Frequency of Common Medical Conditions in People With and Without HHT
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) affects 1 in 5,000 people. The purpose of this study is to provide data regarding the frequency of common health conditions and the tolerability of therapies in HHT by using a questionnaire. This will be filled in by both people with HHT, and controls who will be members of the general population without HHT. The questionnaire has been designed primarily for web based entry, but can also be circulated in paper format on request
Diagnostic Value of Ultra-low Dose Thoracic Scanner for the Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation...
TelangiectasiaHereditary Hemorrhagic1 moreHereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is linked to a dysregulation of angiogenesis leading to the formation of arteriovenous malformations (AVM): cutaneo-mucous telangiectasia and visceral shunts. The diagnosis is clinical and based on Curaçao criteria: recurrent epistaxis, cutaneo-mucous telangiectasia, hereditary signs and presence of visceral AVM. Pulmonary AVMs (PAVM) expose patients to many potentially life-threatening complications, such as strokes or brain abscesses due to the right-left shunt created and the lack of filtration barrier of the pulmonary capillary within the AVM. These patients should therefore have regular monitoring throughout their life by a chest CT scanner every 5 to 10 years in the absence of PAVM at the initial scan or more often if PAVMs are present. The management of PAVMs is based on their early detection and embolization in interventional radiology during which is set up within the afferent artery of the PAVM an embolizing agent, the coil. However, the risk of cumulative irradiation exposure from thoracic scanners and repeated thoracic embolizations over time could be reduces by a decrease of X-rays dose. A new thoracic CT imaging protocol validated in the United States in the primary screening of lung cancer, the ultra-low dose protocol, is a CT scanner acquired at an irradiation dose equivalent to that of a frontal chest x-ray and in profile. The dose reduction is of 40 times the usual dose of a chest CT scanner. The lung parenchyma has a high natural contrast on thoracic CT images and there are few adjacent attenuating structures allowing a drastic reduction of dose. However, from this dose, the image quality is degraded with an increase of the image noise. The diagnostic performances have to be confirmed with qualitative and quantitative measurements. Thus, the objective of this study is to compare the sensitivity and the specificity of the current scanner and the ultra-low dose scanner to reduce the exposure to X-rays.
MRA With Feraheme in HHT
Hereditary Hemorrhagic TelangiectasiaMagnetic resonance (MR) imaging is performed with contrast agents to highlight the blood vessels and allow interpretation and diagnosis of blood vessel abnormalities. HHT (Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia) is a disease of blood vessels, and can suffer fatal bleeding if abnormal blood vessels are not detected and treated early. Patients with HHT also require many imaging studies through their lifetimes for surveillance of blood vessels. Many HHT patients also have co-existing iron deficiency anemia from bleeding in their nose and gastrointestinal tract, and receive daily iron therapy. Ferumoxytol is an alternative MR contrast agent, which is FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia. In addition, it is not associated with the risks to the kidneys of the other agents. The use of ferumoxytol for MR imaging may benefit the patients who do not currently receive imaging due to the contraindications of the conventional contrast agents. It avoids the use of ionizing radiation. Also, the conventional contrast agents are associated with risks. Iodinated contrast in CT is associated with significant risks of kidney damage. Another imaging technique, MR, uses gadolinium based contrast agents. Gadolinium, if used in patients with pre existing kidney dysfunction (defined as GFR < 30ml/min) is associated with the development of another devastating disease called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. As HHT patients will require repeated scans throughout their lifetimes, this study will provide them a safer alternative. Ten patients from the HHT clinic in whom the use of ferumoxytol as an MR agent is clinically indicated will be invited to participate in this study, which will determine if MR with ferumoxytol is able to detect and characterize vascular malformations in HHT.
Ranibizumab for the Management of Recurrent Nosebleeds in Patients With Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia...
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)NosebleedsThis study is for patients with recurrent epistaxis (nosebleeds) as a result of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT). The aim is to determine if ranibizumab, topically applied will diminish epistaxis in patients with HHT as measured by the HHT Epistaxis Severity Score (ESS), hematocrit, and hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels.
Pregnancy in Women With Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases: COGRare5 Study
Vascular AnomalyOsler Rendu Disease4 moreThere 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.
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing to Evaluate Pulmonary AVMs
Pulmonary Arteriovenous MalformationsHereditary Hemorrhagic TelangiectasiaPulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) are a rare vascular condition affecting the lungs. PAVMs lead to low blood oxygen levels, yet are very well tolerated by patients. This study will examine the exercise capacity of PAVM patients using formal cardiopulmonary exercise tests performed on a stationary bicycle.
Genotype Expression and Phenotype of Endothelial Cells, Carrying an ACVRL1, ENG or SMAD4 Mutation,...
Hereditary Haemorrhagic TelangiectasiaHereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) or Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome patients are carriers of a heterozygous mutation of the activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ACVRL1), Endoglin (ENG) or Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) gene. HHT involves the Bone Morphogenetic Protein 9 (BMP9)/Activin receptor-Like Kinase 1 (ALK1)-endoglin signalling pathway. BMP9 is a growth factor that binds to ALK1 receptor and to endoglin its co-receptors and physiologically activates Smad signaling pathway. Endothelial cells in HHT patients display half expression of functional ALK1 receptors or endoglin co-receptors or of the transcription factor SMAD4, which should lead to effects on the functions of these cells. The identification of differences in gene expression between endothelial cells from HHT patients and healthy donors will allow the identification of new functions or new target pathways for therapy. Circulating endothelial cells are rare in the bloodstream in adults, but are present in greater quantities in cord blood.
Vitamin D and Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia
Hereditary Haemorrhagic TelangiectasiaThe study aims to assess whether supplementing vitamin D in patients diagnosed with Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) will decrease the frequency and severity of nosebleeds these patients experience. It is hypothesized that the larger the dose of daily vitamin D given to the patients, the less frequent and less severe the nosebleeds will be.
Octreotide in Patients With GI Bleeding Due to Rendu-Osler-Weber
Hereditary Hemorrhagic TelangiectasiaGastrointestinal Hemorrhage1 moreThe purpose of this study is to determine whether long-acting octreotide is safe and effective in the treatment of patients with Rendu-Osler-Weber (e.g. HHT). The study hypothesis is that octreotide is safe and will reduce transfusion requirements and endoscopy frequency in ROW patients with refractory anaemia due to bleeding gastrointestinal telangiectasias.
Treatment of Nasal Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization in Patients With HHT
Hereditary Hemorrhagic TelangiectasiaEpistaxisCompare the frequency of epistaxis and quality of life related to nasal bleeding in patients with HHT colonized with sataphylococo before and after being treated with mupirocin ointment.