Active clinical trials for "Hematologic Diseases"

To determine whether deferoxamine prevented the complications of transfusional iron overload.

This pilot trial offers the unique opportunity for both the treatment of multiple myeloma or systemic AL amyloidosis for which hematopoietic stem cell transplantation would be ordinarily indicated and the reversal of end-stage renal failure, while avoiding the risks associated with long-term standard anti-rejection therapy used in renal transplantation. The primary objectives of this study are to assess renal allograft tolerance (that is, the acceptance of the kidney without the need for anti-rejection therapy), assess anti-tumor response rates in multiple myeloma and AL amyloidosis, and assess complication rates for genetically (HLA) matched related donor combined bone marrow and kidney transplantation using a low dose total body irradiation based preparative regimen.

To investigate a modified hematopoeitic cell transplantation (HCT) procedure for sickle cell disease that significantly reduces the toxicity of HCT, yet retains its therapeutic benefit.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) has the potential to cure a variety of malignant and non-malignant diseases. However, it is associated with significant morbidity, and treatment-related mortality. This is due in large part to the prolonged pancytopenia and immunosuppression associated with the preparatory regimen of chemotherapy and/or radiation and the wait until engraftment of the transplanted hematopoietic stem cells. During this vulnerable period, infectious complications are common. Historically HCT patients were kept in protected environments to safeguard their health during the pancytopenic phase; despite these measures, infectious complications and graft versus host disease (GVHD) remained common and lead to significant morbidity and mortality after HCT. Currently patients are still closely watched in the inpatient or day hospital environment, though recent practices allow patients more freedom. This study randomizes eligible patients to receive post-transplant care at home vs. in the hospital or clinic, per standard of care. The primary objective is to compare the incidence of grade II-IV acute GVHD at 6 months in patients receiving patient-centered medical home (PCMH) vs standard care.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if lenalidomide can increase the level of immunoglobulins (parts of the blood that may help to improve the immune system's function) and/or will improve the protective effect of the flu and pneumonia vaccines in patients with CLL.

This study will assess the pharmacokinetics of imatinib in pediatric patients ages 1 to <4 years of age to help develop dosing regimens

This pilot clinical trial compares the safety of two different platelet transfusion "thresholds" among patients with blood cancer or treatment-induced thrombocytopenia whose condition requires anticoagulant medication (blood thinners) for blood clots. Giving relatively fewer platelet transfusions may reduce the side effects of frequent platelet transfusions without leading to undue bleeding.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients are able to participate in a prehabilitation program (prior to the beginning of treatment) which includes: (1) a home-based exercise program or (2) just a prehabilitation education session.

The purpose of this network is to accelerate research in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation by comparing novel therapies to existing ones.

Clostridium difficile causes ~453,000 infections and ~29,300 deaths per year in the US, making it the most common hospital acquired infection in the country. C. difficile is an anaerobic bacterium that has the capacity to inhabit the colon of humans and other mammals. Initially thought to be a commensal, it was later found to be associated with antibiotic induced enterocolitis. Since then, it has gradually become one of the most important healthcare associated pathogens. C. difficile infection (CDI) causes colitis, which is inflammation of the colonic mucosa with a spectrum of severity from mild to more protracted diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, toxic megacolon, sepsis, and in some instances death. Mortality occurs despite the existence of three antibiotic options. CDI is also associated with higher hospital readmission rates, and associated healthcare costs in the US are estimated at 4.8 billion dollars annually. Due to the significance of C. difficile in healthcare, hospital level C. difficile rates are publically reported and closely scrutinized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Standard infection control bundles are proving to be insufficient for controlling the national C. difficile problem. Better understanding of the biological steps preceding clinical infection and reversal of the underlying gut dysbiosis will allow us to curtail our C. difficile epidemic. The present study aims to manipulate the gut microbiota to halt the biological progression of C. difficile. CDI is a serious problem in hematology-oncology patients. The incidence of CDI in the hematology-oncology population is much higher than in other populations and hematology-oncology inpatient units frequently have the highest incidence of CDI cases within an institution. Additionally, hematology-oncology patients have high rates of C. difficile colonization upon hospitalization and more than 50% of patients detected with C. difficile colonization before bone marrow transplantation end up diagnosed with hospital associated CDI. This finding is not trivial as CDI treatment with oral vancomycin causes major and prolonged perturbations of their intestinal microbiota, which has been associated with higher mortality. In addition to the usual complications of CDI, a higher incidence of graft-versus-host-disease has been described in patients with CDI.