Clinical trials

This study is testing whether providing monthly vouchers to buy fruits and vegetables can help improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. People receiving care at WVU clinics who recently had an HbA1c level above 8% will be invited to participate in the study. Those who are interested will speak with a study coordinator, be screened for eligibility, and, if eligible, will provide written consent to join the study. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive $100 per month in produce-only grocery vouchers and standardized dietary education for 5 months, followed by 5 months of usual diabetes care. The second group will receive usual diabetes care first for 5 months, followed by 5 months of produce-only grocery vouchers and standardized dietary education. This crossover design allows all participants to experience both approaches during the study. Researchers will measure changes in blood sugar (HbA1c) as the main outcome. Other outcomes include blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body weight, diet quality, food security, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and physical activity. These will be assessed through lab tests, clinic measurements, and surveys at certain time points during the 10 month study period. The study team will also track how often participants use the vouchers and any challenges they face. The risks of participating are expected to be minimal and similar to routine diabetes care. The total study duration, including enrollment, participation, and analysis, is expected to be about 18 months.

This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (ta-VNS) in adults with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). Participants will be randomized to receive either active or sham stimulation using a non-invasive auricular device over a 60-day period. The primary objectives are to assess changes in symptom severity and quality of life using validated instruments, including the IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS) and the IBS Quality of Life questionnaire (IBS-QOL). Secondary assessments include safety and participant compliance. This study aims to determine whether ta-VNS is an effective non-invasive therapeutic modality for improving symptoms and quality of life in patients with IBS-C.

Lay Summary This study tests two ways of measuring blood magnesium after heart surgery. Children who need heart surgery may have heart and kidney problems after surgery. The right amount of magnesium in blood reduces this risk. This study will test the best way to measure magnesium. This will let doctors choose the right dose of MgSO4. MgSO4 is a magnesium supplement. Taking MgSO4 after heart surgery helps children. For each child, it is best to personalize MgSO4 dose. This is based on the amount of magnesium in blood. This study will test two ways of personalizing MgSO4 dose. In the blood, there are two kinds of magnesium. Usually, blood magnesium tests measure both forms together. This does not say anything about active magnesium. This study will measure the two forms separately. Then, MgSO4 will be given based on either the active or whole magnesium. Measuring active magnesium is good. Active magnesium levels change faster than total. That means active magnesium tests may better protect children. Also, active magnesium has more of an impact on heart and kidney function. Focusing on the active form will help these organs stay healthy. To test how well the MgSO4 is working, heart and kidneys will be examined. After surgery, certain harmful heart rhythms can occur. The types and number of harmful rhythms will be studied. Kidney problems can also happen after heart surgery. Kidney health will be studied. To help understand how active magnesium works, further tests will be done. These tests will look for evidence of poor health in the cells that make up the heart, kidney, and blood.

This single-site, randomized pilot study will evaluate whether intermittent fasting is feasible and safe for patients with advanced solid tumors who are starting immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy at the WVU Cancer Institute. Participants will be assigned to 1 of 3 groups: usual care with no fasting, alternate-day fasting (ADF), or time-restricted eating (TRE). Participants in the ADF group will follow cycles of 12 hours of eating followed by 36 hours of fasting every other day. Participants in the TRE group will eat all daily calories within an 8-hour window each day. The fasting intervention will begin within 1 week of starting ICI treatment and continue for approximately 20-24 weeks during 8 cycles of therapy. The study will evaluate adherence to the fasting regimens and compare side effects between groups. Researchers will also study changes in metabolic and immune biomarkers, fatigue, sleep, and quality of life. Participants will be followed for 30 days after completion of the intervention to monitor safety and tolerability.

This is a single-center, investigator-initiated, prospective observational registry that will collect longitudinal clinical data on adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or microwave ablation (MWA) for pancreatic and other gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary lesions as part of routine clinical care. The registry will not alter standard-of-care management. Data will be abstracted from the medical record and routine clinical systems. Primary outcomes include change in target lesion size on clinically obtained imaging and overall survival following ablation. Secondary outcomes include changes in tumor biomarkers, adverse events, non-target lesion changes, and patient-reported symptoms.

Lipomas are benign tumors composed of mature adipose tissue. While harmless, these are the most common type of soft tissue growths with some patients developing numerous lipomas. Patients often seek removal for cosmesis, or symptoms caused by location and/or compression of surrounding structures. This exploratory study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of subcutaneous injections of cooled normal saline as a treatment option for lipomas. The study will assess whether this technique could serve as a viable alternative to existing treatment options, especially compared to topically applied fat-freezing devices. The Investigators propose that this method may offer a more comfortable nonsurgical option for targeted fat reduction, as the cold temperatures are applied directly to the lipomas. Amendment to Protocol Feb 2026- Including and additional ARM of the study to evaluate the effectiveness of subcutaneous injections of warmed normal saline as a treatment option for lipomas.

The goal of this interventional clinical trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of leflunomide in combination with decitabine as treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory myelodysplastic syndromes (R/R MDS). The main question this study aims to answer are to evaluate and estimate the maximum tolerated doses and/or biologically active doses of the combination of leflunomide-decitabine in participants. Decitabine will be administered at a dose of 20 mg/m2 by continuous intravenous infusion over one hour repeated daily for 5 days with repeating cycle every 4 weeks. Leflunomide is administered orally at 10 to 20 mg once daily (without a loading dose) for 14 to 21 days, as part of a 28-day treatment cycle in adult subjects with R/R MDS. After 12 cycles (study duration) responding patients can continue progression with the assigned doses.

This study is looking at a new way to treat actinic keratoses, which are rough, scaly spots on the skin caused by long-term sun exposure. These spots are common in older adults and, if not treated, can sometimes develop into a type of skin cancer. Doctors often treat areas with many of these spots by using a prescription cream called 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which helps remove damaged skin cells. This study is testing whether adding aluminum chloride hexahydrate, a medication commonly used to stop bleeding during skin procedures, can improve how well the cream works. People who take part in this study will receive one of two treatments applied to their skin: Standard treatment with 5% 5-fluorouracil cream, or A combination of 5% 5-fluorouracil cream plus 15% aluminum chloride hexahydrate cream The treatment will be applied for one week. A dermatologist will examine the treated skin areas, count the number of actinic keratoses, and take photographs before treatment begins, shortly after treatment ends, and again about eight weeks later. These visits help researchers compare how well each treatment reduces the number of skin spots over time. The goal of this study is to learn whether adding aluminum chloride hexahydrate to standard treatment helps reduce actinic keratoses more effectively than standard treatment alone.

This study's objective is to evaluate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) who experience impulse control disorders (ICDs) on impulse control symptoms and cognitive behaviors linked to ICDs: reinforcement learning and delay-discounting. This is a randomized sham-controlled cross-over trial. All patients will undergo a session of active rTMS and a session of sham rTMS, with the order of sessions randomized across participants. Following recruitment and eligibility screening, the eligible participants will undergo two sessions of rTMS (active and sham), immediately followed by neurocognitive tasks and questionnaires, no more than 1-2 weeks apart. Each session will have a duration of approximately 1-1.5 hours.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine whether filtering out blue light at nighttime reduces post-surgical inflammation and/or moderates cognitive decline and mood and sleep alterations in patients undergoing elective CABG, AVR, MVR, CABG AVR, CABG MVR, or SAH surgery. If manipulating nighttime light in hospital rooms improves patient outcomes, then it would be a relatively easy and inexpensive innovation that could reduce post-surgical complications and save millions of dollars per year in health care costs by shortening the length of hospital stays and reducing morbidity. The investigators aim to determine the relationship between inflammation and cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery.

This study will adapt and evaluate an evidence-based suicide risk screening and follow-up program in two school-based health centers in West Virginia. The suicide screening program is titled the "NIMH Clinical Pathway" and provides tools and procedures for routinely screening adolescents for suicide risk, completing risk assessments, safety planning, lethal means restriction, follow-up referrals, and other disposition planning as appropriate. Investigators aim to do the following: 1. Gather formative data from providers, parents, and youth to inform ways to adapt and implement the NIMH Clinical Pathway so that it can be effectively implemented in rural, Appalachian School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs). 2. Gather preliminary data regarding the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the adapted intervention.

Gallbladder adenocarcinoma is a devastating disease associated with a poor prognosis. Gallbladder and other biliary cancers will be responsible for an estimated 11,980 new cases, and 4,090 deaths in the US during 2020. The 5-year survival for all patients with gallbladder cancer is 18%, however this plummets to 2% for patients with metastatic disease. Patients with gallbladder cancer frequently develop peritoneal recurrence, particularly after intra-operative bile spillage during cholecystectomy for incidentally discovered gallbladder malignancy. Once developed, peritoneal metastases are difficult to treat and result in significant morbidity and mortality. As a result, novel approaches that target peritoneal metastases are needed for this disease. Prophylactic use of heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been explored or is under active investigation for numerous gastrointestinal malignancies, including colon, gastric, and appendiceal cancers. HIPEC has efficacy in gallbladder cancer patients with macroscopic peritoneal disease undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS)/HIPEC and has been associated with a survival advantage in a multi-institutional retrospective case series. Incidentally discovered gallbladder cancer is treated with central hepatectomy and portal lymphadenectomy, therefore a prophylactic HIPEC can be easily incorporated into the second operation performed as part of the standard of care. In this early phase clinical trial, the investigators will explore the safety and feasibility of prophylactic HIPEC for gallbladder cancer in patients at high-risk of peritoneal recurrence. The primary endpoint is to assess feasibility of the prophylactic heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) approach in gallbladder cancer. The primary endpoints include occurrence of intra-operative complications, technical challenges, 90-day postoperative morbidity and mortality, length of stay and readmission, which will be documented and compared with historical controls after follow-up.

This will be a phase I/II trial examining the safety and tolerability of pre-operative mFOLFIRINOX in combination with peri-operative oral hydroxychloroquine (FHQ) in the treatment of subjects with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Subjects will be staged prior to protocol entry by contrast-enhanced helical abdominal CT scan done using a pancreas mass protocol or EUS. Eligible subjects with biopsy-proven, resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma without evidence of venous or arterial involvement on CT scan receive HCQ orally in combination with mFOLFIRINOX prior to surgery. Hydroxychloroquine will begin with the first dose of mFOLFIRINOX and continue for 2 weeks post-operatively. Three to six weeks after the last dose of mFOLFIRINOX, patients will undergo surgical exploration and pancreatectomy if technically feasible and all toxicities have resolved. Pathologic specimens will undergo detailed histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluations with particular attention to the six surgical margins of resection: the bile duct margin (for Whipple specimens), the margin of pancreatic transection, the retroperitoneal margin, the proximal and distal duodenal margins (for Whipple specimens), and the portal vein margin along the pancreatic head (for Whipple specimens) or medial pancreas (for distal pancreatectomies). Tissue specimens will be stored at -80C for future correlative studies of autophagy and tumor response to protocol therapy. Ten to fourteen weeks following completion of successful surgical removal of their tumor, subjects will undergo repeat staging studies per standard of care. Subjects will pursue standard of care adjuvant therapy options at the discretion of their physician.

Antibacterial prophylaxis is recommended in patients at high risk of infection, specifically patients undergoing acute leukemia induction therapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) who are expected to have profound neutropenia (ANC\<100 neutrophils/milliliter) for more than seven days. Xerava™ (eravacycline) has a broad spectrum of activity including many multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria. It is not an agent used for treatment of febrile neutropenia, making eravacycline a very attractive alternative to consider in this prophylactic setting. Eravacycline has activity against MRSA, VRE, and Clostridioides difficile, all of which are common problems in this patient population. It also covers the majority of enteric gram-negative pathogens while also producing satisfactory tissue penetration and adequate plasma concentrations, which has classically been a concern with prior agents. Eravacycline has activity against coagulase-negative staphylococcus, which is a common catheter-related infection in leukemia and HSCT patients. The primary objective will be report the incidence of breakthrough infections during eravacycline prophylaxis for hematologic malignancy patients with prolonged neutropenia.

The goal of this observational study is to determine if patients with cervical myelopathy who participate in a Tai Chi program will demonstrate improved gait and balance compared to patients who undergo usual care. Participants must be 18 years or older and have a diagnosis of cervical myelopathy.

This is a multicenter, non-randomized, open-label, phase II study evaluating blinatumomab administered subcutaneously in adult subjects with CD19+ MPAL. This trial consists of three cohorts of patients with CD19-positive MPAL, categorized as follows: 1. Cohort A: Newly diagnosed CD19+ MPAL in untreated patients who are either ≥ 75 years of age or have at least one coexisting condition precluding intensive chemotherapy. 2. Cohort B: Patients with CD19+ MPAL who have achieved complete remission (CR, CRh, or CRi) following at least one line of treatment but have detectable measurable residual disease (MRD) at a level of ≥ 0.1%, assessed using an assay with a minimum sensitivity of 0.01%. 3. Cohort C: Patients with CD19+ MPAL with morphologic relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease following at least one prior line of treatment. The Primary Objectives for each cohort are for Cohort A: to evaluate the efficacy of SC-blinatumomab in treatment; for Cohort B: to assess the ability of SC-blinatumomab to achieve MRD-negative CR; for Cohort C: to determine the efficacy of SC-blinatumomab in inducing CR, CRh, or CRi in patients. At specified time points, subjects will undergo the following procedures: collection of informed consent, medical history, demographics, ECOG performance, and physical exam including vital signs as well as neurological examination including examination of writing ability. Subjects will provide samples for complete blood count with differential and blood chemistry profile, have a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy and lumbar puncture will be performed per protocol or if clinically indicated, and/or ECG, Echocardiography, pulmonary function test will be performed only if medically indicated. The subcutaneous treatment will be given in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. For an individual subject the length of participation includes up to a 3-week screening period, up to a 13-month treatment period, and a safety follow-up visit (30 days after the last dose of study treatment), and a follow-up period.

The aim of this mixed methods randomized controlled trial is to test the integrated nurse-led intervention bundle for family home care management of end-stage heart failure and palliative care in rural Appalachia. This intervention bundle is designed to address rural disparities in access to health care, with the help of the faith-based nurses and local volunteer visiting neighbors.

A trocar is a surgical instrument with a sharp point and tube and is used to create endoscopic access in the abdomen or chest where endoscopic instruments can be entered \& used in minimally invasive surgical procedures. Xpan has created an FDA Cleared radially dilating trocar (RDT) that is inserted at 3mm and can be expanded to 5mm or 12mm during surgery. The purpose of this research protocol is to demonstrate that a new FDA Cleared Xpan® radially dilating trocar (RDT) system is at least, just as effective as the existing RDT trocar systems. The procedure will be performed using a radially dilating trocar that is inserted at 3mm and can be expanded to 5mm or 12mm during surgery.

West Virginia faces rising rates of HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis, particularly among individuals experiencing homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges. Traditional blood-draw testing for these infections is often hindered by mistrust, logistical barriers, and delays in results. This study, conducted by the West Virginia University (WVU) Street Medicine program, evaluates a rapid, point-of-care fingerstick test for HIV, Hepatitis C, and syphilis that provides results within 10-20 minutes during mobile clinic visits. Participants may choose rapid testing, traditional blood draw (which also includes Hepatitis B screening), or decline testing. All participants will be invited to complete a brief survey about the experiences with screening methods. The goal is to assess whether rapid testing improves screening uptake, linkage to care, and patient satisfaction, ultimately reducing barriers and disease burden in high-risk populations.

The long-term goal of this project is to improve the implementation of tailored resistance exercise interventions for Appalachian breast cancer survivors. To achieve this goal, the primary objective is to enhance the understanding of how biological, psychological, and social factors interact to influence readiness for behavior change around resistance exercise in this unique population. The primary aim is to evaluate the feasibility of delivering the Strength After Breast Cancer (SABC) program, focusing on how socioeconomic status (SES) and allostatic load (AL) scores influence adherence and dropout rates. The Investigators will also further examine how self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and social support influence behavior change related to resistance exercise participation. The central hypothesis is that participants with lower SES will report geographic or financial constraints, receive reduced support from family or peers, have low confidence in their ability to exercise, and demonstrate lower adherence rates. Participants will: * Use a clear, step-by-step guide for safe, progressive strength training using a resistance exercise program tailored specifically for breast cancer survivors for a duration of 3 months * Keep an exercise log and complete questionnaires

The objectives/purpose of this study are to comprehensively investigate the effects of non-prescription CBD on driving performance, drowsiness, sedation, and cognitive function in a large sample of healthy adults aged 18-30 years, with additional characterization of effects by dose and by sex, using a rigorous RCT design which will naturally mitigate confounding factors.

The aim of this study is to determine whether chewing gum can alleviate orthodontic treatment discomfort and improve orthodontic treatment experience. The long-term goal is to enable clinicians to decide whether prescription of chewing gum at the placement of orthodontic appliances can improve patient experience with orthodontic treatment. In specific, a total of 60 patients under the age of 18 will be recruited for the study. Consent will be signed by both the child patient and the parents. 30 patients will be asked to chew xylitol gum and the other 30 patients will refrain from chewing gum and serve as the control group. At the appointment for insertion of orthodontic appliances, patients will be instructed to chew one serving or two pieces of xylitol gum three times per day for a total of six grams of xylitol per day. Patients will participate in a survey at the following timepoints- 4 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days. The expectation is that this study will determine the effectiveness of using xylitol to decrease pain in orthodontic patients.

The purpose of this study is to test a 12-week vinyasa yoga (flow yoga) intervention via Zoom. This program will be for 30 individuals with high blood pressure. 15 will receive the intervention and 15 will follow their usual routine. The investigators will determine if this vinyasa yoga program is feasible and acceptable in this population. Investigators will measure and compare blood pressure and other health responses such as physical health and well-being before and after participants complete the intervention or usual care period. The investigators hope to demonstrate that vinyasa yoga is a good option to improve heart health in people with high blood pressure. Primary Objective - Examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 12-wk remotely-delivered vinyasa yoga intervention (3 x per week) on cardiovascular (CV) health in adults with hypertension (HTN).

This pilot study will investigate the clinical and neurophysiological effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) followed by comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) in adult patients with Tourette's Syndrome (TS). Two groups of moderate disease severity will be randomized to receive active or sham rTMS targeted to the supplementary motor area (SMA) followed by eight CBIT sessions. The change in tic frequency and severity (primary outcome) and neurophysiological changes (secondary outcome) will be compared between the two groups. The central hypothesis is that low frequency rTMS will augment the effects of CBIT through favorable priming of the SMA network.

Postpartum anxiety disorders are the most prevalent postpartum psychiatric conditions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Internet-delivered postpartum anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) prevention program, called "Preventing Postpartum Onset Distress", or P-POD. The overarching goal of this study is to conduct a randomized control trial of P-POD, an online program designed to reduce and prevent perinatal anxiety in at-risk women in West Virginia. Investigators will test the effects of P-POD compared to an anxiety education control intervention on risk factors for perinatal anxiety and assess mothers' anxiety symptoms, relationships with their partners, and relationships with their infants at 8-weeks postpartum. Eligible women and their partners will be consented at the start of the second trimester of pregnancy. Couples will be randomized into either the P-POD (active) or ANX-ED (control) intervention. Couples will then begin to work through the ten intervention modules: seven modules for women, at a recommended rate of one per week, and three modules for partners, at a recommended rate of no more than one per week. Women will complete brief weekly phone "coaching calls" to encourage module completion, ensure understanding of material, and answer any content-related or technical questions. Ten weeks after the pre-intervention assessment, women will complete the post-intervention assessment (same measures as pre-assessment).