Active clinical trials for "Pneumonia"

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive scarring condition of the lungs the cause of which is unknown.There are currently no effective treatments for IPF and the condition tends to cause progressive disability and death with an average survival of 3.5 years from diagnosis. The condition is responsible for the deaths of 4000 people per year in the UK. At present the definite diagnosis of IPF rests on the identification of a specific pattern of fibrosis when a section of fibrotic lung tissue is examined under a microscope. Unfortunately, the process of obtaining a lung biopsy requires an operation and is not with out risk. The investigators hope to identify specific markers in the blood and lungs of patients with IPF that will enable the condition to be diagnosed without biopsy. Furthermore, the investigators hope to identify indicators(biomarkers) that will predict which patients have more aggressive and progressive disease and also to identify biomarkers that might be useful in identifying a response to treatment and might therefore be used in future clinical trials in IPF. As well as looking at markers in the blood and lungs the investigators also plan to assess the use of daily home lung function measurement and a computerised technique for analyzing lung sounds to see if these are investigations that are able to predict the development of worsening lung fibrosis.

This post-marketing observational study (PMOS) will be conducted in a prospective, single-arm, single-country, multicenter format. The investigational sites will be consulting rooms of GPs (general practitioner), pneumologists and centers with experience in the treatment of patients with acute infections of trachea, bronchi, AECB (acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis) and CAP (mild community-acquired pneumonia). Since this will be a post-marketing observational study, Klacid SR will be prescribed in usual manner in accordance with the terms of the local market authorization with regards to dose, population and indication as well as local guidelines. Objective: to describe the effectiveness of the treatment with repeated administration of Klacid SR in patients with acute tracheitis, acute tracheobronchitis or acute bronchitis; or in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (AECB) or mild community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who received Klacid SR treatment 6 weeks to 24 months prior to the Klacid SR dose administered within this study.

To determine the prevalence of MRSA isolates with marginal susceptibility to vancomycin or heteroresistance.

Main hypothesis: microbiological diagnossis off severe community acquired pneumonia can be performed by non invasive or semi invasive microbiological tools, semi invasive tools including protected distal bronchial samplings by the mean of Fiber optic bronchoscopy (FOB). A microbiological diagnosis could improve antibiotic therapy efficacy and improve patient's outcome. These Two strategies have never been prospectivally evauated. Aim of the study: To evaluate 2 diagnostic strategies: non invasive or semi invasive including protected distal bronchial samplings by the mean of Fiber optic bronchoscopy (FOB)for the care of patients admitted in intensive care for severe community acquired pneumonia and receiving an empirical antibiotic therapy as recommanded by 2001 American thoracic guidelines Type of study randomized multicentric controlled open study

The association of sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) with the infections of the lower airway has not been studied. The aspiration of secretions of the upper airway and the colonization by microorganisms is considered a main event in most of the cases of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) , and specially in the nosocomial pneumonia. The silent aspiration to the lower airway is a common phenomenon in normal subjects during the sleep and some studies has reported that the patients with SAHS present an increase of the risk to pharyngeal aspirations. In fact, the presence of nasal and bronchial inflammation in patients with SAHS is a recognized event. The patients with SAHS could have a risk increased to develop pneumonia due to predisposition to the pharyngeal microaspiration to lower airways during the sleep and other mechanical factors associated. The prevalence of SAHS in patients with CAP could be increased as regards the data published for the same Spanish population. The presence of an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) could be a risk factor not only to to CAP but to to present a unfavorable clinical evolution in comparison to patients with CAP with a normal AHI. The aim of this study will establish a relation between SAHS and the pneumonia risk.

The purpose of the study is to learn if a blood test is helpful to the doctors in deciding whether you need antibiotic therapy for possible pneumonia. The blood test is called a Procalcitonin level and sometimes the test reflects infection with certain bacteria (germs). When the doctors learn the results of these blood tests, they may be able to stop some of the antibiotic medications that they may have given to the patients. The study is designed, so that on a randomized basis (50/50 chance) the results from measuring Procalcitonin will be given to the patients' doctor. When the doctor receives these results, he/she may use this information, along with other information, to decide whether to continue antibiotic therapy.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is frequently suspected in the Emergency Department (ED). However, usual diagnosis procedure based on clinical features and chest X-Ray has rather bad performances. A recent study on CT performance in suspected CAP found that 58% of classifications were modified by CT when compared with usual procedure. However, extended CT usage in CAP diagnosis is associated with many limitations : availability in a majority of ED, delay, cost and irradiation, in particular In young patients. Lung Ultrasound (LUS) has good performances in CAP diagnosis even when compared with CT. It is a rapid, inexpensive, radiation-free tool available in a majority of ED. It is performed at the patient's bedside with immediate results. The learning curve allows Emergency Physicians (EP) to perform this exam after a relative brief training. The Investigators aim to investigate LUS performances in clinically suspected CAP authentication , and assesses specific diagnostic contributions and impact on antibiotic prescriptions .

Radical radiotherapy is the main treatment of locally advanced lung cancer, and radiation pneumonia is the main toxic effects of radiotherapy. Among them, the fatality rate of severe radiation pneumonia can reach 50%, which is very harmful to tumor patients. At present, the treatment mode of radiation pneumonia is very few, and the therapeutic effect is poor. The prevention of radiation pneumonitis may be the best way to reduce the number of patients with Post-radiotherapy pneumonia. Previous small clinical studies have shown that the incidence of radiation pneumonia in inhaled beclomethasone group (2 /28) was significantly lower than that in oral prednisone group (8 /29) during radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy between the therapeutic group (inhaled beclomethasone during radiotherapy) and the control radiotherapy group (patients received radiotherapy only), especially the incidence of radiation-induced pneumonia within half a year.

In patients with clinical symptoms of respiratory infection, rapid identification of cases requiring antibiotic therapy is crucial to avoid development of multiple resistant bacteria. Identification of local acute-phase reactants can help assess the host's response to bacterial infection at the injury site. Here, the investigators developed an affordable, stable, feasible, and accurate diagnostic tool based on a locally produced protein with specific binding affinity to polysaccharides. The investigators further evaluated the ability of the novel test strip to rule out pneumonia.

This study is to test the usability of a new pulse oximeter probe designed for children 0-5 years.