Active clinical trials for "Scleroderma, Diffuse"

The main theme of the cohort of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients is the determination of nutritional status, its evolution and the evaluation of its management in patients with scleroderma. The main objectives are : To determine the incidence of malnutrition and its main determinants (disease characteristics, severity, eating habits, physical activity) in patients with scleroderma. For patients with undernutrition at inclusion or at 18 months follow-up: evaluate the impact of a standardized nutritional intervention (dietary advice, oral supplements, artificial, enteral or parenteral nutrition) on nutritional and disease parameters. Follow-up visits will take place every 6 months for 2 years. (M6, M12, M18 et M24). During each visit: a clinical examination, with anthropometric measurements, a 3-day dietary survey and a blood sample (10 ml), completion a multiple-choice of quality of life and physical activity evaluation. Paraclinical evaluation : echocardiography, lung function tests, screening for osteoporosis (M6 and M18). If undernutrition is detected during a follow-up visit, the subject will be referred to a specialized service.

This observational study is being done to understand why people with scleroderma can develop pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs, abbreviated PAH) and a weak heart muscle (heart failure). The study will also help the investigators understand why people with PAH from an unknown cause (called idiopathic PAH, or IPAH) can also develop a weakened heart muscle. The response of the right side of the heart or right ventricle (RV) to standard PAH therapy in scleroderma-associated PAH and in IPAH will be assessed. Blood and tissue samples will be collected from research participants during participants' normal standard of care procedures. People with scleroderma-associated PAH or idiopathic cause (IPAH) who need a right heart catheterization may join this study.

This study corresponds to a monocentric prospective cohort of adult patients with systemic sclerosis. It will allow the constitution of an organized collection of longitudinal clinical data as well as collection of biological samples, including blood samples, as well as stool sample and skin swab for microbiota analysis.

The aim of this project is to start a biological and clinical collection of patients presenting systemic autoimmune disease. This collection will provide appropriate biological samples to identify new biomarkers and to be accessible to the medical, scientific and industrial communities for the identification of new therapeutic strategies

Currently investigators do not have diagnostic and prognostic markers for SSc which almost always starts with a vascular disease (Raynaud's disease) isolated for several years. The primary purpose is to highlight discriminating metabolic profiles depending on the characteristics of the disease, allowing early diagnosis of SSc at the onset of vascular lesions, by comparing the profiles of SSc beginners (<3 years) to established forms (> 3 years). Secondary purposes: Prognosis: to study the metabolomics profile of SSc when a visceral complication occurs Diagnosis: to compare the metabolomics profile of SSc to undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCDT), Raynaud's disease (RD), vascular disease (VD) and healthy controls Exploratory: to compare the metabolomics profile of blood, urine and skin of SSc patients

The purpose of this study is to obtain biologic materials from the blood, airways and/or urine of normal individuals and individuals with lung disease. The normal are used to establish a set of normal ranges for various parameters. These provide control information when compared to individuals with various pulmonary diseases, and will help in understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of various lung diseases. The underlying hypothesis is that the pathologic morphological changes in the airway epithelium must be preceded by changes in the gene expression pattern of the airway epithelium and potentially in macrophages.

Despite a number of prospective studies already initiated in the past years, the current epidemiology and course of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) is still not well defined, particularly regarding its prevalence, incidence and the management of a broad spectrum of disease presentations. Major challenges include the identification of patients with progressive disease, the appropriate time point of therapeutic intervention and the underlying driver of disease (inflammatory or pro-fibrotic stimulus or both?). To address these issues in Western Austria, a progressive registry of patients with CTD exploring routine clinical and pathophysiological characteristics of ILD and PH will be conducted. This multidisciplinary, prospective and observational registry aims to collect comprehensive clinical data on incidence, prevalence and course of disease regarding all PH and ILD presentations in a real-world setting.

This National Jewish Health (NJH) Investigator Initiated pilot study funded by the Shah Foundation will prospectively perform a non invasive lung function test called Lung Clearance Index (LCI) to determine if 50 scleroderma patients without evidence of lung disease who have evidence of small airway inflammation or impairment to airflow are more likely to develop ILD than those with normal vales.50 subjects will be enrolled from the Rheumatology practice at NJH and followed with phone interviews or Electronic Medical Record (EMR) record review yearly times 5 to determine if they have subsequently developed evidence of ILD or pulmonary artery hypertension.

The aim of the research will be to compare periodontal status and level of antioxidants in unstimulated saliva of systemic sclerosis patients with periodontitis and systemically healthy periodontitis patients. Twenty systemic sclerosis patients with periodontitis (SS group) and twenty systemically healthy periodontitis patients (P group) will be enrolled in the present study. The results may indicate higher periodontal destruction and antioxidant perturbations in unstimulated saliva of systemic sclerosis patients with periodontitis compared to systemically healthy periodontitis patients.

To date, two devices to measure nitric oxide lung diffusing capacity (DLNO) are commercially available in Europe. Previous research has shown systematic between-device differences in lung diffusing capacity outcomes in healthy people (Radtke et al. ERJ Open Res. 2021 Sep 13;7(3)). The extent and magnitude of between-device differences in people with lung function impairment and ventilation inhomogeneities is unknown.