Active clinical trials for "Marfan Syndrome"

The investigators are looking at the different impacts of atenolol, verapamil and perindopril on large artery and lv function in marfan syndrome. It is a double-blind, randomised cross-over trial.

Marfan syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder with morbidity and mortality from aortic dilation and dissection. The degree of aortic dilation and response to beta-blockade (standard of care) vary in adults with Marfan syndrome. However, aortic stiffness is often present, and can be a predictor of aortic dilation and cardiovascular complications. In addition, adults with Marfan syndrome develop left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, which can progress to heart failure. Aortic stiffness and diastolic dysfunction are important and logical therapeutic targets in adults with Marfan syndrome. TGF-beta mediates disease pathogenesis in Marfan syndrome and contributes to aortic stiffness. The angiotensin receptor blocker, losartan, inhibits TGF-beta activity and reverses aortic wall pathology in a Marfan mouse model. Losartan also decreases aortic stiffness and improves diastolic function in hypertension, renal disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This trial is a randomized, double-blind trial of 50 adults with Marfan syndrome, treated with 6 months of atenolol vs. losartan. Arterial tonometry for aortic stiffness and echocardiography for diastolic function will be performed at the beginning and end of treatment. A blood draw for serum markers of extracellular matrix turnover and inflammation will also be performed at 0 and 6 months. We plan to determine whether losartan decreases aortic stiffness and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction significantly more than atenolol.

The purpose of this research is to assess the effects of a drug called perindopril on the aorta in people known to have Marfan Syndrome. The aorta is the major artery of the body that comes out of the heart and supplies blood to the body. We know that in people with Marfan Syndrome, the aorta is stiff and this stiffness results in its enlargement over many years. This enlargement of the aorta can be very serious. We know from treatment of other heart conditions that drugs of the same type as perindopril reduce stiffness of the arteries. This type of drug has never been tried in people with Marfan Syndrome.

There are no prospective studies of pregnancies for the diseases studied here in (Heredity Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Marfan syndrome, primary lower limb lymphedema, superficial arteriovenous malformations, and cerebro-spinal arteriovenous malformations) although complications of these can present life-threatening health problems for the mother and her baby. The purpose of this National prospective study is to obtain greater insight into obstetrical complications associated with rare maternal vascular genetic disorders in order to improve prevention and to reduce risk of death. In this context, experts and patient associations consider that there is a need to make real progress in the formulation of recommendations based on scientific data.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a rare genetic disease (1/5000) characterized by the association of ocular impairment, cardiovascular disease and musculoskeletal disease. In some chronic conditions, physical activity and training have been shown to be effective in improving muscle strength and functional abilities but also fatigue and quality of life. We hypothesize that the implementation of a personalized exercise rehabilitation program (Personalized Training Program) in children and young adults with MFS, by improving muscle mass, physical endurance, muscle strength, bone mass and quality of life of these patients. In order to test this hypothesis, investigators wish to carry out an interventional, prospective, monocentric study for the first time in children and young adults (<25 years old) presenting an MFS.

The primary objective of the trial is to estimate the effects of allocation to irbesartan, or doxycycline, or a combination of both irbesartan and doxycycline, compared with placebo, on measures of elastic function of the aorta in people with the Marfan syndrome and enlargement of the aorta.

Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) is a protein that controls proliferation, cellular differentiation, and other functions in most cells. TGF-β levels play a major role in the pathogenesis of Marfan syndrome, a disease characterized by disproportionate height, long extremities, lens dislocation in the eyes and heart complications such as mitral valve prolapse and aortic enlargement increasing the likelihood of aortic dissection. While the underlying defect in Marfan syndrome is faulty synthesis of the glycoprotein fibrillin I, normally an important component of elastic fibers it has been shown that the Marfan syndrome phenotype can be relieved by addition of a TGF-β antagonist in affected mice.

The major clinical problems in patients with Marfan Syndrome (MFS) are aortic root dilation (ARD), dissection and rupture. Although the available treatments (beta-blockers, BBs) improve the evolution of the disease, they do not protect MFS patients from progression of ARD and dissection. A key molecule that negatively influences cell growth, differentiation, survival and death in MFS is TGFb which is antagonised by existing drugs employed in the clinical practice, the Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB).

Marfan patients are at risk of sudden death due to weakening of the wall of the large blood vessel leading from the heart (aorta). The wall of the aorta weakens and dilates which can rupture, leading to death, and sometimes during intense exercise. There is some evidence in Marfan patients that a stiffer aorta increases risk for rupture. For some time, clinical care has focused on what type of exercise these patients should avoid due to risk for aortic dissection. Little clinical emphasis has been placed on encouraging patients to engage in routine and safe exercise such as walking. Informed by this evidence, the investigators propose to collaboratively investigate whether regular exercise improves aortic health in adolescent Marfan patients.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Losartan versus Atenolol in the progression of aortic dilatation in patients with Marfan syndrome.