All clinical trials

In patients with chronic renal failure, a well-functioning vascular access is essential for hemodialysis treatment. Native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the first-choice of vascular access, due to a lower incidence of complications and better long-term patency as compared to prosthetic arteriovenous fistula. With the incidence ranging between 6-60%, AVF aneurysm (AAVF) is a common complication of native AVF. According to Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) guidelines, asymptomatic aneurysms are indicated for conservative treatment, but precise recommendations when and how to intervene in available guidelines are missing. Several surgical (remodeling, resection and substitution, ligation) and endovascular techniques have been described in the AAVF treatment, but there is currently no prospective randomized study comparing these techniques. In 2008, our team published the first experience with a new surgical method of AAVF treatment - aneurysmorrhaphy with external porous prosthesis (Provena©, BBraun). This therapy was validated in several studies and has shown a good long-term patency and a minimal incidence of complications. AAVF aneurysmorrhaphy can be performed with or without an external porous prosthesis (Provena©, BBraun). The use of external prostheses reduces venous wall shear stress, turbulent flow, endothelial damage, and thrombus formation, which should improve vascular patency and reduce the risk of AVF re-aneurysm. So far, there is no prospective randomized study comparing the effect of external porous prosthesis on AVF patency and the incidence of postoperative complications.

The condylar head is the part of the lower jaw which forms the joint. Displaced fractures of this area are uncommon but can cause problems with function, such as chewing, if not treated effectively. The medical literature does not have a clear consensus on whether these should be treated operatively (with surgery to reduce and fix the fracture) or conservatively (with advice and exercise and no surgery). The investigators propose a randomised controlled trial comparing the outcome of the operative or conservative treatment of condylar head fractures of the mandible, primarily with regards to patient related outcome measures of mandibular function, and secondarily objective measures of mandibular movement, function and symptoms to try and provide a clearer answer as to the best way of managing them.

Lipedema is a disorder characterized by massive, bilateral accumulation of fat below the waist and in the legs. Enlargement of the lower extremities is often accompanied by leg pain and accumulation of fluid. Little is known about the functional changes that lead to fat accumulation and pain in women with lipedema. The goals of this project are to conduct a comprehensive characterization of abdominal and femoral fat tissues in lean and obese women with lipedema and to evaluate the potential effect of diet-induced weight loss as a therapy. Once enrolled in the study, the following tests will be conducted on lean women with lipedema: characterization of body composition (fat tissue distribution), insulin sensitivity (response to insulin) and adipose tissue biology. The following tests will be conducted on obese women with lipedema: characterization of body composition (fat tissue distribution), insulin sensitivity (response to insulin), adipose tissue biology, and immune system function/inflammation. As control, we will have BMI-matched women that are metabolically normal lean (MNL), metabolically normal obese (MNO) and metabolically abnormal obese (MAO) already analyzed in different studies at Washington University (IRB# 201512086). MNL, MAO and MNO subjects underwent the same testing described above for the lipedema. Therefore, we will use the data generated from IRB# 201512086 as comparison groups in the statistical analysis to understand differences and similarities between lipedema and obesity. A second aim of the study is to determine the effect of diet-induced weight loss on body composition, insulin sensitivity, and adipose tissue biology in women with lipedema. The results from this second aim of the study will hopefully provide important insights on the efficacy of diet therapy in managing lipedema.

This is a study testing the effects of behavioral sleep interventions on pain and brain function in sickle cell disease.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is most common endocrinologic disease in women of reproductive age with incidence of 6.6 ~ 8%. About fifty percent of the patients with PCOS manifest subfertility and significant proportion of these woman need assisted reproductive technology (ART). These patients are very sensitive to gonadotropins during conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is high. In vitro maturation (IVM) is an emerging alternative option to conventional IVF for minimizing the risk of OHSS in patients with PCOS. Until now, several studies has been reported the favorable outcomes of oocyte maturation rate, fertilization rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate during IVM procedure. However, these results were from retrospective or observational study and there was no suitable randomized controlled trial (RCT). Therefore, this prospective RCT is aimed to compare and analyze the clinical outcomes between IVM and minimal stimulation IVF in women with PCOS, assessing if IVM is recommendable clinical practice or not.

Problems with distraction are widespread in the 21st century, but for people with developmental delays or behavioral challenges they can have more damaging effects. For example, susceptibility to distraction is associated with worse school and social performance, lower high school graduation rates, and increased incidence of serious accidents. The investigators' goal is to improve understanding of distractibility and develop a targeted treatment. The proposed intervention is based on models of habituation, which is a term that means reduced physiological and emotional response to a stimulus (e.g. moving object, or loud noise, etc.) as it is seen repeatedly. The investigators use virtual reality technology to show study participants distracting stimuli repeatedly in a virtual classroom setting, and their hypothesis states that participants will improve attention in the face of distraction by training with this technology intervention. The virtual classroom setting is especially relevant for children who have significant challenges with distractibility, such as children with ADHD. This intervention will likely be effective in helping individuals with other clinical disorders and perhaps the general population as well.

The MANUS Trial aims to examine the safety, feasibility and potential efficacy of intramuscularly injected allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells as treatment for digital ulcers of systemic sclerosis.

This research study is studying a drug in combination with radiation therapy as a possible treatment for hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. The interventions involved in this study are: Trifluridine (TAS-102) Radiation Therapy

The goal of this interventional crossover study, in intubated and mechanically ventilated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) patients, is to compare two positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration techniques regarding: respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, changes in aeration, ventilation/perfusion matching its impact on cardiac function, especially the right heart (RH). The PEEP titration techniques are: PEEP selection based on low PEEP/high FiO2 table ("PEEPARDSnet") and lung recruitment maneuver (LRM) plus PEEPdec titration based on the best compliance of the respiratory system("PEEPLRM").

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of combination chemotherapy and bevacizumab, and to see how well they work with the NovoTTF-100L(P) system in treating participants with cancer that has come back or does not respond to treatment and has spread to the liver. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, leucovorin, fluorouracil, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride, and temsirolimus, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. The NovoTTF-100L(P) system is a portable device that uses electrical fields to stop the growth of tumor cells. Giving combination chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy while using the NovoTTF-100L(P) system may kill more tumor cells.