University of Maryland, Baltimore

The primary study objective is to determine the efficacy of pregabalin administered orally for a period of 12 weeks in reducing risky drinking and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder who have selected genotypes at the gamma-amino butyric acid transporter and receptor genes. The secondary objective is to assess the safety and tolerability of pregabalin in participants with alcohol use disorder and co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder who have selected genotypes at the gamma-amino butyric acid transporter and receptor genes. The investigators will utilize a large and diverse sample of African-Americans that includes both genders and individuals with different types of trauma. All participants will receive standardized bi-weekly Brief Behavioral Compliance Enhancement Treatment (BBCET).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2016

open study

At the current time there is no effective disease modifying therapy for diabetic neuropathy (DN). The proposed study design employs a quantifiable early measure of DN, intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD), allowing for accurate assessment of actual nerve fiber density. Preclinical data supports the use of Niagen® (3-(Aminocarbonyl)-1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-pyridinium chloride - NR) as a potential therapy for diabetic neuropathy. Phase I data indicates safety in humans. This study seeks to investigate the use of Niagen® (NR) as a potential treatment for diabetic neuropathy in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance over a 6 month period. The endpoint measures in addition to the IENFD with determine changes in clinical and electrophysiological outcomes, quality of life and biochemical measures.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2019

open study

The purpose of this research study is to see if a six-week yoga program delivered online/virtually via Zoom, reduces abdominal pain in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study also looks at whether the yoga program changes the composition of microorganisms in the gut and their metabolites, and compares the program in people with IBS versus healthy people (also known as "healthy controls" or "HC"). People in this study are randomized (like flipping a coin) to one of two conditions: half of the people attend the online/virtual private yoga program delivered via Zoom for the first six-weeks, and half of the people wait for six-weeks and then attend the online/virtual private yoga program for six-weeks. The hypothesis of this study is that the practice of yoga induces shifts in the gut microbiota and microbial-derived metabolites, which will correlate with diminished abdominal pain.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2021

open study

Sensory and motor impairments following stroke can lead to substantial disability involving the arm and hand. The investigator hypothesized that excessive local and cross-coupled stiffness, diminished individuation and proprioceptive acuity will be present among multiple degree of freedom in the upper limb. The stiffness and spasticity will increase with time post-stroke. The objective of this study is to quantify the progression throughout the arm and hand during recovery from stroke. The investigator will measure the clinical assessment scores, and neuromechanical properties including range of motion, active and passive cross coupling, and spasticity by the IntelliArm robot.

Type: Observational

Start Date: May 2018

open study

The purpose of this innovative adaptive phase II trial design is to determine the optimal combination of hyperbaric oxygen treatment parameters that is most likely to demonstrate improvement in the outcome of severe TBI patients in a subsequent phase III trial.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2018

open study

This multicenter, open-label, single-arm trial will evaluate the anti-tumor activity of ZW25 (zanidatamab) monotherapy in subjects with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-amplified, inoperable and advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC), including intra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), extra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC), and gallbladder cancer (GBC).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2020

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of the ExAblate Model 4000 Type 2 used as a tool to disrupt the BBB (blood brain barrier) in patients with high grade glioma undergoing standard of care therapy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2019

open study

The objective of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that delivery at 35 0/7- 35 6/7 weeks in stable patients with gastroschisis is superior to observation and expectant management with a goal of delivery at 38 0/7 - 38 6/7 weeks. To test this hypothesis, we will complete a randomized, prospective, multi-institutional trial across NAFTNet-affiliated institutions. Patients may be enrolled in the study any time prior to 33 weeks, but will be randomized at 33 weeks to delivery at 35 weeks or observation with a goal of 38 weeks. The primary composite outcome will include stillbirth, neonatal death prior to discharge, respiratory morbidity, and need for parenteral nutrition at 30 days.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2017

open study

The purpose of this study is to see if the MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy procedure can be performed on both sides of the brain safely and effectively to reduce bilateral tremor.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2020

open study

This is an observational study to evaluate safety and efficacy outcomes in renal transplant recipients in whom post-transplant care is managed using AlloSure®. AlloSure® is a non-invasive test to measure donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA). The AlloSure test is intended to assess the probability of allograft rejection in kidney transplant recipients with clinical suspicion of rejection and to inform clinical decision-making regarding the necessity of renal biopsy in such patients at least 2 weeks post-transplant in conjunction with standard clinical assessment. Amendment 1 (A1): Is an observational study to develop and validate the clinical use of KidneyCare®.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jan 2018

open study

This study is designed to assess the safety and feasibility of using the ExAblate, Type 2 to temporarily disrupt the blood brain barrier in non-enhancing suspected infiltrating glioma. The ExAblate Model 4000 Type-2 is intended for use as a tool to disrupt the BBB.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2018

open study

Sensorimotor impairments following stroke often involve complex pathological changes across multiple joints and multiple degrees of freedom of the arm and hand, thereby rendering them difficult to diagnose and treat. The objective of this study is to evaluate multi-joint neuromechanical impairments in the arm and hand, then conduct impairment-specific treatment, and determine the effects of arm versus hand training and the effects of passive stretching before active movement training.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2018

open study

Carotid revascularization for primary prevention of stroke (CREST-2) is two independent multicenter, randomized controlled trials of carotid revascularization and intensive medical management versus medical management alone in patients with asymptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis. One trial will randomize patients in a 1:1 ratio to endarterectomy versus no endarterectomy and another will randomize patients in a 1:1 ratio to carotid stenting with embolic protection versus no stenting. Medical management will be uniform for all randomized treatment groups and will be centrally directed.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2014

open study

Early feasibility study to assess safety and performance of the Edwards EVOQUE Tricuspid Valve Replacement System

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2020

open study

Severe and refractory pain after acute injury is a known-risk factor for chronic opioid use disorder. In this study, the investigators will use Virtual Reality (VR) immersion as a non-pharmacological adjunct to treat pain associated with acute traumatic injuries, including traumatic brain injury. The investigators hypothesize that VR therapy will decrease pain and reduce opioid use in patients with acute traumatic injuries, including TBI.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2020

open study

Background: While the intensive care of patients with life-threatening brain illnesses has advanced tremendously, a large number of therapies are still without proper scientific support. This can be partly explained by the fact that mechanisms of initial brain injury are still not well understood. Why additional neurological injury occurs during a patient's stay in the NeuroCritical Care Unit (NCCU) despite current best, evidence-based clinical practices, is also not well understood. However, over the past decade, better tools have become available to measure and monitor the impact of our clinical care on the rapidly changing physiology and chemistry of the injured brain. Some of these tools are CT, MRI, ultrasound, and catheter-based technology measuring blood flow and metabolism. These tools have enabled earlier detection of injury and complications and newer therapeutic strategies. Purpose: Examine disease pathways common to all brain injuries seen in the University of Maryland's 22-bed NCCU. Life-threatening neurological illnesses cared for in the NCCU include massive stroke, bleeding in and around the brain (subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage), brain tumors, difficult to control seizures, neurologic infections, nerve and muscle diseases (such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barre Syndrome), and spinal cord disorders among others. Many NCCU patients are comatose or paralyzed and may suffer injuries in other parts of the body as well. This effort will require the creation of a robust clinical database for the capture of data including patient characteristics (age, sex), clinical characteristics, medical treatments, surgical interventions, physiological data (such as vital signs, cerebral blood flow, intracranial pressure, cerebral oximetry, etc), laboratory data, and standard-of-care diagnostic studies such as electroencephalography (EEG), ultrasound, CT, MRI, and angiograms. Similar databases exist at other major centers for neurocritical care and have been instrumental to the identification of characteristics both predictive of and associated with outcomes of patients long after their stay in the NCCU. In addition, the samples collected will be included in the University of Maryland Medicine (UMM) Biorepository which is a shared resource to enable biomedical research by University of Maryland faculty.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Sep 2014

open study

This is an open-label, non-randomized study. Volunteers will be vaccinated with the oral cholera vaccine, Vaxchora. Vaxchora has been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for travelers to developing countries. Volunteers will also be asked to provide blood specimens over a follow-up time period of up to eight years. The specimens obtained in this clinical research study will be used to further the investigator's understanding of the protective immunological mechanisms that can be elicited systemically and may be applicable to other enteric pathogens.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2018

open study

Prospective, controlled, multicenter clinical investigation with three trial cohorts: Randomized, Non-Randomized, and Mitral Annular Calcification (MAC). Subjects in the Randomized cohort will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the trial device or to the MitraClip system. Subjects in the Non-Randomized and MAC cohorts will receive the trial device. The objective of the Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Using the Tendyne Mitral Valve System for the Treatment of Symptomatic Mitral Regurgitation (SUMMIT) is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Tendyne Mitral Valve System for the treatment of patients with symptomatic, moderate-to-severe or severe mitral regurgitation or for patients with symptomatic mitral valve disease due to severe mitral annular calcification. This randomized controlled trial will provide the opportunity to evaluate the safety and clinical benefits of the Tendyne Mitral Valve System compared to the MitraClip System in patients with symptomatic, moderate-to-severe or severe mitral regurgitation, within approved MitraClip indications. In addition, the safety and effectiveness of the Tendyne Mitral Valve System will be evaluated in patients with severe mitral annular calcification who are at prohibitive risk for mitral valve surgery. Patients who are not suitable for mitral valve surgery for reasons other than severe mitral annular calcification and are also not suitable for transcatheter repair with MitraClip, will be enrolled in the Non-randomized cohort. Subjects will be seen at screening, pre- and post-procedure, discharge, 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, and annually through 5 years.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2018

open study

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. In MS, inflammation is known to attack areas of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves; resulting in disability. Current MRI technology provides an adequate view of the impact of MS on the "white matter" of the brain, which contains many of the connections between neurons. Quantification of lesions in the white matter due to MS are a standard part of clinical trials and clinical care in MS. However, it has long been known that MS not only can affect the white matter, but also the "gray matter," which contains the majority of the nerve cells in the brain and can cause inflammation in the meninges (the protective tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord). Autopsy studies have shown that the inflammation seen in the meninges is driven by a B-cells, a subset of white blood cells and that meningeal inflammation may be responsible for damage to the gray matter of the brain. Ocrelizumab is a new treatment for multiple sclerosis. This medication works by targeting and destroying circulating B-cells. It is thought that this may reduce the level of meningeal inflammation in patients with multiple sclerosis. By reducing meningeal inflammation, this medication may result in less damage to the gray matter and subsequently less disability in MS patients. In this study, the investigators will evaluate the use of a method on 7 tesla (7T) MRI to identify inflammation in the meninges as a potential predictor of response to ocrelizumab treatment for multiple sclerosis. Further, the investigators will evaluate if this MRI technique can be used to monitor the long-term effect of the medication on meningeal inflammation and the development of damage to the gray matter of the brain.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2018

open study

Chemotherapy is controversial for soft tissue sarcoma that has not yet metastasized. Surgery and radiation are effective for local control, but there are no highly effective interventions to prevent metastatic spread of soft tissue sarcoma. Immunotherapy has shown promise in other types of cancer. Combining two types of immunotherapy agents with preoperative radiation may help the immune system recognize the sarcoma and stimulate an anti-tumor immune response.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2017

open study

Neuropathic pain is often a result of direct diseases of peripheral or central nervous system with an estimated prevalence of 8% of adults and this pain is associated with significant consequences because of longer symptom duration and severity than many of the other pain syndromes. Functional brain imaging has revealed that many regions of the brain are engaged by painful events, but specific areas such as the thalamus have been markedly implicated. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility and safety of MRI-guided focused ultrasound treatment using the ExAblate Transcranial System in patients suffering from Neuropathic pain. This treatment modality offers non-invasive precise treatment potential for these patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2017

open study

Patients with difficulty intravenous access frequently have delay of care in emergency departments because Emergency Department (ED) personnel could not establish intravenous (IV) access for diagnostic blood test or treatment. The ultrasound machine or near-infrared devices have been used to improve this situation but no study has ever compared which machine is more efficient. This study is designed to investigate whether the ultrasound or Vein Viewer, which is a near-infrared device, is more efficient.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2016

open study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with positive airway pressure starting shortly after acute ischemic stroke or high risk TIA (1) reduces recurrent stroke, acute coronary syndrome, and all-cause mortality 6 months after the event, and (2) improves stroke outcomes at 3 months in patients who experienced an ischemic stroke.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2019

open study

Clinical guidelines (AASLD) recommend the use of abdominal ultrasound (US) for surveillance testing for the early detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). The serum protein biomarker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is commonly used to augment US but its use alone is not recommended by clinical guidelines. Despite evidence that HCC surveillance improves early detection and reduces mortality from HCC, current HCC surveillance tests lack sensitivity, leaving a significant proportion of patients to present with late-stage disease. The Glycotest HCC Panel has shown better sensitivity than AFP, which is ineffective for the detection of early-stage HCC. This clinical study seeks to validate the Glycotest HCC Panel using a large multicenter cohort of cases and controls that includes patients diagnosed with early-stage HCC against a background of cirrhosis and cirrhotic patients without HCC (at risk) undergoing an established surveillance protocol.

Type: Observational

Start Date: May 2019

open study

(1) To determine how the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI), fluoxetine (Prozac), an antidepressant often used to treat depression, stimulates the participant's body's ability to defend against low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). (2) To learn how a hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), stimulates the participant's body's ability to defend itself from low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). DHEA is a hormone produced naturally in the human body. However, it can be manufactured and is sold as an over-the-counter dietary supplement. The dose the investigators are giving in this study is higher than the usual recommended dosage taken as a supplement for certain medical conditions. (3) To study combined effects of fluoxetine and DHEA during low blood glucose. In the present study, the investigators will measure the participant's body's responses to hypoglycemia when given fluoxetine or DHEA or fluoxetine and DHEA or a placebo (a pill with no fluoxetine or DHEA). Approximately 64 individuals with type 1 diabetes will take part in this study.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2017

open study