View clinical trials related to Lung Diseases, Obstructive.
Filter by:Does an oral selenium supplement increase blood levels of antioxidants in patients with established, smoking-related lung disease? Members of our study group recently discovered that elevated levels of the anti-oxidant GPx-1 may be protective against heart disease. We are studying whether selenium supplementation will improve GPx-1 levels.
The aim of this family practice based study is to determine the long-term treatment effects of two drugs that are presumed to modify the course and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), oral N-acetylcysteine and inhaled corticosteroids.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) early in the treatment of adults hospitalized for acute asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The purpose of this study is to determine whether macrolide therapy is effective in treating patients hospitalized with asthma exacerbations or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)exacerbations. We hypothesize that compared to placebo, maintenance therapy with macrolides, when added to usual care, a) improves respiratory symptoms, b) improves quality of life, c) reduces airway inflammation, d) reduces airflow obstruction, and e) decreases the rate of re-exacerbations.
Subjects undergo history, examination, lung function assessment after informed consent has been obtained. All subjects will undergo ventilation-perfusion scans. If there first scan is normal they will undergo a second and final scan four weeks later. If abnormal they will undergo two further scans with either nebulized bronchodilator or nebulized saline prior to their second and third scans. Each time they will have repeat lung function tests prior to scanning. We will examine the regional changes in ventilation and perfusion and there relationship to lung function.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD for short) involves inflammation inside the air passages of the lungs. This inflammation might be partly responsible for the shortness of breath, cough and susceptibility to chest infections that form part of COPD. Inflammation is caused, in part, by white blood cells that are attracted from the blood into the air passages. Once inside the air passages, the white blood cells may change (or 'differentiate') and release substances that produce inflammation and attract more white cells. The hypothesis is that the lifespan of these cells may also be prolonged such that they produce more inflammatory mediators and in turn perpetuate inflammation. The cycle of inflammation may damage the lungs, so we want to see what mediators are released by white blood cells and determine if we can inhibit this effect with existing and new drugs. We would also like to see the effect of these drugs on the life-span and function of white blood cells. We will compare the behaviour and characteristics of white cells with those from healthy smokers and healthy non-smokers to find out if there is anything different about cells from COPD patients.
The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effects of oral and inhaled administration of L-arginine and of inhaled aminoguanidine on bronchial and alveolar exhaled NO and NO metabolites in exhaled breath condensate, induced sputum, nasal lavage and mouth wash fluid in healthy non-smokers, current smokers and patients with COPD.
The primary aim of this study is to exploit a difference between COPD patients, chronic smokers without COPD and healthy non-smoking subjects. This will help to assess the utility of inflammatory and oxidative markers in exhaled air and sputum and to compare them with the lung function, clinical parameters and computerised tomography (CT).
Systemic inflammation is present in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which has been linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We determined the effects of oral and inhaled corticosteroids on serum markers of inflammation in patients with stable COPD.
The role of antibiotic therapy in patients with COPD remains controversial. While the outcome of several clinical trials is in favour of antibiotics, the quality of these studies in insufficient. In this study the efficacy of doxycycline is compared to placebo. All concommitant treatment (steroids, bronchodilator therapy, physiotherapy) is standardized. The investigators hypothesize that patients with an acute exacerbations will have a better outcome when treated with antibiotics.