Active clinical trials for "Lung Diseases"

The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of COPD among individuals aged 35 - 59 years based results of spirometry before and after bronchodilator, presence of structural changes in lungs (emphysema, inflammatory changes and thickening of the walls of the large and small airways)detected by computer tomography as well as the symptoms of COPD. The study has three study groups: smokers of conventional cigarettes; those who had quit smoking 1 - 5 years ago, and those who haven't smoked cigarettes.

Purpose: Characterize the depositional attributes of a specialized trans-nasal aerosol delivery device in healthy people using clinical measurements of mucociliary clearance. Procedures (methods): 14% hypertonic saline (HS) aerosol containing the radio tracer Tc99m-sulfur colloid will be delivered via the tPAD and compared to the well characterized PARI LC Star nebulizer (7% HS) using planar gamma scintigraphy (i.e. particle clearance). The fraction of sulfur colloid particles that clear over the ensuing 24 hours with each device will indicate the fraction deposited in conducting airways.

Measurements of Structured Light Plethysmography (SLP) using a chest wall movement based method will be compared to those obtained by spirometry using a flow based pneumotachograph method. This study will enable validation of SLP in children and adults by allowing direct comparison of simultaneous measurements of breathing sequences using the two measurement techniques. The investigators will also examine, in a group of normal adults, repeatability of the agreement between the two devices, and whether the agreement is affected by a change in tidal breathing parameters.

Death in Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) is usually due to cancer or chronic lung failure around 20 years of age. Despite low lymphocyte counts (CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD19), IgA and IgG subclass deficiency opportunistic and acute severe respiratory infections are rare. The prevailing wisdom is that an immunoglobulin replacement therapy is not necessary in most of the patients. However no placebo controlled trials have been performed so far. The aim of this trial was to investigate the prevalence of mild and severe respiratory infections and / or chronic cough in classical A-T patients compared to healthy controls.

The feasibility study will involve mixed methods, this means interviews as well as assessment of treatment with inspiratory muscle training therapy (IMT). There are two pathways within the study depending on whether people want to have inspiratory muscle training. People who accept to have inspiratory muscle training will have assessments before training, after 8 weeks of training and at 6 month follow up in addition to interviews before and after the study (at 6 months). For those who choose not to have the inspiratory muscle training the investigators will offer them an interview so that the investigators can find out more about what might have made the study more appealing or what treatments they would have preferred. The investigators will also ask if they wish to be followed up with baseline assessments for the study period and if the investigators can access health records. Interviews Semi-structured interviews lasting approximately an hour will be performed at the beginning of the study with participants who accept the IMT pathway and those who decline IMT until no knew themes are raised. These interviews will be used to provide information on reasons for declining pulmonary rehabilitation, attitudes to exercise, attitudes to IMT, treatment preferences and opinions regarding study design and outcome measures (see Interview Topic guide). The interviews will be taped and transcribed verbatim. A follow up interview with study participants who have received IMT will be conducted at 6 months addressing attitudes to IMT and study design and whether they have decided that they wish to engage with other services (such as pulmonary rehabilitation and smoking cessation). Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) method Participants will perform 8 weeks of IMT strength training using the Powerbreathe Kinetic device (Powerbreathe). Training will progress to 60% maximum inspiratory pressure (PiMax). This means that each breath in through the device is set at 60% of the maximum force you are able to create when you breathe in rather than at full force. 30 breaths are performed at high velocity (paced initially over a period of 15 minutes to allow recovery between each breath through the device). Once established it is anticipated that each training session should take no more than five minutes. Training is performed twice a day, 5 days per week for the first 8 weeks. Training will be titrated (set to a level suitable for the participant) and supervised weekly for the first 8 weeks by a physiotherapist. After 8 weeks training the participants are advised to continue training unsupervised, twice a day, 3 times per week for a further 18 weeks.

To develop a computer program that will improve CT image quality and decrease the amount of x-ray radiation that future patients may be exposed to when they have a CT examination.

An adverse event (AE) is defined as unintended injury or complication, which results in disability, death or prolongation of hospital stay, and is caused by healthcare management (including omissions) rather than the patient's disease. Retrospective record reviews in several countries have shown that 2,9% to 16,6% of patients in acute hospitals experience one or more AEs. A patient with an AE may require a higher level of care. Although all AEs are important, preventable AEs that result in an upgraded level of patient care are of particular concern. In this study it's defined as an unplanned admission to intensive care unit (ICU) or a Mobile Emergency Team (MET) intervention. The objectives of this study are to determine the incidence of (preventable) adverse events requiring ICU admission or MET intervention and to assess the level of harm of each AE.

The aim of the present study is to validate a new method in healthy volunteers and those diagnosed with COPD and CHF that is able to measure protein digestion and absorption simultaneously. This method is used to quantify digestion and absorption in patients who are suspect of impaired digestion and absorption resulting in loss of nutrients.Findings may be used to develop treatment strategies to improve protein digestion and absorption in these patient groups.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of telemedicine video-consultation (TVC) on the frequency of hospital re-admissions during 12 months follow-up after TVC among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Our secondary aims were to assess the impact of TVC on the length of recurrent hospital stays and time to re-admission within 12 months follow-up after TVC. We also wanted to evaluate the patient satisfaction related to TVC.

The objective of this study is to investigate molecular, cytological and genetic features of occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in conditions of different occupational exposures. In order to achieve this goal serum pro-inflammatory cytokines and standard inflammation markers level, hemostasis, cytological analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage and associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1800470 transforming growing factor β1 (TGF β1) gene, rs1828591 hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP) gene, rs4129267 interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6R) gene, rs1051730 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor 3 (CHRNA3) gene with COPD in subjects exposed to silica dust and in those exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exhaust will be investigated. The relationship between genotype and phenotype characteristics, such as an inflammation activity, assessed by C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF α) serum concentration, in different occupational COPD groups will be studied. The hypothesis is that the mechanisms underlying disease development and progression are different due to environmental risk factor that reflex in differs in disease attributes - molecular biomarkers, cytology results and genetic susceptibility between COPD due to dust, COPD due to chemicals and COPD in smokers therefore COPD can be subdivided into ecological phenotypes according to environmental risk factor.