Emphysema or COPD

This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of combining aerobic exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) training in patients with emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study aimed to determine whether adding BFR to aerobic exercise could enhance muscle strength and functional capacity compared with conventional training alone. The findings demonstrated that aerobic exercise combined with BFR significantly improved lower-limb muscle strength, exercise tolerance, and functional performance in patients with emphysematous COPD. These results suggest that BFR-assisted aerobic training may serve as an effective and safe rehabilitation strategy to improve physical function and quality of life in this population.

A study taking place at multiple sites in the United States, Europe and Brazil to evaluate how well a new therapy for severe COPD/emphysema works, and how safe it is.

The use of lung ultrasound is instrumental in the evaluation of many chest pathologies and its ability to detect pleuro-pulmonary pathology is widely accepted. However, the use of ultrasound to explore the state of the peripheral lung parenchyma, when the organ is still aerated, is a relatively new application. Horizontal and vertical artifacts are separate and distinct artifacts that can be seen during ultrasound examination of the lungs. While the practical role of lung ultrasound artifacts is accepted to detect and monitor many conditions, further research is needed for the physical interpretation of ultrasound artifacts. These artifacts are diagnostic signs, but we don't fully understand their origin. The artifactual information deriving from the surface acoustic interaction, beyond the pleural line, in the ultrasound images of the normally aerated and non-deflated lung, represents the final result of complex interactions of acoustic waves with a specific three-dimensional structure of the biological tissue. Thus, the umbrella term "vertical artifacts" oversimplifies many physical phenomena associated with a pathological pleural plane. There is growing evidence that vertical artifacts are caused by physiological and pathological changes in the superficial lung parenchyma. Therefore, the need emerges to explore the physical phenomena underlying the artifactual ultrasound information deriving from the surface acoustic interaction of ultrasound with the pleuro-pulmonary structures.

The purpose of this protocol is to perform a pilot prospective controlled clinical trial to evaluate the potential role of lung fissure completion with pleural adhesiolysis strategy (experimental intervention) in severe emphysema/COPD patients with failed bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) via the use of endobronchial valves (EBVs) therapy. In select patients, the lung fissure completion with adhesiolysis strategy will be performed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) guided stapling along the lung fissures to reduce collateral ventilation with adhesions removal and determine whether this experimental strategy will improve outcomes after failed BLVR in patients with severe emphysema/COPD.

The purpose of this protocol is to perform a pilot prospective randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the potential role of lung fissure completion strategy (experimental intervention) in addition to endobronchial valve (EBV) placement (representing "standard-of-care") in select patients with severe COPD/emphysema and with evidence for \<95% fissure completion between adjacent lung lobes. In select patients, lung fissure completion strategy will be performed by either video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS)-guided or robotic-guided stapling along the lung fissures in an attempt to reduce collateral ventilation and determine whether or not this experimental strategy will improve outcome following subsequent EBV placement. EBV placement will follow successful VATS-guided or robotic-guided fissure stapling. The study will enroll approximately 20 patients at BIDMC, and outcomes will focus on procedure-related complications, physiological measurements (ex., FEV1 by pulmonary function testing) and clinical symptoms (i.e., questionnaires). Patient will be followed for 3-month period, receiving usual standard of care during the 3 months of follow-up. The goal of this protocol is to determine if elimination of significant collateral lung ventilation between lung lobes is possible, and whether such strategy to eliminate collateral lung ventilation between lobes improves outcomes following subsequent EBV placement (i.e. promotes atelectasis of diseased lung segments) in the management of severe COPD/emphysema in appropriate candidates. For subjects in the medical management control group, upon completion of the 3-month F/U period, they will be eligible for EBV if they choose.

This is a prospective, open-label, multi-center, single-arm study planned to enroll 200 subjects with heterogeneous emphysema and collateral ventilation (CV) in the target lobe. Subjects will undergo instillation of AeriSeal Foam in the target lobe and subsequent assessment of CV status using Chartis Pulmonary Assessment System. Subjects with CV- status will then undergo placement of Zephyr Valve in the target lobe for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) and be followed for 24 months.

Alpha-1 Anti-trypsin Deficiency (AATD) is a genetic disease with lung and liver disease presentations. Presentations are variable in the heterozygous population, the most predominant genotype being PiMZ. The purpose of this study in PiMZ heterozygous patients is to examine the density of the lung as measured by chest computed tomography (CT) and determine if existing emphysema predicts changes in the rate of subsequent emphysema or changes in CT, serum or plasma biomarkers of interest. The overarching goal is to develop biomarkers pertinent to the PiMZ patient that can be used in interventional trials since lung function changes do not typically inform disease progression in AATD.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a lung transplantation prior to bone marrow transplantation (BMT) would allow for restoration of pulmonary function prior to BMT, allowing to proceed to BMT, to restore hematologic function.

Aim: To investigate the potential for N-Tidal to improve COPD diagnosis and enable detection of pre-COPD\*. Objectives: 1. To assess the performance of TidalSense COPD Diagnostic Algorithms for COPD diagnosis in a real-world, head-to-head comparison with post-bronchodilator spirometry among FRONTIER programme participants. 2. To assess the performance of TidalSense COPD Diagnostic Algorithms for identification of pre-COPD. 3. Evaluate TidalSense COPD Diagnostic Algorithms ability to identify those at risk of developing COPD within 1-year. Aim: Explore the blood biomarker profile among FRONTIER Programme participants to explore a potential role in early COPD identification. Objectives: 1. Investigate the blood biomarker profile (obtained from the Hull Lung Health Study data) of people with i) confirmed COPD, ii) pre-COPD, and iii) no evidence of COPD. 2. Explore a potential role for blood biomarkers in COPD diagnostics. * Pre-COPD is defined, as per the GOLD Report 2023, as individuals who have respiratory symptoms and/or other detectable structural and/or functional abnormalities in the absence of airflow obstruction on forced spirometry. For the purpose of this study, respiratory symptoms will be classified as a CAT score \> 10 during FRONTIER clinic attendance and presence of emphysema on low-dose CT considered evidence of structural lung abnormalities

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial thermal liquid ablation (ETLA) works to treat severe emphysema in terms of feasibility and safety. Participants will: * Have up to two ETLA procedures * Complete five clinic follow-up visits and two virtual follow-up visits.

Bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation using Uptake Medical Technology Inc.'s InterVapor System is indicated for treatment of patients with heterogeneous upper lobe emphysema. This study is a retrospective and prospective, observational, multi-center, post-market registry of patients prescribed InterVapor. The primary objective of the Registry is to describe the long-term impact of InterVapor treatment on patient quality of life (QOL) in a real-world setting. After InterVapor treatment, patients will be followed for 5 years as per the standard of care and safety and efficacy data (quality of life, pulmonary function, exercise capacity) collected as part of the registry.

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to compare telehealth and onsite supervised maintenance exercise program for adults with Chronic Lung Disease. The specific aims of the study are: * To compare 8-week supervised maintenance program delivered onsite and via tele-rehab with no maintenance for patients with Chronic Lung Disease following discharge from traditional exercise or physical therapy or onsite outpatient rehabilitation programs on clinical outcomes (dyspnea, exercise capacity, physical function, physical activity, and quality of life) at 8 weeks and 4-months post-intervention. * To compare the differences in dyspnea, exercise capacity, physical function, physical activity, and quality of life between an 8-week maintenance program delivered onsite and via tele-rehab at 8-weeks and 4-months post-intervention in patients with Chronic Lung Disease following discharge from traditional onsite outpatient rehabilitation. Participants in both intervention groups (onsite and tele-rehab) will undergo a baseline onsite assessment followed by an 8-week supervised exercise intervention either onsite or in a telehealth setting. Control group will receive biweekly check in calls, but no active intervention.

Rationale: COPD is a severe, often progressive and currently incurable lung disease which affects both the upper airways (chronic bronchitis) as well as the lower airways (emphysema). In advanced stages of the disease air-trapping severely reduces the ability to breathe and subsequently the quality of life. A highly effective treatment for restoring lung mechanical functionality of these patients is the introduction of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR), e.g. implanting small silicone/nitinol valves (EBV) inside the airways to reduce air-trapping. Although successfully investigated in a selected group of severe COPD patients, the effectiveness of the treatment can sometimes be short-lived due to fibrotic and granulation responses and tissue-material interactions. Objective: The main objective of this study is to study and understand the underlying biological principles of granulation and fibrotic responses limiting the effectiveness and longevity of BELVR treatment with EBVs, this to investigate the mechanism of action of tissue-device interactions.

In some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the breathlessness is caused by hyperinflation of the lungs. This causes difficulty breathing air out and makes it harder to breath in new air and limits the movement of the diaphram. The diaphragm is the muscle used for breathing between the chest and the stomach. Some of these patients can receive treatment with endobronchial valves, where one-ways are inserted into the bronchial system the let out some of the excess air, and thereby relieve breathlessness. The goal of this observational study is to investigate the effect of endobronchial valves on the mobility of the diaphragm in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The main questions it aims to answer are: * If the movement of the diaphragm improves after treatment with endobronchial valves. * If there is a link between improvement of diaphragm function and improvement of symptoms, lung function and physical ability. * If ultrasound scan immediately after the treatment will predict which patients will benefit from the treatment. Participants will undergo ultrasound before, 1 day after and 90 days after the procedure, and lung function examinations from their already planned control visits will be collected.