Active clinical trials for "Fibrosis"

Pulmonary fibrosis is essentially scarring in the lungs. Some types (DIP, NSIP) most often respond to therapy. Others like UIP (usual interstitial pneumonitis) rarely respond. UIP frequently progresses and has a poor prognosis with a survival of three to five years. In UIP, most often the cause cannot be determined and is therefore called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). A prevalence rate of 27-29 cases/100,000 has been reported that may even be as high as 250 cases/100,000 in individuals 75 years of age. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and fatal pulmonary disorder. Conventional treatment with immunosuppressive therapy has been disappointing, with a median survival of <40% at five years after diagnosis. Moreover, this therapy may lead to premature deaths that are a result of immunosuppression and susceptibility to infectious disease. Another problem related to IPF, is that we have an incomplete picture of the natural history of the pathogenesis of this disorder. Clearly, new strategies for therapy are necessary. Published evidence suggests that less than 20% of patients with IPF respond to corticosteroids (prednisone). In patients that fail steroids, immunosuppressant drugs such as azathioprine or cyclophosphamide are used. An international consensus statement recommends both steroids and azathioprine or cyclophosphamide from the onset of treatment. Unfortunately a large number of trials have shown little or no effect of these drugs on the progression of disease. There are currently no FDA approved drugs for the treatment of IPF. Laboratory findings establish that human specimens of Interstitial Lung Diseases including IPF demonstrate an impalance in expression of proteins (Th2 Cytokines, CC Chemokines, and CXC Chemokines). When these protein levels are in excess or low, they alter the normal lung mechanism, causing angiogenesis (abnormal blood vessel formation), inflammation, scar tissue formation and impaired immunity of the patient. We hope to establish that the efficacy of anti-angiogenetic agent as an add on therapy for IPF patients, will prove to bring stabilization or improvement. Minocycline has been shown to inhibit angiogenesis (new abnormal blood vessel formation) and thus affect the fibrotic process (prevent scar tissue formation). Laboratory and animal studies support a potential therapeutic role for Minocycline in IPF. Minocycline is a semi synthetic derivative of tetracycline. It was first marketed as an antibiotic in 1972. Clinical trials of minocycline have mainly been performed in sexually transmissible diseases and in acne. Minocycline is also used to treat several other diseases such as nocardiasis, mycobacteriosis, leprosy, lyme disease, pyoderma gangrenosum, autoimmune bullous dermatitis, carteaud disease, and prurigo. The usual side effects of minocycline are: lightheadedness, dizziness, or vertigo and pigmentation. We will investigate genetic, molecular, cellular, whole animal models, and human specimens from patients with fibrotic lung disease to test our prediction: The pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis (lung scarring) is due to "multiple hits" that causes an inbalance of certain mediators (proteins) that are responsible for abnormal blood vessel formation, scar tissue formation (with and without inflammation inside the lungs) and impaired immunity of the patient. Each of the 3 projects in this proposal have a direct link to other projects and clinical core. The SCOR clinical core will identify and enroll patients with Interstitial Lung diseases (ILD), including IPF. The clinical core will collect clinical data, as well as obtain fluids from lung washings and human lung tissue specimens. Each project will use human specimens as indicated in each of their specific aims to correlate their findings with response to therapy.

Two hundred and sixty patients with breast cancer will be accrued into the study. After inclusion in the study, all the patients will be randomized into two arms. Arm 1 will receive Tamoxifen given concurrently with radiotherapy while in Arm 2 radiotherapy will be given followed by tamoxifen sequentially. The patients will be stratified for the following factors: a) BCS (Breast conservative surgery) versus MRM (modified radical mastectomy) and b) central lung distance (CLD) > 2 cm. Patients in both arms will continue tamoxifen for a period of 5 years. The patients will be evaluated by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) (baseline and at 2 years), serum transforming growth factor (TGF) beta levels (baseline and at 6 months) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) aerosol clearance half life (baseline and at 6 months).

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of Entecavir for patients With decompensated HBV-Related cirrhosis.

Pulmonary infection with Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) in patients with CF is often associated with a more rapid decline in lung function. Because of the resistance of BCC to many antibiotics, treatment options are often limited. New therapies to improve outcomes for patients infected with BCC are needed. However, because of the unpredictable nature of this pulmonary infection in CF, patients with BCC infection have been excluded from many CF therapeutic trials. Recent published trials in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have all demonstrated clinical benefits from prolonged administration of azithromycin in CF. In these trials, the vast majority of patients were chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Patients with BCC were excluded from the US and UK trials, and only four patients with BCC infection were enrolled in the Australian trial. Thus, the effectiveness of azithromycin in CF patients infected with BCC is largely unknown and deserves further study. The two main ways by which azithromycin is thought to help with the chronic lung infections seen in CF are by [a] reducing inflammation and [b] direct effects on the bacteria, in particular P. aeruginosa. BCC pulmonary infection in CF is often associated with a large inflammatory response similar to or more severe than P. aeruginosa infection. If azithromycin works mainly by an anti-inflammatory mechanism, it should also be helpful in CF patients infected with BCC. Alternatively, azithromycin could have a direct effect on BCC as seen with P. aeruginosa as the two bacteria have many similarities.

The purpose of this study is to find out if combining a state-of-the-art form imaging modality with metabolomics in different types of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) patients compared to controls with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)/emphysema and healthy controls will be a better predictor of disease progression. ILD's are a group of chronic, progressive lung diseases. The most common ILD is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Metabolomics provides a "snapshot" in time of all metabolites present in a biological sample. The imaging procedure should take approximately 20 minutes. All study related collections of samples will be done in a single visit if possible. There are no direct benefits to participants. This is not a treatment study.

Periodontitis is common in patients with cirrhosis and may lead to systemic sepsis. 1 Grønkjær et al demonstrated that severe periodontitis predicted higher mortality in patients with cirrhosis. 2 In India, the wide use of oral tobacco, smoking and poor dental hygiene fosters a dual hit to the outcomes of liver disease especially in the setting of liver transplantation. However, a causal relationship between the oral microbiome and liver disease and outcomes is a matter of conjecture. Oral bacterial diseases, such as caries and periodontitis are caused by a consortium of bacteria rather than a single species. These constitute opportunistic infections that occur under the proper circumstances and conditions, e.g., diet, host immune response, complicating systemic or genetic disorders, pH, poor oral hygiene and lifestyle. It is well known that specific bacterial taxa that colonize the oral cavity are associated with oral health and oral diseases or afflictions, such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, endodontic lesions, dry socket, halitosis, and odontogenic infections. Bajaj et al have demonstrated systematic periodontal therapy in cirrhotic outpatients improved endotoxemia, as well as systemic and local inflammation, and modulated salivary and stool microbial dysbiosis over 30 days. Bajaj et al performed another study on comparison of oral and gut microbiota in patients with and without hepatic encephalopathy. There were differences in salivary microbiota composition and inflammatory markers between controls and cirrhotics. The association between periodontitis, oral dysbiosis and the prognosis of cirrhosis remains crucial with relevance to situations like acute-on-chronic liver failure and other inflammation-related adverse events.

Physical activity is widely documented as one of the cornerstones of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) management as it is directly linked to mortality and quality of life. Levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour have been poorly investigated among the CF population in Ireland. The measurement of these behaviours is important in order to monitor prevalence amongst people with CF (PWCF) and determine methods by which health care providers can assist with maintaining and enhancing physical activity. The use of physical activity monitoring can provide health care providers with insightful real world analysis of physical activity and exercise behaviours. Over the last decade there has been many advancements in technology and fitness tracking with positive results being demonstrated in the healthy population and in chronic diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus II, post surgery and Multiple Sclerosis. Limited research has been conducted among PWCF to date. The aim of this research project is to examine physical activity levels amongst PWCF and determine the effect of a 12 week randomised parallel intervention on a number of health outcomes. Participants will be provided with an accelerometer to assess physical activity and sedentary behaviour at baseline. The participants will then undergo further baseline testing to determine exercise capacity, body composition, quality of life, breathlessness, sleep quality and wellbeing. Baseline short and long term goals will be established together with the participant and physiotherapist. Participants will then be randomly allocated to either the intervention or the comparator. A researcher independent of the recruitment process (MC) will complete the first random allocation using a sealed opaque envelope. Following this a minimisation randomisation procedure will be completed based on lung function, where FEV1 of <70% predicted lung function will be classified as having mild lung disease. While those with an FEV1 of 30-50% predicted lung function will be classified as having moderate lung disease, with <30% indicating severe lung disease. Allocation will be revealed after recruitment and baseline assessments have occurred. Both groups will receive a fitness tracker which will be linked to an online monitoring system (Fitabase) for 24 weeks. The intervention group will receive personalised feedback via a text message every week on their physical activity levels as measured by their fitness tracker and progress on attainment of their goals established at the start of the study. Feedback will be provided from their CF physiotherapists. The comparator group will not receive any feedback on their Fitbit data. After 12 weeks both groups will be re-assessed. Thereafter, both groups will continue with the Fitbits alone for 12 weeks. Finally outcome measures including lung function, physical activity levels, aerobic capacity, quality of life, sleep quality, muscle mass and well-being will be re-assessed again at 24 weeks. Following the intervention semi structured interviews will be conducted to qualitatively establish satisfaction with the interventions and provide insight into barriers and enablers to achieving goals and physical activity levels.The results of this study may provide valuable insights into potential interventions to optimise the health and well-being of PWCF.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease characterised with significant morbidity and poor prognosis. Dyspnoea and impaired exercise capacity are very common manifestations of the disease, and result in significant impairment of patients' quality of life. Although hypoxemia is common among subjects with IPF, published data on the effects of supplementary oxygen therapy on specific clinical outcomes among these patients are currently few, while the existing data on the potential benefits of oxygen supplementation to treat exercise-induced hypoxemia, in this patient population, are even more controversial. Based on the aforementioned, the purpose of this prospective, cross-over clinical trial is to investigate the acute effects of supplemental oxygen administration on the: a) exercise capacity, b) severity of dyspnea, c) cerebral oxygenation, b) muscle oxygenation, and e) hemodynamic profile, as compared to delivery of medical air (sham oxygen), in a group of patients with IPF, without resting hypoxemia, during steady state cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).

This study is to evaluate the effect of CaHMB in the treatment of sarcopenia in liver cirrhosis.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics of RXC007.