Tulane Research - Clinical Translational Unit

This randomized phase III trial studies digital tomosynthesis mammography and digital mammography in screening patients for breast cancer. Screening for breast cancer with tomosynthesis mammography may be superior to digital mammography for breast cancer screening and may help reduce the need for additional imaging or treatment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2017

open study

This phase III trial compares nephrectomy (surgery to remove a kidney or part of a kidney) with or without nivolumab in treating patients with kidney cancer that is limited to a certain part of the body (localized). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving nivolumab before nephrectomy may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed, and after nephrectomy to increase survival. It is not yet known whether nivolumab and nephrectomy is more effective than nephrectomy alone in treating patients with kidney cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2017

open study

Our intent is to establish the International Registry to Improve Outcomes in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer (IRONMAN) as a prospective, international cohort of minimum 5,000 men with advanced cancer, including men with mHSPC and M0/M1 CRPC. The goal is to establish a population-based registry and recruit patients across academic and community practices from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (UK), and the US. Target accrual number and number of participating sites are subject to change based on accrual, funding, and interest in participation by other international sites. This cohort study will facilitate a better understanding of the variation in care and treatment of advanced prostate cancer across countries and across academia and community based practices. Detailed data will be collected from patients at study enrollment and then during follow-up, for a minimum of three years. Patients will be followed prospectively for overall survival, clinically significant adverse events, comorbidities, changes in cancer treatments, and PROMs. PROMs questionnaires will be collected at enrollment, every three months for the first and second year then every six months. Physician Questionnaires will be collected from all participating sites at patient enrollment, time of first change in treatment and/or one year follow-up, at each subsequent change of treatment, and discontinuation of treatment. As such, this registry will help identify the treatment sequences or combinations that optimize overall survival and PROMs for men with mHSPC and M0/M1 CRPC. By collecting blood at enrollment, time of first change in treatment and/or one year follow-up (plasma, cell free DNA, buffy coat / RNA), this registry will further identify and validate molecular phenotypes of disease that predict response and resistance to specific therapeutics. Additionally, every effort will be made to collect blood specimen at each subsequent change in treatment. When feasible, existing tumor tissue may be collected for correlation with described blood based studies. All samples will be used for future research. This cohort study will provide the research community with a unique biorepository to identify biomarkers of treatment response and resistance.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: May 2017

open study

This is a strategic prospective cohort study which will measure the effects of early intensive antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the establishment and persistence of HIV-1 reservoirs and HIV-1-specific immunity in acutely /recently HIV infected youth aged 12 to 24 years as compared to newly diagnosed youth with established infection > 6 months. Participants with newly diagnosed acute /recent HIV-1 infection will be offered enrollment into the study with immediate initiation of ART which is the current standard of care.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Aug 2017

open study

The iCaRe2 is a multi-institutional resource created and maintained by the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center to collect and manage standardized, multi-dimensional, longitudinal data and biospecimens on consented adult cancer patients, high-risk individuals, and normal controls. The distinct characteristic of the iCaRe2 is its geographical coverage, with a significant percentage of small and rural hospitals and cancer centers. The iCaRe2 advances comprehensive studies of risk factors of cancer development and progression and enables the design of novel strategies for prevention, screening, early detection and personalized treatment of cancer. Centers with expertise in cancer epidemiology, genetics, biology, early detection, and patient care can collaborate by using the iCaRe2 as a platform for cohort and population studies.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Nov 2013

open study

The purpose of this study is to to assess the safety and tolerability of pirfenidone 2403 mg/day for the treatment of RA-associated interstitial lung disease.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2017

open study

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry will collect data on at least 2,000 patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) at approximately 40 clinical sites in the US. The Registry is targeting enrollment of approximately 60% of the 2,000 ILD participants to have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The aim of the Registry is to create a cohort of well-characterized patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) for participation in retrospective and prospective research

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Mar 2016

open study

The INSPIRE-ASP UTI trial is a cluster-randomized controlled trial of HCA hospitals comparing routine empiric antibiotic stewardship practices with real-time precision medicine computerized physician order entry smart prompts providing the probability that a non-critically ill adult admitted with UTI is infected with a resistant pathogen. Note: that enrolled "subjects" represents 59 individual HCA hospitals that have been randomized.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2018

open study

The INSPIRE-ASP PNA trial is a cluster-randomized controlled trial of HCA hospitals comparing routine empiric antibiotic stewardship practices with real-time precision medicine computerized physician order entry smart prompts providing the probability that a non-critically ill adult admitted with PNA is infected with a resistant pathogen. Note: that enrolled "subjects" represents 59 individual HCA hospitals that have been randomized.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2018

open study

SMARTT will estimate the incidence of conditions and diagnoses potentially related to in utero exposure to antiretroviral therapy and/or exposure in the first two months of life among children born of HIV-infected mothers.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Mar 2007

open study

To evaluate the prevalence of subclinical arthropathy in children with severe hemophilia undergoing a prophylaxis regimen and without evidence of target joints, using a validated ultrasound scoring method.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2016

open study

The clinical study is evaluating the impact of music therapy on neonates, specifically infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). The goal is to study the effect of music therapy on an infant's behavioral (i.e feeding patterns, sleep patterns, severity of withdrawal) and physiological systems (i.e. heart rate, respiratory rate). The investigators are also studying the impact of music therapy on the infant's utilization of resources (i.e. total opioid usage and total length of stay).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2018

open study

The focus of this study (Engaging Seronegative Youth to Optimize HIV Prevention Continuum) - will be to stop HIV-related risk acts and to encourage youth at high risk for HIV to adopt antiretroviral medications as treatment and prevention (either pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post exposure prophylaxis) among gay, bisexual and transgender and/or homeless youth with contact with the criminal justice system in the HIV epicenters of Los Angeles and New Orleans. A cohort of 1500 youth at the highest risk of seroconverting over 24 months will be identified. The goal will be to optimize the HIV Prevention Continuum over 24 months. The proposed randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to compare youth outcomes when randomized to one of four automated and person-mediated social media delivered intervention conditions: 1) Automated Messaging and Monitoring Intervention (AMMI) only (n=900) consisting of daily motivational, instructional, and referral text-messaging (SMS), and brief, weekly SMS monitoring surveys of outcomes; 2) Peer Support through social media plus AMMI (n=200) via private online discussion boards; 3) Coaching plus AMMI (n=200) to provide service linkages, eligibility support, appointment coordination and follow-up, communication with healthcare providers, and brief motivational and strengths-based counseling for linkage and retention to prevention, mental health, and substance abuse services; and, 4) Coaching plus Peer Support and AMMI (n=200).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2017

open study

Optimizing the HIV Treatment Continuum with a Stepped Care Model for Youth Living with HIV (YLH) aims to achieve viral suppression among YLH. A cohort of 220 YLH will be identified in Los Angeles, CA and New Orleans, LA and recruited into a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with reassessments every 4 months over a 24 month follow-up period. The goal is to optimize the HIV Treatment Continuum over 24 months. YLH will be randomized into one of two study conditions: 1) Enhanced Standard Care Condition (n=110); or 2) Stepped Care (n=110). The Enhanced Standard Care condition will consist of an Automated Messaging and Monitoring Intervention (AMMI) with daily motivational, instructional and referral text messaging, and a brief weekly monitoring survey. The Stepped Care Condition will consist of three levels. Level 1 is the Enhanced Standard Care Condition. Level 2 is the Enhanced Standard Care Condition plus peer support using social media. Level 3 is the Enhanced Standard Care Condition and peer support plus coaching, which will be delivered primarily through electronic means (e.g., social media, text messaging, email, phone). All participants in the Stepped Care Condition begin at Level 1 but if they fail to have a suppressed viral load at any four-month assessment point, their intervention level will increase by one step until reaching Level 3.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2017

open study

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) is increasingly being performed in patients with advanced coronary artery disease, but there is limited information on the techniques utilized and the procedural outcomes. The goal of this multicenter, investigator initiated registry is to collect information on treatment strategies and outcomes of consecutive patients undergoing CTO PCI among various participating centers. The information collected will be used to determine the frequency of CTO PCI performed at the participating sites and examine the procedural strategies utilized, and the procedural (both immediate and during follow-up) outcomes.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Jan 2012

open study

The purpose of this prospective randomized clinical trial is to compare two currently accepted standard-of-care treatment strategies: Medical thoracoscopy as compared to instillation of intrapleural tissue Plasminogen Activator (TPA) and human recombinant Deoxyribonuclease (DNase) for the management of empyema or complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE) in adults.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2017

open study

The purpose of this study is to compare two red blood cell transfusion strategies (liberal and restrictive) for patients who have had an acute myocardial infarction and are anemic.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2017

open study

The proposed randomized controlled trial will test the effect of dietary sodium reduction on albuminuria in patients with proteinuric chronic kidney disease. Results from this study will clarify the role of dietary sodium reduction in management of patients with proteinuric chronic kidney disease and its potential to halt the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2016

open study

The PERMET trial will determine whether metformin daily for six months improves six-minute walk performance in individuals with peripheral artery disease compared to placebo.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2017

open study

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse and violence in families are co-occurring risk factors that drive health disparities and mortality among Native Americans (NA), making the long-term goal of this research is to promote health and wellness, while preventing and reducing AOD abuse and violence in NA families by testing an efficacious, sustainable, culturally-relevant and family-centered intervention for cross-national dissemination. The central hypothesis is that the sustainable and community-based Weaving Healthy Families program, will reduce and postpone AOD use among NA adults and youth, decrease and prevent violence in families, and promote resilience and wellness (including mental health) among NA adults and youth. The expected outcomes of the proposed research are an efficacious, culturally relevant, and sustainable community based program to promote health and wellness that will address the factors that drive health disparities and promote individual, family, and community resilience.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2019

open study

This study examines the effects of 6 different music therapy interventions on outcomes for neonates diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2017

open study

The TELEX trial will establish whether telmisartan alone improves walking performance in people with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The TELEX trial will also determine whether telmisartan plus supervised exercise improves walking performance more than either therapy alone. TELEX is a randomized controlled clinical trial (2 x 2 factorial design) of 240 participants with PAD randomized to one of four arms: Group A: telmisartan + supervised exercise therapy; Group B: telmisartan + a "no exercise" control group; Group C: placebo + supervised exercise therapy; and Group D: placebo + a "no exercise" control group.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2015

open study

The goal of this study is to better characterize the metabolic alterations and sugar structure alterations (glycosylation abnormalities) in patients diagnosed with Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation. The investigators aim to assess the safety and tolerability of oral galactose treatment in a small pilot group of Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation patients. The investigators will also determine the relationship between simple milk sugar intake (galactose dose) in the diet and the blood and urine markers of protein glycosylation abnormalities.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2014

open study

The primary goal of the INITIATE trial is to compare the clinical outcome of individualized lot selection to random lot selection utilizing one plasma-derived von Willebrand factor (VWF)/coagulation factor (FVIII) complex concentrate for immune tolerance induction (ITI) in subjects with congenital Hemophilia A, FVIII activity ≤2%, and a historical high-titer inhibitor [≥5 Bethesda Unit (BU)].

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2017

open study

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of music therapy during dialysis on: depression, anxiety, quality of life, blood pressure, heart rate, medication compliance, compliance with dialysis treatment, number of hospitalizations, pain level, and energy level.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2019

open study