Active clinical trials for "Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive"

In this study, prednisone dose, day/time administration will be controlled in a stable COPD patient population to determine its effect on peripheral whole blood gene expression. This data has never been collected in a COPD population using the investigators' chosen platform for gene expression (Affymetrix Human Gene 1.1 ST). Conducting this experiment is essential for achieving the broader aims of an already existing and related study titled "Clinical Implementation and Outcomes Evaluation of Blood-Based Biomarkers for COPD Management" study. As part of this existing study, blood is being collected from hospitalized and non-hospitalized COPD patients in order to develop a blood-based biomarker test for the diagnosis and prediction of acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). The majority of these patients were administered prednisone as part of standard care for the treatment of AECOPD. As such, the effect of prednisone on gene expression needs to be ruled out.

Chronic heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and interstitial lung disease (i.e., pulmonary fibrosis) are common serious illnesses. Despite disease-specific medical care, people with these illnesses often left with poor quality of life (i.e., burdensome symptoms, impaired function). Furthermore, while these illnesses are leading causes of hospitalization and mortality, few people with these illnesses engage in advance care planning, the process of considering and communicating healthcare values and goals. The investigators are conducting a randomized clinical trial to study a symptom management, psychosocial care and advance care planning intervention to improve quality of life. The study is important because it aims to improve quality of life and provision of care according to peoples' goals and preferences in common, burdensome illnesses. Furthermore, this study will generate information that supports the broader dissemination and implementation of the intervention and informs the development of future palliative care and team-based interventions in the VA.

The goal of the small feasibility trial is to establish a method, material, and patient-specific design that is superior to what is in use today. The first round of patients are well known to the physician investigator and are familiar with the problem that is being resolved. The end goal of the project is to create a new patient-specific design that will last longer, fit better, and cause less trauma to the airway and the patient.

Proprioceptive weighting changes may explain differences in postural control performance. In addition, the respiratory movement has a disturbing effect on postural balance. Postural balance seems to be impaired in individuals with respiratory disorders. Increased risk of falling is reported in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Besides the essential role of respiration, the diaphragm may also play an important role in the control of the trunk and postural balance. The aim of the study is to clarify whether proprioceptive postural control is impaired in individuals with diaphragm paresis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD for short) involves inflammation inside the air passages of the lungs. This inflammation might be partly responsible for the shortness of breath, cough and susceptibility to chest infections that form part of COPD. Inflammation is caused, in part, by white blood cells that are attracted from the blood into the air passages. Once inside the air passages, the white blood cells may change (or 'differentiate') and release substances that produce inflammation and attract more white cells. The hypothesis is that the lifespan of these cells may also be prolonged such that they produce more inflammatory mediators and in turn perpetuate inflammation. The cycle of inflammation may damage the lungs, so we want to see what mediators are released by white blood cells and determine if we can inhibit this effect with existing and new drugs. We would also like to see the effect of these drugs on the life-span and function of white blood cells. We will compare the behaviour and characteristics of white cells with those from healthy smokers and healthy non-smokers to find out if there is anything different about cells from COPD patients.

Primary objective of this project is to measure the impact of passive control and active control systems on indoor pollution that is directly or indirectly related to ambient air pollution (smog). The first goal will be to measure baseline parameters for 50 homes, including information about the building, ventilation characteristics, pollution levels (indoors and outdoors), and occupant survey information. In a subset of these homes, either passive or active control systems will be installed and the impact of these systems on indoor concentrations. Participants will be enrolled on a rolling basis (5-15 persons studied at a given point in time) over a 16-month period. Participants will be followed for approximately 5 weeks and data obtained at three points in time: at enrollment (day 1 of study), after 1 week (baseline verification) and after four weeks with the control system in the home (at the end of study week 5).

T.to investigate a possible mechanism of the glucocorticosteroid receptors (GR) defect in patients with severe COPD by studying the effect of dexamethasone (Dex) on GR- binding, interleukin production (IL-6/IL-8) and MKP-1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells blood (PBMC)

The objective of this study is to determine if inpatient COPD education would result in improved patient knowledge of COPD.

TARA is a Digital Behaviour Change Intervention (DBCI) for Individuals with COPD (IwCOPD), which has been designed using a Human-Centred Design (HCD) methodology. HCD involves, among other elements, members of the target audience in evaluations at multiple stages within the design process. This feasibility study is primarily designed to assess the acceptability of the DBCI test asset to the target audience. Acceptability as defined for the purpose of this study includes usability of the system, and perceived value and desirability to the end-user audience. As such, engagement in this context is deemed to mean the degree to which the test asset provides a usable, acceptable, desirable and valuable experience to its users during a time-limited trial.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic disease characterized by progressive airflow obstruction, chronic cough and dyspnoea in advanced stages. We hope to develop a better understanding of lung disease. Information from these studies will only be used for research purposes, to help develop safer and more effective treatments for asthma and COPD.