undergo sinus lift procedure with implantation of created tissue-engineered construction. This is a single arm study with no control. All patients receive cell therapy.
Comparison of Treatments for Atrophic Acne Scars
AcneScarAcne scars have high prevalence, significant impact on quality of life and are a therapeutic challenge for dermatologists. Previous studies have shown promising results for the treatment of acne scars with non-ablative fractional laser and microneedling, however there are no studies comparing the these techniques. Therefore, the objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of treatment of atrophic acne scars on the face with non-ablative fractional erbium laser and microneedling.
Study the Safety and Efficacy of Bone Marrow Derived Autologous Cells for the Treatment of Optic...
Optic AtrophyThis is a Single arm, Single centre trial to check the safety and efficacy of bone marrow derived autologous mono nuclear cell(100 millions per dose )clinical trial to be conducted for 36 months in patients with optic nerve diseases.
Clinical Study of the CO2RE Laser Device Performance for Vaginal Atrophy Treatments
Vaginal AtrophyThe CO2RE laser system is a fractional CO2 laser that is FDA approved under a 510(k) K101321 for dermatologic procedures requiring ablation and coagulation of soft tissues, including the skin Eligible subjects will undergo 3 treatments in 4±1 weeks interval on the Vagina (External/Vulva and Internal/Vagina) with the CO2RE device according to study protocol. Subject will return for to 5 follow-up (FU) visits: 1 week ± 2 days post first treatment visit and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after last (third) treatment (± 2 weeks). Methodology described in protocol to evaluate efficacy of treatments will be carried out at each visit at the clinic.
Modeling the Effects of Vocal Cord Atrophy on Airflow and Voice Quality in Elderly Individuals
Vocal Cord AtrophyThe purpose of this study is to develop a validated computational model for assessing normative change in these patterns in patients with vocal cord atrophy before and after voice therapy. This is a prospective study comparing two cohorts - patients with vocal cord atrophy(VCA) (G1) and healthy controls (G2). Subjects with VCA will receive a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan with the standard laryngeal protocol before and after voice therapy. Healthy controls will also receive one cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan. Subjects with VCA (G1) will undergo post-therapy scans approximately 4 weeks after completion of voice therapy treatment. Enrolled subjects will also undergo a video stroboscopy and acoustic/aerodynamic testing. Subjects in G1 typically have these procedures performed before and after voice therapy as standard of care. Participants in G2 (healthy controls) will have the video stroboscopy and acoustic/aerodynamic testing just once since they would not otherwise be scheduled to undergo voice therapy. Potential subjects will be between 65 and 80 years of age will be considered for the study if they qualify based on inclusion criteria. Potential subjects will undergo are pre-screening process involving an initial telephone screening. Raw data (measured and calculated) derived from this pilot study will be reported, and no statistical analysis will be performed. Data from specific aim 1 (G2) and specific aim 2 (G1) will be compared using graphical representations such as bar and dot plots. There is a potential for the loss of confidentiality; however, every reasonable effort will be made to limit breaches of privacy and confidentiality. Subjects may directly benefit from this study. In addition, data and conclusions derived from this study may help future patients regarding the effects of vocal therapy on vocal cord atrophy (VCA). The investigators will recruit up to 12 subjects to account for screen failures. Once 8 eligible subjects are enrolled (4 per group), then enrollment will end.
Laser Therapy for Vulvovaginal Symptoms in Breast Cancer Patients
Vulvovaginal AtrophyGenitourinary Symptoms and Ill-Defined ConditionsTo determine the efficacy of ablative carbon dioxide laser in the treatment of the signs and symptoms of vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) or genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in women with breast cancer.
The Impact of N-Acetylcysteine on Volumetric Retention of Autologous Fat Graft for Breast Asymmetry...
Breast; DeformityCongenital3 moreThe aim of this study is to assess the effect of new tumescent solution for liposuction containing N-Acetylcysteine (Pietruski solution) on the autologous fat graft volumetric retention used for healthy women breast asymmetry correction by means of lipofilling.
Strategies to Reduce Organic Muscle Atrophy in the Intensive Care Unit
Muscle AtrophyAcute muscle wasting occurs early and rapidly during the first week of critical illness and contributes substantially to weakness acquired in the ICU. Muscle wasting and subsequent weakness is associated with delayed liberation from mechanical ventilation, prolonged hospital length of stay, long-term functional disability, and worse quality of life. Moreover, low muscle volume as well as ICU-acquired weakness increases the risk of mortality in critically ill patients. Although several factors likely accelerate skeletal muscle wasting during critical illness (e.g., immobility, inflammation, multi-organ failure), the understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains limited and is reflected in the lack of effective interventions to prevent the loss of muscle mass in ICU patients. To-date, there is no known safe and effective pharmacological or nutritional intervention to attenuate the acute loss of muscle mass in ICU patients. Leucine is an amino acid widely regarded for its anabolic effects on muscle metabolism. However, the concentrations required to maximize its anti-proteolytic effects are far greater than the concentrations required to maximally stimulate protein synthesis. This has resulted in the search for leucine metabolites that may also be potent mediators of anabolic processes in skeletal muscle; one such compound is β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB). HMB is thought to primarily facilitate protein synthesis through stimulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a protein kinase responsive to mechanical, hormonal, and nutritional stimuli that plays a central role in the control of cell growth. Randomized, controlled trials to assess the effect of HMB supplementation on clinical outcomes in patients with chronic diseases are limited, and even fewer studies have assessed its effects on skeletal muscle metabolism during critical illness. Furthermore, despite compelling preclinical evidence, the exact mechanisms underlying the effect of HMB supplementation during acute catabolic stress in humans is not well defined. Therefore, the investigators goal is to study the impact of early HMB supplementation on skeletal muscle mass in ICU patients and to explore the mechanisms by which HMB may exert its effects on skeletal muscle metabolism during critical illness.