ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT05012111Updated Nov 3, 2026

Natural History of Acquired and Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes

An observational study in Severe Aplastic Anemia, Telomere Biology Disorders and Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes, sponsored by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 2 Years to 99 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-03.

Sponsored by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Oct 2021; still recruiting 5 years later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
1,000
Ages
2 Years to 99 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Background:

Bone marrow failure diseases are rare. Much is known about the diseases at the time of diagnosis, but long-term data about the effects of the diseases and treatments are lacking. Researchers want to better understand long-term outcomes in people with these diseases.

Objective:

To follow people diagnosed with acquired or inherited bone marrow failure disease and study the long-term effects of the disease and its treatments on organ function.

Eligibility:

People aged 2 years and older who have been diagnosed with acquired or inherited bone marrow failure or Telomere Biology Disorder. First degree family members may also be able to take part in the study.

Design:

Participants will be screened with a medical history, physical exam, and blood tests. They may have a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration. For this, a large needle will be inserted in the hip through a small cut. Marrow will be drawn from the bone. A small piece of bone may be removed.

Participants may also be screened with some of the following:

Cheek swab or hair follicle sample

Skin biopsy

Urine or saliva sample

Evaluation by disease specialists (e.g., lung, liver, heart)

Imaging scan of the chest

Liver ultrasounds

Six-Minute Walk Test

Lung function test

Participants will be put into groups based on their disease. They will have visits every 1 to 3 years. At visits, they may repeat some screening tests. They may fill out yearly surveys about their medicines, transfusions, pregnancy, bleeding, and so on. They may have other specialized procedures, such as imaging scans and ultrasounds.

Participation will last for up to 20 years.

...

Read the detailed description

Study Description: This study will allow for the long term follow up of patients with acquired and inherited bone marrow failure, both treated and untreated.

Objectives:

Primary Objective

The primary objective is to characterize disease and treatment related long-term outcomes in subjects with inherited or acquired marrow failure.

Secondary Objectives

  1. Rates of disease progression requiring intervention
  2. Determine overall survival
  3. Determine event free survival in subjects who receive treatment
  4. Genetic or molecular biomarker to predict the long-term outcomes/early diagnosis in SAA and disease progression in other marrow failures.
  5. Determine effects of pregnancy, viral infections, and vaccinations on disease course
  6. Determine rates of both hematologic and solid organ malignancies
  7. For Telomere Biology Disorders (TBD) cohort, assess the systemic impact of the disease including lung function, liver function, immunodeficiency, endocrine disorders, vascular disorders, and cardiovascular disease
  8. For diseases with a genetic cause, determine the differences in clinical phenotype between different mutations causing the syndrome (example within TBD)
  9. Family genetic studies to determine the incidence and penetrance of specific gene mutations within one family

Tertiary/Exploratory Objectives

  1. Genomic analysis (including whole exome or whole genome sequencing) to seek a potentially disease-causing mutations in subjects who meet the clinical phenotype for inherited disease but do not harbor a known mutation using sequencing
  2. Serial assessment of hematopoiesis and immune activity as it relates to clinical course

Endpoints:

Primary Endpoints:

Cohort 1 (SAA): Rate of relapse and clonal evolution in previously treated subjects.

Cohort 2 (Other Marrow Failure): Rate of progression (cytopenias or clonal evolution) requiring therapeutic intervention.

Cohort 3 Telomere Biology Disorders (TBD): Development of cytopenias, lung disease or liver disease, or (if present at baseline)

characterization, and rate of progression of cytopenias, lung disease or liver disease in TBD subjects and looking at their overall contribution to morbidity and mortality.

Cohort 4 Inherited Bone Marrow Failure (IBMF): Rate of progression to transfusion dependent marrow failure, marrow failure requiring therapeutic intervention (such as medical therapy or HSCT) or the progression to hematological or solid malignancy.

Secondary Endpoints:

Cohort 1 (SAA):

  1. Response to treatment at 3 and 6 months and rates of relapse
  2. Overall survival
  3. Type and severity of additional medical diagnoses
  4. Rates of clinically significant paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
  5. Rates, timing, and treatment of abnormal iron status (iron overload or deficiency)
  6. Rates and outcomes of pregnancy, and rate and treatment of abnormal menses
  7. Rates of drug induced complications
  8. Incidence of vaccination and rates of relapse following administration

Cohort 2 (Other Marrow Failure):

  1. Treatment response
  2. Development of PNH and occurrence of symptoms, or need for therapy
  3. Overall survival

Cohort 3 (TBD):

  1. Overall survival
  2. Response to treatment in terms of improvement of cytopenias, or slower progression of lung or liver disease or fibrosis
  3. Development of hematological or solid organ malignancy
  4. Presence of an immunodeficiency or abnormal lab values (immunoglobulin or lymphocyte profile)
  5. Presence of an endocrine disorder or abnormal hormonal levels
  6. Presence of a vascular abnormality
  7. Presence of an abnormal ECG or ECHO. Incidence of IHD over time
  8. Presence, development of or rate of progression of cytopenias,lung disease, and liver disease compared between TBD causing mutations
  9. Presence of TBD mutation in a family member and its association with cytopenias, short telomeres, and evidence of lung or liver involvement. Presence, development of or rate of progression of cytopenias, lung disease, and liver disease compared between family members with the same mutation
  10. Genomic analysis using whole exome sequencing or whole genome sequencing to look for potentially disease causing variants in subjects who meet the clinical phenotype for TBD but do not have a known mutation

Cohort 4 (IBMF):

  1. Overall survival
  2. Treatment response
  3. Development of hematological or solid organ malignancy
  4. New medical diagnosis and its relationship to any treatment received
  5. Record PNH incidence in IBMF as defined by a clone size of >1% in granulocytes
  6. Determine the incidence of iron overload, its course with any IBMF treatments, and its response to chelation therapy
  7. Record the outcomes of pregnant subjects
  8. The presence of viral and bacterial infections and correlation to worsening cytopenias. Presence of worsening cytopenias after vaccination
  9. Presence of IBMF mutation in a family member and its association with cytopenias, and other clinical phenotypes
  10. Genomic analysis using whole exome sequencing or whole genome sequencing to look for potentially disease causing variants in subjects who meet the clinical phenotype for TBD but do not have a known mutation
02

Conditions studied

  • Severe Aplastic Anemia
  • Telomere Biology Disorders
  • Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes

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Keywords

  • Aplastic Anemia
  • Telomere
  • Natural History
03

In context

Anemia, Aplastic

371 studies on the registry are indexed under Anemia, Aplastic; 98 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 1,000 is above the median of 100 across 64 observational studies indexed under Anemia, Aplastic.

Browse Anemia, Aplastic studies →

Lead sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is the lead sponsor of 1,143 studies on the registry; 71 are open to participants now.

Of its 58 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 51 (88%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
2 Years to 99 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Subjects with Severe Aplastic Anemia, other acquired marrow failure syndromes, and inherited marrow failure syndromes. Family members of subjects with either suspected or confirmed inherited bone marrow failure.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

To be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria. Subjects and their family members who undergo screening but ultimately do not meet criteria for cohorts 1-5 will be removed from the study. Subjects may forgo screening and sign directly onto cohorts 1-5 if they meet criteria based on either prior NIH testing or external examinations. Family members will only be asked to be screened for participation onto this study after confirmation of eligibility by an affected participant.

Cohorts 1-4

  • Age >=2 years
  • Diagnosis of acquired or inherited bone marrow failure or ineffective hematopoiesis or TBD (see below for cohort 3 specific criteria)
  • Ability and willingness to come to the NIH CC for consultation and testing
  • Ability of subject or Legally Authorized Representative (LAR) to understand the nature of the protocol and their willingness to sign a written document
  • For cohort 3 - TBD:

Presence of a pathogenic, likely pathogenic, or known family mutation in a telomere maintenance gene

OR

If mutation negative or VUS, telomere length \<10th percentile in lymphocytes with at least two clinical features: 1) cytopenia ( \<10g/dL or ANC \<1.5x10\^9 or \<100), 2) documented liver fibrosis by histology OR abnormal liver US / fibro scan consistent with fatty liver or fibrosis), 3) documented pulmonary fibrosis by histology / radiology OR PFTs showing \<80% or DLCO \<60%, 4) family history of: marrow failure, myeloid , liver fibrosis or lung fibrosis.

Cohort 5

  • Age >= 2 years
  • First degree family member with a known or suspected inherited bone marrow failure syndrome from a patient enrolled on this or another NIH protocol as determined by a PI or AI
  • Ability and willingness to safely provide blood, buccal swab, or fibroblasts for testing as stated by subject
  • Ability of subject or Legally Authorized Representative (LAR) to understand the investigational nature of the protocol and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

-None

Terms in these criteria, in plain language(6)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

FEV1

From a breathing test (spirometry): how much air you can blow out in the first second. Often given as a percentage of what is expected for your age, height and sex.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
1,000 participants (estimated)

Groups and cohorts

  • Cohort 1

    Severe Aplastic Anemia(SAA): Age 2 and older; Previous diagnosis of bone marrow failure

  • Cohort 2

    Other Marrow Failure: Age 2 and older; Previous diagnosis of bone marrow failure;

  • Cohort 3

    Telomere Biology Disorders(TBD): Age 2 and older; Previous diagnosis of bone marrow failure

  • Cohort 4

    Inherited Bone Marrow Failure(IBMF)Syndromes: Age 2 and older; Previous diagnosis of bone marrow failure

  • Cohort 5

    Family Screening: Age 2 and older; First degree family member with a known or suspected inherited bone marrow failure syndrome

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Cohort 4: Rate of progression to transfusion dependent marrow failure, marrow failure requiring therapeutic intervention (such as medical therapy or HSCT) or the progression to hematological malignancy

    Rate of progression to transfusion dependent marrow failure, marrow failure requiring therapeutic intervention (such as medical therapy or HSCT) or the progression to hematological malignancy.

    Time frame: 20 years

  2. Cohort 3: Development of cytopenias, lung disease or liver disease, or (if present at baseline) characterization, and rate of progression of cytopenias, lung disease or liver disease in TBD patients and looking at their overall contribution to m...

    Development of cytopenias, lung disease or liver disease, or (if present at baseline) characterization, and rate of progression of cytopenias, lung disease or liver disease in TBD patients and looking at their overall contribution to morbidity and mortality.

    Time frame: 20 years

  3. Cohort 1: Rate of relapse and clonal evolution in previously treated patients

    Rate of relapse and clonal evolution in previously treated patients

    Time frame: 20 years

  4. Cohort 2: Rate of progression requiring therapeutic intervention

    Rate of progression (cytopenias or clonal evolution) requiring therapeutic intervention.

    Time frame: 20 years

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
    Recruiting
    • For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR) · Contactprpl@cc.nih.gov · 800-411-1222
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided — This is a new requirement and the team has yet to discuss the sharing of IPD.

09

Updates

6 registry updates since Sep 25, 2026
Minor edits
Nothing that changes what the study is or who can join. Edited: verification date and description
6 updates, last Nov 3, 2026
Show all 6 updates
  1. Nov 3, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: verification date
  2. Oct 29, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: description
  3. Oct 23, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: verification date
  4. Sep 30, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: verification date
  5. Sep 28, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: description
  6. Sep 25, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05012111
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 19, 2021
Start date
Oct 25, 2021
Primary completion
Feb 4, 2041 (estimated)
Completion
Feb 4, 2041 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 3, 2026

Study contacts

Tania R Machado
Contact
tania.machado@nih.gov
(301) 661-1505
Bhavisha A Patel, M.D.
Contact
bhavisha.patel@nih.gov
(301) 402-3477
Bhavisha A Patel, M.D.
principal investigator · National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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