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Discover 23,476 clinical trials near Baltimore, Maryland. Find research studies in your area.
Showing 17221-17240 of 23,476 trials
NCT00011817
This study offers evaluation and treatment for patients with inherited (genetic) eye diseases. The protocol is not designed to test new treatments; rather, patients will receive current standard of care treatments. The purpose of the study is twofold: 1) to allow National Eye (NEI) Institute physicians to increase their knowledge of various genetic eye diseases, identify possible new avenues of research in this area, and maintain their clinical skills; and 2) to establish a pool of patients who may be eligible for new studies as they are developed. (Participants in this protocol will not be required to join a new study; the decision will be voluntary.) Children and adults with genetic eye diseases may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical and family history, thorough eye examination and blood test. The eye examination includes measurements of eye pressure and visual acuity (ability to see the vision chart) and dilation of the pupils with eye drops to examine the lens and retina (back part of the eye). Patients may also undergo additional diagnostic tests needed to determine eligibility for other NEI studies, including routine laboratory testing, imaging, questionnaires, a physical examination, and other standard and specialized tests and procedures as needed. In addition, patients will have special photographs taken of the eye to document the clarity or opacity of the eye lens. They will also undergo a procedure called electroretinography to assess the eye's response to bright lights. For this procedure, the eye is numbed with anesthetic drops and a contact lens is placed in the eye. The patient looks inside a large, hollow sphere and sees flashes of light, first in darkness and then in light. The contact lenses sense small electrical signals generated by the retina. Patients who need medical care will be given appropriate standard medical treatment. Those who are found eligible for a research study will be recommended for participation in that study and taken off this one. Participants will be followed at least 3 years. Follow-up visits are scheduled according to the standard of care for the individual patient's eye problem. Patients in this protocol will probably have 1 to 3 follow-up visits per year.
NCT01170325
Background: * Electroencephalography (EEG) records electric patterns produced by the brain, and can detect conditions such as epilepsy or other l abnormalities that may affect brain function. In EEG studies, electric patterns that resemble epileptic seizures are known as epileptiform pattern. These patterns are associated with an increased risk of seizures, even in people who have not been diagnosed with epilepsy. Epileptiform patterns also appear on the EEGs of some children who have autism spectrum disorders but do not have epilepsy. It is unclear if these discharges are related in any way to the symptoms of autism (behavior, language or intellectual abilities). * Divalproex sodium (Depakote) is a drug that has been used for many years to treat epilepsy and other brain disorders in children and adults. Researchers are interested determining whether treatment with divalproex sodium can reduce epileptiform patterns in children with autism spectrum disorders, and in doing so study whether this treatment can improve behavior, language or cognition in children with autism spectrum disorders. Objectives: \- To study the effectiveness of using divalproex sodium to reduce epileptiform EEG discharges in children with autism spectrum disorders. Eligibility: \- Children between 3 and 10 years of age who have an autism spectrum disorder and show frequent epileptiform discharges on an overnight EEG. Design: * This study will last for a total of 9 months, with 6 months of treatment with either divalproex sodium or a placebo followed by 3 months of treatment with divalproex sodium only. * Potential participants will be screened with a physical examination and medical history, blood samples, and psychological tests, and will spend the night in the NIH Clinical Center to have an overnight EEG. Children with frequent epileptiform abnormalities on the EEG will continue with the study; all others will be considered ineligible. * Eligible participants will receive either divalproex sodium or a placebo to be taken twice daily for 24 weeks. Neither the investigators nor the participants will know which they are taking. * Participants will have regular visits (every 2-4 weeks) to monitor for adverse effects and to test for possible behavioral improvement, and will also have overnight EEG testing at 12 and 24 weeks. * At the end of the 24-week study period, participants will have the option to have an additional 12 weeks of treatment with divalproex sodium. * A final evaluation (including EEG) will be conducted at the end of the final treatment period.