The NIH Clinical Center is the world’s largest hospital entirely devoted to clinical research. It is a national resource that makes it possible to rapidly translate scientific observations and laboratory discoveries into new approaches for diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease.
Over 1,600 clinical research studies are conducted at the NIH Clinical Center, including those focused on cancer, infectious diseases, blood disorders, heart disease, lung disease, alcoholism and drug abuse.
Here is a sample of abstracts from the clinical research conducted at the NIH Clinical Center and published in a peer reviewed medical journal this year. Links to the full text and video formats are provided if available.
2023
Outcomes Among Patients Hospitalized With Non–COVID-19 Conditions Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Alberta and Ontario, Canada
Published in: JAMA Network Open (July 2023)
NIH CC and Canadian investigators examined hospital overcrowding during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect it had on patients that didn’t have COVID-19 but needed the same resources in Canadian hospitals. The study suggests that non-ICU hospital care in Alberta and Ontario was resilient during COVID-19 caseload surges.
Read the article.
How I diagnose myeloid neoplasms with germline predisposition
Published in: American Journal of Clinical Pathology (July 2023)
Blood cancers caused by inherited genetic mutations and known as hematologic neoplasms with germline predisposition are more common than previously thought. In four case studies, researchers show how they use the clinical history, bone marrow findings, cytogenetic and molecular studies to identify patients with an inherited genetic predisposition for blood cancers, aiding in disease management.
Read the article.
Improving segmentation and detection of lesions in CT scans using intensity distribution supervision
Published in: Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics (June 2023)
Researchers have developed a new approach to train medical imaging networks to more accurately identify and isolate diseased and damaged tissue. The team used a probability function and pixel intensity data from CT scans to better detect tumors or abnormal growths in the kidneys, small bowel, and lungs.
Read the article.
Psychedelics, Meaningfulness, and the "Proper Scope" of Medicine: Continuing the Conversation
Published in: Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics (June 2023)
Psychedelics produce a variety of effects including significantly altered states of consciousness. Equally effective non-hallucinogenic analogs could someday become available. This article explores whether psychedelics that induce profound subjective experiences should remain the default treatment given ethical considerations like risk/benefit ratios, inclusivity, and the meaningfulness of the psychedelic experience.
Read the article.
Everyone Wants Access: It Comes With a Price
Published in: Critical Care Medicine (June 2023)
Central venous catheters provide safe and dependable vascular access for medical treatments but pose infection risks. Researchers studied electronic health records and found that increased catheter access correlated with higher infection rates. They suggest reducing access and using alternative routes for medication administration. However, practical challenges and risks must be considered. Rather than reducing use, medical teams must ensure proven infection prevention strategies are followed for each catheter insertion.
Read the article.
Association Between Vaccination Status and Outcomes in Patients Admitted to the ICU With COVID-19
Published in: Critical Care Medicine (May 2023)
Scientists compared outcomes of patients admitted to the ICU for SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients who had(vs had not) received a COVID-19 vaccination series. mortality risk remained similar between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients after the onset of critical illness, but booster doing was associated with increaed survivabulity from COVID-19 related critical illness.
Read the article.
Persistence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Associated Cerebral Toxoplasmosis Lesions in Successfully Treated Patients Receiving Combination Antiretroviral Therapy
Published in: Open Forum Infectious Diseases (May 2023)
A recent study suggests that in people with HIV who have demonstrated immune reconstitution on anti-retroviral therapy, persistent brain lesions caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii may not require ongoing therapy after initial treatment is successful. Authors say the findings can help inform clinical decision-making for HIV-infected patients.
Read the article.
Administration of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain BB-12® in healthy children: characterization, functional composition, and metabolism of the gut microbiome
Published in: Frontiers in Microbiology (May 2023)
Researchers examined the impact of two vs. three strain-supplemented yogurt probiotics on healthy children's gut microbiome and metabolome. An increase in the administered probiotics was observed over the first ten days, indicating their impact on the gut microbiome.
Read the article.
Impact of nonpharmacological interventions on cognitive impairment in women with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Published in: Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing (April 2023)
Scientists conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that include patients with cognitive disorders undergoing cancer treatment. Investigation found that nonpharmacological interventions can have a significant effect improving cognitive functioning within that demographic.
Read the article.
Beyond a Medicalized View of Reproduction: Recentering Pregnant People in the Ethics of Ectogenesis
Published in: The American Journal of Bioethics (March 2023)
In a commentary, the legal scholar and NIH post-doc responds to a recent paper framing the ethical considerations of artificial womb technology and fetal extraction, noting that the paper’s authors take a highly medicalized view of reproduction that favors the interests of the fetus and excludes those of pregnant mothers.
Read the article.
Micronutrient Supplementation and Bone Health After Prophylactic Total Gastrectomy in Patients With CDH1 Variants
Published in: The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (March 2023)
Prophylactic total gastrectomy, or complete removal of the stomach, is intended to reduce the risk of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer for people with germline variants in the CDH1 tumor suppressor gene. This study indicates that micronutrient supplementation and nutritional counseling is important to mitigate bone density loss after gastrectomy.
Read the article.
Fully-automated detection of small bowel carcinoid tumors in CT scans using deep learning
Published in: Medical Physics (March 2023)
Small bowel carcinoid tumor is a rare abnormal growth of tissue in the body that is becoming more common. Patients with this type of tumor often experience delays in diagnosis due to vague symptoms, slow growth of tumors, and lack of clinician awareness. This study explores the use of Computed tomography (CT) for diagnosis and detection of small bowel carcinoid tumor.
Read the article.
A Cross Sectional Survey of Recruitment Practices, Supports, and Perceived Roles for Unaffiliated and Non-scientist Members of IRBs
Published in: AJOB Empirical Bioethics (February 2023)
This study explore processes of recruitment, training, and the perceived roles for unaffiliated and non-scientist members of Institutional Review Boards.
Read the article.
Vaccination Ameliorates Cellular Inflammatory Responses in SARS-cov-2 Breakthrough Infections
Published in: The Journal of Infectious Diseases (February 2023)
Researchers evaluated patients who had been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 and had breakthrough infections and compared them to unvaccinated patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The study showed that vaccinations may help limit the progression of inflammatory responses associated with disease severity.
Read the article.
Spleen tyrosine kinase inhibition restores myeloid homeostasis in COVID-19
Published in: Science Advances (January 2023)
Testing of cellular therapy products for MA trademark of COVID-19 is acute respiratory distress syndrome and multisystem organ failure. This study tries to understand differences in the myeloid response among those who received fostamatinib, a Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) inhibitor, versus placebo for the treatment of hospitalized patients on oxygen.
Read the article.
Comparison of Five Commercial Molecular Assays for Mycoplasma Testing of Cellular Therapy Products
Published in: Journal of Clinical Microbiology (January 2023)
Testing of cellular therapy products for Mycoplasma, a tiny, cell wall lacking bacteria, is a regulatory requirement by the FDA. This study analyzes five commercially available molecular assays to detect Mycoplasma and results showed the Biofire Mycoplasma assay performed best, while MycoSEQ and MycoTOOL assays performed similarly.
Read the article.