3 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The investigators laboratory has been studying families with a history of ALS for more than 30 years and is continuing to use new ways to understand how genes may play a role in ALS, motor neuron disease and other neuromuscular disorders. The purpose of this study is to identify additional genes that may cause or put a person at risk for either familial ALS (meaning 2 or more people in a family who have had ALS), sporadic ALS, or other forms of motor neuron disease in the hopes of improving diagnosis and treatment. As new genes are found that may be linked to ALS in families or individuals, the investigators can then further study how that gene may be contributing to the disease by studying it down to the protein and molecular level. This includes all forms of ALS, motor neuron disease and ALS with fronto-temporal dementia(ALS/FTD). We also continue to study other forms of neuromuscular disease such as Miyoshi myopathy, FSH dystrophy and other forms of muscular dystrophy by looking at the genes that may be associated with them. There have been a number of genes identified that are associated with both familial and sporadic ALS, with the SOD1, C9orf72, and FUS genes explaining the majority of the cases. However, for about 25% of families with FALS, the gene(s) are still unknown. The investigators also will continue to work with families already identified to carry one of the known genes associated with ALS.
The "Clinical Outcome Study for Dysferlinopathy" is being performed in centres in Europe (UK- Newcastle; Spain- Barcelona, Sevilla; San Sebastian;Denmark, Copenhagen, Italy- Padova; France- Paris,), USA (Charlotte, NC; Columbus, OH; St.Louis, MO, Stanford CA, Irvine CA and Columbia NY), Chile (Santiago) Japan (Tokyo) and South Korea (Pusan). Oversight is provided by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Trust. Funding for this study is being provided by the Jain Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to finding therapies for dysferlinopathies(LGMD2b/Miyoshi). The aim of this "Clinical Outcome Study" is to determine the clinical outcome measures required for future clinical trials, characterize the disease progression of dysferlinopathy and collect biological samples for the identification of disease markers that are needed to non-invasively monitor the disease during clinical trials. Without this information, effective clinical trials cannot be performed. This study is recruiting a large number of genetically confirmed dysferlinopathy patients aged 10 years or older, who are ambulant or non-ambulant. The study has reopened for a further two years (COS2). Participants will be assessed at 4 further visits over 2 years via medical, physiotherapy, and MRI/MRS assessments, as well as standard blood tests. Optionally, the participants can donate blood samples and a skin sample for use in the identification of disease markers and other approved research. There is a sub-study running in MRI at selected sites.
The purpose of this study is to understand the biochemistry of different types of Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) and to determine appropriate outcome measures for future clinical treatment trials for LGMD. It is being conducted at two sites in the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG). It involves a one day clinical evaluation at a participating institution that will take approximately four to six hours, and will involve strength testing and muscle functional testing by a physical therapist, an evaluation by a physician, pulmonary function testing, a complete cardiac evaluation with electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) and echocardiogram (Echo), and involve two blood draws, one before the evaluation and one after the evaluation is complete. During the visit, the participant will be asked to fill out a couple of questionnaires asking questions about quality of life and activity limitations, as well as his/her understanding of their diagnosis with regards to etiology (or cause of their muscle disorder), genetics, and inheritance of their muscle disorder.