Boston University - Clinical & Translational Science Institute

This phase III trial compares the effect of adding a stem cell transplant with melphalan after completing chemotherapy with daratumumab, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (Dara-VCD) versus chemotherapy with Dara-VCD alone for treating patients with newly diagnosed amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis. Melphalan is a chemotherapy given prior to a stem cell transplant. Giving chemotherapy before a peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps kill cancer cells in the body and helps make room in the patient's bone marrow for new blood-forming cells (stem cells) to grow. The stem cells are then returned to the patients to replace the blood forming cells that were destroyed by the chemotherapy. Daratumumab is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It binds to a protein called CD38, which is found on some types of immune cells and cancer cells, including myeloma cells. Daratumumab may block CD38 and help the immune system kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs, such as cyclophosphamide and bortezomib, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Dexamethasone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It is used to lower the body's immune response to help stop the growth of cancer cells. Giving a stem cell transplant with melphalan after Dara-VCD may kill more cancer cells in patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

SARS-CoV-2 transmission was expected to have a devastating impact in sub-Saharan African countries. Instead, morbidity and mortality rates in nearly the whole region are an order of magnitude lower than in Europe and the Americas. To identify what is different requires a better understanding of the underlying immunological substrate of the population, and how these factors affect susceptibility to infection, progression of symptoms, transmission, and responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Study objectives 1. Determine the risk and predictors of infection and disease among contacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection subjects in Malawi 2. Determine whether innate immune responses lower the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease, and acquisition and duration of vaccine responses. 3. Assess whether alterations in innate immune responses relevant to SARS-CoV-2 are associated with malaria or intestinal parasite infections. 4. Assess the acquisition and longevity of antibodies (Ab) and cellular adaptive responses elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. 5. Assess whether malaria and intestinal parasite infections, chronic/mild undernutrition, and anemia mediate alterations in Ab and other adaptive cellular responses to SARS-CoV-2 through innate immune responses or a different unknown mechanism.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jan 2023

open study

This clinical trial aims to confirm previous findings from a smaller study which demonstrated significant improvements in all symptoms among veterans with Gulf War Illness after one month on the dietary intervention. The main objectives of this study are: 1) to confirm previous findings of treatment response to the diet in a larger and more diverse group; 2) to examine how changes in the nervous system may be the reason for improvement; and 3) to identify markers which change in the blood after one month on the diet. Participants will have baseline measures collected and then will be randomized into the intervention or wait-listed control group, which they will follow for one month before being reassessed.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

This pilot randomized double blind controlled crossover study aims to determine the impact of two wrist cooling devices on symptom control of hot flashes in adult men and adult women experiencing hot flashes. The participants will record during the first two weeks of the study all of their hot flashes and severity of their hot flashes in a diary. The participants will be randomly assigned to wear one of the two wrist cooling devices that have an identical appearance at different times in the study. They will wear the first assigned device for weeks 3 and 4. They will record in their diary the severity of their hot flashes while using the device. For weeks 5 and 6 they will be ask to use a second device and record in their diary the severity of their hot flashes with the use of the device. The devices will be attached to the wrist like a watch. When activated, one device will turn on a cooling fan with the cooling plate being active for up to 5 minutes, and the other device will turn on a cooling fan only for up to 5 minutes without the cooling plate being active.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

This collaborative screening protocol, developed by the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (LCMC) and supported by the Thoracic Surgery Oncology Group (TSOG), is designed to determine the feasibility of comprehensive molecular profiling to detect actionable oncogenic drivers in patients with suspected early stage lung cancers scheduled to undergo biopsies to establish the diagnosis of lung cancer. The primary purpose of this testing is to determine the presence of 12 oncogenic drivers (mutations in EGFR, BRAFV600E , MET exon 14, KRAS G12C and HER2, rearrangements in ALK, RET, NTRK, EGFR exon 20 insertion and ROS1, and amplification of MET and HER2) that can serve as targets making patients eligible for upcoming targeted neoadjuvant therapy trials. The ultimate goal is to use this information from the screening process to select the optimal neoadjuvant therapy and wherever possible enroll patients onto separate neoadjuvant therapy trials with genomically matched treatments or other appropriate trials if no actionable driver mutation is detected. Thoracic Surgery Oncology Group (TSOG) is a network of surgeons within North American Thoracic Surgery Academic Centers aligned with the goal of enhancing patient care through administration of multi-site trials focused on recent advances in lung cancer. TSOG has aligned with the LCMC4 sites to enroll the LCRF-LEADER screening trial. TSOG's involvement will be essential in trial enrollment and ultimate interpretation of the multimodal clinical and translational data collected as part of this study. We estimate we will detect an actionable oncogenic driver in 33% of cases. The remaining 66% of patients will represent a cohort identified by their care teams as candidates for other potential neoadjuvant therapies which may include checkpoint inhibitors such as atezolizumab, durvalumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab or other novel agents. The targeted therapy treatment trials will be conducted independently of the LCRF-LEADER screening trial, evaluating for efficacy. If none of the 10 oncogenic drivers are detected, the patient will be offered participation in any clinical trial of neoadjuvant therapy available at their treating institution or standard of care therapy. For patients not enrolled on a targeted treatment trial, circulating tumor DNA in blood (ctDNA) will be collected at 3 time points: before neoadjuvant treatment, after neoadjuvant treatment but before surgery, and after surgery. This initiative will be correlated with various clinical outcomes. Prespecified clinical data will be collected for correlation with these circulating biomarkers.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

Pakistan is facing a massive rise in drug abuse. According to recent estimates, there are 6.7 million drug abusers, of which 4.25 million are drug dependents who need long-term treatments in residential setups. Despite these shocking statistics, there is a severe lack of evidence-based treatment, preventive measures, and drug indictment policies. Consequently, the number of drug dependents continues to increase at an alarming rate of 40,000 per year, making Pakistan one of the most drug-affected countries in the world. The ever-increasing rise in drug abuse can be devastating for a country such as Pakistan where the youth population (aged <30 years) makes up a substantial 64% of the total population. It not only affects the individual's physical and mental health but also casts devastating effects on the psycho-social and economic aspects of their lives. Adults with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) usually come across aggravated interpersonal and family problems, loss of productivity and unemployment, poverty and crimes, overall financial problems, deaths, and accidents. Furthermore, it also destroys the norms, morality, worth, and dignity of the person's well-being and effectiveness in the growth of society. Numerous studies in Pakistan showed a lack of evidence-based treatment altogether for adults suffering from SUDs. Thus, effective interventions for SUDs that also meet the clinical reality of open treatment groups are much needed to reduce the treatment gap. Further, the implementation of evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has an advantage with SUDs clients who are motivated. The proposed project aims at the cultural adaptation of CBT-based group intervention for adults with substance use disorders (SUDs) in Pakistan by employing a Quasi-Experimental research design, followed by Randomized Control Trials to test its effectiveness in Pakistan.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

The investigators will evaluate the theory that Alzheimer's disease-related memory impairment derives from the inefficient orchestration of rhythmic activity at the level of large-scale cortical networks. The results as expected to elucidate AD-related pathophysiology and set groundwork for the development of drug-free interventions for improving memory in AD and related dementias.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

This study aims to improve adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep (SS) recommendations and improve rates of initiation and duration of partial and exclusive breastfeeding (BF); and reduce Black/White disparities in these practices through the use of private Facebook groups providing a) evidence-based education through videos and other multi-media supporting best practices and b) an online community and social network of other pregnant WIC clients and new parents.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

The majority of women with perinatal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) do not receive mental health treatment despite the documented associations between PTSD and adverse pregnancy outcomes; this is likely due to workforce shortages, lack of data on the effectiveness of existing evidence-based treatment for PTSD in usual care obstetrics settings, and patient-level barriers to engagement such as stigma. The proposed study is a randomized controlled trial, which will examine the effectiveness of a brief evidence-based treatment for PTSD (i.e., Written Exposure Therapy) during pregnancy and the non-inferiority of delivery of this treatment by community health workers vs. delivery by mental health clinicians.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

This study will provide rigorous evaluation of implementing a virtual genome center into community clinical settings without highly specialized resources, thereby offering generalizable insights as to how best to implement genomic medicine at scale and for other age groups. This intervention has great potential to address disparities in genomic medicine among low-income and underrepresented minority (URM) populations and will enhance capacity for providers and health systems to utilize highly specialized genomic techniques in their communities. The goal of this study is to achieve equitable access to state-of-the-art genomic medical care to sick newborns in community centers that predominately care for low-income and racial/ethnic minority populations through the creation of a virtual genome center (VIGOR). VIGOR will provide a venue for physician and family education, genomic expert consultation, reanalysis of unsolved sequencing data, and access to cutting edge therapeutic innovation, thereby facilitating institutionalization of genomic best practices in community settings, and not just highly specialized referral centers.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

This study is a multi-site, cluster randomized, two group implementation trial comparing a low- versus high-intensity implementation strategy for supporting hospital-based opioid use disorder treatment (HBOT) in community hospital settings where medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment has not been implemented.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2021

open study

This phase II trial investigates how well biomarkers on PET/CT imaging drive early discontinuation of anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with stage IIIB-IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). Anti-PD-1 therapy has become a standard therapy option for patients with unresectable melanoma. This trial is being done to determine if doctors can safely shorten the use of standard of care anti-PD1 therapy for melanoma by using biomarkers seen on PET/CT imaging and tumor biopsy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2021

open study

This study will test the hypothesis that in patients with previous daratumumab exposure, combination therapy of daratumumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (DPd) will yield higher complete remission (CR) rates in relapsed/refractory amyloidosis than historical pomalidomide/dexamethasone treatment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2021

open study

This study seeks to enroll women with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy to evaluate the efficacy of an investigational imaging technology known as Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy Imaging (DOSI) in predicting patient response to chemotherapy treatment. DOSI is a noninvasive imaging method that uses harmless near-infrared light using simple wearable probes held against the skin by transparent dressings to predict tumor metabolic activity. It uses nonionizing radiation, requires no external contrast agent and uses low light exposure to human tissue. DOSI scans can be performed frequently at the bedside in settings such as a doctor's office or infusion center.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2015

open study

This is a one-year longitudinal, observational study of 250 urban children and adolescents with asthma and 60 without asthma, ages 6-17 years old. Participants with asthma will require daily controller therapy with inhaled corticosteroids ICS (at least Step 2 therapy). Those without asthma cannot have used asthma medications in the year prior to enrollment and cannot demonstrate bronchodilator reversibility at baseline. Phenotypic characteristics will be established at baseline, and the participants will be seen at scheduled visits over 12 months. Each participant will be asked to monitor and self-report cold symptoms and will be asked to complete up to three cold visits

Type: Observational

Start Date: Apr 2024

open study

To achieve global goals for the treatment of HIV, many countries are piloting and scaling up differentiated service delivery models (DSD). A handful of efforts have been formally described and evaluated in the literature; many others are being implemented formally or informally under routine care, without a research or evaluation goal. For most countries however, the investigators have little evidence on progress and challenges at the facility level-the number of patients actually participating in DSD models, health outcomes and non-health outcomes, effects on service delivery capacity and clinic efficiency and operations, and costs to providers and patients. Alternative Models of ART Delivery: Optimizing Benefits (AMBIT) is a set of data synthesis, data collection, and data analysis activities aimed at generating information for near- and long-term decision making and creating an approach and platform for ongoing evaluation of differentiated models of HIV treatment delivery. The first AMBIT protocol, "Gathering Records to Evaluate Antiretroviral Treatment" (GREAT, Zambia Ref. No. 2019-Sep-030), collects and analyzes comprehensive patient medical record data, allowing us to assess the effect of DSD models on patients' clinical outcomes and to evaluate uptake of DSD models at scale. The Sentinel-Zambia study, the second AMBIT protocol, is examining the effect of DSD models on patient and provider satisfaction, service delivery capacity and quality, costs to patients, and other outcomes for which data are not routinely collected in patient-level medical records. The first round of Sentinel-SA was conducted in 2021. The AMBIT 2.0 protocol will allow up to four additional annual rounds of data collection, in 2022-2025. The investigators collected clinic aggregate data, conducted surveys of patients and providers, and observed operations at a selected set of 12 Zambian healthcare facilities and their affiliated DSD models in Round 1. Round 2 (2022) and later rounds will collect the same types of data at 12 facilities in Zambia and will expand the study's research questions to include differentiated models of HIV testing and linkage to care. Results are expected to inform Zambian policy makers and other local and international stakeholders on the actual implications of DSD models for patients, health system operations, and healthcare budgets.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

To achieve global goals for the treatment of HIV, many countries are piloting and scaling up differentiated service delivery models (DSD). A handful of efforts have been formally described and evaluated in the literature; many others are being implemented formally or informally under routine care, without a research or evaluation goal. For most countries however, the investigators have little evidence on progress and challenges at the facility level-the number of patients actually participating in DSD models, health outcomes and non-health outcomes, effects on service delivery capacity and clinic efficiency and operations, and costs to providers and patients. AMBIT is a set of data synthesis, data collection, and data analysis activities aimed at generating information for near- and long-term decision making and creating an approach and platform for ongoing evaluation of differentiated models of HIV treatment delivery. The first AMBIT protocol, "Gathering Records to Evaluate Antiretroviral Treatment" (GREAT, Malawi NHRC 2376), collects and analyzes comprehensive patient medical record data, allowing us to assess the effect of DSD models on patients' clinical outcomes and to evaluate uptake of DSD models at scale. The Sentinel-Malawi study, the second AMBIT protocol, is examining the effect of DSD models on patient and provider satisfaction, service delivery capacity and quality, costs to patients, and other outcomes for which data are not routinely collected in patient-level medical records. The first round of Sentinel-Malawi was conducted in 2021. The investigators are now amending the protocol to allow up to two additional annual rounds of data collection, in 2022-2023. The investigators collected clinic aggregate data, conducted surveys of patients and providers, and observed operations at a selected set of 12 Malawian healthcare facilities and their affiliated DSD models in Round 1. Round 2 and 3 will collect the same types of data at 12 facilities in Malawi and will expand the study's research questions to include differentiated models of HIV testing and linkage to care. Results are expected to inform Malawian policy makers and other local and international stakeholders on the actual implications of DSD models for patients, health system operations, and healthcare budgets.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are rapidly scaling up "differentiated service delivery" (DSD) models for HIV treatment to improve the quality of care, increase access, reduce costs, and support the continued expansion and sustainability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs. Although there is some published evidence about the health outcomes of patients in DSD models, little is known about their impacts on healthcare providers' job satisfaction, patients' quality of life, costs to providers or patients, or how DSD models affect resource allocation at the facility level. SENTINEL is a multi-year observational study that will collect detailed data about DSD models for ART delivery and related services from 12 healthcare facilities in Malawi, 24 in South Africa, and 12 in Zambia. The first round of SENTINEL included a patient survey, provider survey, provider time-and-motion observations, and facility resource use inventory. A survey of clients testing for HIV and a supplement to the facility resource use component to describe service delivery integration will be added for the second round. The patient survey will ask up to 10 patients enrolled in each DSD model at each study site about their experiences in HIV care and in DSD models, costs incurred seeking treatment, and preferences for HIV service delivery. The provider survey will ask up to 10 providers per site about the impact of DSD models on their positions and clinics. The time-and-motion component will directly observe the time use of a sample of providers implementing DSD models. Finally, the resource utilization component will collect facility-level data about DSD model availability and enrollment and the human and other resources needed to implement them. SENTINEL is planned to include at least four approximately annual rounds of data collection between 2021 and 2025. As national DSD programs for HIV treatment mature, it is important to understand how individual healthcare facilities are interpreting and implementing national guidelines and how healthcare workers and clients are adapting to new models of service delivery. SENTINEL will help policy makers and program managers understand the benefits and costs of differentiated service delivery and improve resource allocation going forward.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

GRAIL is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) among 300 HIV-positive persons with heavy alcohol consumption (by NIAAA definition) who have had detectable HIV viral load (HVL) at least 6 months after their HIV diagnosis. This trial aims to test the efficacy of gabapentin versus placebo to achieve undetectable HVL and assess the impact of gabapentin compared to placebo on alcohol consumption, pain severity, ART adherence, and engagement in HIV care. HIV viral load will be assessed at 3 (primary), 6 and 12 months via laboratory test. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned into one of two study arms: 1) gabapentin (1800mg/day target dose) for 3 months vs. 2) placebo for 3 months. All participants will receive evidence-based counseling for alcohol and either an active medication or placebo.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2023

open study

Persistent developmental stuttering affects more than three million people in the United States, and it can have profound adverse effects on quality of life. Despite its prevalence and negative impact, stuttering has resisted explanation and effective treatment, due in large part to a poor understanding of the neural processing impairments underlying the disorder. The overall goal of this study is to improve understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in speech motor planning and how these are disrupted in neurogenic speech disorders, like stuttering. The investigators will do this through an integrated combination of experiments that involve speech production, functional MRI, and non-invasive brain stimulation. The study is designed to test hypotheses regarding the brain processes involved in learning and initiating new speech sound sequences and how those processes compare in persons with persistent developmental stuttering and those with typical speech development. These processes will be studied in both adults and children. Additionally, these processes will be investigated in patients with neurodegenerative speech disorders (primary progressive aphasia) to further inform the investigators understanding of the neural mechanisms that support speech motor sequence learning. Together these experiments will result in an improved account of the brain mechanisms underlying speech production in fluent speakers and individuals who stutter, thereby paving the way for the development of new therapies and technologies for addressing this disorder.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2023

open study

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Embrace Hydrogel Embolic System for the transcatheter embolization of peripheral arterial bleeds.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

A prospective, single-arm, multi-center study designed to gather additional information on the LimFlow System.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

Developing novel methods of patient communication is crucial in providing value-based care to orthopedic patients. Healthcare technology platforms have been developed to improve patient communication methods particularly for the administration of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). However, the majority of these interventions rely on web-based platforms that require patients to have computer access. Among American households earning less than $30,000 per year, only 59% have access to a desktop or laptop and just 47% have broadband internet at home compared to mobile phone penetration which is estimated at 95% of which 93% regularly use text messages. The use of phone messaging may be the most effective means to have patients complete PROMs. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is an NIH-funded, clinically validated method of tracking patient-reported outcomes to efficiently assess patient health status. PROMIS utilizes Item Response Theory (IRT) and computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to improve measurement precision and decrease survey time as compared to traditional PROMs. The purpose of this two-phase study is to utilize Memora Health's text-messaging platform to collect web-based PROMIS CAT surveys from patients (Phase 1) and use this information to right-size clinic visits (Phase 2).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2021

open study

This study is a postmarketing requirement jointly carried out by four NDA holders (Bayer AG, Bracco, GE Healthcare and Guerbet) and the CRO IQVIA. The study aims to create detailed images of the organs and tissue of the human body during x-ray, CT-scan or MRI investigations, doctors are using contrast media (a kind of dye) which can be given to patients by injection into a blood vessel or by mouth. In this study researchers want to find out whether so called gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have an effect on body movement and mental skills when given to participants multiple times within 5 years. The study plans to enroll about 2076 participants suffering from a condition for which they are likely to have at least annually a MRI or another imaging examinations. Only adults up to 65 years will be considered to join this study. During the study duration of 5 years participants will receive annually a MRI or other imaging tests (such as CT-scan, x-ray) and will visit the study doctor at least 7 times for physical examinations, laboratory investigations and tests on body movement and mental skills.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2021

open study

This phase III trial studies magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) surveillance and prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) to see how well they work compared to MRI surveillance alone in treating patients with small cell lung cancer. MRI scans are used to monitor the possible spread of the cancer with an MRI machine over time. PCI is radiation therapy that is delivered to the brain in hopes of preventing spread of cancer into the brain. The use of brain MRI alone may reduce side effects of receiving PCI and prolong patients' lifespan. Monitoring with MRI scans alone (delaying radiation until the actual spread of the cancer) may be at least as good as the combination of PCI with MRI scans.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2020

open study