View clinical trials related to Aspergillosis.
Filter by:Large doses of systemic corticosteroids ，severe lung tissue damage and longer COPD diagnosis may increase the risk of IPA in patients with chronic structural lung disease. By comparing the risk factors of aspergillus colonization group and aspergillus infection group, the main risk factors of aspergillus pneumonia were determined.
Prospective observational pilot study to evaluate the utility of breath VOCs to detect invasive aspergillosis in lung transplant recipients that are suspected of invasive fungal disease (IFD).
Brief Research Proposal: Non-Invasive Detection of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in ICU Patients Background: Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis (IPA) is a critical threat to patients in ICUs, especially those undergoing mechanical ventilation. Traditional diagnostic methods are invasive and carry risks. This study proposes a non-invasive, innovative approach utilizing galactomannan (GM) analysis in Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC) for early IPA detection. Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of measuring GM levels in EBC for detecting IPA in mechanically ventilated patients, comparing it against the conventional Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (BALF)-GM measurements. Methods: A clinical trial will be conducted with 75 mechanically ventilated patients suspected of having IPA. The study will compare the effectiveness of EBC-GM levels against BALF-GM levels in diagnosing IPA, focusing on sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy. The novel, self-designed EBC collection device will facilitate the safe and efficient collection of EBC from patients. Expected Outcomes: Validation of EBC-GM Diagnostic Accuracy: Anticipate demonstrating that EBC-GM levels provide a comparable diagnostic accuracy to BALF-GM, establishing a non-invasive, safer alternative for IPA detection. Implementation of a Non-Invasive Diagnostic Tool: The study aims to introduce a non-invasive diagnostic approach that can potentially replace more risky, invasive methods, improving patient care in ICUs. Contribution to Clinical Practice: By providing a new method for early and safer detection of IPA, the study is expected to influence clinical guidelines and practices in the management of critically ill, ventilated patients. Significance: This research has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis of fungal infections in critically ill patients by offering a non-invasive, accurate, and safer diagnostic tool, thereby improving patient outcomes and reducing the risks associated with invasive diagnostic procedures.
This is a single center open-label feasibility trial involving a single study visit for participants. The purpose of the study is to demonstrate the feasibility of [68Ga]Ga-DFO-B PET/CT (gallium-68-deferoxamine) for the visualization of pulmonary Aspergillus infection. The incidence of fungal infections is on the rise and are associated with significant mortality. Diagnosis pulmonary aspergillosis can be can be challenging, often requiring invasive tests such as bronchoscopy and lung tissue biopsies. Molecular imaging, specifically using radiolabeled siderophores like [68Ga]Ga-DFO-B, offers a non-invasive and location-specific approach to visualize and evaluate infections. Siderophores, critical for pathogenic microbes like Aspergillus fumigatus, play a role in iron acquisition. Preclinical studies with radiolabeled deferoxamine (DFO-B) demonstrated distinct accumulation at infection sites. Additionally, [68Ga]Ga-DFO-B PET/CT may differentiate between Aspergillus infection and cancer, making it a promising non-invasive diagnostic tool for pulmonary aspergillosis.
The investigators hypothesize that a combination of prednisolone and itraconazole would significantly reduce the exacerbation rate at one-year of patients with acute allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) compared to itraconazole or prednisolone monotherapy. In this study, 300 subjects aged ≥18 years with acute ABPA will be randomized to treatment with either prednisolone, itraconazole, or prednisolone plus itraconazole, all for four months each. After collecting baseline demographic, immunologic, and imaging data, the investigators will follow the patients every 2 months for the first two visits and then every four months for three visits. The primary outcome will be the proportion of subjects experiencing exacerbation (asthma or ABPA) 12 months after treatment completion.
There is an intricate link between bronchiectasis and fungi. Patients with cystic fibrosis frequently manifest fungal sensitization and fungal colonization with Aspergillus fumigatus.6 Aspergillus species also has a cause-and-effect relationship with non-CF (cystic fibrosis) bronchiectasis.7, 8 In allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), Aspergillus is the cause of bronchiectasis. In contrast, in other causes of bronchiectasis, A fumigatus can theoretically promote allergic response, which may result in poor lung function, increase the risk of exacerbations, and even cause ABPA over time.9, 10 In a recent study, we found an overall prevalence of Aspergillus sensitization of 29.5% and the prevalence of chronic aspergillus infection was 76%.11 The prevalence of chronic aspergillus colonization in non-(tuberculosis) TB-non-CF fibrosis was 47.5% (49/103).11 By mechanism similar to chronic bacterial colonization, chronic aspergillus infection or aspergillus sensitization can increase the risk of bronchiectasis exacerbation. Therefore, eradication of A. fumigatus from the airways of patients with bronchiectasis would decrease the future risk of a bronchiectasis exacerbation. Notably, in ABPA, use of itraconazole and voriconazole reduce the exacerbations by reducing the fungal burden in the airways.12, 13 In this randomized trial, we will investigate whether treatment with oral itraconazole for six months would reduce the future risk of bronchiectasis exacerbation in patients with non-CF-non-ABPA bronchiectasis.
This study aims to collect clinical cases and follow-up data from patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, post-COVID-19 aspergillosis, and post-COVID-19 patients without aspergillosis. Using in vitro assays, we will measure the phagocytic function of neutrophils when stimulated by fungal hyphae, their ability to produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), the expression of cell surface molecules at the time of enrollment, changes in cell surface molecule expression after stimulation with fungal hyphae, and the quantification of autoantibodies in the blood. This research will focus on the short-term (within 3 months), medium-term (6-12 months), and long-term (more than 12 months) changes in cell surface molecules and functions following infection.
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is the most common mould infection in immunocompromised patients with haematological disease. Voriconazole, a triazole, improves overall survival of patients with an IA and is the mainstay of therapy. Resistance of A. Fumigatus emerged as an important clinical problem and infections with azole resistant Aspergillus have a high mortality. Nowhere in the world, azole resistance is more prevalent than in the Netherlands. Rapid detection of resistance is key to improve the patient's outcome but fungal cultures take time and are often negative. The investigators aim to detect azole resistance associated mutations in fungal DNA extracted directly from serum or plasma to accelerate diagnosis and improve outcome of patients infected with azole resistant A. fumigatus.
To assessed the current situation and outcome of critically ill patients with invasive aspergillus infection.
The diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) bears grave implications for the prognosis and treatment plan of the immunosuppressed patient. Thus far, such diagnosis in the immunosuppressed patient, such as patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), relied heavily on chest computed tomography (CT) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), an invasive approach bearing many caveats. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are compounds that could be detected in exhaled air, and have shown some potential in the non-invasive diagnosis of various conditions, including IPA. In this prospective longitudinal study we aim to compare the VOC profiles of patients diagnosed with AML (baseline) to the profile of the same patient diagnosed with IPA later on, and to the post recovery profile in the same patient. This approach should resolve many of the issues plaguing prior attempts at VOC based IPA diagnosis, mainly the lack of properly designed controls. Samples will be collected from consenting patients using Tedlar bags, and analyzed using thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). VOCs detected will be digitally analyzed to construct different classification models, with predictive performances compared to the clinical diagnosis using the accepted methods will be assessed by binary logistic regression.