View clinical trials related to Lung Diseases.
Filter by:There is increasing evidence in the literature that COPD should not be considered as a localised pulmonary disorder but as a systemic disease involving pathology in several extra pulmonary tissues. Well characterized systemic features are a chronic low grade systemic inflammation, altered body composition and a skeletal muscle fibre type shift. There are indications that an absolute or relative increase of fat mass puts COPD patients at increased risk for cardiovascular pathology while muscle atrophy is associated with a high prevalence of osteoporosis and with impaired physical function. The origin of systemic inflammation is poorly understood. Both endogenous and exogenous risk factors contribute to systemic inflammation and extra-pulmonary manifestations of COPD. Overall objective of study 3: To compare the pattern and severity of the systemic inflammatory profile in relation to skeletal muscle weakness and cardiovascular risk profile in COPD patients with mild to moderate disease compared to non-susceptible smokers. Specific objectives: 1. To study the relative contribution of pulmonary and extra pulmonary factors on exercise capacity, skeletal muscle function and health status 2. To relate diet, physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors to body composition, skeletal muscle function and exercise capacity status 3. To study the influence of the emphysema phenotype on extra pulmonary pathology in COPD 4. To study muscle fibre type size and composition and to relate muscle oxidative phenotype with insulin sensitivity, inflammation (local and systemic) and molecular signatures of oxidative energy and protein metabolism. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Healthy smoking subjects and COPD patients will undergo extensive clinical, metabolic and inflammatory assessment at the university clinics in Groningen, Maastricht and CIRO Horn. Study population: Totally 60 subjects will be included - 30 healthy subjects who after 20 pack years smoking have no signs of COPD (age 40-75 years) - 30 COPD patients with GOLD stage II (age 40-75 years)
COPD is a progressive pulmonary disease that is characterized by an inflammatory process in the airways and the lungs which leads to progressive airway obstruction. The inflammation is associated with tissue loss and remodelling. The investigators hypothesized that doxycycline reduces neutrophilic airway inflammation in patients with COPD. Therefore the investigators will conduct a randomized trial of doxycycline in 30 patients.
Over time, patients with fibrosing or interstitial lung disease (ILD) can develop high lung blood pressures (pulmonary hypertension), and this is associated with poorer prognosis and survival. It is thought that development of PH contributes to the deterioration and death of patients with ILD. Endothelin-1 (ET1) is a substance contributing to the development of both PH and ILD. Bosentan is a drug blocking the action of ET-1 by binding to its receptors. Bosentan clearly benefits patients with PH of unknown cause, or related to other diseases (such as heart conditions, or HIV) both alone and in combination with other treatments. In patients with fibrosing lung disease and PH, there have been no controlled treatment studies. Clearly it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of bosentan in these patients. This study aims to determine the ability of bosentan to reduce high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension) in patients with scarring (fibrosing) lung disease. It is a placebo-controlled double blinded study for 16 weeks (and it is proposed to follow patients in a 16 week open-label phase with bosentan therapy).
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.