Active clinical trials for "Autoimmune Diseases"

In a hitherto ill-defined proportion of patients with inflammatory/familial cardiomyopathy, the phenotype dilative cardiomyopathy (DCM) is assumed to be the endstage of a multifactorial etiopathogenetic pathophysiology. Precipitating factors include enhanced autoimmunity, predisposition for viral infections, environmental factors in addition to a specific 'genetic background' of the individual patient. It is unresolved, whether the susceptibility to immunologically mediated myocardial damage reflects the presence of genetic risk factors shared by other autoimmune diseases, or is cardio-specific with individual predisposing factors. Aims of the project are the search for a genetic link or oredisposition to autoimmune diseases in patients with familial / inflammatory DCM.

The spectrum of reported autoimmune phenomena in HIV infected patients is unexpectedly broad and - owing to the current efficacious treatment regimes - increasing. The likelihood of the occurrence of autoimmune phenomena correlates with a high CD4 count, consequently they are found most frequently soon after infection or after immune reconstitution. It is likely that recent developments, namely the recommendation to treat all patients regardless of their CD4 count, may lead to a further increase in autoimmune phenomena in HIV infected patients. In contrast to the abundance of data of rheumatological and hematological autoimmune disease in HIV infected patients, no systematic study exists which has analyzed the prevalence of autoimmune blistering disease and/or associated autoantibodies in these patients. The investigators therefore intend to determine the prevalence of selected autoantibodies in our HIV cohort in relation to uninfected controls. According to recent guidelines, all HIV infected patients should receive anti-retroviral treatment at the earliest time point possible, making the restoration of the immune system more likely and leading to a further alignment of the life expectancy relative to age matched, uninfected controls. As a consequence, the incidence of AIBD, especially of bullous pemphigoid, for which age is the single most important risk factor, may rise. In total, knowledge about the prevalence of AIBD specific auto antibodies might be supportive in the diagnosis of these conditions in the future.

A retrospective study evaluating the characteristics of tuberculosis infection in patients of rheumatic disease.

The research questions to be addressed by this study are as follows: What is the prevalence of ipilimumab use among adults with a history of autoimmune disease that received treatment with ipilimumab for advanced melanoma? Do melanoma patients with a history of autoimmune disease experience complications that require hospitalization related to their underlying autoimmune disease following treatment with ipilimumab?

Background: - Laboratory research studies require control samples from healthy volunteers to compare with samples from patients. These studies will help researchers better understand and refine treatments for immune system and inflammatory diseases. Objective: - To obtain blood, urine, buccal (mouth) mucosa, normal tissue and bone marrow samples and/or leukopheresis cells from healthy volunteers. Eligibility: - Healthy individuals at least 8 years of age. Design: Volunteers will be recruited through the Program for Healthy Volunteers, Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office, or self-referral through the clinicaltrials.gov Web site. Health will be confirmed by a brief history and physical examination and blood work. Volunteers 8 years of age and older will provide blood and urine samples using standard procedures. Buccal mucosa samples will be obtained by scraping the insides of both cheeks with a sterile nylon brush. Bone marrow samples will be obtained from volunteers 18 years of age and older by taking two aspirates from the posterior iliac crest (an area near the hip). Normal tissue samples will be obtained from volunteers 18 years of age and older by taking superficial skin samples (punch biopsies) Leukopheresis or lymphapheresis will be performed on volunteers 18 years of age and older to obtain white blood cells for research Samples will be assigned a unique code and will be stored until they are no longer of scientific value or the volunteer withdraws consent for their use.

Autoimmune diseases may involve nearly any organ and are characterized by abnormal activation or response of certain cells. Evidence suggests that farm work, exposure to silica from farming activities and exposure to pesticides may contribute to the development of autoimmune disease. Associations between autoimmune diseases and farming, however, have not been extensively investigated, and exposure data in the currently available studies are extremely limited. One of the major challenges in conducting population-based research on autoimmune diseases is case ascertainment. Self-report of previous diagnosis has proven to be unreliable. This protocol outlines a strategy to confirm self-reported diagnoses of systemic autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, and Sjogren syndrome) within the Agricultural Health Study group (AHS; a group of licensed pesticide applicators and spouses who completed a questionnaire). The confirmed cases will constitute a refined case group to allow analyses of pesticides and other farming-related exposures as possible risk factors for these diseases using data that have already been collected. Subjects will be selected from participants in the AHS who reported one of the diseases being studied. A short telephone interview will be conducted with participants, who will be requested to provide written consent for review of information from medical records. To confirm the self-diagnosis, participants' physicians will be contacted. Specific information will be requested in the form of a checklist. Responses will be reviewed for evidence of diagnosis and classified as confirmed, probable, physician-diagnosed, or unconfirmed. Secondary objectives of this study are to: assess the correct interpretation of conflicting self-reports that are provided at two different times. evaluate the usefulness of specific questions that could potentially be used in future studies to validate self-reported cases of rheumatoid arthritis in men.

This protocol will examine blood, synovial fluid and synovial tissue from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory joint diseases to study genetic and immunologic factors involved in the cause, development and progression of these conditions. Synovial fluid is the lubricating fluid in joints. The synovial membrane is a delicate tissue lining the inner surface of joints, which, in arthritic conditions, thickens and becomes infiltrated with various types of cells. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and certain patients with other forms of arthritis may be eligible for this study. Those enrolled will be followed periodically for follow-up and disease evaluation. They may undergo the following procedures: Synovial fluid aspiration, when medically indicated (for example, for joint swelling and inflammation). For this procedure, an area of skin around the joint is numbed with an anesthetic, and a needle is inserted into the joint to withdraw a small fluid sample. Periodic blood sampling, not to exceed 450 milliliters (15 ounces) during any 6-week period, for genetic studies of rheumatoid arthritis. The samples are usually taken at the same times that synovial fluid is withdrawn. Synovial tissues, collected by needle biopsy or during surgical procedures for arthroscopy (examination of the interior of the joint and repair of the joint) or total joint replacement. For the needle biopsy, the skin over the biopsy site is washed and anesthetized. A needle is inserted and fluid is aspirated. The biopsy needle is then inserted through the outer needle and a tissue sample is suctioned. Patients who qualify for other research studies may be invited to participate.

A prospective intra-individual study to compare the image quality of magnetic resonance (MR) pancreatography at 3.0 T and 1.5 T in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis.

The purpose of this study is to determine the biodistribution of a new agent 1-L-(2 deoxy-2,-18fluoroarabinofuranosyl) cytosine non-invasively in healthy humans and to evaluate whether it can be used to image cancer, autoimmune disease, and inflammation

The purpose of this post-marketing study is to evaluate the incidence of autoimmune diseases (AIDs) following females who have received at the least the first dose of Cervarix® as part of their routine health care.