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Autoantibody Reduction for Acute Exacerbations of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Acute exacerbations (AE) are a dreaded manifestation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) that presents with rapidly worsening respiratory function over days to weeks. AE account for about 1/2 the deaths in IPF patients, and are refractory to all medical therapies attempted to date. Considerable preliminary data shows pathological B-cell abnormalities and autoantibodies are present in AE-IPF and associated with disease severity. The experimental therapy here (therapeutic plasma exchange plus rituximab plus intravenous immunoglobulin) is mechanistically targeted to ameliorate autoantibody-mediated pulmonary injury. Anecdotal pilot...
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Autologous Bronchial Basal Cells Transplantation for Treatment of CRD Including COPD, BE and PF
Chronic respiratory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis (BE) or pulmonary fibrosis (PF) are usually not curable with damaged pulmonary structure and function. Bronchial basal cells are proved to regenerate bronchus and alveoli to repair the pulmonary injuries. In this study, we intend to perform an open, single-armed phase I clinical trial by transplantation of autologous bronchial basal cells on patients suffered from COPD, BE or PF. During the treatment, autologous bronchial basal cells, which were isolated from fiberoptic bronchoscopy and expanded in vitro, will be injected directly into...
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Bacterial Gene Profiling to Predict Antibiotic Resistance During Cystic Fibrosis Pulmonary Exacerbations
Pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) are key events that lead to a decline in health status among CF patients, with many never recovering to baseline health. With the advancement of new CFTR modulators and other therapies increasing the lifespan of those living with CF, it will become increasingly important to have better strategies to manage PEx in order to have better outcomes following treatment. PEx treatment decisions will need to take into consideration the increasing frequency of antimicrobial resistance bacteria and the need to treat multiple types of bacteria at once. The purpose of this study is to analyze sputum samples from CF subjects...
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BPF Genetics of ILD Study
The investigators aim to examine the genetic determinants of interstitial lung disease in a cohort of subjects with regular exposure to pigeons, a known cause of one form of interstitial lung disease known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The investigators hope the investigator's work will provide insights of use to clinicians and patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other interstitial lung diseases.
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Breath Condensate Study in Patients With Cystic Fibrosis.
There is an urgent need for a noninvasive method to diagnose bronchial infections and exacerbations in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). The current method to diagnosed infections involves either collecting a sputum sample or obtaining a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). However, some patients cannot produce sputum. At the same time the decision of when a patient has an exacerbation continues to be very subjective. In this exploratory study, we propose a new, noninvasive method to diagnose bronchial infections and to evaluate possible markers of inflammation that can assist in a noninvasive way in the determination of exacerbations.
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Cardiovascular Fibrosis in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Fibroproliferative diseases, including pulmonary, cardiac and vascular fibrosis share common pathogenetic mechanisms. Furthermore, cardiovascular comorbidities are frequently found in patients with IPF. However, the prevalence of cardiac and vascular fibrosis in patients with IPF have yet to be determined. Main Purpose of this study is to evaluate, with non-invasive methods (echocardiogram, endothelial function and pulse wave velocity) and blood biomarkers (galectins-3, osteopontin, periostin and pro-BNP), the presence of vascular fibrosis (vascular rigidity and endothelial function) and cardiac fibrosis (prevalence of HFpEF - Heart...
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CF Bronchodilation
It is estimated that one in every 3,600 children in Canada has cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a genetic disease that affects the glands that produce mucus and sweat. In CF, mucus production increases and the mucus becomes thick and sticky. This can block the airways, making it difficult to breathe. Mucus production also causes bacteria to grow, which can lead to infections in the lungs. Individuals with CF suffer from shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, and poor exercise capacity. There are limited treatment options to reduce shortness of breath in these individuals. Some medications known as bronchodilators are commonly prescribed to reduce...
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Characterization of Apolipoprotein A-I Pathways in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Background: - Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease that becomes worse over time. There is currently no effective treatment for it. Researchers want to study the disease and learn new ways to treat it. Objectives: - To discover new pathways that are involved in pulmonary fibrosis. To develop new drugs that may be used to treat pulmonary fibrosis. Eligibility: - People at least 18 years old with IPF. - Healthy volunteers at least 18 years old. Design: - Participants will be screened with medical history, questionnaire, and physical exam. They will have blood, lung,...
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Clinical and Basic Investigations Into Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome
Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS) is an inherited disease which results in decreased pigmentation (oculocutaneous albinism), bleeding problems due to a platelet abnormality (platelet storage pool defect), and storage of an abnormal fat-protein compound (lysosomal accumulation of ceroid lipofuscin). The disease can cause poor functioning of the lungs, intestine, kidneys, or heart. The major complication of the disease is pulmonary fibrosis and typically causes death in patients ages 40 - 50 years old. The disorder is common in Puerto Rico, where many of the clinical research studies on the disease have been conducted. Neither the full extent...
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Clinical Course of Interstitial Lung Diseases: European IPF Registry and Biobank
Born out of the European Union 7th Framework Programme funded project European IPF Network (eurIPFnet), the European IPF Registry (eurIPFreg) has become Europe's leading database of longitudinal data from IPF patients, including control groups of patients with other lung diseases. The registry was initiated with the intention of creating a permanent and continuously growing record of well defined data on IPF in Europe, in order to increase the chances of finding better treatment options for this devastating disease. Clinical colleagues who would like to actively participate (both in terms of patient recruitment and data analysis) are...
