Active clinical trials for "Anemia, Sickle Cell"

Background: - About one-tenth of adults with sickle cell disease have pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). This condition can cause shortness of breath, pain crisis, and congestive heart failure. It may even lead to death. Researchers want to test the drugs imatinib and carvedilol to see if they can treat high blood pressure in the lungs. Both drugs have been used to treat other types of heart problems, but they have not been tested as a treatment for high blood pressure related to sickle cell disease. Objectives: - To see if imatinib and carvedilol are safe and effective treatments for high blood pressure in the lungs in adults with sickle cell disease. Eligibility: - Adults at least 18 years of age who have sickle cell disease and have or may have high blood pressure in the lungs. Design: Participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. They will also have different tests of heart and lung function, including a walking test and imaging studies. Blood and urine samples will also be collected. Participants who meet specific criteria will take one of two possible study drugs. Those who receive imatinib will take it daily. Those who receive carvedilol will take it twice a day. Participants will have weekly study visits for blood tests and other exams. The study drug dose will be adjusted at each weekly visit. It will be increased slowly to reach a target dose(based on the participant s weight) or to find a stable effective dose. Participants may continue to take their study drug for up to 24 weeks, with weekly study visits. Regular blood samples and heart and lung function tests will be performed. After 24 weeks, qualified participants may continue to take their study drug for up to 6 more months. They will have regular study visits to monitor the treatment.

The investigators hypothesize that increasing plasma nitrite using dietary nitrate will improve platelet function and red cell deformability and decrease MCHC in patients with sickle cell disease. The investigators will test this hypothesis through administration of daily intake of beetroot juice (Unbeetable - Performance Drink) to patients with sickle cell disease for 28 days. The investigators will evaluate the safety of daily beet root juice intake in patients with sickle cell disease. In addition, the investigators will measure MCHC, red cell deformability, and platelet function (activation and aggregation) in response to daily intake of beet root juice in this patient population.

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is very common among African American adolescents and adults in the US, ten times higher than is seen in Caucasians. VDD is also quite common in sickle cell disease (SCD). Both VDD and SCD can cause chronic pain, compression fractures, and muscle weakness. The investigators believe VDD may contribute to poor musculoskeletal health and chronic pain seen in pediatric SCD. In this study, the investigators aim to show that children and adolescents with SCD and chronic pain have lower levels of vitamin D compared to those without chronic pain. The investigators also aim to determine the clinical characteristics in SCD patients related to their vitamin D status. About 60 subjects (7 to 21 years old) will be enrolled on this study, 30 with chronic pain and 30 without chronic pain. The investigators will assess baseline characteristics including vitamin D levels, bone turnover rates (measured by C telopeptide blood levels [CTx]), markers of inflammation and oxidative stress levels in blood, baseline hemoglobin and other laboratory parameters, presence of abnormal bones on chest x-ray, pulmonary function, opioid analgesic use, overall muscle strength, quality of life and depression. To evaluate the impact of vitamin D replacement on these baseline characteristics, the investigators will randomize subjects to receive either placebo or high dose vitamin D for 6 weeks after which time the investigators will evaluate overall vitamin D status, muscle and bone health, depression, quality of life, pain status and use of opioid pain medications, inflammation and oxidative status comparing before and after treatment with high dose vitamin D. The investigators will give-at no cost to subjects-a daily supplement that will provide the recommended daily allowance of calcium and vitamin D that contains 500mg Calcium and 200IU vitamin D to subjects throughout the study period. Subjects will be in the study for 7 months and have five to six study visits.

The investigators would like to study the endothelial function in sickle cell patients without pulmonary hypertension in an in vivo method during a steady state condition before and after sildenafil treatment for 1 month, and to study the effects of this nitric oxide donor by measuring the Flow Mediated Dilatation, by measuring endothelial progenitor stem cells colonies, and by measuring the effect of therapy on markers of inflammation (cell adhesion molecules and cytokines).

Zinc is a nutritionally essential trace element found in previous studies to reduce growth retardation and improve immune function, which may also result in decreased incidence of infectious diseases including malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients are known to be susceptible to zinc deficiency and appear to benefit from zinc supplementation. The proposed pilot research project aims to investigate the influence of zinc supplementation on incidence of malaria infections, incidence of bacterial infections and investigate the influence of zinc supplementation on morbidity in children with SCD in western Kenya. The differences in incidence of morbidity and other secondary endpoints will be compared between the zinc group and the control group.

A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial of zinc to reduce the incidence of severe or invasive infections in Ugandan children with sickle cell anemia (SCA).

This Phase 1b study in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) in steady-state (non-acutely ill) aims to evaluate safety and toxicity of NVX-508 in a multi-dosing paradigm as well as to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in this population. The information gained from this study will be used in making decisions about the appropriate dose(s) and dosing schedule in future multicenter studies of the efficacy of NVX-508 in the treatment of vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE).

This is a multicenter, randomized (2:1; oral treprostinil:placebo), double-blind, placebo-controlled event-driven (time to pulmonary hypertension [PH] clinical worsening) study in subjects with PH associated with sickle cell disease (SCD). Once enrolled, subjects will be evaluated at Weeks 6, 12, 24, and then every 12 weeks for the duration of the study. Subjects will be permitted to enter a 48-week open-label extension period if they experience a PH clinical worsening event.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of ticagrelor vs placebo for the reduction of Vaso-Occlusive crises in paediatric patients with Sickle Cell Disease

This research study is being done to assess the safety and effectiveness of isoquercetin to reduce levels of soluble P-Selectin in patients with sickle cell disease. Isoquercetin is a naturally occurring flavonoid-or vitamin. You will find quercetin and isoquercetin in fruits and vegetables. The names of the study drug involved in this study are/is: - Isoquercetin