Active clinical trials for "Asthma"

To investigate how common it is that patients using Symibort SMART take high average daily doses that are not considered appropriate by their physician (overuse) or are hospitalised due to their asthma at least partly due to underuse.

Background By means of measurements of series of non-invasive inflammatory markers in exhaled breath (condensate), a reflection of inflammatory processes and oxidative stress, can be obtained. Thereby, these techniques could be important in monitoring asthma and CF lung disease in children. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and inflammatory markers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) reflect ongoing inflammation and oxidative stress in the airways. These markers have a promising capacity for monitoring diagnoses of CF and asthma lung disease. Aim To study the course of inflammatory markers in time in children with asthma and CF, in stable periods and during pulmonary exacerbations. In addition, we study the ability of inflammatory markers to predict safe tapering of medical treatment in both populations. To study the course of inflammatory markers in EBC during an exacerbation. To study which IM are already elevated before a clinical exacerbation is evident and can predict exacerbations in time. To study which inflammatory markers can predict safe discontinuation of antibiotics in children with CF, or tapering of inhaled corticosteroids in children with asthma. To study the relationship between inflammatory markers in EBC, the severity and control of CF and asthma, the symptoms and lung function within patients will be analysed. Methods Children with CF (n=30) and children with asthma (n=40) were recruited included from our outpatient clinic. During this longitudinal study patients visit the outpatient clinic were followed-up for 12 months; every two months during one year. patients visited our outpatient clinic. In addition to these standard visits, During exacerbations patients four extra visits were planned during an exacerbation. were asked to visit the University Hospital Maastricht four times. These additional visits were planned with a maximum of two times during the study. By means of a home monitor, children were asked to assess measurements of Besides measurements in the University Hospital, children measured forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) at home using a home monitor, to record medication use, and, to record presence and severity of pulmonary symptoms. Outcome parameters were: 1) FeNO assessment in exhaled air, 2) inflammatory markers in EBC, 3) lung function parameters, 4) specific questionnaires to assess asthma and CF control and severity, 5) data originating from the home monitor.

Infants will be enrolled in this study if they have never been diagnosed with asthma or wheezing and have been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis or eczema. Infants with some types of skin rashes are at high risk for developing asthma by 6 years of age. The purpose of this study is to determine whether we can identify infants who will develop asthma.

Screen for moderate to severe asthma patients with suboptimal asthma control (as defined by GINA-Guidelines). Document current asthma control status. Re-evaluate asthma therapy and document new therapy if applicable.

The purpose of this study is to verify and validate the intrinsic diagnostic value in terms of sensitivity and specificity of proteomic profiles determined during a pre-study for discriminating between allergy related asthma and allergy related rhinitis.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the concordance of the most frequently used words by the patients and the physicians to express asthma symptoms and the limitations of daily activities caused by asthma.

Assessment of the inhalation profiles of four dry powder inhalers in patients with variable degrees of lung obstruction

Inhaled corticosteroids are widely used as the primary therapy for asthma, which affects approximately 20 million people in the United States. While many patients respond to corticosteroid therapy, as many as 25-30% of patients with severe asthma have asthma that is difficult to treat or steroid insensitive. Predictive biomarkers for the rapid identification of patients with asthma who will achieve adequate control of their symptoms with inhaled corticosteroids has the potential to significantly improve asthma management. This proposal is based on the hypothesis that alterations in gene expression in epithelial cells of the buccal mucosa can be used as a reliable biomarker to predict corticosteroid response in patients with asthma. The goals of this proposal will determine if gene expression in epithelial cells of the buccal mucosa from patients with asthma is in concordance with gene expression profiles that have been identified through more invasive sampling techniques of the airway epithelium of asthma patients. The Specific Aims of this proposal are to 1) investigate the level of variability in gene expression of a subset of inflammatory markers in buccal epithelium from adult patients with asthma. Aim 1 will be carried out by collecting buccal samples from three cohorts of subjects (18-55 years of age) from the Pulmonology and Allergy Clinics at Truman Medical Center during regularly scheduled outpatient visits as follows: 1) healthy control adult subjects (n=10), 2) patients with asthma treated only with a short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA, n=10), and 3) patients with asthma treated with low-dose ICS (n=10). Relative gene expression of inflammatory markers will be determined using quantitative RT (reverse transcription)-PCR and variability in gene expression will be determined within and between the three cohorts. Data from the pilot studies described in this proposal will aid in the determination of appropriate study population sizes for future investigations with the long-term objective to use changes in gene expression (in buccal epithelial cells) as a dynamic biomarker for determining corticosteroid response in patients with asthma.

Distinct patterns of loss in pulmonary function were identified in children with mild to moderate asthma participating in a 10-year observation period during the NHLBI Childhood Asthma Management Program. This loss in pulmonary function is likely related to ongoing inflammation unresponsive to current therapy. This study will measure indicators of airway inflammation which are associated with structural and physiologic changes in the lung and provide insight into mechanisms of asthma progression in adolescence and early adulthood.

Descriptive pharmacoepidemiological study on the use of Symbicort Turbuhaler in the treatment of asthma in France and impact of a new therapeutic strategy on the compliance and control of asthma