Actively Recruiting
Tocilizumab for Acute Chest Syndrome
Led by University of Chicago · Updated on 2026-04-06
200
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
194 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The investigators are evaluating the role of a low dose of tocilizumab in treating acute chest syndrome in patients with sickle cell disease. Tocilizumab inhibits interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptors and is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and severe cytokine release syndrome, which can be seen with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, and it is also authorized for treatment of COVID-19. Since IL-6 levels are elevated in the sputum of patients with acute chest syndrome, the investigators are hopeful that this will be an effective strategy. The investigators will be looking at how a low dose of tocilizumab affects oxygen status, clinical outcomes, and laboratory markers in patients admitted to the hospital with acute chest syndrome.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Tocilizumab for Acute Chest Syndrome
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Adults 12 years of age or older
- Prior diagnosis of sickle cell disease (Hb SS, Hb SC, Hb Sb+, or Hb Sb0)
You will not qualify if you...
- Pregnant patients or breastfeeding mothers
- Prior treatment with gene therapy or stem cell transplant
- Current enrollment in a clinical trial involving an FDA-regulated drug or biologic
- Current neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 1000/mm^3)
- Current thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 50,000/mm^3)
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) levels greater than 10 times the upper limit of normal
- History of tuberculosis (TB)
- Positive purified protein derivative (PPD) TB screening test
- Active therapy with Bruton's tyrosine kinase-targeted agents (Acalabrutinib, Ibrutinib, Zanubrutinib)
- Active therapy with JAK2-targeted agents (Baricitinib, Ruxolitinib, Tofacitinib, Upadacitinib)
- Use of biologic immunosuppressive agents (including abatacept, adalimumab, alemtuzumab, atezolizumab, belimumab, blinatumomab, brentuximab, certolizumab, daratumumab, durvalumab, eculizumab, elotuzumab, etanercept, gemtuzumab, golimumab, ibritumomab, infliximab, inotuzumab, ipilimumab, ixekizumab, moxetumomab, nivolumab, obinutuzumab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, pembrolizumab, polatuzumab, rituximab, sarilumab, secukinumab, tocilizumab, tositumumab, tremelimumab, urelumab, ustekinumab) within the past 6 months
AI-Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60637
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
A
Austin Wesevich, MD
CONTACT
G
Gabrielle Lapping-Carr, MD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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