The objective of this research study is to identify brain biomarkers using MRI scans that can predict an individual's response to Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). A total of 55 participants with Parkinson's Disease planning to undergo DBS will be recruited from MUSC's Clinical DBS Program. Participants will undergo two visits which include a 2.5-hour pre-DBS questionnaire and MRI scanning visit, and a 3.5-hour post-DBS cognitive assessment visit. In addition control participants without Parkinson's Disease will be recruited to undergo MRI scanning and cognitive assessments.
The purpose of this study is to collect information about patients with Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy(ARVC) and about the disease. ARVC is a rare condition that affects heart muscle and causes abnormal heart rhythms (this is called "arrhythmia"). Participation in this study will take about 5 years. If your study doctor determines you are eligible and you agree to participate, you will be asked to visit the study doctor's office as part of your regular care for a screening visit and about 1 time each year for the length of the study. The majority of the data collected for this study will be part of your regular care, however study related procedures include arrhythmia monitoring, using wearable devices to measure tracing of the electrical activity of your heart, blood work, including genetic testing, and patient questionnaires
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and how well the medication levosimenden works versus placebo in treating Pulmonary Hypertension and Heart Failure with a Preserved Ejection Fraction measured by a 6 minute walk. This is a condition where the lower left chamber (left ventricle) of the heart is not able to fill properly with blood during the filling phase and the amount of blood pumped out to the body is below normal. The study will also look at information obtained from the tests performed as part of the study to see if subjects have improvement in symptoms of heart failure. Levosimendan is a drug that has been FDA-approved for intravenous (IV) delivery to your body. This study aims to determine if the tablet form of the drug is as effective as the IV route. Tablets are much more attainable for patients to manage their heart failure from home, rather than going to an infusion clinic for treatments. Participation in this study will last approximately 12 weeks with the option to continue to the stage 2 phase of the study. If the stage 2 phase is selected as well, participation will last approximately 26 months or a little over 2 years. These visits will include such activities as blood tests, questionnaires, physical evaluation by a study doctor, echocardiogram, and 6 minute hall walks.
Participants will be randomized to either the treatment group (and receive the medication) or the control group (receive an inactive medication). Subjects will have a 50:50 chance of receiving the study medication during their participation in the trial. The treatment assignment is determined by randomization, where a computer selects at random which treatment group you will be in (like drawing straws). Neither the subject, nor the blinded personnel will know which group subjects are in. Neither the subject nor the study doctor will decide what group subjects are assigned.
This study is seeking participants with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), also known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C), due to a genetic abnormality known as a PKP2 variant. ARVD/C is an inherited disease where the muscle tissue in the right ventricle, one of the lower pumping chambers of the heart, dies and is replaced with scar tissue. This causes a weakened heart muscle and disrupts the heart's electrical system which can lead to heart failure and/or fatal heart rhythms. This study is looking at the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication, meaning it is not yet approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The study medication is a gene therapy called LX-2020, and is designed to add new PKP2 genes to replace the faulty ones so your cells can make the correct PKP2 genes. The study medication is given via an intravenous (IV) line meaning in a vein. Participation in this study involve up to 25 visits including a hospitalization over the course of 1 year with an additional 4 years of follow up afterwards. Study related procedures include a variety of heart testing like electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, a test that records a tracing of the heart's electrical activity, Echocardiogram, (echo) a test that uses ultrasound to capture moving images of the heart, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a test that shows an image of the heart and surrounding structures, sample collection including blood, urine, tissue, nasal mucus, saliva and stool, liver ultrasound, questionnaires, physical exams, and at least a two night stay in the hospital. Medications to suppress (meaning weaken) the immune system, before receiving the LX2020 are also required. Risks associated with gene therapy include an immune response that may cause inflammation in the liver, heart or other organs. It may damage red blood cells, cause a low platelet count or cause the formation of small blood clots. There are also risk related to the study procedures including bleeding associated with the heart biopsy, risks related to drawing blood, risks of radiation, and loss of confidentiality. There is potential benefit and in the future, others with ACM may benefit from the knowledge gained from this study.
For this study, we are recruiting 54 individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Freezing of Gait (FOG) who are planning to undergo Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). The objective of this study is to better understand the FOG response to DBS. Prior to DBS study participants will undergo a MRI scan, behavioral assessment related to walking, a cognitive evaluation, and assessment of other Parkinson's disease symptoms. Following DBS participants will repeat these assessments at multiple timepoints over the period of one year. Overall, participants will complete a total of 7 visits over a period of approximately 1 year.
This study is an open label extension study for those who participated in the ION 682884-CS2 clinical trial for transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). ATTR-CM is a disease caused by change in a protein called transthyretin (TTR) which can result in a build up of this protein in parts of the body including the heart. This build up is called an amyloid deposit, and when this occurs in the heart it can lead to a condition called cardiomyopathy. This study involves the medication eplontersen, which is considered investigational meaning it is not approved for commercial use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Eplontersen is aimed at preventing production of the TTR protein to slow or reverse disease progression. Eplontersen is given as an injection under the skin in the upper arm, stomach or thigh. This study will last about 3 1/2 years and include 16 clinic visits. Study procedures include physical exams, blood work, questionnaires, hall walk tests, electrocardiograms (tracing of the heart's electrical activity), echocardiogram (ultrasound test of the heart) and taking a Vitamin A supplement.