Vanderbilt Clinical Trials

The purpose of this study is to compare reintubation rates and outcomes of patients treated with high-flow nasal canula oxygen therapy (HFNC) and patients treated with provider choice of standard care.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2021

open study

This is a randomized control trial to determine if early cognitive training and rehabilitation improve 4-month cognition in hospitalized older (>=65 years old) delirious patients with and without Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Enrolled patients will be randomized to receive cognitive intervention versus usual care at a 1:2 allocation ratio. Patients assigned to the cognitive intervention group will receive cognitive training daily during hospitalization and cognitive rehabilitation weekly for 12 weeks after hospital discharge. Patients will be evaluated for global cognition (primary outcome) and secondary outcomes at 4-months.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2021

open study

The Transplanting Hepatitis C Kidneys into Negative KidnEy Recipients [THINKER-NEXT] study will include adult kidney transplant candidates without hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the transplant waiting list who will consent to kidney transplantation from a deceased donor infected with HCV, followed by treatment with a direct acting antiviral. The one-year allograft function and one-year risk of CMV infection will be compared between THINKER-NEXT kidney transplant recipients and matched recipients who received hepatitis C uninfected kidney transplants (these patients are called Transplant Cohort). The survival rate of patients opting-in for offers of kidneys from HCV-viremic donors will be compared to the survival rate of matched comparators from the kidney transplant waitlist who did not consent to receive offers of a HCV-viremic kidney. Lastly, renal pathologic findings will be compared among HCV-viremic donors and HCV-negative comparator donors.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

The NATIENS study is a phase III randomized study to examine the optimal treatment and mechanisms of each of two treatments (cyclosporine 5 mg/kg bid for 14 days versus etanercept 50 mg subcutaneously at day 0 and day 3) versus the current standard of care which is harmonized supportive care for the treatment of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN). SJS/TEN is typically a drug-induced disease in adults with a mortality of up to 50% or higher in elderly adults. Although progress has been made in elucidating strong genetic risk factors that have led to pre-prescription screening and prevention the risk factors for most drugs and ethnicities represented in the United States are currently unknown. Currently there are a number of small observational studies and a non-blinded small randomized study however there is no strong or definitive evidence base to support any one treatment intervention over supportive care alone and this remains considered a standard of care for SJS/TEN. The primary objective of the study is to conduct a randomized double-blind double dummy stratified multicenter phase III study across 24 sites across the Unites States to determine whether two therapeutic interventions (etanercept versus cyclosporine) will improve short-term outcomes associated with SJS/TEN. The primary hypothesis of this study is that both etanercept and cyclosporine will show benefit over supportive care alone and that single dose etanercept 50 mg sc at days 0 and repeated 72 hours following initial dosing will show significant benefit over cyclosporine 5 mg/kg bid and supportive care alone. Our secondary outcomes are to determine the clinical outcomes at 3 and 12 months following initial presentation and to determine the molecular and cellular mechanisms of SJS/TEN through collection of timed samples to include DNA, RNA, PBMCs, blister cells and supernatant and skin. We hypothesize that patients will have significant sequelae identified at 3 and 12 months that will differ between treatment arms and that treatment interventions will significantly impact cytotoxic and cytokine signals with these biomarkers correlating with primary and secondary outcome. We also hypothesize that significant genetic associations will be found in association with drug-induced SJS/TEN. Eligible patients are >/= 18 who meet evidence for SJS/TEN clinical criteria as evidence by erythematous/dusky macules coalescing or denuded skin and blistering with positive Nikolsky sign which is mandatory criteria associated with mucous membrane involvement, prodromal symptoms including fever, myalgia and headache, increasing number of lesions and history of a medication. To continue with the study patients must meet pathological criteria. Randomization will occur by a secure central online computer-generated random number system through REDCap. Subjects will be allocated 1:1:1 to cyclosporine plus best supportive care, etanercept plus best supportive care or best supportive care alone. Patients, treating physician and outcome assessors will be blinded to the allocated treatment. The primary outcome of the study is time to complete re-epithelialization as defined by complete absence of erosion and compromised skin. Time to expected re-epithelialization of 21 days is the maximum healing time with supportive care in SJS/TEN patients which reflects the healing time of adult skin. The primary outcome will be independently assessed by the treating team to include any of a burn surgeon, dermatologist or wound specialist. Disagreement will be solved by independent adjudication by a minimum of two reviewers. Patients who have to discontinue a study medication will be analyzed by intent-to-treat analysis and followed for complications of SJS/TEN as per study protocol. Secondary outcomes of the study include: 1)time to halting of progression of SJS/TEN skin disease. Progression will be considered significant if there are any new blisters or erosions and halting of progression is defined as absence of these criteria with any new lesions; 2) all-cause mortality at 30 days, 3 months and 1 year following symptoms onset; 3) composite cause-specific mortality - outcome including death from sepsis, multi-organ failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome; 4) actual mortality versus expected mortality (as calculated by SCORTEN); 5) Time to cessation of acute ocular involvement (this will be tracked by the same serial photography evaluated by two independent Ophthalmology experts in SJS/TEN eye disease; 6) incidence of infections; 7) hospital length of stay; 8) adverse events due to therapy; 9) serial plasma granulysin, IL-15 concentrations (and other relevant biomarkers);10) Follow-up 3 months and 1 year from initial presentation for physical and mental health complications. For aims 2 and 3 a number of mechanistic studies will be performed on paired samples (DNA, RNA, PBMCs, plasma, blister fluid and skin).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disorder that causes muscle wasting, cardiopulmonary failure, and premature death. Heart failure is a leading cause of death in DMD, but substantial knowledge gaps exist regarding predisposing risk factors. In the general population, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and decreased heart rate variability (HRV; reflecting autonomic dysfunction) are associated with cardiomyopathy (CM). It is unclear whether these factors are associated with DMD-CM. Closing this knowledge gap may lead to novel screening and therapeutic strategies to delay progression of DMD-CM, now the leading cause of death in patients with DMD. Despite risk factors for hyperglycemia, including the use of glucocorticoids (GCs), sarcopenia, obesity, and reduced ambulation, little is known regarding glucose abnormalities in DMD. Some of these same risk factors, along with the distance needed to travel for specialty care, present significant barriers to research participation and clinical care for individuals with DMD. Remote wearable technology may improve research participation in this vulnerable population. Therefore, this study will leverage remote wearable technologies to overcome these barriers and define the relationship between dysglycemia and DMD-CM. The goal of this remote study is to evaluate rates of hyperglycemia in individuals with DMD compared to control participants using continuous glucose monitors, and to determine the relationship between hyperglycemia and heart rate variability. Participants will utilize continuous glucose monitors, cardiac monitors, and activity monitors to evaluate glucose levels, heart rate, activity, and sleep.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

This is a prospective, case-control study that seeks to learn about the role of genetics in early onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and if genetic testing can be used to improve how the investigators treat atrial fibrillation. The study will enroll 225 participants. Eligible participants will have undergone sequencing for arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy (CM) genes. Based on those results, participants will be recruited for an outpatient research visit with testing that includes cardiac MRI, rest/stress/signal-averaged ECGs, and cardiac monitoring. If an inherited arrhythmia/CM syndrome is diagnosed, guideline-directed changes to medical care will be recommended.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Apr 2022

open study

The objective of this study is to establish the safety and effectiveness of the Edwards SAPIEN X4 Transcatheter Heart Valve (THV) in subjects with symptomatic, severe, calcific aortic stenosis (AS).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

This phase II/III compares the standard therapy (chemotherapy plus cetuximab) versus adding bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy, versus combination of just bevacizumab and atezolizumab in treating patients with head and neck cancer that has spread to other places in the body (metastatic or advanced stage) or has come back after prior treatment (recurrent). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Bevacizumab is in a class of medications called antiangiogenic agents. It works by stopping the formation of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to tumor. This may slow the growth and spread of tumor. Cetuximab is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It binds to a protein called EGFR, which is found on some types of cancer cells. This may help keep cancer cells from growing. Cisplatin and carboplatin are in a class of chemotherapy medications known as platinum-containing compounds. They work by killing, stopping, or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Docetaxel is in a class of chemotherapy medications called taxanes. It stops cancer cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. The addition of bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy or combination therapy with bevacizumab and atezolizumab may be better than standard chemotherapy plus cetuximab in treating patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancers.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the effects of abdominal compression and the medication midodrine, two interventions used for the treatment of orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure on standing), on hemodynamic markers of cardiovascular risk. The study will be conducted at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and consists of a screening and 2 testing days, one with abdominal compression and one with midodrine. The total length of the study will be about 5 days.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2020

open study

Many persons with autonomic failure often have high blood pressure when lying down (supine hypertension). This study is exploring the impact of decreased venous return to the heart (achieved by raising the head of the bed) to lessen supine blood pressure. If decreased venous return to the heart is effective at lowering supine blood pressure, these approaches may be utilized to treat supine hypertension non-pharmacologically. Raising the head of the bed decreases the amount of blood returning to the heart due to the effects of gravity. In this case, the decreased blood return to the heart may decrease blood pressure.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2020

open study

This phase III trial compares the effect of selumetinib versus the standard of care treatment with carboplatin and vincristine (CV) in treating patients with newly diagnosed or previously untreated low-grade glioma (LGG) that does not have a genetic abnormality called BRAFV600E mutation and is not associated with systemic neurofibromatosis type 1. Selumetinib works by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and may kill tumor cells. Carboplatin and vincristine are chemotherapy drugs that work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. The overall goal of this study is to see if selumetinib works just as well as the standard treatment of CV for patients with LGG. Another goal of this study is to compare the effects of selumetinib versus CV in subjects with LGG to find out which is better. Additionally, this trial will also examine if treatment with selumetinib improves the quality of life for subjects who take it.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2020

open study

LCZ696, a molecular complex of the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) valsartan with an inhibitor of neprilysin (NEP, neutral endopeptidase-24.11) sacubitril improved mortality compared to enalapril in patients with heart failure (HF), reduced ejection fraction (EF), and increased brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) in the PARADIGM-HF trial.1 The PIONEER-HF study demonstrated the efficacy of LCZ696 in preventing rehospitalization in patients with acutely decompensated HF.2 LCZ696 has been underutilized in heart failure, in part due to concerns about hypotension. NEP degrades several vasodilator peptides including bradykinin, substance P and brain-type natriuretic peptide. Decreased degradation of endogenous bradykinin could contribute to hypotension at initiation of LCZ696 through vasodilation or through increased natriuresis and diuresis. Inhibition of the bradykinin B2 receptor using icatibant would be expected to prevent this effect. Objectives The main objectives of this mechanistic randomized, double-blind, crossover-design study are: - The primary objective is to test the hypothesis that endogenous bradykinin contributes to effects of ARB/NEP inhibition on blood pressure, natriuresis, and diuresis at initiation. - The secondary objective is to test the hypothesis endogenous bradykinin contributes to effects of ARB/NEP inhibition on blood pressure, natriuresis, and diuresis after up-titration. Eighty (80) subjects with stable heart failure who meet all inclusion/exclusion criteria will be enrolled. Subjects who qualify will collect their urine for 24 hours before each study day for measurement of volume, sodium and potassium. At the start of the study, they will stop their regular angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or ARB. After a 48-hour washout, they will undergo a study day in which they are given a single dose of 50 mg LCZ696. They will also receive either the bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist icatibant or placebo vehicle in random order (double-blind). After a 96-hour washout, they will repeat the study day and receive a single dose of 50 mg LCZ696 and the opposite study drug (icatibant or placebo). After completion of the two acute study days, subjects will take LCZ696 50 mg bid for two weeks, followed by LCZ696 100 mg bid for three weeks, and then LCZ696 200 mg bid, following the conservative up-titration protocol from the TITRATION study.3 Criteria for continuing up-titration appear in the full study protocol. On the 7th and 10th day of the 200 mg bid or highest tolerated dose, subjects will again undergo two more study days three days apart in which they are randomized to receive either icatibant or vehicle.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2019

open study

This first-in-human (FIH) dose-escalation and dose-validation/expansion study will assess ziftomenib, a menin-MLL(KMT2A) inhibitor, in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as part of Phase 1. In Phase 2, assessment of ziftomenib will continue in patients with NPM1-m AML.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2019

open study

This phase III trial studies if selumetinib works just as well as the standard treatment with carboplatin/vincristine (CV) for subjects with NF1-associated low grade glioma (LGG), and to see if selumetinib is better than CV in improving vision in subjects with LGG of the optic pathway (vision nerves). Selumetinib is a drug that works by blocking some enzymes that low-grade glioma tumor cells need for their growth. This results in killing tumor cells. Drugs used as chemotherapy, such as carboplatin and vincristine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. It is not yet known whether selumetinib works better in treating patients with NF1-associated low-grade glioma compared to standard therapy with carboplatin and vincristine.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2020

open study

The automated inflatable abdominal binder is an investigational device for the treatment of orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure on standing) in patients with autonomic failure. The purpose of this study is to determine safety and effectiveness of the automated abdominal binder in improving orthostatic tolerance in these patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2018

open study

This Pediatric MATCH screening and multi-sub-study phase II trial studies how well treatment that is directed by genetic testing works in pediatric patients with solid tumors, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, or histiocytic disorders that have progressed following at least one line of standard systemic therapy and/or for which no standard treatment exists that has been shown to prolong survival. Genetic tests look at the unique genetic material (genes) of patients' tumor cells. Patients with genetic changes or abnormalities (mutations) may benefit more from treatment which targets their tumor's particular genetic mutation, and may help doctors plan better treatment for patients with solid tumors or non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2017

open study

RATIONALE: Studying samples of tissue, blood, urine, stool, and other biological fluids from patients with cancer and from healthy volunteers undergoing colonoscopy or endoscopy may help doctors identify and learn more about biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at gastrointestinal biomarkers in tissue and biological fluid samples from patients and participants undergoing colonoscopy, endoscopy, or surgery.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2002

open study

This phase III trial compares the effect of the combination of ramucirumab and pembrolizumab versus standard of care chemotherapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer that is stage IV or that has come back after a period of improvement (recurrent). Ramucirumab is a monoclonal antibody that may prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. This trial may help doctors find out if giving ramucirumab with pembrolizumab is more effective at treating patients with stage IV or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer than standard chemotherapy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

It is hypothesize that patients with clinically diagnosed neurodegenerative diseases will have significantly different receptor occupancy of 5HT2A receptors compared to a healthy age/sex-matched control group. This will be tested by measuring 5HT2A receptor density using the PET radioligand (R)-[18F]MH.MZ in both populations.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2023

open study

Progressive age-related cognitive deficits occurring in both AD and DS have been connected to the degeneration of several neuronal populations, but mechanisms are not fully elucidated. The most consistent neuronal losses throughout the progression of AD are seen in cholinergic neurons where these losses negatively affect cognition, particularly in attention, learning, and memory formation. Evidence of reduced cholinergic integrity in DS is largely limited to animal models and post-mortem human data. The investigators propose to use molecular, functional, and structural biomarkers to assess the cholinergic integrity in adults with DS. The investigators anticipate using the data gathered in this pilot study to inform future study designs to determine AD risk stratification in DS by identifying individuals who show an accelerated decline in cholinergic integrity that correlates with cognitive and neurobehavioral changes. Also, our cholinergic biomarkers may identify whether individuals with DS are likely to respond to pro-cholinergic interventions, including the novel cholinergic modulators that are being developed to enhance cholinergic-sensitive cognitive functioning. The investigators anticipate using the data gathered here to inform future treatment studies in TRC-DS and beyond where novel cholinergic treatments may offer opportunities for early intervention in DS and be complementary to disease-modifying approaches such as anti-amyloid treatments.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2021

open study

The study will enroll 200 women newly diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy within 5 months postpartum in a randomized placebo controlled trial of bromocriptine therapy to evaluate its impact on myocardial recovery and clinical outcomes. Given that bromocriptine prevents breastfeeding, an additional 50 women with peripartum cardiomyopathy excluded from the trial due to a desire to continue breastfeeding but meeting all other entry criteria will be followed in an observational cohort.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2022

open study

The IMPACT Study seeks to refine and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions on improving guideline-adherent cancer risk management (CRM) and family communication (FC) of genetic test results for individuals with a documented pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variant, and FC of family cancer history for individuals with a variant of uncertain significance (VUS) in an inherited cancer gene.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

This is a phase 3 study designed to evaluate whether the administration of ganciclovir increases ventilator-free days in immunocompetent patients with sepsis associated acute respiratory failure. Our hypothesis is that IV ganciclovir administered early in critical illness will effectively suppress CMV reactivation in CMV seropositive adults with sepsis-associated acute respiratory failure thereby leading to improved clinical outcomes

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

This is a study to investigate the efficacy and safety of ADP-A2M4 in HLA-A*02 eligible and MAGE-A4 positive subjects with metastatic or inoperable (advanced) Synovial Sarcoma (Cohort 1, 2 and 3 ) or MRCLS (Cohort 1) .

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2019

open study

FDA-approved multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) target the relapsing phase of MS but have minimal impact once the progressive phase has begun. It is unclear if, in the relapsing phase, there is an advantage of early aggressive therapy with respect to preventing long-term disability. The infectious risks and other complications associated with higher-efficacy treatments highlight the need to quantify their effectiveness in preventing disability. The TRaditional versus Early Aggressive Therapy for MS (TREAT-MS) trial is a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial that has two primary aims: 1) to evaluate, jointly and independently among patients deemed at higher risk vs. lower risk for disability accumulation, whether an "early aggressive" therapy approach, versus starting with a traditional, first-line therapy, influences the intermediate-term risk of disability, and 2) to evaluate if, among patients deemed at lower risk for disability who start on first-line MS therapies but experience breakthrough disease, those who switch to a higher-efficacy versus a new first-line therapy have different intermediate-term risk of disability.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2018

open study