Active clinical trials for "Lung Diseases"

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that have frequent chest infections are the patients most likely to become worse over time. Why these people are more susceptible to chest infections is not known. One reason might be that the white cells in their lungs called macrophages do not work properly. Normally, these cells remove all the debris inhaled into the lung. This can also include bacteria. In patients with COPD, these macrophages are not able to remove these particles. The research question addresses why this happens

This protocol is designed to gather a small amount of blood from patients seen in the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center Pulmonary, Critical Care unit, and 5 West floor (Pulmonary Floor) for clinical care associated with chronic lung disease. This protocol will also survey medical records of patients with chronic lung disease, in order to study the clinical characteristics of these individuals. Investigators aim to understand the genetics of chronic lung diseases, and will use the serum and DNA from this blood to perform various genotyping studies such as such as genomic/gene expression studies of individuals with chronic lung diseases

Study of the long term outcomes and economic impact of the pulmonary artery catheter in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS/ALI) patients.

This study will examine how the assessment mode influences the validity of self-reported adherence to asthma therapy. Self-reported adherence to asthma therapy data will be collected using one of three randomized assessment modes (interview, computer, or telephone).

The aim of the study is to develop a new patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaire measuring the impact of an acute exacerbation on daily lives of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This questionnaire will aim to detect an acute exacerbation and resolution of exacerbation from the patient's perspective. At a later stage of development, this questionnaire will be able to measure the effect of anti bacterials in the treatment of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). This study will evaluate the factor structure, validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the GSK questionnaire in subjects who experience acute exacerbations of their COPD.

To identify the early effects of obstructive sleep apnea on the cardiovascular system of children.

Recently, an epidemic of pulmonary disease has been recognized among workers in a popcorn factory in Jasper, Missouri. The exposure agent has not yet been identified, but suspects include butter flavoring and the powdered salt used in the mixing room. This disease resembles "Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome", an illness that makes it difficult to breathe. Of the 117 workers studied, one year later, 25 subjects whom were working in the mixing room or in the microwave packaging area have had decreases in lung function seven times the norm for their age. Industrial hygiene experts revealed that dust concentrations of salt and other flavorings were much higher in the mixing room compared to the office and outdoor work areas. Recently, rats were exposed to vapors created by heating the butter flavor compound obtained from this plant. Six-hour exposure to vapors at very high concentration resulted in significant damage to the breathing apparatus. Thus, there is clinical, epidemiological, and animal toxicity data that appears to implicate some constituent present during the mixing of the butter flavoring, salt, and oil causing a form of obstructive airway disease that has been rapidly progressive in a number of workers. It is not clear what the pathophysiologic nature of this entity is, though it resembles Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome. It is not known what the long term consequence of this will be on the active workers, nor is it clear whether preventive measures taken to reduce exposures in the mixing room and elsewhere in the plant are going to be effective.

To define new national norms for pediatric blood pressure by adjusting the available data set of over 60,000 pediatric blood pressure readings for age, height and gender among children of normal body weight.

To determine the prevalence and natural history of pulmonary and cardiac complications associated with HIV infection in utero, in infancy, and during early childhood.

To prospectively identify factors that influence the rate of decline in pulmonary function and to identify predictors of chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) and asthma in a population sample of older adults.