62 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
This study aims to answer the question whether daily oral vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of respiratory or lung complications in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease. Respiratory problems are the leading causes of sickness and of death in sickle cell disease. The investigators hypothesize that daily oral vitamin D3, compared to monthly oral vitamin D, will rapidly increase circulating vitamin D3, and reduce the rate of respiratory complications by 50% or more within the first year of supplementation in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease. This study is funded by the FDA Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD).
A genomics-based approach will target specific genes that may explain the response in biomarkers and symptoms before and after supplementation. One objective is to generate evidence-based recommendations for vitamin D supplementation in Soldiers who often experience musculoskeletal disorders and immune dysfunction impacting physical performance and military readiness. The investigation is designed to address these specific aims: 1) explore vitamin D status in 105 Service Members to determine common symptoms associated with deficiency; 2) examine the effect of vitamin D levels on gene expression from select genes known to influence metabolism, bone density, and immune function; and 3) evaluate changes in gene expression between groups receiving high or low supplementation, and compare to healthy controls. Follow-up at 15 months will evaluate circulating vitamin D.
The purpose of this research is to determine what supplemental doses of vitamin D may be necessary to raise serum levels to optimal levels and how vitamin D supplementation and changes in vitamin D status impact cardiovascular risk factors in schoolchildren.
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.
Vitamin D plays a critical role in maintaining bone health, as well as preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer, and various autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes. Vitamin D deficiency is very common in the United States and worldwide, and is now being increasingly recognized and treated. One group in which vitamin D deficiency may be particularly important is patients who have had kidney stones. These patients frequently have elevated levels of calcium in their urine, which is a common and important risk factor for calcium containing kidney stones. Because vitamin D increases absorption of calcium into the blood by the intestines, physicians may be reluctant to prescribe vitamin D therapy to patients with vitamin D deficiency if they also have kidney stones and high amounts of calcium in the urine. They are concerned about the possible risk of increasing the amount of calcium in the urine (and thereby increasing the risk of calcium stones occurring again). However, studies in patients without kidney stones, as well as studies in patients with high calcium levels in the urine, have demonstrated that giving vitamin D is effective and safe and does not increase calcium in the urine. Therefore, the investigators will study the effects of giving vitamin D on the amount of calcium in the urine in patients with a history of kidney stones and elevated calcium in the urine. The investigators will evaluate the safety of giving vitamin D to this particular group of patients.
It is known that vitamin D has been found to decrease incidence of viral respiratory infections, as well as have effects on multiple cytokines involved in immunomodulation and the bradykinin/renin-angiotensin system. Recently, data was released showing a correlation between baseline vitamin D deficiency status and increased risk of contracting COVID-19. Separate analysis shows that many of the deleterious effects of COVID-19 may be due to the bradykinin/RAS system, and that vitamin D is one plausible treatment option to modulate these effects. Studies are currently ongoing to determine if vitamin D supplementation of those hospitalized with COVID-19 has a beneficial effect on patient outcomes. Healthcare resources have been strained during the pandemic in areas of heavy caseload. It is possible that those with concurrent vitamin D deficiency and COVID positivity have an increased need for escalation of care. A small study has been conducted in this area, but was limited by small number of subjects.
The human immune system produces a protein called hCAP18 (also known as LL-37 or cathelicidin). This protein is believed to help the body to fight infections. Studies suggest that vitamin D may important in the production of hCAP18. This study is designed to test the ability of two different forms of vitamin D to affect levels of hCAP18. Vitamin D and hCAP18 levels will be measured during an initial visit. Individuals who are vitamin D deficient will be randomly assigned to receive one of two forms of vitamin D for two weeks. After this, follow-up levels will be measured.
This is an open label, single center, randomized, active comparator controlled study, comparing the effects of vitamin D replacement using oral ergocalciferol versus paricalcitol on parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD and vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. The purpose of this study is to determine which of these two approaches is more successful.
African-Americans have higher rates of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality, as well as vitamin D deficiency. Multiple observational studies have demonstrated an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency in African Americans with type 2 diabetes and correlation between cardiovascular disease and vitamin D levels; however, there is a lack of interventional trials exploring this connection. The objective of this proposal is to address the hypothesis that treatment of vitamin D deficiency in African Americans with type 2 diabetes will improve subclinical markers of cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin D repletion is important for bone health in patients with Crohn's disease. While repletion strategies in the general population yield similar results in those with Crohn's disease, maintenance strategies are variable. High quality evidence is lacking to determine the optimal strategy to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D levels in patients with Crohn's disease.
The relationship of Vitamin D levels in children and young adults to atherosclerosis.
This is a double-blind placebo controlled pilot study to determine if vitamin D supplementation in hemodialysis (HD) patients will improve physical function and cognition. HD patients have a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, cognitive impairment, and physical impairment. Despite standard clinical care with active IV vitamin D during dialysis, HD patients still have markedly low levels of nutritional or dietary vitamin D. IV treatment with vitamin D during dialysis is aimed at treating HD related bone disease. Recent literature shows that oral or nutritional vitamin D has multiple extra-skeletal effects including improvement in cognition and physical function. In this study, the investigators plan to administer oral vitamin D to vitamin D deficient HD patients already receiving standard care with IV vitamin D therapy. Patients will be randomized to receive either placebo or 50,000 IU of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) weekly for 6 months. The investigators' specific aims are to 1) Assess the benefits of correcting nutritional vitamin D deficiency on cognitive and physical function in HD patients receiving routine standard of care, 2) Assess the feasibility of recruiting HD patients for this study, and 3) Evaluate the proposed regimen for safely and effectively increasing nutritional vitamin D levels with oral supplementation. The investigators anticipate that correction of nutritional vitamin D deficiency to optimal levels will improve the high prevalence of cognitive impairment and physical impairment in this population. These results will be used as evidence to support a larger study aimed at treating nutritional vitamin D deficiency in all patients receiving HD. These results may also contribute to a change in current guidelines which place little emphasis on the monitoring and treatment of nutritional vitamin D levels in HD patients. These results are important for the Veteran dialysis population since many of them are required to perform high-level cognitive tasks such as management of complex medical regimens and physical tasks such as orchestrating independent transportation to and from HD sessions and multiple physician appointments.
Hypothesis: 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in non-itching hemodialysis (HD) patients will be higher than those in HD patients with itching 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels will be measured in non-itching hemodialysis patients and compared to levels previously measured in a previous study of 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels of patients complaining of itching.
Crohn's disease is more common in areas of the world with less sunlight exposure. Sunlight is a major source of vitamin D. There is some research to suggest that patient's with higher vitamin D levels are less likely to undergo surgeries and have better control of their disease. We intend to study the effects of high dose vitamin D supplementation in patients with vitamin D deficiency and Crohn's disease. We hypothesize that patients given high doses will have less hospitalizations, surgeries, steroid use.
Chronic liver diseases are associated with inflammation. The investigators postulate that Vitamin D may modulate inflammation. Thus the investigators will study the effect of Vitamin D replacement in patients with Hepatitis C infection and Vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D (Vit D) status is an emerging risk marker of great interest in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lower serum levels of Vit D are associated with both cardiac risk factors and prevalent cardiovascular disease. Vit D insufficiency remains very prevalent in free living populations in the United States especially in urban, and multi-ethnic low income Northern cities.To date, prospective randomized trials using Vit D supplementation to modify CVD risk and evaluate outcomes have not been performed. The investigators propose a double-blind, randomized wait-list control trial in subjects with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and Vit D deficiency with two specific aims. Specific aim 1 is to measure endothelial function using reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT) before and after treatment with Vit D replacement therapy. Specific Aim 2 is to measure levels of inflammation before and after treatment with Vit D replacement therapy. These aims will test the hypotheses that Vit D repletion will improve endothelial function and reduce the levels of detectable inflammation in the plasma of these subjects.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate how Vitamin D affects endothelial function, inflammation, lipids, insulin resistance, vitamin D levels, and parathyroid hormone (PTH).
In recent years, vitamin D has been shown not only to be important for bone and calcium metabolism but also for homeostasis of critical tissues involved in vascular disease in patients with diabetes. Epidemiological studies indicated the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Type 2 DM patients and suggest an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension with low vitamin D levels. The objective of this proposal is to evaluate the effects of vitamin D replacement on blood pressure control and vascular disease in vitamin D deficient hypertensive patients with diabetes
This is a 12 week pilot and feasibility study with an enrollment goal of 30 subjects. Half of the subjects will be randomized to vitamin D3 and the other half will receive a placebo. Subjects will be referred from the nutrition or renal clinic at Emory. CKD stage 3 and 4 patients will be eligible for participation if they have been determined to have vitamin D deficiency and are not on treatment with vitamin D or vitamin D analogues. Subjects will sign an informed consent form after reviewing the protocol in detail with the principal investigator. A questionnaire would collect information about dietary vitamin D intake, sunlight exposure, and any symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. The subject will have baseline levels of serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D), parathyroid hormone (PTH), serum calcium and phosphate, creatinine and other markers of bone turnover. The questionnaires and the blood draws would be repeated on the 6th and 12th week of the study. Subjects will be given 12 pills of each containing either 50,000 IU vitamin D or placebo and asked to take one pill a week. They would be scheduled to return to the clinic after 6 weeks and blood measurements would be repeated. Subjects will be asked to revisit for their final visit at the 12th week when they would have their last blood draw and assessment.
The investigators hypothesize that single oral high dose supplementation with vitamin A will reduce the incidence of moderate-severe chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) compared with placebo.
The investigators are studying how to prevent malnutrition in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) in northern Nigeria. Community health workers will teach mothers about nutritious local foods that might help children grow better than the usual advice from doctors. The investigators will enroll 148 children with SCD aged 6 to 18 months old. The investigators will determine if their weight and diet improve and check for low vitamin A levels. This information will help us find better ways to improve growth for children with SCD.
Two-thirds of the US population, particularly African Americans (AA), is at risk for inadequate or deficient 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)VD). Epidemiological studies demonstrate an association between better health outcomes and higher blood levels of 25(OH)VD . Randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that, while supraphysiological high doses of VD are needed to achieve adequate blood levels of 25(OH)VD, not all subjects respond to them. Recent studies have also questioned the therapeutic effects of high-dose VD supplementation. Severe VD deficiency has been associated independently with the future risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. A reduction in GSH and an increase in the oxidative stress levels of serum, erythrocytes, and circulating lymphocytes has been observed in MCI and Alzheimer disease, findings similar to those in VD deficient persons. Scholarly reviews conclude that excess oxidative stress is one of the major risk factors for AD and support a potential therapeutic role for L-cysteine (LC, a GSH precursor) and vitamin D (VD) supplementation in the treatment of Alzheimer disease symptoms. This application presents the investigators' design for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to test the hypothesis that supplementation with VD in combination with L-cysteine (LC) is more successful at optimizing the statuses of 25(OH)VD \[biological signatures\] and simultaneously decreasing TNF-α, IR \[functional or clinical outcomes\], and oxidative stress, suggesting a better therapeutic approach compared with supplementation with VD alone in AA subjects.
The investigators will be administering oral high dose interval vitamin D, concurrently when participants are receiving biologic therapy for their inflammatory bowel disease. The investigators will be collecting some additional bloodwork and questionnaires at the time of participants infusions.
Inflammatory bowel disease ((IBD), which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)), is a chronic, immune-mediated disease characterized by recurrent episodes of relapse. The incidence of IBD is increasing worldwide and poses as a burden that reduces quality of life and has a significant impact on health care resources. The advent of monoclonal antibodies to tumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF) has revolutionized treatment of IBD, improving rates of remission and reducing hospitalizations and surgeries. Nevertheless, many patients do not adequately respond to these therapies or lose response over time. Thus, there is an important need for novel immunomodulating agents to improve our ability to achieve remission. Besides its traditional role in bone homeostasis, several studies have recognized the important role Vitamin D plays in modulating the immune response, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, Vitamin D may mediate immunity by modulating autophagy in leukocytes and regulating the gut microbiome. Thus, Vitamin D may play an important role in IBD. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the effect of vitamin D may be mediated through the TNF-α pathway, suggesting a synergy with anti-TNF therapy. This is a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to study the effect of Vitamin D3 as an adjunct therapy for patients with active CD, UC, or IBD unspecified who are undergoing anti-TNF induction therapy.
Open-label randomized clinical trial assessing the efficacy of Metformin versus Vitamin D in improving symptoms of depressed mood in polycystic ovary syndrome.
The life span of adults with end-stage renal disease is reduced, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for approximately half the deaths among those undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Vascular calcification is a key process in the development of atherosclerotic and arteriosclerotic CVD, and contributes significantly to the greater mortality rates and CVD events in HD patients. Recently, there has been growing interest in the vitamin K-dependent matrix Gla protein (MGP) and its role in inhibiting vascular calcification. Animal studies have revealed that the vitamin K-dependent protein MGP may reduce the progression of vascular calcification, possibly by means of improving vascular function. The relationship between MGP and vitamin K lies in the fact that inactive matrix Gla protein requires vitamin K to carboxylate it for its activation. Currently, data in HD patients are scant and equivocal on the effects of vitamin K supplementation on CVD risk outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial is to determine whether daily vitamin K supplementation can favorably alter measurements of endothelial function and arterial stiffness in HD patients.
Supplementation with vitamin D improves HIV+ macrophages phagocytosis in vitro. There is evidence to suggest that administering vitamin D can in fact improve immune function in individuals. The study will evaluate the impact of high dose vitamin D in HIV+ smokers' and HIV- smokers' in vivo. The primary goal is to improve innate immune host response to infection in patients already at high risk by virtue of HIV and smoking status.
Research has suggested that children with sufficient vitamin D levels undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) have improved outcomes, including lower incidences of infection and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), as well as overall improved survival. However, supplementation in children undergoing HSCT has shown to be a challenge using standard or aggressive supplementation strategies. The primary objective of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of a single, high dose oral vitamin D (Stoss Therapy) at the start of transplant followed by maintenance supplementation in children undergoing HSCT.
The purpose of the study is to learn more about how treatment with vitamin D can affect iron metabolism and blood levels of hepcidin (hormone controlling iron levels) in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Iron is an essential mineral which is a major component of proteins that carry oxygen in the blood. Problems with iron metabolism can lead to low blood levels (anemia), which can commonly happen in people with CKD. New research over the last decade has uncovered a new hormone called 'hepcidin', which is made in the liver and released into the blood. Hepcidin controls how much iron is in the blood by preventing the absorption of iron from food. Blood levels of hepcidin C are found to be high in people with CKD, and a recent small study in people with normal kidney function showed that treatment with vitamin D decreased hepcidin levels. In this study, investigators would like to examine the effects of vitamin D (Ergocalciferol) on iron metabolism and blood levels of hepcidin in individuals with CKD.
Although vitamin D is known to play a major role in multiple organ functions in healthy adults, including bone homeostasis, its role in the unique population of orthopaedic polytrauma patients has not been well described. The aim of this therapeutic randomized placebo-controlled feasibility study is to determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation initiated on admission on patients' 25(OH)-D level, bone turnover markers, and clinical outcomes in a cohort of adult orthopaedic polytrauma patients. Polytrauma patients with one or more orthopaedic injuries admitted to an urban Level I trauma center will be screened for eligibility based upon strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Sixty patients meeting the criteria will be consented, enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to intervention and control (placebo) arm. Baseline 25(OH)-D and bone turnover marker levels will be drawn for all the patients on admission, and the intervention arm will receive a one-time dose of ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) 400,000 IU shortly after enrollment. The labs will be repeated 7 days after the initial draw or at discharge, whichever occurs first. Patients' daily immobilization status, baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes will be recorded. Statistical methods will be used to assess whether there is a difference in 25(OH)-D and bone turnover markers levels associated with the intervention.