Active clinical trials for "Asthma"

The WIM-PC™ device, indicated for acoustic pulmonary function measurement that quantifies the presence of wheezing. This study was designed in order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using the WIM-PC™ device for wheeze detection during dynamic bronchial situations in infants that were hospitalized as a result of asthmatic attack.

A reduced response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has been reported in smoking compared to non-smoking asthmatic patients. However, the comparative response to other currently prescribed medications such as combination therapy of long-acting beta agonists and ICS remain to be further evaluated. No significant differences were found between our group of subjects in regard to changes in asthma control pulmonary function and airway inflammation following budesonide or the association of budesonide with formoterol for a period of 2 months. This should be further explored in larger groups of subjects.

The change of airway responsiveness and alveolar macrophage (AM) immunity occurs during the pathogenesis of asthma. Macrophage-associated airway protection in patients with asthma is affected positively or negatively by propofol general anesthesia. The investigators hypothesized that the effects of propofol on asthmatic AMs and corresponding airway reactivity in vivo is different from the in vitro research. Through in vivo airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) observation and clinical investigation of AM immune functions from asthma patients undergoing propofol general anesthesia to clarify the precise effects of propofol on AM immunity, and to provide theoretical basis for the clinical administration of propofol in asthmatic patients. This would optimize the practice of clinical anesthesia, especially for those with the tendency of AHR.

Current research shows that obesity greatly increases the risk of developing asthma. Although the two conditions are clearly related, experts do not fully understand why they are linked. Some researchers believe that hormones released in the fat cells (adipokines) play a role. Others believe that excess weight pressing on the lungs triggers the hyperreactive response in the airways that is typical of asthma. The goal of the Asthma-Bariatric Surgery Study is to determine how weight loss affects lung function and various biological parameters. Bariatric (weight loss) surgery refers to the various surgical procedures performed to treat obesity. Specifically, this study is designed to answer the following questions: Does bariatric surgery help patients control their asthma? How much asthma control can be achieved through weight loss? How does weight loss influence lung function? Participants in this observational research study will be asked to complete study visits at enrollment, 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months. Questionnaires, pulmonary function tests, and blood samples will be required at each time point. This research study is observational only; it does not cover the cost of (or provide) bariatric surgery. Optional genetic and bronchoscopy substudies are included as well.

Hypotheses: 1) Airway pH regulation is abnormal in severe asthma; 2) In severe asthma, there is formation of cytotoxic nitrogen oxides and loss of beneficial nitrogen oxides in the airways

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterized by airway hyper-responsiveness and reversible airway obstruction. Over the last decade, the prevalence of asthma is on the rise and it disproportionately affects more women than men. As much as 40% of women with asthma are known to have worsening of asthma symptoms and lung function prior to menstruation. This syndrome is being increasingly recognized as premenstrual asthma (PMA). The pathologic differences in female asthmatics with and without this syndrome are not known. The evidence regarding the role of sex hormones has been contradicting. We propose an observational cohort study to examine the changes in airway inflammation in women with asthma in relation to their menstrual cycle and their association with sex hormone levels. In addition we will include women on oral contraceptives to determine their effect on airway inflammation and asthma symptoms. We hypothesis that: Women with premenstrual asthma will show increased indices of airway inflammation in various phases the monthly menstrual cycle. In women with premenstrual asthma, a change in serum estradiol/progesterone ratio during the late luteal phase is associated with worsening of airway inflammation, air flow limitation and asthma symptoms. The use of oral contraceptives is associated with suppression of the cyclical changes in airway inflammation due to lack of fluctuations in estradiol and progesterone levels. Recruited subjects will be asked to record asthma symptom scores, morning Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (m-PEFR) and rescue asthma medication (β2-agonist) used daily during the one month screening period to identify women with and without pre-menstrual asthma. Asthmatic women with regular menstrual cycles will be evaluated in their follicular phase (days 5-8) and luteal phase (days 21-24) and women on oral contraceptive pills (OCP) will be evaluated on days 9-12 of their OCP cycle and during the days 25-28, off of OCP consecutively for a 2-month period.

The primary purpose of this study is to gather additional safety data for the subjects treated with the Alair System (hereinafter, "Alair-Treated Subjects") who previously completed the one-year study entitled: "Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Bronchial Thermoplasty with the Alair System for the Treatment of Severe Asthma" (Protocol #0903-27) sponsored by Asthmatx, Inc. Subjects who elect to participate in this safety study will be followed for an additional four (4) year period beyond the PREDECESSOR STUDY'S one-year endpoint (clinicaltrials.gov number NCT00214539).

Asthma is more frequent in obese women, but the mechanisms underlying the causes of this increased frequency are unknown and are different from usual asthma pathophysiology (associated with allergy). Obesity is known to influence ventilation; our hypothesis is that the normal variability of ventilation is decreased in obese patients, and that this decrease is responsible for an increased reactivity of their airway to non specific stimuli. In this observational study, breathing variability will be studied using polygraphy (an investigation that is made in these women to detect nocturnal apneas), and airway reactivity is studied between pulmonary function tests that are made before bariatric surgery.

The purpose of this study will be to assess the impact of a culturally-sensitive, patient-focused asthma communication instrument (ACCI) designed to enhance provider-patient communication by prompting and guiding providers in assessments of disease severity and discussion of adherence behaviors with minority patients with asthma.

The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of a bilingual intervention in improving asthma care for low-income inner-city children enrolled in subsidized preschool childcare programs.