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• Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C)

  Reprinted from http://www.haltctrial.org/ Purpose The Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial is a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of long-term use of pegylated interferon for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients who failed to respond to previous interferon therapy. The HALT-C Trial was developed to determine whether prolonged interferon therapy altered histological and clinical outcomes in a group of patients who had failed to eradicate hepatitis C virus with previous interferon treatment. Study Hypotheses In patients with chronic hepatitis C and bridging fibrosis who failed to eradicate the virus with previous interferon therapy, long-term treatment with interferon is safe and can prevent progression to cirrhosis. In patients with cirrhosis secondary to chronic hepatitis C who failed to eradicate the virus with previous interferon therapy, long-term treatment with interferon is safe and can reduce the risks of hepatic decompensation or of hepatocellular carcinoma. Study Design 1145 patients with chronic HCV and advanced hepatic fibrosis (Ishak stage 3-6) who failed to respond to previous treatment with interferon were enrolled at 10 clinical centers and entered into a Lead-in phase. They were treated with a combination of pegylated interferon (Pegasys®, Hoffmann-La Roche) 180 µg/week and ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/day) for 24 weeks. Patients who had no detectable HCV-RNA at week 20 continued on combination therapy until week 48. 662 patients who did not clear virus were randomly assigned at week 24 to either continue treatment with pegylated interferon alone (90 µg/week) for an additional 42 months, or to have treatment discontinued. All patients were followed at 3-month intervals following randomization. Liver biopsy was performed at baseline and after 1.5 and 3.5 years of treatment. Because of slower than expected enrollment and the approval by the FDA of peginterferon alfa-2b after the start of the trial, we modified the study protocol in three ways. First, criteria for admission to the trial were liberalized to allow patients to enter the trial with lower platelet and white blood cell counts than had been initially considered safe or tolerable. Second, 151 Lead-in patients and those continuing on therapy after 24 weeks who demonstrated return of viremia during or after their 48-week treatment period (called "Breakthrough" or "Relapse" patients, respectively) were allowed to return to enter the randomized trial. Third, 237 patients treated with peginterferon alfa-2b (or with peginterferon alfa-2a in licensing trials) outside the HALT-C Trial who in other respects met all study criteria, having received the equivalent of Trial Lead-in period therapy, were allowed to enter the long-term trial as "Express" patients. A total 1050 patients were randomized. Those patients who completed Month 48 were offered an "extended follow-up (observation only)" until October 2009. These visits will primarily be to identify outcome events, and to provide information to patients concerning the current status of the trial. Some questionnaires, blood tests, and an ultrasonogram will be performed. Quarterly (every 3 months) Interval history of complications, adverse events Current medications Brief physical examination Laboratory tests: liver panel, CBC, INR, AFP Child-Pugh Score Stored serum Annual Complete physical examination Ultrasound of liver 1.5 years (M24 visit, middle of study) Liver biopsy: formalin fixed histology, frozen liver tissue (subset of patients) 3.5 years (M48, end of study) Liver biopsy: formalin fixed histology, frozen liver tissue (subset of patients) Endoscopy: evaluate esophageal varices and portal hypertension After Month 48 Observation only (no treatment) to determine clinical outcomes Clinic visit every 6 months with current medications, brief PE, liver panel, CBC, AFP, stored Serum Ultrasound of liver every 6 months Outcome Variables Primary outcome variables to be assessed in the two groups of patients include: Development of cirrhosis on liver biopsy (progression of Ishak fibrosis score by 2 points or more) Development of hepatic decompensation, as shown by: Sustained increase in the Child-Turcotte-Pugh score to 7 points or higher Variceal hemorrhage Ascites Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis Hepatic encephalopathy Development of hepatocellular carcinoma Death Secondary outcomes include quality of life, serious adverse events, events requiring dose reductions, and development of presumed hepatocellular carcinoma.

  Study phs000430

• The Vaginal Microbiome: Disease, Genetics and the Environment

  The vagina is an interactive interface with the environment, and as such is covered by a protective epithelial surface. This surface is colonized by a biofilm consisting of bacteria and other microorganisms, which through a variety of mechanisms serve to protect the host from invasion by pathogens. Alterations in the normal vaginal microflora; i.e., dysbioses, particularly those associated with bacterial vaginosis, the most common disorder of the female reproductive tract, contribute to risk of sexually transmitted infections, infection by HIV, and are associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes including but not limited to spontaneous preterm birth. Physiologic alterations in the host (e.g., menopause and pregnancy), which are beginning to be investigated as potential selective conditions for change in the "normal" vaginal flora, and their impact on disease susceptibility and transmission, remain to be more definitively elucidated. The effects of chronically abnormal physiologic states (e.g., diabetes mellitus) on normal vaginal flora have not been well described or studied. Finally, an almost unexplored area of inquiry is the genetic contribution, including race/ethnicity, to the establishment and maintenance of a "normal" vaginal flora, under normal and physiologically altered circumstances. Our research will shed light on how the vaginal microbiome contributes to adverse obstetrical outcomes and sexually transmitted infections in diverse populations. This project addresses the following questions: First: Do the genes of the host contribute to the composition of the vaginal microbiome? We hypothesize that a woman's genetic composition significantly affects the ability of certain commensal, parasitic and pathogenic microbes to colonize and/or infect the genital tract. Thus, we will compare and quantify the microbial populations inhabiting the vaginas of monozygotic and dizygotic twins from the Mid Atlantic Twin Registry, and, in the process, address the question of whether there is a relationship between the microbiomes of the vagina, mouth and GI tract. Second: What changes in the vaginal microbiome are associated with common physiological perturbations or non-infectious pathological states of the host?We hypothesize that "altered" physiologic (pregnancy, menopause) and pathologic (chronic disease, hysterectomy) conditions, or environmental "exposures" (exogenous hormones, antibiotics, chronic immunosuppressant, smoking; douching) can predictably alter the vaginal microenvironment. These alterations will lead to changes in microbial populations within the vagina. Changes in the microbial populations may have impacts, positive or more likely negative, on the spontaneous and future well-being of the affected individual. We are characterizing the effects of these "altered" physiologic and pathologic conditions, and environmental exposures, on the composition of the vaginal microbiome. Finally, we are examining the impact of the important physiological changes incurred during pregnancy on the composition of the microbiome of the female reproductive tract. Third: What changes in the vaginal microbiome are associated with relevant infectious diseases and conditions? We are testing the hypothesis that infectious diseases predictably alter the vaginal microbiome, and that these changes have an impact on the disease susceptibility, process, and outcome. A predilection for bacterial vaginosis, vaginitis, HIV infection, or other sexually transmitted diseases, is likely associated with a women's vaginal microbial composition. Thus, we will characterize samples from women with a variety of these infectious conditions to determine the contribution of their microbiomes to the disease process and susceptibility. We are addressing these questions using a combination of high throughput 'nextgen' sequencing technologies. Early studies were performed using the Roche 454 FLX and the first generation Illumina Genome Analyzer II instruments and more recently employing Illumina MiSeq and HiSeq 2500 and 4000 platforms, installed in the Genomics Core of the Nucleic Acids Research Facilities at VCU. Thus, segments of the 16S rRNA genes are amplified from the complex samples taken from various target sites in and around the vagina of each study participant. These segments are sequenced and subjected to taxonomic classification protocols to identify and quantify the bacterial taxa present in each sample. Additionally, total DNA isolated from these samples are subjected to shotgun sequence analysis to empirically reconstruct the metabolic potential of these microbiomes. Finally, specific bacterial clones are completely sequenced and analyzed to associate the unavoidable strain and isolate diversity with the clinical phenotypes presented.

  Study phs000256

• Genetic Basis of Early Onset Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease

  The study protocol was approved by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (HSC-MS-11-0185). Study recruitment began on July 1, 2017, and concluded on March 30, 2022. After written informed consent, we enrolled probands with early onset BAV disease (EBAV), which we defined as individuals with BAV who were under the age of 30 at the time of first clinical event. Clinical events were defined as aortic replacement, aortic valve surgery, aortic dissection, moderate or severe aortic stenosis or aortic regurgitation, large aneurysm (Z > 4.5), or intervention for BAV-related conditions. Those with hypoplastic left heart, known genetic mutations, genetic syndromes, or complex congenital heart disease were excluded. Samples were collected and genotyped as previously reported. For comparison, we analyzed a cohort of older individuals of European ancestry with sporadic BAV disease selected from the International BAV Consortium (BAVGWAS). Phenotypes were derived from record review with confirmation of image data whenever possible [25-26]. The computational pipeline for CNV analysis of Illumina single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array data included three independent CNV detection algorithms.GenomeStudio was used to exclude samples with indeterminate sex or more than 5% missing genotypes, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with GenTrain = 0. Principal component analysis was used to remove outliers that did not cluster with European ancestry. Prior to CNV analysis, each dataset was trimmed by selecting a common set of 650,000 SNPs that were genotyped on each of the microarrays used in this study.Three independent algorithms (PennCNV, cnvPartition, and QuantiSNP) were used to generate CNV calls and sample-level quality statistics from SNP intensity data. PennCNV and QuantiSNP were run on Unix clusters and cnvPartition data were exported from GenomeStudio. The analysis was run using default configurations. PennCNV was used to generate QC data and remove CNV calls that intersect with polymorphic genomic regions. Samples that met any of the following criteria were excluded, standard deviation of the LogR ratio (obtained from PennCNV) > 0.35 or number of CNVs > 2 standard deviations above the mean for each data set. CNV calls less than 20 Kilobases in length and/or spanned by fewer than 6 probes were excluded. The overlap function for rare CNVs in PLINK was used to construct CNV regions (CNVRs) after adjacent regions were merged using PennCNV. LogR ratio (LRR) and B allele frequency (BAF) data at CNVRs and calls of interest were visualized in GenomeStudio for validation. For segregation analysis, GenomeStudio was used to determine the presence of CNVs in relatives.A total of 22,014 unselected control Illumina Genotypes obtained from the Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes were analyzed using identical methods (S1 Table). The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) includes data on a cohort of 10,300 individuals who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957. The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) includes data on 37,000 individuals aged 50 above from 23,000 households across the United States. Principal component analysis was used to select European ancestry genotypes from these datasets for analysis. Datasets were paired for case-control analysis based on the concordance of log-transformed sample-level quality control statistics (number of CNV calls and standard deviation of logR ratios). Chi-squared or Fisher exact tests were used to compare CNV frequencies in cases and controls.Rare CNV functions in PLINK (v1.7) were used to perform permutation-based burden tests or gene set-based enrichment tests. Case control burden tests were restricted to CNVs that were longer than 110 Kb and less than 0.1% in frequency. CNV overlap functions in PLINK were used to identify rare CNVs that intersect between datasets or involve specific BAV or CHD genes . The list of candidate genes included 190 CHD genes that have strong cumulative evidence to cause BAV or related congenital malformations from human or animal model data. Genome Reference Consortium Human Build 37 was used for CNV annotation [34].

  Study phs003705

• Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN): A Phase II, RCT of Mesenchymal Stem Cells & Cardiac Stem Cells in Subjects With Ischemic HF (CONCERT HF-BioLINCC)

  Data Access Note: Please refer to the “Authorized Access” section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. ObjectivesTo assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and c-kit positive cardiac cells (CPCs), alone or in combination, in participants with ischemic heart failure.Background The prognosis of heart failure (HF) caused by chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (coronary artery disease and prior myocardial infarction), hereby referred to as “ischemic HF”, remains poor. Many studies have explored the use of various types of stem or progenitor cells in participants with chronic ischemic HF, with encouraging results. Several clinical trials have suggested that MSCs and CPCs are both safe and beneficial in participants with ischemic HF. At the time of this study, no information was available on the efficacy of MSCs and CPCs in humans, however, both cell types have been shown to attenuate left ventricle (LV) dysfunction in animal models. Preclinical models indicate that combining MSCs and CPCs increases the therapeutic effects, but this had not yet been tested in humans. The CONCERT-HF study was initiated to assess whether autologous MSCs and CPCs, alone or in combination, can be manufactured and delivered to participants with ischemic HF; are well-tolerated; and improve LV function, quality of life, and functional capacity, and/or reduce scar size. Participants A total of 125 participants were randomized with 33 participants randomized to the MSCs and CPCs group, 29 participants to the MSCs alone group, 31 participants to the CPCs alone group, and 32 participants to the placebo group. Design The CONCERT-HF study was a multi-center Phase II, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial designed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of MSCs alone, CPCs alone, and their combination compared with placebo as well as each other in patients with ischemic HF. In Stage 1 (open label, lead-in study) participants were randomized 1:1 to either a standard-of-care control group (i.e., they did not undergo harvest, mapping, or injection procedures) or combination therapy (MSCs + CPCs, as described for Stage 2) to complete safety assessments. Once approval was granted for Stage 2, participants were randomized (1:1:1:1) to one of four treatments: placebo, autologous MSCs (target dose, 150 × 106 cells), autologous CPCs (target dose, 5 × 106 cells), or a combination of autologous MSCs and CPCs. At the harvest visit, right ventricular endocardial biopsy (EMB) was performed in participants randomized to receive CPCs alone or a combination of MSCs and CPCs. Participants randomized to receive MSCs alone or placebo had a sham procedure (right heart catheterization without EMB). All participants underwent a bone marrow aspiration and approximately 14 weeks later had transendocardial, electromechanically-guided injections of study product. Visits occurred at 1 day, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after study product injection. A telephone contact took place at 24 months to assess the participant's current medications, as well as morbidity and mortality. Study endpoints included measures of safety, feasibility, and efficacy. Safety outcomes included all adverse events grade 2 and higher, including major adverse cardiac events (MACE) related to HF (death, hospitalization for worsening HF, and HF exacerbation not requiring hospitalization). Efficacy endpoints included quality of life, MRI measures of LV function and structure, functional capacity, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels. Conclusions In patients with ischemic HF, autologous MSCs and CPCs, alone or in combination, are safe and feasible; CPCs were associated with a reduction in the incidence of MACE related to HF compared to placebo; MSCs, either alone or in combination with CPCs, were associated with improved quality of life; these seemingly beneficial effects of CPCs and MSCs on clinical outcome were not associated with changes in LV function or structure; and combination therapy with MSCs and CPCs was associated with the best clinical outcomes with respect to both MACE related to HF and quality of life.

  Study phs004055

• Prevention and Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury (PETAL) Crystalloid Liberal or Vasopressors Early Resuscitation in Sepsis (CLOVERS) (PETAL CLOVERS-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the "Authorized Access" section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Access to Biospecimens is through the NHLBI Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information Coordinating Center (BioLINCC). Biospecimens from PETAL CLOVERS include plasma, and whole blood. Please note that use of biospecimens in genetic research is subject to a tiered consent. Available Data: The data available for request now include Long Term Outcome data.Objectives: To compare the effects of a restrictive fluid strategy (with early use of vasopressors) to a liberal fluid strategy in participants with sepsis-induced hypotension.Background: Intravenous fluid resuscitation is a common therapy used in the initial treatment of participants with septic shock and sepsis-induced hypotension. The goal of initial fluid therapy is to increase depleted or functionally reduced intravascular volume that occurs in sepsis due to a vasodilated vascular network. However, intravenous fluid resuscitation can create dilutional coagulopathy, fluid overload, and pathogenic edema in the lungs and other organs. Vasopressor agents are also commonly used to treat hypoperfusion by inducing constriction of arterioles and venules and increasing cardiac contractility. Vasopressor therapy also comes with risks that include vasoconstriction resulting in tissue ischemia, increased cardiac workload, and arrhythmias. Clinicians have used these strategies, typically in combination, to provide supportive care for participants with sepsis-induced hypoperfusion. However, at the time of the CLOVERS study, there was limited data to guide specific use of these therapies, including fluid volumes, in the early care of participants with sepsis-induced hypotension. The CLOVERS study hypothesized that a restrictive fluid strategy used during the first 24-hours of resuscitation for sepsis-induced hypotension would lead to lower mortality before discharge home by day 90 than a liberal fluid strategy.Participants: A total of 1,563 participants, from 60 medical centers, of the planned 2,230 participants were enrolled, with 782 assigned to the restrictive fluid group and 781 to the liberal fluid group. Enrollment in the trial was ended after the second interim analysis due to a lack of significant difference observed between the two 24-hour strategies.Design: This study was a multi-center, prospective, phase 3 randomized non-blinded interventional trial of fluid treatment strategies in the first 24 hours for participants with sepsis-induced hypotension. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a restrictive fluid strategy (with early vasopressor use) or a liberal fluid strategy. In each group, the assigned protocol was followed for a period of 24 hours. The restrictive fluid protocol prioritized vasopressors as the primary treatment for sepsis-induced hypotension, with 'rescue fluids' being permitted for prespecified indications that suggested severe intravascular volume depletion. The liberal fluid protocol consisted of a recommended initial 2000-ml intravenous infusion of isotonic crystalloid, followed by fluid boluses administered on the basis of clinical triggers (e.g., tachycardia) with 'rescue vasopressors' permitted for prespecified indications. A protocol amendment implemented in October, 2019, allowed for limiting the initial infusion to 1,000 ml if the participant's blood pressure and heart rate had stabilized and the clinical assessment was that the participant was unlikely to benefit from additional intravenous fluid administration. The clinical team could override the protocol-specified care instructions at any time if it was judged to be in the best interest of the participant.The primary outcome was death from any cause before discharge home by day 90. Secondary outcomes included 28-day measures of the number of days free from ventilator use, days free from renal-replacement therapy, days free from vasopressor use, days out of the ICU, and days out of the hospital. Conclusions: Among participants with sepsis-induced hypotension, the restrictive fluid strategy that was used in this trial did not result in significantly lower (or higher) mortality, or other measures of recovery such as length of hospital stay, before discharge home by day 90 than the liberal fluid strategy.

  Study phs004080

• Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) Core Database Protocol (PROP-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the "Authorized Access" section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Objectives: The Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) was performed to identify suitable predictors of respiratory outcomes that may serve as surrogate endpoints in future trials of prevention and therapy of respiratory diseases in preterm infants.Background: Acute and chronic respiratory morbidities are common in premature births, and can pose significant risk to the infant's health, particularly during the first two years of life. One such condition is bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) where infants require oxygen therapy due to abnormal repair and impaired lung development after acute lung injury. BPD poses a high mortality risk, even in infants that survive the initial hospitalization. Regardless of BPD diagnosis, preterm infants frequently return for medical care due to symptoms of post-prematurity respiratory disease (PRD), which includes intermittent or chronic wheezing, cough without cold, poor growth, apnea and cyanosis, and lower respiratory tract infections. Impaired lung function can persist into adulthood, contributing to chronic respiratory diseases including asthma and emphysema.However, at the time of the PROP study, there were no objective measures to predict which preterm infants would have persistent respiratory problems after discharge from the hospital. Furthermore, improved survival rates of premature infants and the high prevalence of lasting respiratory morbidities highlight the need for more comprehensive strategies to address both short-term and long-term respiratory complications. Thus, the Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) was formed to investigate multiple research hypotheses on the molecular mechanisms that contribute to respiratory disease risk of premature neonates over the first year of life. Specifically, PROP investigators hypothesized that in survivors of extreme prematurity to 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA), specific biologic, physiologic and clinical data obtained during the initial hospitalization will predict respiratory morbidity between discharge and 1 year corrected age. Participants: A total of 835 infants were enrolled.Design: PROP was a collaboratively developed multicenter prospective cohort study of very preterm infants from birth through the time of discharge from the NICU and up to one year corrected age.Clinical data included maternal and infant demographics, co-morbidities, and daily infant respiratory, nutritional, and medication data until discharge. These were prospectively collected from birth using medical record review and family interviews. After discharge, phone interviews were conducted with the infant's main caregiver at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months corrected age to assess domains of respiratory morbidity. At 6 and 12 months corrected age, a survey of environmental respiratory irritant exposures and an assessment for gastroesophageal reflux disease were also completed. A standardized physical exam was performed at 36-40 weeks PMA and again at one year corrected age. The exam focused on anthropometrics, vital signs, and respiratory system signs. At 34-41 weeks PMA and within one week of anticipated discharge based on physiologic stability, a set of non-invasive respiratory assessments were performed to assess physiologic biomarkers in infants that were not mechanically ventilated or receiving non-invasive positive pressure ventilation. Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) was performed before and after inhaled albuterol to assess potential airway reactivity. During the RIP study, continuous pulse oximetry was performed during quiet sleep in order to analyze oxygen desaturations and apneas. Standardized oxygen requirement challenge tests were performed at about 36 weeks PMA, and at about 40 weeks PMA if the infant was still hospitalized and was not eligible for, or failed, the previous challenge. Failure was defined as SpO2 20 seconds at any point in the testing. Infants breathing ambient air or that passed the 36 week challenge test underwent a hypoxia challenge consisting of a 15-minute trial of FiO2 of 0.15. Failure was defined as SpO2 The primary outcome was respiratory morbidity, as measured by the presence or absence of substantial post-prematurity respiratory disease (PRD) up to one year corrected age. PRD was classified as a positive response in at least one of four morbidity domains during at least two separate parental interviews. The domains were respiratory medications, hospitalizations for cardiopulmonary cause, respiratory symptoms, and home technology dependence (oxygen, ventilator, or CPAP/BiPAP). Mortality from a respiratory cause was also incorporated.

  Study phs004117

• Neurodevelopmental Genomics: Trajectories of Complex Phenotypes

  This study is a collaboration between the Center for Applied Genomics (CAG) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Brain Behavior Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). The cohort consists of youths aged 8-21 years who consulted the CHOP network and volunteered to participate in genomic studies of complex pediatric disorders. All participants underwent clinical assessment, including a neuropsychiatric structured interview and review of electronic medical records. They were also administered a neuroscience based computerized neurocognitive battery (CNB) and a subsample underwent neuroimaging. These are described separately below. Clinical Testing: GOASSESS, a computerized, structured screener developed from a modified version of the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS, Kaufman et al. 1997, PMID: 9204677). Components of the interview include a timeline of life events, demographics and medical history, Global Assessment of Functioning, and Interviewer Observations. A psychopathology symptom and criterion-related assessment of mood disorders (depression, mania/hypomania), anxiety disorders (overanxious/generalized-, separation-, social-anxiety, specific phobia, panic disorder, agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder), behavioral disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder), psychosis spectrum (psychosis and prodromal symptoms), eating disorders, suicidal thinking and behavior, and treatment history. This is also based on K-SADS. An abbreviated Family Interview for Genetics Studies (FIGS) to assess major domains of psychopathology in the proband's first-degree relatives. Computerized Neurocognitive Battery: The CNB, developed for large-scale studies, yields measures of accuracy and speed for domains of executive-control functions (abstraction, attention, working memory), episodic memory (verbal, facial, spatial), complex cognitive processing (language reasoning, nonverbal reasoning, spatial processing), social cognition (emotion identification, emotion intensity differentiation, age differentiation) and sensorimotor and motor speed. The following neurobehavioral domains were assessed: Penn Conditional Exclusion Test is a measure of abstraction and concept formation. Participants decide which of 4 objects does not belong with the other 3, based on one of three sorting principles, which change. Feedback is used. Attention: The Penn Continuous Performance Test. Participants respond to a set of 7-segment displays whenever they form a digit or letter. Working Memory: The Letter N-back Test displays sequences of uppercase letters with a stimulus duration of 500 ms (ISI 2,500 ms.) In the 0-back condition, participants respond to a single target (i.e., X). In the 1-back condition they respond if the letter is identical to that preceding it. In the 2-back condition, they respond if the letter is identical to that presented two trials back. Verbal Memory: The Penn Word Memory Test presents 20 target words that are then mixed with 20 distracters equated for frequency, length, concreteness and low imageability. A 20 min delayed recall procedure is also administered. Face Memory: The Penn Face Memory Test presents 20 digitized faces that are then mixed with 20 distracters equated for age, gender and ethnicity. The procedure is repeated at 20 min delay. Spatial Memory: The Visual Object Learning Test uses Euclidean shapes as stimuli with the same paradigm as the word and face. Language and Analogical Reasoning: The Penn Verbal Reasoning consists of verbal analogy problems. Spatial Processing: Penn Line Orientation Test presents two lines at an angle, and participants click on a button that makes one line rotate until it has the same angle as the other. Emotion Processing: Facial displays of 4 emotions (Happy, Sad, Anger, Fear) and Neutral faces, 8 each, are presented and the subject identifies the emotion in a multiple-choice format. The facial stimuli are balanced for gender, age, and ethnicity. Sensory-motor Processing Speed: The task requires moving the mouse and clicking on a green square that disappears after the click. The square gets increasingly small and appears in unpredictable locations. Neuroimaging Protocol: Studies were performed at Penn using a Siemens Trio (Erlangen, Germany) 3T scanner equipped with 40mT/m gradients and 200 mT/m/s slew-rates. RF transmission utilized a quadrature body-coil, and reception a 12-channel head coil optimized for parallel imaging. Total image acquisition time was about 45 min. Structural Imaging: The T1-weighted protocol utilized a 3D, inversion-recovery, and magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo. Relevant imaging procedures include: Structural magnetic imaging Diffusion tensor imaging ASL perfusion BOLD fMRI Neuroimaging tasks: Fractal N-Back Task of Spatial Working Memory Face Emotion Identification Task Neuroimages: The current data release includes over 9700 MRI images that may be downloaded through Authorized Access.

  Study phs000607

• Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTEPlease refer to the "Authorized Access" section below for information about how access to the data from this accession. Access differs from many other dbGaP accessions. BiospecimensAccess to Biospecimens is through the NHLBI Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information Coordinating Center (BioLINCC). Biospecimens from TOPCAT include Buffy Coat, DNA, Plasma, Serum, Urine, and Whole Blood. Please note that use of biospecimens in genetic research is subject to a tiered consent. Objectives The TOPCAT trial evaluated the effectiveness of aldosterone antagonist therapy in reducing cardiovascular mortality, aborted cardiac arrest, and heart failure hospitalization in patients who have heart failure with preserved systolic function. Background Many patients with heart failure have a normal, or near-normal, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Such patients share similar signs and symptoms as patients who have heart failure and a reduced LVEF, as well as an impaired quality of life and a poor prognosis. However, at the time of TOPCAT, the benefit of medical therapies for heart failure were limited to those with a reduced LVEF. Due to a lack of favorable evidence from clinical trials, clinical guidelines offered no specific recommendations for the management of heart failure in patients with preserved LVEF, except for attention to coexisting conditions. Among patients with heart failure and a reduced LVEF and those with myocardial infarction complicated by heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists have been shown to be effective in reducing overall mortality and hospitalizations for heart failure. In small mechanistic studies involving patients with heart failure and preserved left ventricular function, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists improved measures of diastolic function. However, rigorous testing was needed regarding their effect on clinical outcomes in patients with preserved LVEF. Therefore, the TOPCAT trial was initiated to determine whether treatment with spironolactone, an aldosterone antagonist, would improve clinical outcomes in patients with symptomatic heart failure and a relatively preserved LVEF. Participants A total of 3445 participants were enrolled, with 1722 assigned to the spironolactone group and 1723 assigned to the placebo group. Among these, 2464 participants were enrolled via the hospitalization stratum and 981 were enrolled via the BNP stratum. Design TOPCAT was a phase 3, multicenter, international, randomized, double-blind, and placebo controlled trial. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive either spironolactone or placebo in a 1:1 ratio. Randomization was stratified according to whether the patient met the criterion for previous hospitalization or BNP elevation. The baseline visit included assessment of socio-demographics, physical characteristics, medical history, lifestyle factors, laboratory measures, electrocardiography variables and health-related quality of life and functional status. Study drugs were initially administered at a dose of 15 mg once daily, which was increased as tolerated to a maximum of 45 mg daily during the first four months after randomization. Subsequent dose adjustments were made as required and subjects continued to receive other treatments for heart failure and co-existing illnesses. Measurement of potassium and creatinine levels was required within 1 week after a change in the study-drug dose and at each scheduled study visit. Follow-up visits to monitor symptoms, medications, and events and to dispense study drug were scheduled every four months during the subject's first year on the study, and every six months thereafter. The mean follow-up interval was 3.3 years in each study group. Repository blood and urine samples were collected at the baseline and 1 year visits from consenting subjects. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular mortality, aborted cardiac arrest or hospitalization for the management of heart failure. Secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality, hospitalization for heart failure management, new onset of diabetes mellitus or atrial fibrillation, and quality of life. A subset of subjects also participated in the Echocardiography or Echocardiography and Vascular Stiffness ancillary studies. Echocardiography, and additionally tonometry in the Echocardiography and Vascular Stiffness study, were performed at baseline and at either 12 or 18 months following randomization. If the subject was already enrolled in the TOPCAT trial at the time the ancillary study was initiated, but had not yet reached the 18 month visit, baseline was determined via a retrospective analysis performed on any echocardiographic images completed within 60 days prior to TOPCAT enrollment and no tonometry was performed if applicable. Conclusions In patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction, treatment with spironolactone did not significantly reduce the incidence of the primary composite outcome of death from cardiovascular causes, aborted cardiac arrest, or hospitalization for the management of heart failure. However, the drug reduced the secondary endpoint of heart failure hospitalization incidence.

  Study phs003665

• Lung Tissue Research Consortium (LTRC-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the "Authorized Access" section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Biospecimens: Access to Biospecimens is through the NHLBI Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information Coordinating Center (BioLINCC). Biospecimens from LTRC include DNA, Plasma, Serum, Tissue - FFPE Cassettes, Tissue – RNALater Frozen, and Tissue - Snap Frozen. Please note that use of biospecimens in genetic research is subject to a tiered consent. Objectives: The LTRC was a biobank resource established by the NHLBI to collect and distribute lung tissue, blood samples, clinical data, and radiographic studies from participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), other related idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIP) and interstitial pneumonias associated with connective tissue diseases who undergo medically-indicated lung resection. All tissue and blood specimens and clinical data were banked centrally and stored for distribution to external investigators who have approved study proposals to investigate the pathogenesis or management of lung diseases. The ultimate goal of this program was to enable research that illuminates the pathobiology of lung diseases and leads to novel interventional treatments for these conditions. Background: Chronic lung diseases are a main cause of death and disability in the United States. COPD affects over 14 million individuals in the United States and represents the third leading cause of mortality. Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor. However, only one of six individuals who smoke develops COPD. This could imply either an individual susceptibility or an additional immunologic or infectious injury to lung cells. Current treatments offer symptomatic relief, but do not prevent disease progression. Better understanding of disease pathogenesis, including the potential roles of lung parenchymal cell apoptosis, immunologic injury, and inflammation may lead to therapies that improve survival and quality of life. Interstitial pneumonias, including IPF and those associated with connective tissue disease, are less common than COPD, but for many of these diseases there are poor outcomes. For example, IPF has a 50% survival rate 2-3 years following diagnosis, and currently no treatment exists which prolongs survival. The prevalence of IPF is approximately 28 cases per 100,000. The underlying histology of IPF is usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), which can also occur in connective tissue diseases. The incidences of other interstitial pneumonias such as non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) or acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) are less frequent but also occur as an expression of interstitial lung disease in the connective tissue diseases. Moreover, there is significant crossover of these three interstitial pneumonias so that cases of IPF/UIP may also reveal fibrotic NSIP and be complicated by episodes of AIP. This implies common injuries but dissimilar histological responses. All of these processes are characterized by epithelial injury, uncontrolled fibroproliferation and the deposition of collagen, irrespective of the histology. It is clear that a better understanding of the genesis of the interstitial pneumonias is required before effective interventions can be developed. Participants: A total of 4,486 participants were enrolled, and lung tissue was obtained from 3,333 of these participants.Design: Written informed consent of each participant was required before any LTRC procedure was performed. Phenotypic data were then obtained that included recording of relevant medical information, a limited exposure history, radiological evaluation, and pulmonary physiological and lung function testing. Questionnaires were administered to determine the extent of symptoms, associated medical illnesses, smoking, environmental and occupational exposures, and quality of life. Laboratory testing included pulmonary function testing, a six-minute walk test, and chest x-ray CT. Blood specimens were collected both for defining the clinical phenotype of donors and to obtain serum, plasma, and DNA for later investigative purposes. At the time of surgery, lung tissues were collected and processed for long-term storage. The LTRC collected only the 'non-tumorous' portions of lung tissue from surgical procedures performed for primary or metastatic lung tumors and received those specimens only after the local pathologist had procured all tissue required for clinical care. Samples of appropriate size were cut and placed in formalin, RNAlater, glutaraldehyde, or liquid nitrogen within 30 minutes of excision (approximately 5% of cases exceeded this target time). Blood and tissue specimens were subsequently shipped to a central Tissue Repository for further processing and long-term storage. A Radiology Center provided quality control and quality assessment of CT data. A Data Coordinating Center managed study operations and maintained a repository of study data. Conclusions: LTRC established a biospecimen collection that is unique in its size, diseases included, standardization of methods, and extent of phenotypic data, serving as a valuable resource to facilitate research on the pathobiology of lung diseases.

  Study phs003913

• Long-Term Oxygen Treatment Trial (LOTT-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the “Authorized Access” section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of long-term treatment with supplemental oxygen in people with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and resting or exercise-induced moderate desaturation. Background: COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, with more than twelve million people currently diagnosed with the disease. In 2011, Medicare reimbursements for oxygen-related costs for people with COPD exceeded two billion dollars. The quality of life of a person with COPD decreases as the disease progresses, making treating and managing COPD in the moderate stages important. The benefits of oxygen supplementation were studied in the 1970s, but these benefits were specific to people with COPD who have severe resting hypoxemia. The LOTT trial was designed to address the effectiveness of supplemental oxygen therapy in treating people with COPD who have moderately low blood oxygen levels at rest or who have normal blood oxygen levels at rest, but have low or very low blood oxygen levels during exercise. Participants: There were a total of 1759 people screened for eligibility for the LOTT trial. Of the 1759 screened, 738 people with COPD were selected for randomization with 368 randomly assigned to the supplemental-oxygen group and 370 to the no-supplemental-oxygen group. Of the 738 people with COPD who underwent randomization, 133 (18%) had resting desaturation only, 319 (43%) had exercise-induced desaturation only, and 286 (39%) had both types of desaturation. Furthermore, in the supplemental-oxygen group, 220 people were prescribed 24-hour oxygen and 148 were prescribed oxygen during exercise and sleep only. Design: The LOTT trial was originally designed to test whether the use of supplemental oxygen would result in a longer time to death for people with COPD and moderate resting desaturation. After seven months, the trial design was judged to be infeasible; therefore, the trial was redesigned to include people with exercise-induced desaturation with a primary composite outcome of death or first hospitalization for any cause, whichever occurs first. Other outcomes measured included: death, health care utilization, COPD exacerbation, quality of life measurements, anxiety, depression, and measures of functional status. Potential participants were screened using questionnaires, a breathing test, a brief physical exam, a blood draw, and measurements of resting and walking blood oxygen levels. Based on those results, eligible participants returned for a second screening visit for further evaluations. At the end of the second visit, eligible participants were assigned randomly to supplemental oxygen therapy or no oxygen therapy. Participants assigned to supplemental oxygen therapy received stationary and/or portable oxygen systems. Participants were required to return for a one hour visit to determine how much oxygen to use while walking and to learn how to use the equipment. Participants who had low blood oxygen levels during rest were instructed to use supplemental oxygen 24 hours per day. Participants with normal resting blood oxygen levels, but low or very low blood oxygen levels during exercise were instructed to use it during physical activity and sleep. Throughout the treatment period, participants were asked to keep records of the number of oxygen tanks emptied or pounds of oxygen delivered, meter readings, and changes in equipment. Study officials contacted participants weekly for the first month, monthly for the next five months, and then every two months until the Year 1 study visit. Participants assigned to receive no oxygen treatment were contacted one week after assignment for a check-up. All participants returned for study visits once a year for up to seven years. At each of these visits, participants completed some of the same tests and questionnaires from the screening visit. Participants underwent a blood draw during the one year study visit. Participants in both treatment groups received two phone calls each year to check on status and use of oxygen. In addition, participants in both groups were asked to complete a quality of life questionnaire by mail at four months and sixteen months. Medicare claims were collected for the duration of each participant's enrollment in the study. Conclusions: In participants with stable COPD and resting or exercise-induced moderate desaturation, the prescription of long-term supplemental oxygen did not result in a longer time to death or first hospitalization than no long-term supplemental oxygen, nor did it provide sustained benefit with regard to any of the other measured outcomes. Long-Term Oxygen Treatment Trial Research Group, Albert RK, Au DH, Blackford AL, Casaburi R, Cooper JA Jr, Criner GJ, Diaz P, Fuhlbrigge AL, Gay SE, Kanner RE, MacIntyre N, Martinez FJ, Panos RJ, Piantadosi S, Sciurba F, Shade D, Stibolt T, Stoller JK, Wise R, Yusen RD, Tonascia J, Sternberg AL, Bailey W. A Randomized Trial of Long-Term Oxygen for COPD with Moderate Desaturation. N Engl J Med. 2016 Oct 27;375(17):1617-1627.

  Study phs003933