3 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) is a rare inherited disease that can cause severe high blood pressure and low blood potassium in children and adults. It is caused by abnormal hormone metabolism and can be fatal. This study will focus on the genetic basis, natural history, disease progression, and survival of people with AME.
The purpose of this study is to figure out how decreasing the activity of 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11-beta HSD) will affect your blood vessel function. 11-beta HSD, which is found in the kidneys and blood vessels, is a natural protein that when active helps to keep your blood pressure under control.
Early Check provides voluntary screening of newborns for a selected panel of conditions. The study has three main objectives: 1) develop and implement an approach to identify affected infants, 2) address the impact on infants and families who screen positive, and 3) evaluate the Early Check program. The Early Check screening will lead to earlier identification of newborns with rare health conditions in addition to providing important data on the implementation of this model program. Early diagnosis may result in health and development benefits for the newborns. Infants who have newborn screening in North Carolina will be eligible to participate, equating to over 120,000 eligible infants a year. Over 95% of participants are expected to screen negative. Newborns who screen positive and their parents are invited to additional research activities and services. Parents can enroll eligible newborns on the Early Check electronic Research Portal. Screening tests are conducted on residual blood from existing newborn screening dried blood spots. Confirmatory testing is provided free-of-charge for infants who screen positive, and carrier testing is provided to mothers of infants with fragile X. Affected newborns have a physical and developmental evaluation. Their parents have genetic counseling and are invited to participate in surveys and interviews. Ongoing evaluation of the program includes additional parent interviews.