Active clinical trials for "Lung Diseases"

Although previous studies showed that preterm infants resolving from neonatal respiratory disease are more likely to exhibit respiratory illness, developmental disorders, impaired growth and cognitive limitations compared with those without, the information concerning the longitudinal respiratory and neurodevelopmental outcome of recently survived preterm infants with CLD is limited.Therefore, the purpose of this study is threefold. First, VLBW infants with CLD, VLBW infants without CLD and full-term infants will be examined for respiratory health at 3-5 years old and will be assessed the relations of early respiratory and environmental variables with later respiratory outcome. Secondly, all infants will be examined for neurodevelopmental outcome, and will be assessed the relations of early neuromotor and environmental variables with later neurodevelopmental outcome. Thirdly, the VLBW infants will be assessed for the concurrent and consecutive longitudinal relationships between respiratory and neurodevelopmental measures.

This study will evaluate the Telehomecare (THC) Program offered to patients with heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease across the Central West, Toronto Central and North East Local Health Integration Networks in Ontario. It will explore the opinions and experiences of patients, providers, technicians and administrators involved with THC Program in order to provide stakeholders with information about the processes and organizational factors impacting the program's adoption, the experiences of its participants, impact on patient outcomes, costs to the health-care system and who is benefiting the most from participating. These factors will be determined using semi-structured interviews, surveys, and observation of practices of everyone involved with THC. The study will also evaluate patient data to determine changes in patients' utilization of healthcare services.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is effective in increasing level of (a) physical activity (PA) and (b) self-efficacy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). PR is an evidence-based multidisciplinary approach consisting primarily of a supervised exercise program with educational components. It has demonstrated high efficacy in improving dyspnoea, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional exercise capacity in patients with COPD. Despite these improvements, there is no conclusive evidence that these benefits translate to an increase in PA in patient's day-to-day life. This is of concern as low PA is a predictor of all cause mortality, correlated with lower HRQoL, increased level of dyspnoea and higher number of hospital admissions in this group of patients. Self-efficacy is found to be an instigating force in forming intention to exercise and in maintaining practice for an extended time. Self-efficacy may be the key in determining whether a patient translates the improvement in exercise tolerance to actually being more physically active. Based on current knowledge, there is insufficient evidence that self-efficacy increases after pulmonary rehabilitation and no correlation has been made between level of self-efficacy and level of PA in these group of patients. Hence this study aims to find out whether the existing PR program increases level of PA and self-efficacy. Correlation between level of PA and self-efficacy will be made.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an orphan, multiorgan disease affecting the connective tissue of the skin and all internal organs. Interstitial lung disease is a frequent morbidity and mortality-driving manifestation in systemic sclerosis. This observational trial (OT) is part of the collaborative project "DeSScipher", one out of five OTs to decipher the optimal management of systemic sclerosis. Aim of this observational try is to identify: The state of clinical practice in Europe for prevention and treatment of interstitial lung disease and its impact on lung function and disease progression The potential predictors and confounders for response to therapy

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by irreversible airflow obstruction with chronic airway inflammation and emphysematous changes in the lung parenchyma, thus leading to air-trapping, as well as extional dyspnea. The investigators have previously observed that NPV used as an adjuvant to pulmonary rehabilitation improves lung function, exercise capacity, and reduces exacerbations. The investigators now sought to determine whether long-term maintenance NPV improves long-term clinical outcomes and reduces mortality in COPD.

Interstitial lung disease is a chronic progressive fibrosis lung disease that with a highly variable clinical process.thence it is significant for the patient to search a convenient and accurate prediction method. The objective of this study was to determine whether peripheral blood biomarkers can predict disease .

The pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is incompletely understood but recurrent epithelial injury occurs which evokes the coagulation cascade. Thrombin is produced as a result and is over expressed in IPF patients, so may be important in propagating disease activity. We aim to recruit patients with IPF and then complete FDG (18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose fluorodeoxyglucose) PET (positron emission tomography) scans pre and post manipulation of the coagulation cascade to assess the role of this biological pathway in disease activity. Previous studies from our institution have demonstrated increased FDG avidity in the lungs of patients with IPF (assessed using FDG PET scans) but to date the cells and pathways responsible for this signal have not been identified and thus need further exploration.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a type of obstructive lung disease characterized by long-term breathing problems and poor airflow. It is changed to acute exacerbation of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease when respiratory symptoms worsen, beyond normal day-to-day variations, severely enough that changes in medication are required. Inflammation is a core feature of acute exacerbation of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease since it gives insight into the pathological changes causing an exacerbation. Eosinophils may play a significant role in airway inflammation in some patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Previous studies have indicated that eosinophilic airway inflammation is also associated with the development of severe acute exacerbation of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Eosinophilic Cationic Protein has various biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic and neurotoxic functions, and it contributes to the regulation of fibroblast activity. Eosinophilic Cationic Protein also induces airway mucus secretion and interacts with the coagulation and complement systems. Eosinophilic Cationic Protein has been developed as a marker for eosinophilic disease and quantified in biological fluids including serum, bronchoalveolar lavage and nasal secretions. It is found in diseases such as allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis but also occasionally in other diseases. Only activated eosinophil granulocytes release the granule content and therefore the determination of Eosinophilic Cationic Protein concentration is a considerably more specific indicator of eosinophil inflammation than eosinophil granulocyte count in peripheral blood as serum Eosinophilic Cationic Protein levels increase during acute exacerbation of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The rationale for this retrospective study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of abatacept and rituximab treatment of ILLD in a cohort of pediatric patients with different forms of PID, who received one of the two therapy regimens predominantly based on the lesions histopathology.

This project aims to implement a health prevention program for smokers or former smokers including early detection of lung cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The clinical activity is completed by a pre-clinical evaluation of molecular bio-markers of early diagnosis of these diseases, with the aim of strengthening the sensitivity and specificity of the screening program. The project also includes a cost-effectiveness assessment to validate the feasibility of the program. Since lung cancer, CVD and COPD are among the deadliest smoking-related pathologies, the program includes actions aimed at raising awareness among primary care physicians, increasing the smoking cessation rate of participating subjects to improve quality of life.