Active clinical trials for "Bronchial Hyperreactivity"

Approximately 8% of all births occur between 30-36 weeks of gestation ('moderate-late' prematurity). Respiratory tract infections (RTI) and wheezing illnesses disproportionally affect preterm infants resulting in a 1.5-2 fold higher hospitalisation rate during the first years of life compared to term born children. Besides prematurity, several other postnatal modifiable influencing factors are associated with increased risk of respiratory morbidity and impaired pulmonary development. These factors include RTI, rapid weight gain, air pollution, tobacco smoke exposition, vitamin D deficiency, maternal stress and antibiotic usage. The investigators hypothesize that a follow-up program aiming at prevention of modifiable influencing factors can reduce respiratory morbidity in moderate and late prematurity. Objectives: To reduce respiratory disease burden in moderate-late preterm infants in the first 18 months of life

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out at which lower limit for saturation (amount of oxygen in the blood) we can best give extra oxygen to children that have been admitted for shortness of breath. We hope to accomplish a shorter period of illness for these children and that they can be discharged home earlier. Participants will receive supplemental oxygen if their blood oxygen levels are below 88% or below 92%. After admission, (parents of) participating children will fill out questionnaires. We will compare the two groups on their hospitalization duration and recovery. In other words, is it better to maintain a lower limit of 88% saturation or a lower limit of 92% in children admitted for shortness of breath?

A classic methacholine challenge test is considered positive when forced expiratory volumen after one second (FEV1) decrease 20%. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) measures airway resistance and reactance, and seems more sensitive to changes in small airways. In adult asthma patients, we compare methacholine challenge test using both FEV1 and IOS.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate budesonide levels in the blood following inhalation of single doses of VR647 Inhalation Suspension in children with wheezing, reactive airway disease or mild asthma using a nebulizer, the VR647 Inhalation System. Secondary objectives include the evaluation of the safety and tolerability of VR647 Inhalation Suspension administered using the VR647 Inhalation System. The study consists of four visits; a screening visit (Visit 1), two dosing days (Visits 2 and 3) and a follow-up visit (Visit 4). On each dosing day a single dose of treatment will be administered. Treatment allocation at Visits 2 and 3 is determined by a balanced incomplete block design.

The purpose is to determine whether montelukast during 6 weeks has superior antitussive effects (measured with the LCQ) compared with placebo in patients with cough lasting > 8 weeks and enhanced bronchial hyperreactivity.

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (cys-LTs) are lipid inflammatory mediators that abound in mucosal inflammation and play a validated role in the pathogenesis of human asthma. It has recently been demonstrated that the platelet adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor, P2Y12, is required for LT4-mediated pulmonary inflammation and could be a novel potential therapeutic target for asthma. Thienopyridines (such as ticlopidine and clopidogrel) are pro-drugs, with proven antithrombotic efficacy, whose active metabolites selectively inhibit the platelet P2Y12 receptors. One of the drawbacks of thienopyridines is the high inter-individual variability in pharmacological response, mostly due to the high inter-individual variability in the capacity of transforming the pro-drug in its active metabolite. Prasugrel is a new member of the class of thienopyridines, with faster onset of action and a more uniform inhibition of platelet function compared to the other thienopyridines. Primary objective of our study will be to test whether or not the inhibition of the platelet P2Y12 receptor by prasugrel reduces the bronchial hyper-reactivity in patients with chronic asthma. The investigators designed a randomized, double blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), crossover, placebo-controlled, prospective study, which will enroll 26 patients. Randomization will be performed in sequential blocks. Patients will be blindly and randomly allocated to treatment A (prasugrel 10 mg daily) or B (placebo) for 15 days. After a 15-day wash-out period, patients who had initially been allocated to treatment "A" will be allocated to treatment "B", and vice versa. Measurements will be done at baseline and on day 15 after each treatment, at the same time (+/- 1 h) of the day. Primary efficacy measure will be changes in airway hyper-responsiveness, recorded as reduction of FEV1 using the mannitol test induction. Secondary efficacy measures will be changes in markers of airway inflammation in sputum, changes in measurement of nitric oxide expiration (as surrogate marker of airway lung inflammation), count of eosinophil granulocytes in peripheral blood smear, changes in asthma exacerbation rates and symptom scores. Changes in phosphorylation of platelet VASP (Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein) by ADP, measured with a flow cytometric technique, will be used as markers of the degree of inhibition of platelet P2Y12 receptors attained in each subjects by treatment with prasugrel.

Respiratory diseases including Asthma are high prevalent among preschool children. Specific treatment, nowadays, include steroid inhalers and anti leukotrienes. It is known that the amount of the drug reaching small airways and lungs is bigger how much smaller the particles liberated by inhalers. Beclometasone is being used for treating asthma for 30 years. Lately emerged a new presentation of beclometasone, which liberates particles as small as 2.1 µg, that is supposed to reach the small airways at higher concentrations and be more suitable to patients who don't cooperate properly to the procedure of inhalation. The investigators' group has reported successfully the possibility to perform Pulmonary Challenge tests (adenosine, methacholine and exercise) in tender age. Other studies reported relation between asthma control and reduction in airway hyperreactivity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Beclometasone dipropionate - Qvar to reduce airways hyperreactivity in preschool children, as demonstrated by adenosine challenge test.

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of two dose levels of levalbuterol compared with one dose level of racemic albuterol in pediatric subjects aged birth to 48 months old.

The study aim is to determine the effect of 8 weeks of anti-reflux treatment (full acid suppression) on bronchial hyper-responsiveness and whether there is a symptomatic improvement.

The aim of the study is to compare standard spirometric evaluation of methacholine challenge test with plethysmographic, interrupter technique and forced oscillation technique (FOT) evaluation of the airways resistance. The study group will consist of patients referred for methacholine challenge test. All patient will undergo spirometric, plethysmographic, interrupter technique and FOT examinations - before and after inhalation of aerosols. Patients will also undergo the measurement of nitric oxide concentration in exhaled air and laboratory tests, including: blood count, measurement of serum C-reactive protein, sodium, potassium, creatinine, immunoglobulin E and N-Terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration. The investigators intend to assess, if plethysmographic, and/or interrupter, and/or FOT measurement of bronchial reactivity can replace standard spirometric assessment. Plethysmography, interrupter technique and FOT are much more easier to perform for patients. Furthermore, those two techniques are less dependent on patient's motivation and cooperation ability. Thus, usage of FOT, interrupter technique and/or plethysmography in bronchial hyperreactivity testing could make methacholine challenge test more comfortable and available for more patients. The investigators are also going to analyze the relationship between exhaled nitric oxide and functional indices of bronchial hyperreactivity.