COPD - Gaining A Better Picture Of Lung Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a respiratory disease commonly known as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. 600 million people live with COPD and while researchers have yet to find any real treatment or cure, Grace Parraga of Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, is using various imaging techniques to gain new insight into the disease.

Parraga is a scientist in the Imaging Research Laboratories at Robarts and recently recruited to the Departments of Medical Biophysics, Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Medical Imaging and Oncology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. Currently, Parraga and her collaborators at Western including Drs. David McCormack, Rob McFadden, Roya Etemad-Rezai and Giles Santyr hold two large grants valued at $ 2.5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in collaboration with the world-renowned Vancouver James Hogg Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital to characterize COPD using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and to compare three different types of lung imaging in COPD patients over time.

“The idea is that if we can understand the structural and functional imaging changes that happen over time, we can start to understand the patients in a different way, with the potential to change the way they are treated,” says Parraga.

Parraga and her collaborators believe that two major COPD groups exist: those with dysfunctional airways, and those with lung tissue damage. She says current methods of evaluating COPD don’t consider the differences imaging methods can detect and therefore these often are not predictive of how patients feel and how their disease progresses. The London-Vancouver collaboration directly addresses this shortcoming to lead the way in helping to categorize COPD patients using computed tomography (CT), MRI, and optical coherence tomography, to help improve patient treatment.

Parraga’s research uses a nation-wide interdisciplinary collaboration, a unique lung imaging core facility and a unique capability to image lungs to make an impact on the millions suffering from the disease. Their collaborative work was also recently recognized by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) that awarded one her graduate students in Medical Biophysics (Hassaan Ahmed) the prestigious RSNA Trainee Prize.

Salitair Salt Inhaler Helps With Asthma, Emphysema and COPD

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Research Participants Needed for COPD Study

If you or someone you knows has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), you may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study. COPD is a disease of the lungs that occurs over time and causes people to suffer symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing.

This study is being conducted because researchers want to find out if the combination of drugs, indacaterol and tiotropium bromide (Spiriva), is safe, more effective, and better for people with COPD, than using tiotropium alone.

Study participants will receive the investigational drug, and all study related testing and examinations at no cost. Compensation for time and travel may be available.

If interested, please call 925-413-1451 or email tdavis@harmonyclinical.com.

Tim Davis
Site Manager
925-413-1451
tdavis@harmonyclinical.com

Harmony Clinical
2301 Camino Ramon Ste. 290
San Ramon, CA 94583

(Compensation for time and travel may be available.)

*breathe easy*

Supervised Exercise Therapy Can Lead To Improvements In COPD Symptoms

Those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often complain that exercise is too exhausting and leaves them breathless. An article in the current issue of The New England Journal of Medicine reports that supervised exercise through pulmonary rehabilitation can actually reduce their feelings of breathlessness, increase their tolerance for exercise and improve their quality of life.

The article’s lead author is Richard Casaburi, Ph.D., M.D., a senior investigator at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed). He directs the institute’s Rehabilitation Clinical Trials Center, a facility that focuses on COPD research. Dr. Casaburi surveyed previous studies on pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD and found that supervised exercise therapy improves aerobic function of the muscles, which helps reduce the breathlessness that is common in COPD.

“These findings are a clear indication that pulmonary rehabilitation can improve the quality of life for those living with COPD,” said Dr. Casaburi. “The studies also indicate that pulmonary rehabilitation results in decreased anxiety and depression for COPD patients because they find they can exercise more, and they enjoy the feeling that they have mastered something important in their lives.”

COPD, a group of lung diseases that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. The article in the Journal reports that it is on course to be the third most common cause of death worldwide by 2020.

Once a disease primarily of men, it now kills roughly equal numbers of men and women in the U.S. In 2000, COPD was responsible for 8 million physician office visits, 1.5 million emergency department visits and 726,000 hospitalizations (about 13% of all hospitalizations in the U.S.).

While the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation programs for COPD are well-documented, the Journal article reports that access to this type of therapy is limited, especially among lower-income, minority and rural populations.

“A major stumbling block in providing pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD has been the lack of adequate funding for it,” said Dr. Casaburi. “That should begin to change next January, when Medicare starts providing coverage for pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD.”

About LA BioMed

Founded 56 years ago, LA BioMed is one of the country’s largest not-for-profit independent biomedical research institutes. It conducts biomedical research, trains young scientists and provides community services, including childhood immunization and nutrition assistance. The institute’s researchers conduct studies in such areas as cardio-vascular disease, emerging infections, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, dermatology, reproductive health, vaccine development, respiratory disorders, inherited illnesses and neonatology.

LA BioMed is an independent institute that is academically affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The institute is located on the campus of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center near Torrance.

Source
LA BioMed

Potential New Therapies For Asthma, COPD

Researchers have proved that a single “master switch” enzyme, known as aldose reductase, is key in producing excess mucous that clogs the airways of people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The enzyme’s action can be blocked by drugs whose safety has been shown in clinical trials for other diseases – a discovery that could improve therapies for the 510 million people worldwide suffering from asthma and COPD.

The findings are from a University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston study published in the online journal PLoS One.

Using cell culture and laboratory mouse experiments, the researchers showed that the enzyme, aldose reductase, is essential to a process known as goblet cell metaplasia that is seen in both asthma and COPD. In goblet cell metaplasia, exposure to allergens such as pollen, mold and dust mites initiates a series of biochemical reactions that causes the cells that line the air passages of the lungs to change from their normal state into so-called “goblet cells,” which produce substantial amounts of excess mucus. Healthy individuals’ lungs contain very few goblet cells, but patients who die from asthma – an estimated 5,000 people annually – have significantly higher numbers of these cells.

“Aldose reductase is key to a whole range of inflammation disorders, so it comes as no surprise that it should be crucial to the inflammatory processes that drive disease in asthma and COPD,” said UTMB Health biochemistry and molecular biology professor Satish Srivastava, senior author of the paper. “The discovery that aldose reductase regulates mucus production and goblet cell metaplasia makes inhibition of this enzyme an attractive therapeutic option to reduce mucus-related airway obstructive diseases – and for the first time gives us a real chance to alter the course of the underlying disease in asthma and COPD.”

According to Srivastava, aldose reductase inhibitors have a number of potential advantages over current therapies for asthma and COPD.

“Existing therapies for airway obstructive diseases provide relief by preventing allergic airway inflammation, but none of these drugs specifically address the problem of excessive mucus production; further, there is no convincing evidence that current therapies significantly reduce mortality associated with chronic asthma and COPD,” Srivastava said. “Also, aldose reductase inhibitors can be given orally, unlike current inhaler-based treatments, so medication compliance could be better. And finally they can provide an alternative to steroid treatment for patients who either can’t take steroids or find that steroids have no effect on their disease.”

The next step, Srivastava said, is clinical trials of the drugs as a therapy for asthma and COPD – a process that should be expedited since aldose reductase inhibitors have already undergone Phase III clinical trials for diabetic neuropathy. The UTMB Health Center for Technology Development views Srivastava’s research as so promising that it has applied for patents to cover their use as potential treatments for asthma, COPD and other inflammation-related disorders.

“Working closely with Professor Srivastava and other UTMB faculty, the next step is to prove the safety and efficacy of aldose reductase inhibitors for these conditions and develop them to improve the health of millions of people,” said Jason Abair, associate vice president of the center. “We are looking forward to identifying appropriate partners in industry to help us reach this goal.”

Notes:

Other authors of the PLoS One paper include UTMB instructor Umesh Yadav, postdoctoral fellow Leopoldo Aguilera-Aguirre, associate professor Kota Ramana and professor Istvan Boldogh. The study was funded by a grant from the American Asthma Foundation, which has designated Srivastava as a Bill Bowes Scholar.

REDUCING INFLAMMATION NATURALLY (COPD, ASTHMA, EMPHYSEMA

The New Mind-set. A new attitude

(NaturalNews) Inflammation is a double-edged sword. While it is very critical for the healing of wounds, it is also a bodily response that can become too much of a good thing. Any infection, injury or toxicity problem inflicted on our bodies is handled by the inflammatory response that occurs automatically. Unfortunately, if certain substances in our bodies become unbalanced, the inflammation switch can come “on” at the wrong time or forget to go “off” when no longer needed.When inflammation occurs, it can be seen externally as a rash or swelling. A more dangerous kind is that which occurs internally. If it goes on too long it can cause damage to any organ or organ system. People with auto-immune and chronic inflammatory diseases are very familiar with the problems inflammation can cause.

Diseases in which inflammation plays a role are heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancers, arthritis, gingivitis and other “itis” disorders. On the positive side, since the growth in such diseases can be correlated with and related to our increased diets of fast, convenient foods, it is possible to end the inflammation process with a change in diet. Not only do we need to eliminate saturated and trans-fats, refined sugars, starches, commercial meats and artificial sweeteners, but we can reverse problems of chronic inflammatory diseases by choosing certain foods and herbs available at the grocery store. It is being shown time and again that the common therapy for inflammation – pharmaceuticals – has been a miserable and costly failure. Rather than submit your body to the side effects of such drugs, please consider the much healthier alternatives discussed below.

Dietary polyphenols, found in many edible plants, are being found to have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies on animals in the lab have demonstrated such properties, and studies done on different human populations have shown that those who consume polyphenol-rich foods have lower incidences of inflammatory disease. Fruits rich in this phytochemical include blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sour cherries, pomegranates and cranberries. If you drink these in juices, make sure to read the label and avoid any with sugar added.

Another group of dietary nutrients receiving much publicity today are the omega fatty acids. Don’t be confused by the wording here. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6 acids can actually help cause inflammation. That is why we need to balance the use of omega-6’s with omega-3’s. If your diet has been predominantly rich in the omega-6 oils, you will have to do more than achieve a balance by increasing omega-3’s and drastically reducing the omega-6’s.

Quercetin is a flavonoid, and a very powerful one. It is found in red grapes, red and yellow onions, garlic, broccoli and apples.Anti-oxidant properties in some foods also help fight inflammation by protecting the body from free radicals. Vitamin C-rich foods fall into this category, including carrots, orange winter squash, bell peppers and tomatoes.To reduce swelling and inflammation quickly, eat half of a fresh pineapple or papaya daily. Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain and papaya contains papain. Pain and swelling should go down in two to six days.Eating at least five servings of such fresh fruits and vegetables daily is a minimum. If inflammation is a problem, it is recommended to increase the intake of this food group. In fact, some natural health experts advise a diet that is 75% raw foods.The flavorings and herbs used in cooking your lean meats and fish are very important as well in fighting inflammation. Turmeric, and its yellowing substance curcumin, are most commonly found in Indian foods like curry and in mustards. The author makes capsules of grocery store-bought turmeric, which has helped with arthritis symptoms. At least one naturopath has stated it works much like anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals, without the side effects. Ginger is another flavoring that has many healthful properties, one of which is an anti-inflammatory. Garlic has been the object of much research and has been shown to inhibit the growth of 23 organisms, including bacteria, mold and yeast. It is also very helpful as an anti-inflammatory.Remember, while adding spices like turmeric, it is just as important to decrease, if not eliminate,flavorings such as salt, sugar and artificial sweeteners. Also avoid colas, white flour products and junk foods.Just one precaution: Herbs and spices should be used with medical supervision if one is also taking medications because their medicinal properties can interfere with the drugs. When it comes to soy and soy products, the advice and research findings are contradictory. More research is needed on these foods.

In conclusion, if you want to reduce inflammation, eat healthier. Replace your processed foods with meals like cold water fish, chicken, salads, and steamed vegetables. Avoid deep-fried foods and hydrogenated oils. Bake or stir-fry instead of frying. Use olive oil, an omega-9 fatty acid, instead of corn and related oils.

Remember to always check with your pharmacist and/or physician prior to adding or eliminating anything to your medical regime.