CREST-2 is two parallel multi-center randomized, observer-blinded endpoint clinical trials. One trial will assess treatment differences between intensive medical management alone compared to carotid endarterectomy procedure plus intensive medical management. The parallel trial will assess treatment differences between intensive medical management alone compared to carotid artery stenting plus intensive medical management. Intensive medical management will involve control of blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and other vascular risk factors.
The purpose of this study is to better understand tobacco outcomes using a well-known stop smoking medication called varenicline, counseling and financial incentives among those who use tobacco and cannabis/marijuana. All participants will receive tobacco cessation treatment for 12 weeks. To qualify, participants must be between the ages of 18-40 and use both tobacco and cannabis/marijuana. You do not need to be interested in quitting cannabis/marijuana to qualify. This study is being conducted at three sites: the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, Behavioral Health Services in Pickens, SC, and the Medical University of South Carolina in Florence, SC.
The purpose of this study is to better understand tobacco outcomes using a well-known stop smoking medication called varenicline, counseling and financial incentives among those who use tobacco and cannabis/marijuana. All participants will receive tobacco cessation treatment for 12 weeks. To qualify, participants must be between the ages of 18-40 and use both tobacco and cannabis/marijuana. You do not need to be interested in quitting cannabis/marijuana to qualify. This study is being conducted at three sites: the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, Behavioral Health Services in Pickens, SC, and the Medical University of South Carolina in Florence, SC.
This is a research study to find out if smoking cessation medications, either varenicline or nicotine replacement products (patches or lozenges), are effective when given to smokers, remotely, as a one-time sample.
Participants will either receive a sample of varenicline, nicotine patches and lozenges, or neither. This will be decided randomly. Participants have a 50%chance of receiving varenicline, a 25% chance of receiving nicotine products, and a 25% chance of receiving neither. If the participant is assigned to a group that receives free samples, they will be mailed to them free of charge. There is no requirement to use them, and it is completely up to the participants. There is also no requirement to quit in this study.
The study lasts for six months, and will involve six total surveys. In addition, we ask that participants complete daily diaries (about 1 minute each) for the first 4 weeks of the study. Both varenicline and nicotine replacement products are well-established medications that help smokers quit.
This is a smoking cessation treatment study. Patients who have a cancer or a suspected cancer who will undergo surgical removal of their cancer are eligible to participate in this study. A novel smoking cessation treatment will be provided to half of the participants in the study. All study participants will receive standard smoking cessation therapy including counseling and the nicotine patch.
Alzheimer's disease and Epilepsy may affect over 80% of individuals that have Down syndrome by the age of 60. Biomarkers found in the blood can enhance our understanding of the earliest changes linked to disease and may enhance clinical detection and healthy aging for individuals with Down syndrome.
The purpose of this study is to discover early neurobiological processes underlying the transition from healthy aging to disease. Our research team has developed technology that allows detection of small changes in the brain that get transferred to the blood.
We are recruiting individuals that either have or do not have Down syndrome for this biomarker study. Participants should be between the ages of 6 months and 85 years old and may include mothers and siblings of a child with Down syndrome. Infants and children will require consent form a parental or legal guardian.
Each participant will provide a blood sample for research purposes. We will also gather some basic health information about senses, habits, exercise level and smoking/vaping exposures.
Cigarette smoking is a significant public health concern. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation that has already displayed remarkable potential for producing novel, non-pharmacological interventions for depression and cigarette smokers. In this study, we will use brain MRI to guide TMS therapy for smoking cessation.
A main focus of the study is to identify characteristics that can be changed such as smoking, vaping and diet, environmental exposures (e.g. pollution such as car exhaust, allergies such as pet dander) that affect lung function and risk of future lung disease. We also are looking for biomarkers (e.g. measurements of specific substances in nose, blood, and urine samples) and genetic markers that can provide us with information about lung health. The findings in this study are considered research and are not the same as "genetic testing."
In a 2x2 design, current menthol smokers (N=240) will complete a baseline period before being assigned to a cigarette (menthol or non-menthol) and e-cigarette condition (menthol or tobacco-flavored e-liquid) and receiving a 7-week supply of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The study builds upon our well-established methodology for simulating tobacco regulatory policies. To model a ban, smokers will be instructed to only use their assigned products. Primary outcomes include cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use during Week 6. However, because a menthol ban may impact the ability to abstain from smoking, we will incentivize participants to abstain from smoking during Week 7 (continued e-cigarette use allowed) and assess the time to first lapse. Participants will complete daily electronic diaries assessing tobacco product use throughout, which will be corroborated by biomarkers for menthol, nicotine, and smoke. Finally, to maximize the utility of these data for FDA regulation, we will assess whether any demographic or baseline smoking characteristics moderate the observed treatment effects, calibrate the treatment effects to the US adult menthol smoking population, and model the effects of menthol regulation in cigarettes and e-cigarettes on smoking and vaping-attributable deaths and life-years lost.
In a 2x2 design, current menthol smokers (N=240) will complete a baseline period before being assigned to a cigarette (menthol or non-menthol) and e-cigarette condition (menthol or tobacco-flavored e-liquid) and receiving a 7-week supply of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The study builds upon our well-established methodology for simulating tobacco regulatory policies. To model a ban, smokers will be instructed to only use their assigned products. Primary outcomes include cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use during Week 6. However, because a menthol ban may impact the ability to abstain from smoking, we will incentivize participants to abstain from smoking during Week 7 (continued e-cigarette use allowed) and assess the time to first lapse. Participants will complete daily electronic diaries assessing tobacco product use throughout, which will be corroborated by biomarkers for menthol, nicotine, and smoke. Finally, to maximize the utility of these data for FDA regulation, we will assess whether any demographic or baseline smoking characteristics moderate the observed treatment effects, calibrate the treatment effects to the US adult menthol smoking population, and model the effects of menthol regulation in cigarettes and e-cigarettes on smoking and vaping-attributable deaths and life-years lost.