Mechanisms of Acute Asthma Exacerbations Through Molecular Analysis of Airway Secretions and Tissues
Summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate mechanisms which cause acute asthma exacerbations by examining blood and airway secretions during an acute onset (sputum or tracheal aspirates). This pilot study is intended to uncover new mechanisms of asthma exacerbation and to generate hypotheses for future study. By collaborating with Genentech, we (scientists at UCSF) plan to incorporate the latest scientific findings into our work to discover and develop new treatments for asthma.
Description
Asthma is a common airway disease with persistent unmet needs in terms of treatment. Although many asthmatics enjoy good control of their disease by using regularly scheduled corticosteroid treatment, a significant minority do not achieve optimal control with steroids and suffer asthma exacerbations which can be severe and even fatal. Asthma pathophysiology is complex and involves multiple cell types and multiple signaling mechanisms. One approach to this complexity has been to study responses of isolated airway cells to experimental conditions which model asthmatic inflammation; another has been genetic manipulations of candidate mediators of asthma in inbred mice. These studies have yielded important insights about possible mechanisms of asthma in humans, but the relevance of these mechanisms to human disease has not always been proven, and it is possible that unsuspected mechanisms have not yet been revealed by these approaches.
In the current study, we propose to collect samples of airway secretions and blood from asthmatic subjects when their asthma is uncontrolled and they are being treated in the hospital or emergency room. Our goal will be to identify abnormal gene expression profiles and protein concentration abnormalities in these biological fluids. We will then study them again 6-10 weeks later when their asthma is controlled. This study design will allow us to compare airway and blood biomarkers of asthma exacerbation during acute asthma and recovery. "
Study Design
Observational Model: Case-Only, Time Perspective: Prospective
Conditions
Asthma
Location
UCSF Airway Clinical Research Center
San Francisco
California
United States
94143
Status
Recruiting
Source
University of California, San Francisco
Results (where available)
Links
- Source: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00603629
- Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on July 15, 2010
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Asthma, Exercise-induced
Asthma attacks following a period of exercise. Usually the induced attack is short-lived and regresses spontaneously. The magnitude of postexertional airway obstruction is strongly influenced by the environment in which exercise is performed (i.e. inhalation of cold air during physical exertion markedly augments the severity of the airway obstruction; conversely, warm humid air blunts or abolishes it).
Anti-asthmatic Agents
Drugs that are used to treat asthma.
Orciprenaline
A beta-adrenergic agonist used in the treatment of asthma and bronchospasms.
Tretoquinol
An adrenergic beta-agonist used as a bronchodilator agent in asthma therapy.
Isoetharine
Adrenergic beta-2 agonist used as bronchodilator for emphysema, bronchitis and asthma.
Clinical Trials
To assess the separate and interactive effects of asthma severity, subspecialty practice variation, asthma-related psychosocial variables, and other factors on asthma outcomes, including a...
Improving the Quality of Asthma Care Using the Internet
It is important for people with asthma to become involved in their asthma care and management. This study will evaluate an interactive Web site that provides tailored feedback and informat...
Improving Asthma Communication in Minority Families
The purpose of this study is to determine if teaching children with asthma how to talk to their doctor about controlling their asthma including symptom frequency in an asthma diary and med...
Inflammation and Corticosteroid Responsiveness in Severe Asthma
Some patients with mild asthma may develop severe asthma. It is not known what makes patients with mild asthma become severe, and we plan to find out why this happens. Patients with sever...
Mechanisms of Exacerbation of Asthma
The purpose of this study is to identify the causes of asthma that were not previously suspected, to better understand the effects of inhaled steroids on asthma and to identify new way to...
PubMed Articles
Obesity and asthma: An association modified by age of asthma onset.
Studies of asthma phenotypes have identified obesity as a component of a group characterized by a high proportion of subjects with adult-onset asthma. However, whether age of asthma onset modifies the...
Common behavioral problems among children wıth asthma: Is there a role of asthma treatment?
An increased prevalence of behavioral problems has been described among children with asthma.
This study used accepted asthma metrics and pharmaceutical claim data to develop a new asthma metric as a possible surrogate for spirometry and to better assess asthma control.
Accurate assessment of asthma control may help predict future asthma exacerbations.
Asthma in the elderly: risk factors and impact on physical function.
The incidence rate of asthma has increased in all age groups in the past 40 years. Asthma in older adults is underdiagnosed and undertreated, resulting in suboptimal asthma control.
