Active clinical trials for "Muscular Dystrophies"

The purpose of this study is to determine if ACE-031 is safe and well-tolerated in boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and to select the optimal doses of ACE-031 in terms of safety and pharmacodynamic (PD) activity for designing future studies. [Note: This study was terminated based on safety data]

The hypothesis is that a mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) is associated with a decrease in the number of intubations and more rapid clinical improvement in children and adults with neuromuscular disease who are admitted for an acute respiratory exacerbation.In this prospective, randomised, multicenter study, 55 patients will be treated with standard treatment and a MI-E, and 55 patients with standard treatment and standard respiratory physiotherapy. The primary objective is the reduction of the number of patients requiring invasive ventilatory support (endotracheal intubation or tracheotomy) in the group treated with MI-E (MI-E group). The main secondary objectives are a reduction in hospital stay and an improvement in clinical condition, dyspnea and respiratory muscle function.

Background: - Some kinds of muscular dystrophy affect the skeletal muscle membrane. In these conditions, the muscle membrane is more fragile. This affects how the muscles contract and relax, which causes movement problems. Researchers are looking at several muscle enzymes, or chemicals that affect how muscle cells function. By studying changes in these enzymes, they may be able to better understand how muscular dystrophy affects the cells. Researchers want to collect biomarkers (chemicals from blood samples) from people with fragile sarcolemmal muscular dystrophy. This information may provide better treatments for this condition. Objectives: - To study biomarkers that may affect the muscles of people with fragile sarcolemmal muscular dystrophy. Eligibility: - Individuals at least 18 years of age with fragile sarcolemmal muscular dystrophy. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical exam. Participants will be asked to come for four visits to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. The visits will be at least 2 months apart. Each visit will require participants to stay for 5 days at the clinical center. During each visit, participants will provide frequent small blood samples. These samples will be collected while at rest and after physical exercise. Participants will also have a physical therapy assessment. They will perform standard motor function tests and imaging tests (MRI, MRS). These tests may take up to 1 hour each time. Treatment will not be provided as part of this study.

The main purpose of this study is to test the safety and tolerability of different, increasing doses of an experimental medication called HT-100 in boys and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The study medication, HT-100, is a medicine that may help promote healthy muscle regeneration, diminish inflammation and the resulting damage to muscle, and decrease the scar tissue that forms in the muscles of children with DMD. In this study, pharmacokinetic sampling, or measurements of the amount of HT-100 in the bloodstream will also be taken.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and optimize advances in radio frequency (RF) coil magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC).

This study will help determine if CoQ10 and prednisone, alone and as a combination decrease the decline in cardiopulmonary and skeletal muscle function that occurs in the wheelchair confined phase of DMD. Participants who are enrolled in this study should not have taken any corticosteroids within the last six months. This is a 13-month, prospective, randomized study comparing a daily prednisone arm (0.75mg/kg/day), a CoQ10 arm (serum of greater than 2.5 ug/mL) and a combination arm (prednisone and CoQ10) with an enhanced standard of care arm in wheelchair confined males age 10 to 18 years with an established DMD diagnosis.

This study is a longitudinal, randomized control trial evaluating the use of two commercially available dynamic arm support devices (1) Armon Ayura-Kinova and 2) JAECO WREX) to promote participation in activities of daily living (ADLs) in non-ambulatory individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with upper extremity weakness.

The purpose of this study is to describe the progression of tissular and functional myocardial abnormalities in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and blood biomarkers assays.

The investigators laboratory has been studying families with a history of ALS for more than 30 years and is continuing to use new ways to understand how genes may play a role in ALS, motor neuron disease and other neuromuscular disorders. The purpose of this study is to identify additional genes that may cause or put a person at risk for either familial ALS (meaning 2 or more people in a family who have had ALS), sporadic ALS, or other forms of motor neuron disease in the hopes of improving diagnosis and treatment. As new genes are found that may be linked to ALS in families or individuals, the investigators can then further study how that gene may be contributing to the disease by studying it down to the protein and molecular level. This includes all forms of ALS, motor neuron disease and ALS with fronto-temporal dementia(ALS/FTD). We also continue to study other forms of neuromuscular disease such as Miyoshi myopathy, FSH dystrophy and other forms of muscular dystrophy by looking at the genes that may be associated with them. There have been a number of genes identified that are associated with both familial and sporadic ALS, with the SOD1, C9orf72, and FUS genes explaining the majority of the cases. However, for about 25% of families with FALS, the gene(s) are still unknown. The investigators also will continue to work with families already identified to carry one of the known genes associated with ALS.

Mutations in the CAPN3 gene cause muscular dystrophies with dysfunction in calpain-3. Calpainopathies are usually inherited in an autosomal recessive manner but in some families they can occur in a dominant inheritance. The significance of heterozygous variants is difficult to interpret in the absence of family history. In this study, the investigators will review the clinical and laboratory information in a cohort of patients identified in the participating centers, with the aim of improving the diagnostic strategy of dominant calpainopathies.