Active clinical trials for "Emphysema"

Alpha 1-antitrypsin-deficient individuals develop severe destructive lung disease much earlier and their lung function declines faster than the general population of individuals with chronic obstructive lung disease. This study is designed to better understand the pathogenesis of lung destruction in alpha 1-antitrypsin deficient individuals and to characterize the pathobiology of early lung destruction. To accomplish this we intend to use bronchoalveolar lavage to determine and quantify the factors that initiate and sustain lung inflammation in alpha 1-antitrypsin deficient individuals with lung function above a force expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of greater than 50% of predicted.

Assessment of regional contribution of different areas of the lung to its integrated function is often required, such as prior to lung resection in the presence of tumor or emphysema. This assessment is derived from the proportion of zonal radionuclear perfusion or ventilation. The investigators hypothesized that lung VRI may provide an alternative approach to assess regional lung function.

The objective of this study is to determine whether the finger tip images captured by the EPIC ClearView device, when analyzed via the ClearView software, produce a Response Scale that characterizes trends consistent with known diagnoses identified by medical doctors. Specifically, the investigators hypothesize that the organ system involving any of a series of known active diagnoses will be identified in the EPIC ClearView Response Scale report with the intention of providing potential triage capabilities.

This study aims to evaluate simple tests of physical function in hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to assess whether they can predict future hospital readmission. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is a simple test of standing balance, usual walking speed (4-metre gait speed) and ability to stand from a chair, which reflects global physical functioning and frailty. We hypothesise that the SPPB or 4-metre gait speed can predict future hospital readmissions.

This study is being done to examine lung function changes in individuals with HIV infection and to understand why individuals with HIV have increased risk of lung damage from cigarette smoking.

This study uses CT scans to assess airflow in the lung, the scan is quick, cheap and painless. The information from the scan may help doctors tell which patients are suitable to have surgery to cure early stage lung cancer. It may also help doctors tell which patients would benefit from surgery for emphysema and diagnose types of lung disease. The investigators will follow up patients who go through surgery to test how well the scan predicts the function of the lung after surgery. The investigators will follow patients being investigated for lung disease to test how accurate the scan is at the getting the diagnosis right.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a generalized disorder of connective tissue, arterioles and microvessels, characterized by the occurrence of fibrosis and vascular obliteration phenomena. The alterations in lung microvessels are found in pulmonary involvement of scleroderma, which are the most serious complications of the disease. In pulmonary emphysema, there are also changes in pulmonary microvasculature, which are involved in the onset and development of the disease. The confocal endomicroscopy is an endoscopic technique which can be performed during a bronchoscopy. This technique makes it possible to observe in real time the most distal pulmonary elements at the microscopic scale. After injection of fluorescein, then the technique of observing the pulmonary microvasculature, in vivo and in situ. The characterization of microvascular lesions in these two pathologies could improve understanding of their mechanisms and ultimately improve the early management of patients.

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) often develop muscle problems, particularly in their legs which makes them more limited in what they can do. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is a simple test of standing balance, usual walking speed and ability to stand from a chair. The SPPB may be a useful measure to predict leg function. This study aims to evaluate whether the SPPB is comparable with current exercise tests used in COPD patients, and whether it is useful in predicting disability, death and health resource usage over time.

The overall hypotheses of this proposal are that discrete phenotypes of HIV Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD) differ in their trajectories, biomarkers, and risk factors and that persistent viral infection including residual HIV is linked to HIV COPD.

Although single breath helium (He) dilution measurement (VASB) is currently used in pulmonary function laboratories to assess functional alveolar volume and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, the extent to which VASB reflects ventilatory and thoracic volume has not been prospectively determined in emphysema. We hypothesized that VASB underestimates rebreathe helium dilution volume (VARB), and plethysmographic volume (VApleth) as clinical and physiologic severity of emphysema increases.