Active clinical trials for "Lung Diseases, Obstructive"

Exposure to noxious gases and particles is associated with an increased prevalence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, investigation of possible airway inflammation and/or systemic inflammation in workers exposed to high levels of dust is important. Silicon Carbide (SiC) Processing Inc. provides cutting fluid (slurry) for the production of solar cells and is at present the largest provider of slurry to the solar industry worldwide. In the production process, the recyclable materials (SiC), polyethylene glycol (PEG)) of the used slurry are recovered. The airborne exposure consists mainly of SiC (dust particles) and evaporation from the recycling of PEG. High levels of dust have been measured and, seventeen per cent of the measurements in the processing hall were equal to or higher than the Norwegian occupational exposure limit. Thus, assessment of possible systemic and airway effects of this exposure is of interest. A prospective design will be applied and the effects studied by means of registration of respiratory symptoms, spirometry, nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air, induced sputum and blood sampling over a 3 year period. Exposed subjects will also be compare with non- or low exposed subjects (administrative/office workers). Efforts will be made to include all eligible subjects and to avoid drop-outs. If early signs of airway or systemic inflammation in workers or in cells are demonstrated in the study, it will be necessary to implement measures to reduce the exposure levels. The primary aim of the present study of workers exposed to Silicon Carbide dust in the workplace is to determine whether this exposure is associated with inflammatory changes in the lungs. The secondary aims are: - to examine possible changes in systemic inflammatory markers and - to examine changes in lung function among Silicon Carbide processing workers during a period of 3 years. Possible changes in lung function will be monitored by spirometry and gas diffusion measurements (study A). Airway inflammatory responses and changes in circulating inflammatory markers will be assessed by examination of the induced sputum samples and blood samples every 6th month in a subgroup of workers (study B).

The main purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of mannitol on the cilia's beat frequency (ciliary beat frequency) in COPD patients.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a public health problem responsible for high mortality rate and significant costs for society. The disease evolution is punctuated by exacerbations worsening the health state of patients. Many guidelines of care procedures have been written but many disparities persist in medical practices. This pilot prospective observational study is an overview of current local practices in the university health center of Grenoble Alpes and it is the first step towards developing a regional observatory in order to standardize and improve patient cares. The primary outcome is to compare the international guidelines to the local practices regarding the prescription of key treatments of exacerbation, especially antibiotics.

Advanced Pulmonary Disease (PAD) is a condition that affects countless individuals around the world. Patients are often functionally very limited, with premature death, which is due to the disease itself or its complications. Currently, there are numerous monitoring centers of these patients to increase survival, reduce costs and humanize care in these patients.

Assess the differences between flow and volume responses after bronchodilator reversibility testing in patients over different clinical chronic obstructive pulmonary disease stages (GOLD stage I to GOLD stage IV). Study the Correlation between the bronchodilator response and the severity of the disease.

This is a multi-centre, prospective, observational study to realize the current situation of COPD patients in China. About 5000 COPD patients will be enrolled from 50 participating sites around China and followed up for one year. During this study, patients will undergo clinical assessments and receive medical care as determined by their treating physician.

The study is based on the theory of a "unified airway" that considers the nose and paranasal sinuses together with lower airways as one integrated unit. The upper and lower respiratory tracts function as an interdependent physiologic mechanism, and stimuli that trigger changes in one portion of the airway, can provoke similar changes throughout the airway. This is well documented in asthmatic patients but documented poorly in patients suffering from chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). COPD is associated with sinonasal symptoms and decreased quality of life. Although nasal involvement has been found to directly affect the lower airway, sinonasal disease is under-diagnosed and under-treated in patients with COPD. This study is embedded in a larger project where the goal is to gain knowledge supporting the theory of a "unified airway" in patients with COPD. Here sinonasal, pulmonary and generic health related quality of life will be studied in a group of patients with COPD versus a control group. The severity of nasal airway obstruction will be linked to the the severity of pulmonary airway obstruction. Assessment of pathological changes in the nose with nasal endoscopy, as well as performing a nasal cytological brushing for the identification of nasal inflammatory responses in the nose, will be conducted in both the control and study group.

The aim of the RESPECT study is to gain a better understanding of the prevalence, pathogenesis and symptoms of early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study seeks to address the following specific objectives/research questions: 1) to estimate the prevalence of airflow limitation (AL) and COPD in adults 35-70 years of age in St.Petersburg and Arkhangelsk based on sex, age, environmental conditions, socioeconomic status and smoking status; 2) to compare the prevalence of COPD in the study population based on the Global Strategy for Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD (GOLD) and lower limit of normal (LLN) criteria; 3) to identify the diagnostic value of various signs, symptoms and background characteristics for the diagnosis of COPD; 4) to determine whether differences in background characteristics and inflammatory biomarkers are evident between smokers with and without COPD; and 5) to describe co-morbidity, functionality and global health status in a cohort of newly diagnosed COPD patients.

Background : Long-term home non-invasive ventilation (NIV) can be proposed as treatment for acute respiratory failure with severe alveolar hypoventilation. The aim of NIV is to correct both daytime and night-time hypoventilation and associated symptoms and to provide the patient with adequate night-time oxygen saturation. The benefits of long-term NIV in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in a stable state remain controversial. This highlights the importance of identifying the predictive factors for good compliance to the NIV, defined as a use of more than 4 hours per day. Aim of the study: The main objective is this observational study is to monitor the home NIV compliance over a period of 1 year under real conditions of treatment in patients with COPD newly initiated onto NIV (with telemonitoring or not) in order to specify the predictive criteria for good compliance. The secondary objectives are to assess the evolution of functional respiratory data, NIV parameters and changes in prescription, occurrence of acute exacerbations of COPD, hospitalizations and death, patient outcomes (quality of life and acceptability of NIV). Study design: a cohort of 120 patients with COPD newly initiated onto home-NIV (with telemonitoring or not), either in a stable state or following an acute exacerbation will be enrolled in the study and follow-up over 1 year. Data will be collected by lung specialists and home health care provider teams at 1-month post-initiation of NIV, 6 months and 1 year. The study is conduct in France.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fourth most important cause of death worldwide and is one of the commonest non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nepal. The presence of risk factors like indoor and outdoor air pollution, the high prevalence of smoking and lack of general awareness of COPD makes it a serious public health concern. However, no attempt has been made in Nepal to estimate its burden and address the disease at the community level. This community-based cluster randomized controlled study aims to fulfil that gap through mobilization of Female Community Health Workers (FCHVs) who will be trained to perform a certain set of health promotion activities aimed at prevention of the disease and its progression. Baseline and follow-up surveys will be conducted to compare the intervention and control groups. This study has the potential to generate evidence in helping address NCDs in Nepal and also other similar resource-limited countries.