Search Results Within Category "Prevention"
Identifying Strategies to Curtail Weight Regain After GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Treatment Cessation
Longitudinal studies show there is a steep increase in weight regain in the first 3-4 months after stopping GLP-1 receptor agonist medications (GLP-1s) and most patients regain most of their weight within a year. Insurers now question the utility of GLP-1s for weight loss as they are hesitant to cover these costs long-term (~$833 per person per month). Some patients would also prefer not to take these medications in perpetuity and are likely to struggle with lifelong adherence. These challenges present an opportunity to test alternative interventions, such as meal replacements and behavioral treatments, to support weight maintenance after successful weight loss with GLP-1s. This regimen would allow patients to benefit from significant weight loss in the first year of taking GLP-1s and use more cost effective and sustainable strategies for long-term maintenance.
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, Carolyn.Haskins@UTSouthwestern.edu
• 18 years of age or older;
• ability to read, write, and speak English;
• ability to provide informed consent;
• greater than 10% GLP-1 Receptor Agonist induced weight loss
• less than 30-days since GLP-1 Receptor Agonist cessation;
• willing to participate. Exclusion criteria:
• major psychiatric illness or substance misuse that could impair ability to participate;
• presence of a medical condition or dietary restriction precluding eating study meals or weight loss (e.g., medical condition requiring liquid diet, pregnancy, eating disorder);
• participation in a study or program involving medically tailored meals or Noom® within the past 12-months.
Heat Waves and the Elderly - Cooling Modalities
The purpose of this study is to assess how well cooling modalities work in reducing cardiovascular stress of the elderly to heat wave conditions
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, Taysom.Wallace@UTSouthwestern.edu
Impact of Intensive Treatment of SBP on Brain Perfusion, Amyloid, and Tau (IPAT Study) (IPAT)
The purpose of this study is to determine if intensive lowering of systolic blood pressure (SBP), using FDA approved medications (antihypertensive), reduces Alzheimer's Disease pathology (i.e., excessive brain amyloid and tau protein deposition) in older adults at high risk for memory decline or dementia.
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, Margaret.Mcgregor@UTSouthwestern.edu
• Plans to move outside the clinic catchment area in the next 2 years;
• Significant concerns about participation in the study from spouse, significant other, or family members;
• Lack of support from primary health care provider;
• Residence too far from the study clinic site such that transportation is a barrier including persons who require transportation assistance provided by the study clinic funds for screening or randomization visits;
• Residence in a nursing home; persons residing in an assisted living or retirement community are eligible if they meet the other criteria;
• Other medical, psychiatric, or behavioral factors that, in the judgment of the site PI or clinician, may interfere with study participation or the ability to follow the study Protocol.
• Couples or significant partners who live together cannot be enrolled or participate simultaneously in the study.
Assessing the Efficacy of Targeted Home Visits in the Management of Chronic Conditions
The purpose of study is to evaluate whether home visit programs are an effective method for HTN and T2DM management as compared to standard of care clinic visits.
Silvia Obregon, MSW silvia.obregon@utsouthwestern.edu
Preventing Cognitive Decline by Reducing BP Target Trial (PCOT)
The PCOT study is a multi-site randomized trial of patients 70 years or older with high BP. The main goal of the study Preventing Cognitive Decline by Reducing BP Target Trial (PCOT) is to conduct a large pragmatic clinical trial (PCT) to test the hypothesis that patients who receive care with a combination of clinical decision support (CDS) and team-based care delivered in primary care practices will have better blood pressure control and a lower incidence of mild cognitive impairment and dementia than patients receiving usual medical care. Patients will be recruited from UT Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Health & Hospital System.
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, venkatraghavan.sundaram@phhs.org
• High BP defined as at least 1 BP readings of SBP >= 130 or DBP >=80 during the 24 months prior to enrollment
• Clinic visit with primary care provider within the last 24 months
• Ability to write and speak English or Spanish
• 70 years of age or older
• Ability to understand and willingness to provide informed consent
• Owns a smartphone
• Blood pressure consistently <130/80 mmHg
• Presence of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or significant neurological disease
• Major and unstable heart disease (e.g., acute heart failure (systolic or diastolic), acute on chronic heart failure (systolic or diastolic), acute coronary syndrome or cardiac arrest, liver or renal transplantation
• Under 70 years of age
• Inability to write or speak English or Spanish
• Chronic kidney disease stage 5 or ESKD
• Chemotherapy
• Any conditions judged by the medical providers to contraindicate participation due to risk to patient safety or lack of adherence
• Expected life expectancy under a year
Caloric Restriction and Activity to Reduce Chemoresistance in B-ALL (IDEAL2)
This study is for older children, adolescents, and young adults with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL). Higher amounts of body fat is associated with resistance to chemotherapy in patients with B-ALL. Chemotherapy during the first month causes large gains in body fat in most people, even those who start chemotherapy at a healthy weight. This study is being done to find out if caloric restriction achieved by a personalized nutritional menu and exercise plan during routine chemotherapy can make the patient's ALL more sensitive to chemotherapy and also reduce the amount of body fat gained during treatment. The goals of this study are to help make chemotherapy more effective in treating the patient's leukemia as demonstrated by fewer patients with leukemia minimal residual disease (MRD) while also trying to reduce the amount of body fat that chemotherapy causes the patient to gain in the first month.
Call 833-722-6237
canceranswerline@utsouthwestern.edu
• Patients must be ≥ 10.0 and <26.0 years of age.
• Patients must have a diagnosis of de novo B-ALL
• Patients must have a M3 marrow (>25% blasts by morphology) or at least 1,000/µL circulating leukemia cells in PB confirmed by Flow Cytometry (or other convincing evidence of a B-ALL diagnosis not meeting above criteria following central review by the Study Hematopathologist and Study Chair or Vice-Chair).
• The treatment regimen must be the first treatment attempt for B-ALL-
• Must be a multi-agent induction regimen inclusive of vincristine, glucocorticoid, pegaspargase/calaspargase, and daunorubicin or doxorubicin and with a planned duration <35 days.
• Organ function must meet that required for initiation of chemotherapy
• Patients at diagnosis must meet Karnofsky > 50% for patients > 16 years of age and Lansky > 50% for patients ≤ 16 years of age (or be expected to recover prior to Day 8) .
• If the patient is a female of childbearing potential, a negative urine or serum pregnancy test is required within two weeks prior to enrollment.
• Patient will be excluded if they are underweight at time of enrollment (BMI% <5th percentile for age for patients age 10-19 years, BMI <18.5 in patients 20-29 years).
• Patients with Down syndrome or a DNA fragility syndrome (such as Fanconi anemia, Bloom syndrome) will be excluded.
• Patient receiving a SJCRH-style "Total Therapy" regimen will be excluded.
• Patients receiving anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy during induction therapy.
• Patients will be excluded if they received treatment for a previous malignancy.
• Patient will be excluded if they are pregnant.
• Patient will be excluded if they have a pre-diagnosis requirement for enteral or parenteral supplementation .
• Patient will be excluded due to inability to perform the intervention (e.g., specific nutritional needs, severe developmental delay, paraplegia)
• Patients will be excluded if they have significant concurrent disease, illness, psychiatric disorder or social issue that would compromise patient safety or compliance with the protocol treatment or procedures, interfere with consent, study participation, follow up, or interpretation of study results
Aging and Disease Course: Contributions to Lifespan Neurobiology of Schizophrenia
The 2020 NIMH Strategic Plan for Research calls for investigations targeting neurobiology of mental illness across the lifespan. Growing evidence suggests that lifespan neurobiology of schizophrenia (SZ) incorporates two distinct dimensions: aging and disease course. However, their clinical correlates, associated biomarker trajectories, and implications for treatment are unknown. This study will investigate differential aspects of SZ neurobiology captured by aging and disease course, in order to develop specific biomarkers which may offer actionable targets for SZ stage-dependent intervention. The study is predicated on a novel mechanistic Model of SZ Trajectories across the Adult Lifespan, positing distinct biological fingerprints within the anterior limbic system for aging and disease course in SZ: (1) alterations in the circuit's function and structure that occur earlier in the lifespan and are larger in magnitude than the alterations expected with normal aging (accelerated aging dimension); and (2) regionally-specific anterior limbic "hyperactivity" in early SZ, with a subsequent transformation into "hypoactivity" in advanced SZ (disease course dimension). In a sample of SZ and matched healthy controls (n=168, 84/group) aged 18-75 years the investigators will ascertain a broad panel of biomarkers \[via multimodal brain imaging: optimized 1H-MRS, high-resolution task-based fMRI, perfusion (Vascular Space Occupancy) and structural MRI\], along with comprehensive cognitive and clinical assessments. All measures will be acquired at baseline and repeated at 2-year longitudinal follow-up. Using cutting-edge computational approaches, the study will examine (i) effects of aging and SZ course on anterior limbic system biomarkers; (ii) lifespan trajectories for different biomarkers; (iii) patterns of limbic system biomarkers in age- and SZ course-based subgroups (e.g., Younger vs. Older, Early-Course vs. Advanced SZ), as well as in data-driven subgroups (e.g., those with vs. without accelerated aging profiles); and (iv) associations between biomarkers and cognitive and clinical outcomes. This research will advance the field by providing novel biomarkers that capture unique neurobiological contributions of aging and disease course in SZ, and will motivate future studies on SZ mechanisms across the lifespan and development of precision treatments.
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, Monserrat.Feria-Vargas@UTSouthwestern.edu
Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network (YDSRN)
The objective of this study is to build the Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network to support the development of a Network Participant Registry and characterization of systems and interventions to examine statewide population health outcomes. All 12-13 sites represented in the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (https://www.utsystem.edu/pophealth/tcmhcc/) have been invited to participate in the Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network as "Nodes." 12 Nodes have been selected for this project. Each Node has obtained support of senior institutional leadership including the department chair. Leadership from each Node provided input and edits in the study design process by committee, with a focus on the inclusion of the "end user" in design decisions. Nodes will work closely with the Network Hub leadership to recruit, monitor, and retain participants. This will require active engagement and sustained relationships with clinics within the academic medical center as well as clinics in the community (i.e., psychiatry, psychology, counselling).
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, Lynnel.Goodman@UTSouthwestern.edu
• Be 8 to 20 years of age;
• Have a positive screen for depression (e.g., based on PHQ-2 (score ≥3) and/or PHQ-A of 10 or greater, OR positive for suicidal ideation or behavior (e.g., based on CHRT-SR or PHQ-A item 9); OR be in treatment for depression;
• Be willing to provide consent/assent (parents/LAR/guardian or young adult participant, aged 18-20, must be willing to provide consent; youth, aged 8-17, must be willing to provide assent);
• Be able to speak English or Spanish sufficiently to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent to participate in the study;
• Be willing to dedicate appropriate time to complete scheduled study assessments and measures (both parent/LAR/guardian and youth).
• Be able to provide a reliable means of contact.
• Have an acute medical or psychological condition(s) that that would, in the judgment of the study medical clinician, make participation difficult or unsafe;
• Have an acute medical or psychological condition(s) that would result in an inability to accurately complete study requirements (e.g., neurological conditions or significant neurodevelopmental concerns);
• Have active psychotic symptoms resulting in altered mental status and inability to provide assent or requiring immediate attention and/or higher level of intervention;
• Have a parent/LAR/guardian who is deemed cognitively unable to provide consent (if youth participant, aged 8-17).
Exploring the Effects of Corticosteroids on the Human Hippocampus
Chronic corticosteroid (CS) exposure is associated with changes in memory and the hippocampus in both humans and in animal models. The hippocampus has a high concentration of glucocorticoid receptors (GCRs), and the pre-clinical literature demonstrates shortening of apical dendrites in the CA3 region of the hippocampus and decreased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) following CS administration. In humans, both stress and CS exposure are associated with a decline in declarative memory performance (a process mediated by the hippocampus). Impairment in declarative memory and hippocampal atrophy are reported in patients with excessive CS release due to Cushing's disease, and, by our group, in patients receiving prescription CS therapy. These findings have important implications for patients with mood disorders, as a large subset of people with major depressive disorder (MDD) show evidence of HPA axis activation, elevated cortisol and, importantly, resistance to the effects of CSs on both the HPA axis and on declarative memory. Thus, resistance to corticosteroids appears to be a consequence of MDD. this study will examine changes in declarative memory, as well as use state-of-the-art high-resolution multimodal neuroimaging, including structural and functional (i.e., task-based and resting state) MRI, in both men and women healthy controls, and, as an exploratory aim, a depressed group, given 3-day exposures to hydrocortisone (160 mg/day) or placebo. The study will translate preclinical findings to humans, provide valuable data on possible sex differences in the response to cortisol and, for the first time, identify specific hippocampal subfields (e.g., CA3/DG) in humans that are most sensitive to acute CS effects. Using resting state fMRI data and whole brain connectomics using graph theoretical approaches, we will determine the effects of cortisol exposure on functional brain networks. Furthermore, this will be the first study to use neuroimaging to compare the brain's response to CSs in people with depression vs. controls, and determine whether depressed people demonstrate glucocorticoid resistance within the hippocampus. We hypothesize that hippocampal response to acute CSs will be greatest in the CA3/DG subfield, greater in women than in men, and that depressed people will show a blunted hippocampal response to CSs compared to controls. A multidisciplinary research team with extensive experience in CS effects on the brain and hippocampal subfield neuroimaging, and a prior history of research collaboration, will conduct the project.
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, Shuchi.Lakhanpal@UTSouthwestern.edu
• Men and women age 18-50 years with vision corrected to at least 20-40 (needed for fMRI tasks)
• Education of ≥ 12 years
• Baseline RAVLT total words recalled T-score ≥ 40 (normal range)
• BMI between 18.5-35.0 (neither underweight nor severely obese)
• Baseline QIDS-C ≤ 5 (virtual absence of depressive symptoms) for "healthy controls" and for the "depressed" group a QIDS-C between 11-20 (≥ moderate depressive symptoms but < very severe depressive symptoms)
• History of major psychiatric illness other than MDD for the depressed group, defined as bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, or MDD with psychotic features. For the control group, a past episode of MDD (per SCID) is also exclusionary
• History of drug or alcohol use disorder
• History of neurological disorders including seizures, brain surgery, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease
• Taking CNS-acting medications (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics, lithium, anticonvulsants, sedative/hypnotic/anxiolytics). Thus, the depressed group will be medication free.
• History of allergic reaction or medical contraindication to hydrocortisone
• Metal implants, claustrophobia, or other contraindications to MRI
• Significant medical conditions (e.g., cancer, heart disease, diabetes)
• Vulnerable population including pregnant or nursing women, prisoners, and people with intellectual disability, history of special education classes, dementia, or other severe cognitive disorders
• Current suicidal ideation, a suicide attempt in the past 12 months or more than one lifetime attempt
• History of systemic CS use in the past 12 months, lifetime cumulative use of more than 12 weeks, or recent (defined as past 28 days) inhaled CS use
• Women who are using estrogen containing oral contraceptive agents (other contraceptives are acceptable, see Protection of Human Subjects section for a list of acceptable birth control methods) or who are post- or peri-menopausal or with irregular menstrual cycles (i.e., inconsistent menstruation patterns)
A Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Ralinepag to Improve Treatment Outcomes in PAH Patients
Study ROR-PH-301, ADVANCE OUTCOMES, is designed to assess the efficacy and safety of ralinepag when added to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) standard of care or PAH-specific background therapy in subjects with World Health Organization (WHO) Group 1 PAH.
Call 214-648-5005
studyfinder@utsouthwestern.edu, tatyana.ganz@utsouthwestern.edu
• At least 18 years of age.
• Evidence of a personally signed and dated informed consent form indicating that the subject has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the study prior to initiation of any study-related procedures.
• Subjects who are willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plan, laboratory tests, and other study procedures
• Primary diagnosis of symptomatic PAH.
• Has had a right heart catheterization (RHC) performed at or within 3 years prior to Screening (RHC will be performed during Screening if not available) that is consistent with the diagnosis of PAH.
• Has WHO/ NYHA functional class II to IV symptoms.
• If on PAH-specific background oral therapy, subject is on stable therapy with either an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and/or a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5-I) or a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator.
• Has a 6MWD of ≥150 meters.
• If taking concomitant medications that may affect the clinical manifestations of PAH (eg, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, digoxin, or L arginine supplementation, beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or angiotensin II receptor blockers), must be on a stable dose for at least 30 days prior to the Baseline Visit and the dosage maintained throughout the study. The exception is that the dose of diuretics must be stable for at least the 10 days prior to Baseline.
• Both male and female subjects agree to use a highly effective method of birth control throughout the entire study period from informed consent through to the 30-Day Follow-up Visit, if the possibility of conception exists. Eligible male and female subjects must also agree not to participate in a conception process during the study and for 30 days after the last dose of IMP. Eligible male subjects must agree not to participate in sperm donation for 90 days after the last dose of IMP.
• For subjects with known HIV-associated PAH, a cluster designation 4 (CD4+) T-cell count \<200/mm3 within 90 days of Baseline.
• Must not have 3 or more left ventricular dysfunction risk factors as defined in the study protocol.
• Has evidence of more than mild lung disease on pulmonary function tests performed within 180 days prior to, or during Screening.
• Has evidence of thromboembolic disease as determined by a V/Q lung scan or local standard of care diagnostic evaluation at or after diagnosis of PAH.
• Current diagnosis of ongoing and clinically significant sleep apnea as defined by the Investigator.
• Male subjects with a corrected QT interval using Fridericia's formula (QTcF) \>450 msec and female subjects with a QTcF \>470 msec on ECG recorded at Screening and analyzed by the central ECG laboratory. Subjects with evidence of intraventricular conduction delay, defined as a QRS interval greater than 110 msec, will be excluded if the QTcF is \>500 msec for both males and females.
• Severe chronic liver disease (ie, Child-Pugh Class C), portal hypertension, cirrhosis or complications of cirrhosis/portal hypertension (eg, history of variceal hemorrhage, encephalopathy).
• Confirmed active infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV).
• Subjects with alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase ≥3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or total bilirubin ≥2 × ULN at Screening.
• Chronic renal insufficiency as defined by serum creatinine \>2.5 mg/dL or requiring dialysis at Screening.
• Hemoglobin concentration \<9 g/dL at Screening.
• Subjects treated with an IV or SC prostacyclin pathway agent (eg, epoprostenol, treprostinil, or iloprost) for PAH at any time prior to Baseline (use in vasoreactive testing is permitted).
• Subjects currently on or who were treated with an inhaled or oral prostacyclin pathway agent (iloprost, treprostinil, beraprost, or selexipag) for \>6 months or within 90 days prior to Baseline.
• Subject has pulmonary veno-occlusive disease.
• Malignancy diagnosed and/or treated within 5 years prior to Screening, with the exception of localized non-metastatic basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or in-situ carcinoma of the cervix excised with curative intent.
• Subject tests positive for amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine or phencyclidine in urine drug screen performed at Screening, or has a recent history (6 months) of alcohol or drug abuse. A subject will not be excluded due to a positive drug screen caused by prescribed medications.
• Initiation or discontinuation of a cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation program based upon exercise within 90 days prior to Screening and/or planned during study participation.
• Prior participation in any study of ralinepag or participation in another interventional clinical study with medicinal products within 30 days prior to Screening. Concurrent participation in registry or observational studies is allowed, as long as the subject can fulfill all other entry criteria and comply with all study procedures.
• Any reason that, in the opinion of the Investigator or Medical Monitor, precludes the subject from participating in the study (eg, any previous or intercurrent medical condition) that may increase the risk associated with study participation or that would confound study analysis or impair study participation or cooperation.
• Known hypersensitivity to ralinepag or any of the excipients.
• Life expectancy \<12 months based on the Investigator's opinion.
• Women who are pregnant, lactating or breast-feeding.
Digital Tomosynthesis Mammography and Digital Mammography in Screening Patients for Breast Cancer
This randomized phase III trial studies digital tomosynthesis mammography and digital mammography in screening patients for breast cancer. Screening for breast cancer with tomosynthesis mammography may be superior to digital mammography for breast cancer screening and may help reduce the need for additional imaging or treatment.
Call 833-722-6237
canceranswerline@utsouthwestern.edu