67 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
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.
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).
This study aims to evaluate the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on disease activity and quality of life in IBD patients deficient in vitamin D, and also help determine the optimal dose of vitamin D3 for them. Hypothesis: Supplementation of vitamin D3 in IBD patients with hypovitaminosis D can improve their quality of life and decrease IBD activity.
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.
The purpose of this study is to determine if there is correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and spinal disease/spinal fusion surgery.
This study investigates the effect of vitamin D deficiency on drug metabolism and transport in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in healthy controls. The central hypothesis is that vitamin D concentrations independently affect metabolism and transport function in CKD patients. An over-arching goal of this proposal is to make drug therapies safer and more effective to reduce the significant morbidity and mortality in patients with CKD.
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.
The purpose of this study is to determine if vitamin D supplementation changes the results of certain tests associated with inflammation in the body using an oral, synthetic form of vitamin D called paricalcitol.
The purpose of this study is to determine how common low levels of magnesium are in patients with end stage liver disease. In addition, investigator is trying to determine if low levels of magnesium affect the release of parathyroid hormone in patients with end stage liver disease and low vitamin D levels
Low cobalamin (vitamin B12) levels are frequent in the elderly. Most often they reflect a mild metabolic abnormality without clinical symptoms (subclinical cobalamin deficiency). It is unclear if these elderly people require medical intervention, unlike that small minority with clinical symptoms which can progress and create severe blood or nervous system problems. The study aims to determine if nitrous oxide (N2O), a common anesthetic agent, worsens cobalamin status in elderly patients with unrecognized subclinical cobalamin deficiency. The reason for concern is that N2O inactivates cobalamin and can aggravate the clinical picture of patients who already have clinical manifestations of cobalamin deficiency. The elderly are known to have an increased risk of developing mental changes after surgery and it may be that sometimes these result from aggravation of subclinical cobalamin deficiency. The study recruits people over the age of 60 years who are undergoing clinically indicated elective surgery requiring general anesthesia for more than 1 hour. Patients meeting exclusion and inclusion criteria are randomized to receive either a standard anesthetic regimen that includes N2O or a nearly identical one without N2O. Before surgery and 2 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery, each patient undergoes (1) a broad battery of tests of cognition and mood and (2) blood tests measuring cobalamin, folate and homocysteine-methionine metabolism to determine whether they have any subtle biochemical impairment of cobalamin status. DNA from blood cells is also tested for the presence of common mutations that affect key enzymes in those metabolic pathways. A brief testing for postoperative delirium is also done 2 hours after surgery. The patient subgroups' are analyzed for neuropsychologic changes over time, using the preoperative test as the baseline for all comparisons, and associations of those changes with metabolic, genetic, demographic and clinical data. The primary question is what effect routine N2O exposure has on the latter compared with non-N2O anesthesia in elderly people who either have or do not have subclinical cobalamin deficiency. It will help answer whether or not the combination can help explain the increased risk of cognitive problems after surgery in elderly patients, and by extension whether preoperative cobalamin testing and treatment may be indicated in the elderly. It will also test whether genetic predisposition affects the described problems.
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 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.
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 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.
Poor vitamin D status is very common in African Americans. Periodontitis (gum disease) are shown to be related to theincreased risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Vitamin D is freely available and cheap supplement that has shown beneficialeffect in the immune system regulation and maintenance of the cardiovascular health. In this study The investigators hypothesize thatvitamin D supplementation for 16 weeks in African Americans with periodontitis will result in clinical improvement in theirgum health as well as their cardiometabolic risk profile
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.
Studies have shown that individuals who have suffered a spinal cord injury are at an increased risk of Vitamin D deficiency compared to able-bodied individuals. It has recently been shown that Vitamin D deficiency is linked to a large number of diseases and conditions, including chronic lung disease, vascular problems, and insulin resistance. If this common nutritional deficiency is proven to be the cause of some of these diseases and conditions in persons with SCI, then it may easily be remedied with a cheap and effective therapeutic approach: vitamin D replacement therapy. Because of the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in persons with SCI, this therapy alone or in combination with other treatment options will be expected to significantly improve overall well being in the SCI population, decrease hospitalization rate, and the lower the financial burden of care.
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.
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 (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 relationship of Vitamin D levels in children and young adults to atherosclerosis.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether nutritional (cholecalciferol) or active vitamin D (calcitriol) supplementation improves vascular endothelial function in patients with stage IIIB and IV chronic kidney disease with vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency. The investigators hypothesize that the use of calcitriol supplementation will result in improved vascular endothelial function as compared to cholecalciferol supplementation.
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency increases as kidney function declines. As a result, many hemodialysis patients often have low levels of vitamin D. Recent evidence has shown that vitamin D supplementation may improve many aspects of poor health such as heart disease and inflammatory markers. The objectives of this study are to determine how supplementing dialysis patients with ergocalciferol increases vitamin D levels, how long vitamin D levels can be maintained after a 6 month treatment course, and to examine the effect of ergocalciferol on biomarkers of inflammation and vascular health.
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.
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).
IBD is caused by an abnormal immune response to the gut bacteria in people who are genetically predisposed. There has been a huge increase in the number of people diagnosed with IBD since World War II, likely due to changes in our environment. It is possible that the abundance of vitamin D in the body may be one of those environmental factors that the investigators can control to make patients with IBD better. Vitamin D acts on cells of the immune system and causes many effects, including the production of a "natural antibiotic" called cathelicidin. The investigators know that when people are supplemented with vitamin D, levels of cathelicidin produced by these immune cells increase. By supplementing children with Crohn's disease with vitamin D, the investigators may be able to alter their immune system "naturally," making their disease better. A consensus of vitamin D experts believes that vitamin D levels need to reach a level of 40-70 ng/mL in the blood in order to have effects on the immune system. Raising vitamin D levels to this range is one of the goals in the current study.
Our objective is to demonstrate that providing supplemental vitamin D to children with new onset DM will significantly decrease the levels of HbA1c and insulin requirement by the following methods. 1. Identify how often vitamin D levels are low in patients with new onset Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). 2. Record the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level (which reflects the average blood sugar level over the past few months) and document insulin requirements before and after vitamin supplementation is given. Hypothesis: Maintaining vitamin D levels \>30 ng/ml will decrease HbA1c and insulin requirements.
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