UAB - Center for Clinical and Translational Science

This study will compare two approaches to cognitive rehabilitation in adults with stroke with persistent, mild to moderate, cognitive impairment. Both approaches will feature a web-based computer "game" that trains cognitive processing speed, i.e., how quickly individuals process information that they receive through their senses. This training is termed Speed of Processing Training (SOPT). One approach will add (A) in-lab training on everyday activities with important cognitive components and (B) procedures designed to transfer improvements in cognition from the treatment setting to everyday life. This approach is termed Constraint-Induced Cognitive Therapy (CICT). The other approach will add (A) in-lab training on relaxation, healthy nutrition, and healthy sleep and (B) procedures designed to promote integration of these lifestyle changes into everyday life. This approach is termed Brain Fitness-Heath Education Lifestyle Program (BF-HELP). Both CICT and BF-HELP will involve 35 hours of training. Ten 1-hour sessions of SOPT will be scheduled in the home with training conducted independently by participants. Ten 2.5 hours of in-lab, face-to-face, therapist directed sessions will be scheduled. These sessions will feature a brief period of SOPT; the bulk of the sessions will be committed to in-lab training on the target behaviors and the procedures designed to promote transfer of therapeutic gains to daily life; The set of the latter procedures is termed the Transfer Package. To accommodate the demands of participants' other activities, training sessions will be permitted to be scheduled as tightly as every weekday over 2 weeks or as loosely as every other weekday or so over 4 weeks. Family caregivers in both groups will also receive training on how to best support participants in their therapeutic program. The study will also test if there is an advantage to placing follow-up phone calls after treatment ends. The purpose of the calls will be to support transition of any behavioral changes achieved during treatment into everyday life on a long-term basis. Participants will be randomly assigned to the interventions. Testing will happen one month before treatment, one day before treatment, one day afterwards, and 6- and 12-months afterwards. Outcomes measured will include cognitive processing speed, cognitive function on laboratory tests, and spontaneous performance of everyday activities with important cognitive components in daily life.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

In this study, researchers will learn more about a study drug called litifilimab (BIIB059) in participants with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study will focus on participants who have active disease and are already taking standard of care medications. These may include antimalarials, steroids, and immunosuppressants. The main objective of the study is to learn about the effect litifilimab has on lowering the activity of the disease. The main question researchers want to answer is: - How many participants have an improvement in their symptoms after 52 weeks of treatment? Researchers will answer this and other questions by measuring the symptoms of SLE over time using a variety of scoring tools. These include the SLE Responder Index (SRI), the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index-2000 (SLEDAI-2K), and the Patient Global Assessment - Visual Analog Scale (PGA-VAS). Researchers will also learn more about the safety of litifilimab. They will study how participants' immune systems respond to litifilimab. Additionally, they will measure the effect litifilimab and SLE have on the quality of life of participants using a group of questionnaires. The study will be done as follows: - After screening, participants will be randomized to receive either a high or low dose of litifilimab, or placebo. A placebo looks like the study drug but contains no real medicine. - All participants will receive either litifilimab or placebo as injections under the skin once every 4 weeks. The treatment period will last 52 weeks. Participants will continue to take their standard of care medications. - Neither the researchers nor the participants will know if the participants are receiving litifilimab or placebo. - There will be a follow-up safety period that lasts up to 24 weeks. - In total, participants will have up to 22 study visits. The total study duration for participants will be up to 80 weeks.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2021

open study

This mechanistic clinical trial proposes to test whether a five-day course of mindfulness meditation training (MMT) and tDCS, and their combination, can enhance pain modulatory balance and pain-related brain function, reduce clinical pain, among African Americans and non-Hispanic whites with knee osteoarthritis (OA). This approach will provide evidence that targeting stress and pain-related brain function will reduce OA-related pain and ethnic group differences therein.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2020

open study

This randomized controlled trial aims to assess effects of videoconferencing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on mental health outcomes in individuals living with spinal cord injuries (SCI). A total of 40 individuals living with SCI sustained within 5 years and experiencing depressive symptoms will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the ACT group or the wait-list control group. The ACT group will receive 8 weekly individual ACT sessions guided by a coach through videoconferencing. The wait-list group will receive ACT sessions after the study period ends. We will provide psychoeducation materials related to SCI as supplemental resources to both groups. Mental health outcomes using self-reported questionnaires will be collected at pretest, posttest, and 2-month follow-up. Exploratory hypotheses are that the group undergoing the ACT intervention supplemented with psychoeducation will show improvements in mental health outcomes (e.g., depression) and ACT processes (e.g., psychological flexibility) at posttest and 2-month follow-up, compared to the wait-list control group provided with psychoeducation materials alone. Interviews will be conducted at posttest to explore the participants' experiences in ACT.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

The purpose of this pilot research project is to examine the impact of a low-glycemic index (GI) diet on postprandial hypotension and glucose control in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury. The objectives are: 1) To evaluate the effect of the low-GI diet on the magnitude of postprandial systolic blood pressure drop compared to a high-GI control diet. 2)To evaluate the effect of a low-GI diet on postprandial glucose and insulin responses compared to a high-GI control diet.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2022

open study

Black individuals are more likely to have decreased insulin sensitivity which results in a high risk for the development of cardiometabolic disease. The reasons for this are incompletely understood. Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are hormones produced by the heart that play a role in regulating the metabolic health of an individual. Low circulating level of NPs is an important contributor to increased risk for diabetes. The NP levels are relatively lower among Black individuals thus affecting their metabolic health and putting them at a higher risk for diabetes. This study aims to test the hypothesis that by augmenting NP levels using sacubitril/valsartan, among Black Individuals one can improve their metabolic health (as measured by insulin sensitivity & energy expenditure) and help establish the role of NPs in the underlying mechanism behind increased risk for cardiometabolic disease in these population.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2020

open study

The purpose of this pilot study is to generate preliminary data on the impact of the dietary protein pattern on markers of skeletal muscle health and drug efficacy in Parkinson disease.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2022

open study

The ALA-LHC is a longitudinal, multi-center cohort study that will enroll approximately 4,000 young adults between the ages of 25-35 who do not have severe lung disease. The overarching objective of the ALA-LHC is to establish a national cohort of young adults for the purpose of defining lung health and developing targets to intercept chronic lung disease at its earliest stages.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2021

open study

Saroglitazar Magnesium for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2021

open study

The purpose of this study is to develop and pilot test an accessible and inclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted, individualized, family-focused lifestyle modification intervention (AI4DM) for glycemic control in people with disabilities.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2022

open study

The objective of the rFVIIa for Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke Administered at Earliest Time (FASTEST) Trial is to establish the first treatment for acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) within a time window and subgroup of patients that is most likely to benefit. The central hypothesis is that rFVIIa, administered within 120 minutes from stroke onset with an identified subgroup of patients most likely to benefit, will improve outcomes at 180 days as measured by the Modified Rankin Score (mRS) and decrease ongoing bleeding as compared to standard therapy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2021

open study

PREVENTABLE is a multi-center, randomized, parallel group, placebo-controlled superiority study. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to atorvastatin 40 mg or placebo. This large study conducted in community-dwelling older adults without cardiovascular disease (CVD) or dementia will demonstrate the benefit of statins for reducing the primary composite of death, dementia, and persistent disability and secondary composites including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cardiovascular events.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2020

open study

Obese individuals have a higher prevalence of nocturnal hypertension and non-dipping blood pressure (BP). These conditions are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and death. Natriuretic Peptides (NPs) are hormones produced by the heart which directly regulate BP by causing dilation of blood vessels and by removing sodium and water from the body. NPs have a 24-hour day-night rhythm and this controls the day-night rhythm of BP as well. The NP-BP rhythm relationship is broken down in obese individuals. Obese individuals also have lower circulating NP levels. Lower circulating levels of NPs and elevated renin hormone (a part of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System [RAAS]) at nighttime may contribute to the high nocturnal blood pressure in obese individuals which puts them at a higher risk of developing CV events. This current study seeks to determine the biological implications of chronopharmacology for synchronizing NP-RAAS-based blood pressure therapy with the physiological diurnal rhythms to restore the normal diurnal rhythm of blood pressure in obese individuals.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) arises from abnormal immune cell-mediated injury to beta cells that make insulin. The injured beta cells can then no longer make the needed amount of insulin to stay healthy. However, in the early stages of T1D, some beta cells are still alive and functioning. Treatment to protect the beta cells against injury at this time could slow the progress of disease. Denosumab is an approved treatment for osteoporosis (a disease that thins and weakens the bones), high blood calcium levels, bone cancer, and other bone problems in patients who have cancer. The research team has found that the bone pathway that denosumab works on to treat these bone conditions also has effects on the health of the beta cells. Lab studies suggest that denosumab may protect and/or increase the number of beta cells and improve how well they work. This study will test whether denosumab is safe and improves beta cell function and blood sugar control in people with early T1D.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2024

open study

The purpose of this study is to assess BMS-986453 in participants with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2024

open study

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate safety and effectiveness of the Biosense Webster (BWI) ablation system (THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH surround flow [STSF] catheter and TRUPULSE generator) when used for isolation of the atrial pulmonary veins (PVs) in treatment of participants with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), an irregular heart rate that causing abnormal blood flow.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to establish the safety and effectiveness of pulsed field ablation as a first-line ablation treatment for subjects with persistent atrial fibrillation as compared to subjects who received an initial treatment with anti-arrhythmic drugs.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multinational, multicenter, parallel-group, Phase 3, 2-arm, study will investigate the efficacy and safety of belumosudil compared with placebo, both administered on top of azithromycin and standard-of-care regimen of immunosuppression in male or female participants at least 1 year after bilateral lung transplant, who are at least 18 years of age and who have evidence of progressive CLAD despite azithromycin therapy. Study details include: The study duration will be up to 31 weeks for participants not entering the open-label extension (OLE) period and up to 57 weeks for participants entering the OLE period but not the long-term OLE. The treatment duration will be up to 26 weeks for participants not entering the OLE period and up to 52 weeks for participants entering the OLE period but not the long-term OLE. The number of visits will be up to 10 visits for participants not entering the OLE period and up to 16 visits for participants entering the OLE period but not the long-term OLE. For participants who enter the long-term OLE, treatment and study participation will continue with visits every 12 weeks per protocol specifications.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of Ruxolitinib cream in participants with Prurigo Nodularis (PN).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2023

open study

The main aim of this study is to learn if fazirsiran reduces liver scarring (fibrosis) compared to placebo. Other aims are to learn if fazirsiran slows down the disease worsening in the liver, to get information on how fazirsiran affects the body (called pharmacodynamics), to learn if fazirsiran reduces other liver injury (inflammation) and the abnormal Z-AAT protein in the liver, to get information on how the body processes fazirsiran (called pharmacokinetics), to test how well fazirsiran works compared with a placebo in improving measures of liver scarring including imaging and liver biomarkers (substances in the blood that the body normally makes and help show if liver function is improving, staying the same, or getting worse) as well as to check for side effects in participants treated with fazirsiran compared with those who received placebo. Participants will either receive fazirsiran or placebo. Liver biopsies, a way of collecting a small tissue sample from the liver, will be taken twice during this study.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

The purpose of this trial is to investigate the efficacy and safety of dapansutrile (OLT1177®) tablets in subjects with an acute gout flare.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2023

open study

This is an 18-month, multicenter, randomized, active-control, parallel-group Phase 3 study, in which participants will be randomized to venglustat versus standard of care therapy (agalsidase alfa, agalsidase beta, or migalastat) to evaluate the effect of venglustat on left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in adult participants with Fabry disease and left ventricular hypertrophy. - Study visits will take place approximately every 3 to 6 months - Participants who complete the randomized period may continue to the long-term extension (LTE) to receive venglustat for up to additional 34 months with the total study duration up to 4.4 years maximum.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2022

open study

The main objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of satralizumab compared with placebo based on time from randomization to the first occurrence of an adjudicated MOGAD relapse in the double-blind (DB) treatment period

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

This is a multi-center study to compare the efficacy and safety of itolizumab versus placebo as first-line therapy for subjects with Grade III-IV aGVHD or Grade II with LGI involvement, in combination with corticosteroids

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2022

open study

This study will test the safety of a drug called PF-08046054/SGN-PDL1V alone and with pembrolizumab in participants with solid tumors. It will also study the side effects of this drug. A side effect is anything a drug does to your body besides treating your disease. Participants will have solid tumor cancer that has spread through the body (metastatic) or cannot be removed with surgery (unresectable). This study will have five parts. Parts A and B of the study will find out how much PF-08046054/SGN- PDL1V should be given to participants. Part C will use the dose found in Parts A and B to find out how safe PF-08046054/SGN-PDL1V is and if it works to treat solid tumor cancers. In Part D and E, participants will be given PF-08046054/SGN-PDL1V with pembrolizumab to find out how safe this combination is and if it works to treat solid tumor cancers.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2022

open study