32 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
RTM Vital Signs, LLC is developing a miniature wearable tracheal sound sensor that communicates with a cell phone containing a machine-learning diagnostic algorithm designed to detect and predict the onset of mild, moderate, and severe hypoventilation (respiratory depression) due to an opioid overdose. The purpose of this clinical trial is to develop/validate diagnostic algorithms capable of detecting/predicting the onset of hypoventilation induced by a controlled intravenous infusion of fentanyl. The wearable sensor and algorithms will provide a series of alerts and alarms to the person, caregiver, and/or emergency personnel.
Procedures performed under sedation have the same severity in regards to morbidity and mortality as procedures performed under general anesthesia1. The demand for anesthesia care outside the operating room has increased tremendously and it poses, according to a closed claim analysis, major risks to patients . Both closed claim analysis identified respiratory depression due to oversedation as the main risk to patients undergoing procedures under sedation. The major problem is that hypoventilation is only detected at very late stages in patients receiving supplemental oxygen. Besides the respiratory effects of hypoventilation, hypercapnia can also lead to hypertension, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias and seizures. The incidence of anesthetized patients with obstructive sleep apnea has increased substantially over the last years along with the current national obesity epidemic. These patients are at increased risk of hypoventilation when exposed to anesthetic drugs. The context of the massive increase in procedural sedation and the extremely high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea poses major respiratory risks to patients and it may, in a near future, increase malpractice claims to anesthesiologists. The development of safer anesthesia regimen for sedation are, therefore, needed. The establishment of safer anesthetics regimen for sedation is in direct relationship with the anesthesia patient safety foundation priorities. It addresses peri-anesthetic safety problems for healthy patient's. It can also be broadly applicable and easily implemented into daily clinical care. Ketamine has an established effect on analgesia but the effects of ketamine on ventilation have not been clearly defined. The lack of validated and sensitive instruments to evaluate the effects of ketamine on ventilation is an important reason for the conflicting results.The investigators have demonstrated that the transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitor is accurate in detecting hypoventilation in patients undergoing deep sedation. Animal data suggest that when added to propofol in a sedation regimen, ketamine decreased hypoventilation when compared to propofol alone. It is unknown if ketamine added to a commonly used sedative agent (propofol) can decrease the incidence and severity of hypoventilation in patients undergoing deep sedation. It is also unknown if the effect of ketamine on ventilation are different in patients with and without obstructive sleep apnea. The investigators hypothesized that patients receiving ketamine and propofol will develop less intraoperative hypoventilation than patients receiving propofol alone. The investigators also hypothesized that this effect will be even greater in patients with obstructive sleep apnea than patients without obstructive sleep apnea. Significance: Respiratory depression due to oversedation was identified twice as the major factor responsible for claims related to anesthesia. The high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea combined with more complex procedures done in outpatient settings can increase physical risks to patients and liability cases to anesthesiologists. The main goal of this project is to establish the effect of ketamine in preventing respiratory depression to patients undergoing procedures under sedation. If the investigators confirm the their hypothesis , their findings can be valuable not only to anesthesiologist but also to other specialties ( Emergency medicine, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, radiologists) that frequently performed procedural sedation. The research questions is;does ketamine prevent hypoventilation during deep sedation? The hypotheses is; ketamine will prevent hypoventilation during sedation cases.
The estimation of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) in the arterial blood is used to judge the adequacy of ventilation during spontaneous and controlled ventilation. Although the gold standard for monitoring PCO2 remains arterial blood gas sampling, this requires an invasive procedure and provides only an intermittent estimate of what is frequently a continuously changing value. The solution to this problem has been the development and validation of accurate noninvasive monitoring techniques which provide a continuous intraoperative estimate of PCO2.The most commonly used noninvasive technique to monitor PCO2 is measurement of the end tidal CO2 (PECO2) . However, sampling errors and patient -related issues such as ventilation-perfusion mismatch, patient positioning or decreases in pulmonary blood flow may influence the accuracy of PECO2 monitoring (1-3). Nasal capnography has been proved to be an accurate monitor during the post-operative period (4) but its ability to accurately detect hypoventilation associated with deep sedation has not been studied. According to the American Society of Anesthesiologist standards for basic monitoring, continuous capnography is required for all patients undergoing general anesthesia but it is optional for MAC/sedation cases. The need for CO2 monitoring has been studied by other medical specialties that use procedural sedation, including gastroenterology (12) and emergency medicine (13, 14) and many specialties now recommend capnography as a standard monitor. Patients receiving supplemental oxygen may experience significant persistent hypoventilation leading to progressive hypercarbia and acidosis which may go undetected for a significant time interval since the routinely monitored SpO2 may be maintained within normal range. A recent study has shown that despite the fact that end tidal CO2 is reliable in detecting apnea , increasing oxygen flow rates decrease the amplitude of measured CO2, probably via dilution, making the quantitative value less reliable as an assessment of adequacy of ventilation (15). Furthermore, during hypoventilation there is reduced alveolar ventilation and the end tidal CO2 is not a true reflection of arterial CO2. Transcutaneous measurement of PCO2(PtcCO2) is a non-invasive method of measuring PCO2 that has been used much less frequently due to technical difficulties with earlier transcutaneous electrodes. Preliminary studies of the reliability of the current PtcCO2 electrodes (TOSCA, Linde Medical Sensors, and Basel, Switzerland) have shown good correlation of arterial and transcutaneous measurements in both adult volunteers and anesthetized subjects (5). PtcCO2 is measured with a sensor attached by a low pressure clip to an earlobe. The sensor probe heats the earlobe to 42 degrees Celsius to enhance blood flow. The current sensors have also been evaluated in anesthetized children (7, 8), anesthetized adults (9, 10) and critically ill neonates (11) and all these studies revealed a good correlation between PtCO2 and PaCO2.
Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is a condition that occurs in small percentage of obese people that causes high carbon dioxide and low oxygen levels in the blood. OHS is associated with respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, and death. The cause of OHS is unclear. Since not all obese people develop OHS, it is believed that hormone imbalances can contribute to the breathing problem. Some diets can change the body's hormones. For example, low-carbohydrate, high fat "ketogenic" diets (KD) may decrease insulin and glucose levels and increase sensitivity to other hormones. The investigators hypothesize that a KD will improve breathing in OHS patients, even in the absence of weight loss.
Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare disorder of autonomic and respiratory regulation that frequently alters oxygen delivery to the brain. In CCHS, neurocognitive function has been of great concern because of the potential for repeated hypoxemia and hypercarbia in activities of daily living in addition to hypoventilation with related hypoxemia and hypercarbia during sleep. As the world's leading referral center for CCHS, the Center for Autonomic Medicine in Pediatrics (CAMP) is engaged in ongoing research to identify factors that impact neurocognitive performance in patients with CCHS in order to optimize clinical management and improve long term neurocognitive outcomes. The purpose of this IRB-approved research study is to implement the NIH Toolbox as a standard measurement of cognitive health in patients with CCHS. Further, the study aims to determine how intrinsic and extrinsic disease factors such as age at diagnosis, PHOX2B mutation type and genotype, and nature of past and present artificial respiratory intervention affect the NIH Toolbox Cognitive scores of individuals with CCHS. Eligible participants will complete a 45-minute NIH Toolbox assessment and parents (or adult participants) will complete an associated, 15-minute Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) questionnaire.
The Center for Autonomic Medicine in Pediatrics (CAMP) has collaborated with doctors from around the world to build the first International ROHHAD (Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic Dysfunction, Hypoventilation and Autonomic Dysregulation) REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) Registry. This registry is an international collaboration with ROHHAD patients and their physicians recruited from around the world. The purpose of this IRB-approved research study is to gain a better understanding of the various health problems ROHHAD patients face with advancing age, and how these relate to each patient's specific medical course. With a better understanding of specific ROHHAD and associated clinical manifestations, we will be able to better anticipate healthcare needs and to provide more accurate guidelines to healthcare providers world-wide in caring for patients with ROHHAD. The study aims to obtain detailed phenotypic information (information about health and well-being) on patients with ROHHAD. Participation would require filling out a confidential survey that asks questions regarding health and past medical history. Involvement in the project is completely voluntary and there is no compensation for taking part. However, this project will help us learn more about this devastating disease, with the goal of advancing treatment.
The Center for Autonomic Medicine in Pediatrics (CAMP), in collaboration with leading CCHS clinicians, scientists, and patient advocacy groups around the world has built the first International CCHS (Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) Registry. This registry is an international collaboration to capture CCHS natural history data with CCHS patients and their physicians recruited from around the world. This registry is part of a CCHS natural history study that includes the CCHS Secure Health-hub Advancing Research Efforts (CCHS-SHARE), a natural history data platform shared with the broader CCHS research and patient community to house extensive longitudinal, de-identified data. Inclusion of registry data in CCHS-SHARE is optional. The purpose of this IRB-approved research study is to gain a better understanding of the natural history of CCHS, including the various clinical manifestations of CCHS with advancing age, and as related to each patient's specific PHOX2B mutation. With a better understanding of CCHS natural history, we will be able to better anticipate healthcare needs and to provide more accurate guidelines to healthcare providers world-wide in caring for patients with CCHS. The study aims to obtain detailed phenotypic information (information about health and well-being) on patients with CCHS and their families. Participation would require filling out a confidential survey that asks questions regarding phenotype and past medical history. Involvement in the project is completely voluntary and there is no compensation for taking part. However, this project will help us learn more about this disease, with the goal of advancing treatment.
ROHHAD (rapid onset obesity, hypothalamic dysfunction, hypoventilation, and autonomic dysregulation) syndrome is a rare pediatric disorder associated with a cancer called neuroblastoma and presumed to be driven by an attack of the immune system on specific area in the brain. Patients develop severe symptoms and often succumb to this disease. Based on the researchers' experience the investigators conduct a clinical trial to study intensive immunosuppression with high-dose cyclophosphamide in these patients. In addition to describing the symptomatic improvement, the investigators' trial seeks to define objective markers of disease activity.
This is an observational study to characterize the prevalence of Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome in patients referred to the sleep lab.
Procedures performed under sedation have the same severity in regards to morbidity and mortality as procedures performed under general anesthesia1. The demand for anesthesia care outside the operating room has increased tremendously and it poses, according to a closed claim analysis, major risks to patients. Both closed claim analysis identified respiratory depression due to over sedation as the main risk to patients undergoing procedures under sedation. The major problem is that hypoventilation is only detected at very late stages in patients receiving supplemental oxygen. Besides the respiratory effects of hypoventilation, hypercapnia can also lead to hypertension, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias and seizures. The incidence of anesthetized patients with obstructive sleep apnea has increased substantially over the last years along with the current national obesity epidemic. These patients are at increased risk of hypoventilation when exposed to anesthetic drugs. The context of the massive increase in procedural sedation and the extremely high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea poses major respiratory risks to patients and it may, in a near future, increase malpractice claims to anesthesiologists. The development of safer anesthesia regimen for sedation are, therefore, needed. The establishment of safer anesthetics regimen for sedation is in direct relationship with the anesthesia patient safety foundation priorities. It addresses peri-anesthetic safety problems for healthy patient's. It can also be broadly applicable and easily implemented into daily clinical care. Ketamine has an established effect on analgesia but the effects of ketamine on ventilation have not been clearly defined. The investigators have demonstrated that the transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitor is accurate in detecting hypoventilation in patients undergoing deep sedation. Animal data suggest that when added to propofol in a sedation regimen, ketamine decreased hypoventilation when compared to propofol alone. It is unknown if ketamine added to a commonly used sedative agent (propofol) and fentanyl can decrease the incidence and severity of hypoventilation in patients undergoing deep sedation. The investigators hypothesize that patients receiving ketamine, propofol and fentanyl will develop less intraoperative hypoventilation than patients receiving propofol and fentanyl. The investigators also hypothesize that this effect will be even greater in patients with obstructive sleep apnea than patients without obstructive sleep apnea. Significance: Respiratory depression due to over sedation was identified twice as the major factor responsible for claims related to anesthesia. The high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea combined with more complex procedures done in outpatient settings can increase physical risks to patients and liability cases to anesthesiologists. The main goal of this project is to establish the effect of ketamine in preventing respiratory depression to patients undergoing procedures under deep sedation using propofol and fentanyl. If the investigators can confirm our hypothesis, our findings can be valuable not only to anesthesiologist but also to other specialties (emergency medicine, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, radiologists) that frequently performed procedural sedation. The research questions is; does the addition of ketamine prevent hypoventilation during deep sedation using propofol and fentanyl? The hypotheses of this study: Ketamine will prevent hypoventilation during deep sedation cases.
Background: Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) is a rare disorder of automatic control of breathing. This disease can manifest as early as birth. Patients with this disease have a fundamental lack of central drive breathing. They do not mount any responses to hypoxia or hypercapnia during sleep or wakefulness. This places them at risk of injury or death whenever they are not consciously breathing. They require lifelong assisted ventilation while sleeping, and some while awake. Progesterone is a known respiratory stimulant in normal individuals, and it has been shown in one study of 2 patients that this drug may improve CO2 responsiveness in patients with CCHS. However, this observation requires confirmation. Hypothesis: Exogenous progesterone (in oral contraception pills) will improve CO2 responsivity by hyperoxic hypercapnic ventilatory response testing, hypoxic responsivity using 5-breath nitrogen breathing, hyperoxic ventilatory response while breathing 100% oxygen, and improve spontaneous ventilation during sleep in CCHS females \>15-years of age. The progesterone will also depress ventilatory response using a hyperoxia test. Study Methodology: Baseline measures of CO2 and oxygen responsivity, and spontaneous ventilation during sleep, will be performed at baseline and after 3-weeks of taking a progesterone containing oral contraceptive agent. CO2 responsivity will be measured using a hyperoxic hypercapnic ventilatory response test. Hypoxic responsivity will be measured using a 5-breath 100% nitrogen breathing test. Hyperoxic responsivity will be measured by having subjects breathe 100% oxygen for 2-minutes. Subjects will perform an overnight polysomnogram to assess adequacy of gas exchange during spontaneous breathing while asleep. A progesterone containing oral contraception pill will then be given for 3-weeks, and the above measures repeated. Serum progesterone will be measured at baseline and at the time of study.
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of fluoxetine on breathing mechanisms during seizures. Patients with partial epilepsy commonly have changes in their breathing mechanisms during seizures. These changes may increase the risk of serious side effects from seizures, including sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP), which affects 2-10 per 1000 patients with epilepsy each year. Fluoxetine (Prozac) may help to stimulate breathing through its actions in the brain and has been shown to improve breathing changes seen with seizures in certain animals. Fluoxetine is in a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain, at synapses, the junctions at which nerve cells in the brain communicate. Fluoxetine is currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with Major Depressive Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, Panic Disorder and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
The purpose of this study is to determine if gastric bypass patients experience hypoventilation in the immediate postoperative period, and to what degree.
This study plans to learn more about specific breathing and activity recommendations for patients after surgery. Participants will be monitored after abdominal surgery to identify what activities help them breathe better and reduce complications after surgery.
The investigators hypothesize that the addition of capnography during moderate sedation will improve recognition of hypoventilation and apnea. This will lead to an increased frequency of staff interventions such as verbal or physical stimulation for these events in order to improve ventilation which will in turn lead to a reduction in the frequency of oxygen desaturations. If capnography proves to be effective in creating earlier detection and intervention for hypoventilation and apnea during moderate sedation provided by non-anesthesiologists, this device can be used in a variety of clinical settings to enhance patient safety.
The purpose of this study is to capture longitudinal natural history data in Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS). This will include capturing standardized clinical data from standard of care assessments at several CCHS referral centers. Funding source-FDA OOPD
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using of the Average Volume Assured Pressure Support (AVAPS-AE) mode versus Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and bilevel pressure support ventilation (PSV) modes of ventilation in patients diagnosed with Obesity Hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). The investigators believe the use of the AVAPS-AE mode of ventilation after 6 weeks will yield daytime gas exchange values which are equivalent or no worse when compared to using CPAP and bilevel PSV modes of ventilation in the OHS population.
An observational study will be conducted in 20 hospitalized surgical patients routinely managed with opioids for anesthesia and post-operative pain control. Trachea Sound Sensor measurements and reference respiratory measurements will be recorded and analyzed to develop diagnostic algorithms that produce a risk-index score that detects/predicts progression from mild hypoventilation, to moderate hypoventilation, to severe hypoventilation due to opioids and other medications that cause respiratory depression. Our current Trachea Sound Sensor (TSS) has a wired Sony commercial microphone integrated into a commercial pediatric stethoscope, coupled to the skin surface over the trachea at the sternal notch. The Trachea Sound Sensor will measure and record the sounds of air moving within the proximal trachea during inhalation and exhalation. The microphone signal will be converted into an accurate measurement of the patient's respiratory rate and tidal volume (during inhalation \& exhalation) over time, to determine the minute ventilation trend, breathing patterns, apnea episodes, and degree of snoring (due to partial upper airway obstruction). A commercial respiratory facemask and two pneumotachs (gas flow sensors) will also be used to accurately and continuously measure the patient's respiratory rate and tidal volume (during inhalation \& exhalation) to determine the minute ventilation trend, breathing patterns, and apnea episodes. TSS data and reference respiratory data will be collected prior to surgery with the patient breathing normally (baseline), in the Operating Room (OR) during the induction and maintenance of anesthesia, in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), and on the general nursing floors of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH). The sounds of air flowing through the proximal trachea will be correlated with the reference breathing measurements using signal processing methods to optimize the measurement accuracy of RR, TV, breathing pattern, apnea episodes, and degree of snoring. A commercial accelerometer may be coupled to the skin surface of the neck (with tape) to measure body position and activity level. The TSS and vital sign trend data will be analyzed to produce a Risk-Index Score every 30 seconds with alerts and alarms that warn the patient and caregivers about progressive Opioid Induced Respiratory Depression (OIRD).
The proposed A/Z modification of a supraglottic airway (SGA) incorporates an opening in the SGA body that enables access to the endotracheal tube (ETT) through the body of the SGA without the need of using an exchange catheter, thus enabling an ETT to move in the body of the SGA and convert a supraglottic to endotracheal ventilation. In its original form an adaptor made from same material currently used in the endotracheal tubes can make ventilation through the proposed airway device possible in exactly the same manner of a conventional SGA currently used. This adapter also known as the R-piece can be replaced with an ETT. The modification also allows placement of SGA over an existing ETT to convert and endotracheal (ET) to supraglottic (SG) mode of ventilation without the need to use an exchange catheter.
THRIVE (Transnasal Humidified Rapid-Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange) refers to the use of high-flow nasal cannula to augment the ability to oxygenate and ventilate a patient under general anesthesia. The use of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen supplementation during anesthesia for surgical procedures has been a recent development in the adult population, with limited data analyzing the pediatric population. This study will determine whether high flow nasal cannula oxygen supplementation during surgical or endoscopic procedures can prevent desaturation events in children under anesthesia and improve the outcomes of that surgery.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent condition worldwide and is a cause of substantial morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, few therapies have been shown to improve survival. The importance of systemic effects and co-morbidities in COPD has garnered attention based on the observation that many patients with COPD die from causes other than respiratory failure, including a large proportion from cardiovascular causes. Recently, two high profile randomized trials have shown substantial improvements in morbidity and mortality with use of nocturnal non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in COPD patients with hypercapnia. Although the mechanisms by which NIV improves outcomes remain unclear, the important benefits of NIV might be cardiovascular via a number of mechanisms. In contrast to prior trials of NIV in COPD that did not show substantial benefit, a distinguishing feature of these encouraging recent NIV clinical trials was a prominent reduction of hypercapnia, which might be a maker or mediator of effective therapy. Alternatively, improvements might be best achieved by targeting a different physiological measure. Additional mechanistic data are therefore needed to inform future trials and achieve maximal benefit of NIV. Recent work in cardiovascular biomarkers has identified high-sensitivity troponin to have substantial ability to determine cardiovascular stress in a variety of conditions - even with only small changes. In COPD, a number of observational studies have shown that high-sensitivity troponin increases with worsening disease severity, and that levels increase overnight during sleep. This biomarker therefore presents a promising means to study causal pathways regarding the effect of NIV in patients with COPD. With this background, the investigator's overall goals are: 1) To determine whether the beneficial effect of non-invasive ventilation might be due to a reduction in cardiovascular stress, using established cardiovascular biomarkers, and 2) To define whether a reduction in PaCO2 (or alternative mechanism) is associated with such an effect.
THRIVE (Transnasal Humidified Rapid-Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange) refers to the use of high-flow nasal cannula to augment the ability to oxygenate and ventilate a patient under general anesthesia. The use of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen supplementation during anesthesia for surgical procedures has been a recent development in the adult population, with limited data analyzing the pediatric population. This study will determine whether high flow nasal cannula oxygen supplementation during surgical or endoscopic procedures can safely prevent desaturation events in children under anesthesia.
This study is designed to determine if using peripheral nerve stimulation in conjunction with pulse oximetry as an adjunct to traditional monitoring in the PACU reduces the frequency and severity of sedation related apnea and hypoxic events.
To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Automatic Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (Auto-EPAP) feature versus manual expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) in the Vivo 45 LS Ventilator.
Continuous positive airway pressure and non-invasive ventilation are common treatment modalities for obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and chronic alveolar hypoventilation from a variety of causes. Use of positive airway pressure (PAP) requires use of an interface, commonly referred to as a "mask." There are a range of mask options available, differing in configuration and sizing, including masks that fit into the nostrils (nasal pillows, NP), cover the nose (nasal masks, NM), cover both the nose and the mouth (oronasal masks, ONM), and rarely those that fit into the mouth (oral masks, OM) or over the entire face. The variety of masks, sizes, and materials result from the wide variety of facial configurations and patient preferences along with requirements to provide a good seal for varying pressure requirements. Failure to find a good match for a given patient may result in significant side effects, such as eye irritation owing to leak into the eyes, skin pressure sores, noise generation, and inadequate therapy when air leaks are extreme. Pressure sores, mask dislodgement, claustrophobic complaints, air leaks, and sore eyes occur in 20-50% of patients with OSA receiving PAP, and these effects negatively correlate with PAP compliance. Furthermore, several trials point to differences in compliance related to which types of masks are utilized. In a randomized cross-over trial, compliance was 1 hour more per night in patients using NM compared to those using ONM.1 In another, NPs were associated with fewer adverse effects and better subjective sleep quality than NMs.2 Therefore, failure to find an acceptable mask results in lower or non-compliance, and therefore treatment failure. Currently, finding a right mask is performed either using crude templates, or via an iterative process, variably guided by experts in mask fitting. There are no standard certifications or algorithms to guide mask fitting. Given the above, it would be very desirable to find a reliable method to reduce the errors in mask fitting so that the costs, inconvenience, and suffering are all reduced.
This study seeks to correlate microbiome sequencing data with information provided by patients and their medical records regarding obesity.
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.
The Hypercapnia Telemedicine Outreach Program (E-TOUCH Study) aims to utilize telemedicine technology, as well as emergency medical services (EMS) home visits to address the problem with poor follow-up and compliance among Einstein's hypercapnic patients. The hypothesis is that reaching out to the subjects' homes will allow more consistent healthcare delivery, increase healthcare efficiency and compliance with therapy, and overall decrease acute decompensated states / hypercapnic respiratory failure, decreasing ED visits and hospitalization.
Aim of this study is to better understand pathophysiology of the alteration of respiratory mechanics and cardiovascular function in obese volunteer subjects. The investigators plan to test this hypothesis with a physiological, interventional study conducted on volunteers by using Electrical Impedance Tomography in a group of patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in another group.
Rapid onset Obesity, Hypoventilation, Hypothalamic dysfunction and Autonomic Dysregulation (ROHHAD) is a syndrome named in 2007. The hallmark of the syndrome is the rapid onset obesity and dysregulation of central ventilation. There is little information about the metabolic changes that lead to the rapid onset obesity in these children. The investigators would like to study the metabolic phenotype of these children to understand the disturbances in energy balance that lead to the rapid onset obesity.