4 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
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.
This is a compassionate use study to allow patients already taking triheptanoin (C7) through previous studies to continue to receive the supplement. It will also allow triheptanoin supplementation in patients with qualifying disorders if they are failing conventional therapy.
Purpose: People with a genetic defect in the ability to burn fat can also develop a problem with the nerves in their feet. The nerve problem, or neuropathy, can limit their ability to walk. Part of the treatment of their genetic defect in the ability to burn fat is to eat a very low fat diet. Vitamin E is found only in fatty foods like oils and nuts. People with a genetic defect in the ability to burn fat may have low vitamin E because of their low fat diet. The purpose of this study is to test whether vitamin E supplements can improve the nerve function in the feet of people with a genetic defect in the ability to burn fat. Procedures: Blood samples will be drawn at the beginning of the study, after 2 months and after 6 months of vitamin E supplements. The blood will be analyzed for plasma vitamin E concentrations. Around the time of each blood draw subjects will record all the food and beverages he or she consumes for three days. The subject will send the record to the investigator. Subjects will have a physical exam by a doctor specializing in nerves, a neurologist before and after taking vitamin E. They will have nerve function measured with a test called a nerve conduction velocity or NCV. Subjects will be given 800 international units (IU) of vitamin E per day for 6 months.
Humans eat long-chain fat in their diet and use it for energy during exercise and during periods of fasting. Patients with long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders cannot use dietary fat for energy. They sometimes develop muscle breakdown, and severe pain with exercise or illness. They can also develop a heart that does not function properly. These patients are tired and expend less energy than people who do not have a long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorder. However, they can use a supplement oil called medium chain triglyceride or MCT. This study will determine if a new experimental oil called Triheptanoin can decrease the muscle pain and increase the heart function and the amount of energy in patients with long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders. Funding source - FDA's OOPD