10 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease that can affect nearly any organ in the body. While most commonly affecting the lungs, vision threatening eye involvement occurs in approximately 25% of patients with sarcoid. Eye involvement may lead to a chronic, sight-threatening uveitis which may result in cataract, glaucoma, and macular edema. The treatment of sarcoid uveitis involves the use of topical and systemic corticosteroids or potent immunosuppressive agents (medications that suppress the body's immune system) both of which can cause severe long-term side effects. The adverse effects of steroids may be avoided by treatment with the use as H.P. Acthar® Gel. The effectiveness of H.P. Acthar® Gel in the treatment of sarcoid uveitis and patient quality of live have not been previously examined. These issues, will be explored in this research.
The usefulness of diagnostic vitrectomy in patients with suspected sarcoidosis with posterior segment involvement (in whom a diagnosis cannot be determined by conventional methods) has not been well described. We hypothesized that diagnostic vitrectomy would help establish the diagnosis in these challenging cases. Herein, we evaluated the diagnostic yield of vitreous biopsy in patients with suspected sarcoidosis-associated uveitis that affected the posterior segment.This is a retrospective interventional case series. Cases of intermediate, posterior or panuveitis that could not be characterized by clinical examination, ancillary, and laboratory tests were considered for diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy. Retrospective chart review was conducted on consecutive eyes that underwent diagnostic, or diagnostic and therapeutic vitrectomy by a single surgeon from January 1989 to June 2006.
The purpose of this study is to develop a relatively simple, accurate method of diagnosing sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis is a disease in which granulomas (nodules of inflamed tissue) develop in various organs, such as the lungs, liver, skin and eyes. Disease symptoms vary depending on the tissues involved. Many patients develop uveitis (eye inflammation). Tissue biopsy-often a costly and difficult invasive procedure-is currently the only definitive diagnostic test for sarcoidosis. Other tests, such as blood and urine tests, do not provide definitive results. Patients with uveitis that is 1) known to be due to sarcoidosis; 2) suspected to be due to sarcoidosis based on specific diagnostic criteria; and 3) known not to be due to sarcoidosis may be enrolled in this study. Participants will undergo an eye examination, blood tests, chest X-ray, and skin test for tuberculosis and other infections. Small tissue samples from the conjunctiva (the thin lining covering the outside of the eye and the inside of the eyelid) and the lacrimal (tear) gland will be taken after the eye is numbed with anesthetic drops and injection. Investigators will examine and compare levels of certain proteins in the biopsied tissues from the three patient groups to see if elevated levels of these substances may indicate granuloma formation. Development of a new, relatively simple diagnostic test for sarcoidosis based on these findings may permit doctors to start appropriate therapy earlier in the course of disease without invasive biopsy.
Treatment with ACTHAR Gel will result in a reduction of ocular inflammation in patients with active ocular sarcoidosis that requires systemic immunosuppressant therapy (hypothesis)
Background: Uveitis is a serious eye disease that can cause vision loss. Treatment sometimes causes serious side effects or does not work. Researchers want to learn more about uveitis and why some people develop it. Objective: To learn clinical and genetic factors that may make people develop uveitis and influence how they respond to treatment. Eligibility: People ages 8 and older who have uveitis, scleritis, inflammatory eye disease, or a disease related to eye inflammation INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR COVID-19 COHORT: Participants with COVID-19 will be eligible if they: 1. Have a diagnosis of COVID-19 confirmed by a nasaopharyngeal swab (or another confirmative test) within less than or equal to 3 days prior, with symptoms of any severity. 2. Are able to give verbal consent. 3. Are 16 years of age or older. EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR COVID-19 COHORT: Participants with COVID-19 will not be eligible if they: 1. Use regular prescription eye drops on the day of sampling. 2. Current use of antiviral medications. Design: Participants will be screened with: Medical history Physical exam Eye exam Participation lasts up to 10 years. The clinic visit schedule varies depending on participants eye disease: Baseline visit with annual follow-ups Baseline visit, visits at months 3 and 6, and annual follow-ups Another schedule set by the researcher Depending on participants eye disease, tests during each visit could include: Fluorescein angiography or indocyanine green angiography: Dye is injected through a needle in the arm and flows through the blood vessels in the eye. A camera takes pictures of the eye. Electroretinography: Participants sit in the dark with their eyes patched. After 30 minutes, numbing drops and contact lenses are put in the eyes. Then, the retina is stimulated with flashing lights. Perimetry: Participants look into a bowl or lens and press a button when they see a light. Conjunctival or corneal biopsy, or skin biopsy: A small piece of tissue is removed. Anterior chamber tap: A needle enters the eye to remove fluid. Blood and urine tests Saliva, stool, hair, or tear samples Cotton swab of the inside of the cheek. During the study, participants may need immunosuppressive treatment, such as drugs or injections in or around the eyes depending on their disease.
This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AIN457 for patients with active uveitis that requires systemic immunosuppression.
This study will evaluate patients with sarcoidosis to understand how the disease affects the body. Sarcoidosis is a disease that results from inflammation of body tissues. The lungs, lymph nodes in the chest, skin and eyes are most commonly affected. As the disease progresses, small lumps, or granulomas, appear in the affected tissues. In most cases, the granulomas clear up, but in cases where they do not heal and disappear, the tissues tend to remain inflamed. Eye inflammation (uveitis) associated with sarcoidosis can cause various eye diseases, sometimes leading to blindness. This study will examine the clinical, immunological and genetic features of ocular sarcoidosis. Patients 6 years of age and older with sarcoidosis may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with the following procedures: * Completion of a questionnaire with medical, social and demographic information * Blood draw for laboratory tests * Complete eye examination, including measurement of eye pressure and dilation of the pupils to examine the back of the eye. Fluorescein angiography may be done. This test involves injecting a dye into a vein in the arm. The dye travels to the blood vessels in the eyes. A camera flashes a blue light into the eye and takes pictures of the retina that show whether the dye has leaked from the blood vessels into the retina. Other photographs of the eye may also be taken using a special camera. Participants are followed in conjunction with their local eye doctor as required by the status of their disease. Patients whose disease is stable are seen for an initial examination and followed every 12 months for 3 years.
This research study is for patients that have been diagnosed with chronic uveitis, a disease that causes inflammation in the eye. Patients are currently being treated with Remicade, Humira, Methotrexate and or similar chemotherapy type drugs to control this inflammation. Despite these medications, patients still have inflammation in their eyes. Patients are being asked to add an additional drug, thalidomide.
This CARRA Registry study will create a foundational database for rheumatic diseases of childhood using a novel informatics infrastructure developed as part of the larger clinical project. The creation of a CARRA-wide informatics infrastructure will enable efficient, observational, disease-related data capture across all CARRA sites for pediatric rheumatic diseases. The CARRA Registry study will demonstrate the feasibility of expanding to more data intensive registries for observational studies, comparative effectiveness research, pharmaceutical clinical trials and translational research.
This study offers evaluation and treatment for patients with inflammatory eye diseases, such as uveitis. The protocol is not designed to test new treatments; rather, patients will receive current standard of care treatments. The purpose of the study is twofold: 1) to allow National Eye Institute physicians to increase their knowledge of inflammatory eye conditions and identify new avenues of possible research in this area; and 2) to establish a pool of patients who may be eligible for new studies as they are developed. (Participants in this protocol will not be required to join a new study; the decision will be voluntary.) Children and adults with uveitis and other inflammatory eye diseases may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history, brief physical examination, thorough eye examination and blood tests. The eye examination includes measurements of visual acuity (ability to see the vision chart), eye pressure and dilation of the pupils to examine the lens and retina (back part of the eye). Patients may also undergo the following procedures: 1. Fundus photography - Special photographs of the inside of the eye to help evaluate the status of the retina and evaluate changes that may occur in the future. From 2 to 20 pictures may be taken, depending on the eye condition. The camera flashes a bright light into the eye for each picture. 2. Fluorescein angiography - Procedure to evaluate the eye's blood vessels. A yellow dye injected into an arm vein travels to the blood vessels in the eyes. Pictures of the retina are taken using a camera that flashes a blue light into the eye. The pictures show if any dye has leaked from the vessels into the retina, indicating possible blood vessel abnormality. Participants will be followed at least 3 years. Follow-up visits are scheduled according to the standard of care for the individual patient's eye problem. Vision will be checked at each visit, and some of the screening tests described above may be repeated to follow the progress of disease and evaluate the response to treatment.