Vascular Centers

Below are current clinical trials.

Filter this list of studies by location, status and more.

1. Study to Validate the Use of Hand-Held Mobile 3D Scanning to Obtain Volumetric Measurements for Staging Disease Severity in Lymphedema Patients

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to validate the use of LymphaTech's Hand-Held Mobile 3D Scanning to obtain volumetric measurements in order to stage disease severity in patients diagnosed with lymphedema, and also serve as an imaging biomarker for microsurgical treatment response.

2. A Study to Evaluate Advanced Ultrasound Techniques for Diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate shear wave data and vascular lumen size determined by Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in patients undergoing temporal artery biopsy, to determine the sensitivity and specificity of Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) and CEUS for the diagnosis of temporal arteritis, and to determine the impact of pre-operative ultrasound guided mapping on operative time required for temporal artery biopsy.

    

3. A Study to Analyze Biopsy of Vascular Malformations

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to validate a core biopsy technique for obtaining tissue from treatment naive vascular anomalies for clinical pathology and genomic analyses in patients undergoing clinically indicated sclerotherapy, embolization and/or ablation.

4. A Study of Atrial Cardiopathy and Antithrombotic Drugs In Prevention After Cryptogenic Stroke

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The primary purpose of this study is to test the theory that Eliquis (apixaban) is superior to aspirin for the prevention of recurrent stroke in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke and atrial cardiopathy.

5. Pain Severity and Pain Interference Outcomes following Percutaneous MRI-Guided Laser Ablation and Cryoablation of Painful Peripheral, Soft Tissue Vascular Anomali

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to determine if MRI-guided laser ablation and cryoablation result in significant improvements in both pain severity and pain interference measures at intermediate-term follow-up in patients with painful, soft-tissue vascular anomalies. The study will also test the hypothesis that immediate loss of intrinsic vascular anomaly T2 signal is an imaging biomarker to predict decreased pain and VA volume following MRI-guided laser ablation and cryoablation in patients with painful, soft-tissue vascular anomalies. 

6. Carotid Revascularization and Medical Management for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis Trial - Hemodynamics (CREST-H)

   Jacksonville, Fla., Rochester, Minn.

   We aim to determine whether cognitive impairment attributable to cerebral hemodynamic impairment in patients with high-grade asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis is reversible with restoration of flow. To accomplish this aim CREST-H will add on to the NINDS-sponsored CREST-2 trial (parallel, outcome-blinded Phase 3 clinical trials for patients with asymptomatic high-grade carotid artery stenosis which will compare carotid endarterectomy plus intensive medical management (IMM) versus IMM alone (n=1,240), and carotid artery stenting plus IMM versus IMM alone (n=1,240) to prevent stroke and death). CREST-H addresses the intriguing question of whether cognitive impairment can be reversed when it arises from abnormal cerebral hemodynamic perfusion in a hemodynamically impaired subset of the CREST-2 -randomized patients. We will enroll 500 patients from CREST-2, all of whom receive cognitive assessments at baseline and yearly thereafter. We anticipate identifying 100 patients with hemodynamic impairment as measured by an inter-hemispheral MRI perfusion "time to peak" (TTP) delay on the side of stenosis. Among those who are found to be hemodynamically impaired and have baseline cognitive impairment, the cognitive batteries at baseline and at 1 year will determine if those with flow failure who are randomized to a revascularization arm in CREST-2 will have better cognitive outcomes than those in the medical-only arm compared with this treatment difference for those who have no flow failure. We hypothesize that hemodynamically significant "asymptomatic" carotid disease may represent one of the few examples of treatable causes of cognitive impairment. If cognitive decline can be reversed in these patients, then we will have established a new indication for carotid revascularization independent of the risk of recurrent stroke.

7. International Bicuspid Aortic Valve Consortium (BAVCon)

   Rochester, Minn.

   Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease is the most frequent congenital cardiac malformation, occurring in 0.5-1.2% of the US population. In young adults, it is generally a benign abnormality; but in older adults it is associated with thoracic aortic aneurysm or dissection in 20-30% of those with BAV. BAV is strongly associated with early development of aortic valve calcification or incompetence in >50% of BAV patients, and accounts for ~40% of the >30,000 aortic valve replacements (AVR) performed in the US each year. Yet, we know little of the etiology, cellular events and modifiers of progression of BAV to calcific aortic valve disease and we still do not understand the genetic cause(s) of BAV despite evidence for its high heritability.

   The Specific Aims of this study are:

   1. To identify the genetic causes of bicuspid aortic valve disease and its associated thoracic aortic disease.

   2. To identify potential pathways to predict the clinical course of BAV disease and for treating human BAV disease.

   To achieve these aims, we have created the International Bicuspid Aortic Valve Consortium (BAVCon), a consortium of institutions with cohorts of BAV patients and the expertise to fulfill the performance of these aims.

8. The Assessment of Prednisone In Remission Trial - Centers of Excellence Approach

   Rochester, Minn.

   This study is a multi-center randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of using low-dose prednisone as compared to stopping prednisone treatment entirely. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to taper their prednisone dose down to 5 mg/day or to 0 mg/day for the duration of the study (approximately six months) or until a study endpoint.

9. Low Dose Naltrexone to Improve Physical Health in Patients With Vasculitis

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this clinical trial is to determine if low dose naltrexone is effective in improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with vasculitis. Although it is a pilot study, a placebo-controlled component is used because of the prominent placebo group effect seen in studies with self-reported subjective outcomes.

   Naltrexone is an FDA approved drug (for alcoholism) that has found widespread use "off-label" to treat pain and improve quality of life at much lower doses than are used for the approved indication. There are a few scientific studies in three conditions (fibromyalgia, Crohn's disease, and multiple sclerosis) that suggest that this drug has benefit and is safe. However, considering the extent of use in other conditions, and uncertainty about the mechanism of action study is needed in a diverse set of diseases, including vasculitis.

10. Apixaban in Preventing Secondary Cancer Related Blood Clots in Cancer Patients Who Have Completed Anticoagulation Therapy

    Jacksonville, Fla., Rochester, Minn., Eau Claire, Wis., Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

    This randomized phase III trial studies the best dose of apixaban and how well it works in preventing secondary cancer related blood clots in cancer patients who have completed anticoagulation therapy. Apixaban may stop the clotting of blood by blocking some of the enzymes needed for blood clotting.