Active clinical trials for "Pulmonary Emphysema"

Evidence in animals shows that losartan can prevent or reverse inflammation and lung damage due to smoking. The goal of this study is to determine whether this drug which is also used to treat hypertension can stabilize or improve lung function in people who have from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The clinical utility of bronchoscopic methods for achieving lung volume reduction has been evaluated in patients with advanced emphysema because these procedures are uniformly safer than surgical volume reduction. These include one-way valves, or bronchial occlusive devices to collapse emphysematous regions of lung and bronchial fenestration with bypass stents to improve expiratory flow, wire coils implants that compress the airway and thermal vapor ablation that causes an acute injury with subsequent fibrosis and reductions in volume.

The purpose of this research study is to perfect the technique of EVLP and learn about the safety of transplanting lungs that have been ventilated (attached to a breathing machine or ventilator to deliver oxygen) and perfused with a lung perfusion solution (Steen solution™, made by Vitrolife). This ventilation and perfusion will be done outside the body (ex-vivo) in a modified cardiopulmonary bypass circuit (the kind of device used routinely during most heart surgeries). The purpose of performing ex-vivo lung perfusion and ventilation (EVLP) is to learn how well the lungs work, and whether they are likely safe to transplant.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the Chartis System in measuring air flow and pressures in isolated lung compartments in emphysema patients prior to endobronchial lung volume reduction (ELVR).

The purpose of this study is to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of the AeriSeal System in patients with advanced Non-Upper Lobe Predominant Heterogeneous Emphysema.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of nebulized formoterol fumarate (Perforomist) to dry-powder inhaler formoterol fumarate (Foradil). Perforomist is a solution that is made into very fine spray (using a nebulizer) that is then breathed in over 10-15 minutes. Foradil is taken in a single quick, deep inhalation.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the 20 mL BLVR System in treating patients with advanced upper lobe predominant emphysema.

Actively developing stem cells (SCs) transplantation techniques cause natural interest to the problem of regeneration in the lungs. Numerous experimental studies proved the benefits of different types of SCs in experimental models of pulmonary emphysema (PE). G. Zhen et al. have shown that the transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to rats with papain-induced emphysema leads to their migration into the lungs, differentiation into type 2 alveolocytes, and inhibition of apoptosis and prevention PE. K. Schweitzer et al. have proved the activity of inflammation in the airways, alveolocytes and endothelial cells apoptosis decreased after adipose SCs intravenous administration to mice with emphysema caused by chronic exposure to tobacco smoke or VEGF receptors blockade. The study of E.P. Ingenito et al. found that endobronchial installed MSCs engraft into the alveolar wall and peribronchial interstitium and release integrins, extracellular matrix components (collagen IV, laminin and fibrillin), platelet-derived growth factor receptor and transforming growth factor β2. Our study also found reliable deterrent effect of allogeneic bone marrow MSCs on the development of elastase-induced emphysema in rats at different terms of transplantation. After the success of pilot studies have started clinical trials. Currently, the website http://www. ClinicalTrials.gov reported three studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of MSC transplantation in patients with COPD and emphysema. Two of them have already been completed and the results of the first pilot project published. Authors on the example of 4 patients showed a complete absence of adverse effects, improved quality of life and stability of functional parameters at 12 months after starting treatment One of the problems of MSC transplantation in patients with respiratory failure is an accelerated apoptosis of transplanted cells under the influence of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Since it is proved that preconditioning MSCs under hypoxia increases their survival in hypoxic conditions, increases the expression of growth factors and antiinflammatory cytokines, we suppose that MSCs grown in hypoxic medium may have a significant positive effect on the disease.

Emphysema is a major pathological feature of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Non-invasive assessment of emphysema is a crucial issue for the phenotype and follow-up of COPD patients. Currently, CT is the method of reference to evaluate and quantify emphysema but it remains a radiation-based technique. Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) with ultrashort echo time (UTE) pulse sequences is a promising non-ionizing alternative for lung imaging. Our objective is to evaluate emphysema in COPD patients using CT and MR-UTE, and to test the agreement between both techniques.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the RePneu Lung Volume Reduction Coil (LVRC) in patients with Alpha-1-Antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) caused emphysema. The hypothesis is that emphysema in AATD patients shows similar tissue destruction profile was well as symptoms and thus will respond favorably to LVRC treatment, demonstrating improvement in lung function, exercise capacity, and quality of life relative to their baseline status.