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Improving Functional Capacity In Patients With Chronic Lung Disease With High Intensity Respiratory Muscle Training
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,880.00
Summary
Patients with chronic respiratory disease have limited exercise capacity, which severely impairs their quality of life. The mechanisms responsible for this impairment may relate to their lung disease, or to the long-term effects that inactivity has on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs involving whole-body exercise are now widely used as an addition to standard medical therapy as a way of decreasing symptoms and optimising function. While these gene ....Patients with chronic respiratory disease have limited exercise capacity, which severely impairs their quality of life. The mechanisms responsible for this impairment may relate to their lung disease, or to the long-term effects that inactivity has on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs involving whole-body exercise are now widely used as an addition to standard medical therapy as a way of decreasing symptoms and optimising function. While these generalised, broad-based programs result in modest improvements in peripheral muscle function, cardiovascular function, functional exercise capacity and quality of life, it is now apparent they have little or no effect on respiratory muscle function, which is also greatly impaired in COPD. The aims of this study are to answer two longstanding questions that are fundamental to rehabilitation programs in patients with COPD (i) does a program of specific respiratory muscle training alone improve whole-body exercise capacity, dyspnoea, and-or quality of life? and (ii) does the addition of a program of specific respiratory muscle training to a standard whole-body exercise rehabilitation program result in improvemed exercise capacity, dyspnoea and-or quality of life to a greater degree than a program of whole-body exercise training alone? The study is of importance to patients with COPD by investigating the mechanisms underlying the improvement in exercise capacity following a rehabilitation program and the role of respiratory muscle training in such a program. By more accurately defining the mechanisms of exercise limitation we may be able to maximise the benefits obtained during a rehabilitation program, including improved work capacity, reduction in the degree of breathlessness and improved quality of life.Read moreRead less
Investigatin The Causes Of Failed Efferocytosis In COPD-emphysema With A View To Identifying Novel Theraputic Targets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,558.00
Summary
COPD is a leading cause of death. Smoking is the major cause of COPD and many sufferers are left with permanent damage and need ongoing treatment even after smoking cessation. Current treatments for COPD generally have limited efficacy. The project will identify the reason for the large number of dying cells and defective clearance of these cells that we have identified in the airways in COPD and study novel treatments that we hope will improve the health and well being of those with COPD.
Diagnostic Markers For Malignant Mesothelioma And Other Respiratory Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$467,315.00
Summary
The deadly asbestos-induced cancer mesothelioma is continuing to kill tens of thousands of individuals per year. We have been working on improving the tests available to detect this cancer and to follow the course of the disease with the aim of reducing patients' anxiety and health-care costs.
I am a clinical researcher determining: a) the role of altered airway structure, particularly airway smooth muscle and extracellular matrix, in asthma and COPD; and b) the prevalence of, and risk factors for, respiratory disease in general populations.
Duty Ratio: A Simple Method For Quantifying Loop Gain During Breathing Instability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$343,514.00
Summary
This proposal presents a new method for calculating the severity of sleep disordered breathing in patients. The proposal also tests the effectiveness of our method in experiments in animals and humans. The method, which requires no intervention in the patient, offers promise as a means for testing the efficacy of treatments for the unstable breathing pattern found in patients with heart failure in whom the presence of unstable breathing is associated with poor outcome.
Surfactant Protein D As A Candidate Therapy In COPD
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,749.00
Summary
Smoking -related chronic bronchitis and emphysema, otherwise known COPD, costs the healthcare system over $800 million per year. People continue to suffer even after they have given up smoking, and the treatments available result in only modest improvements. COPD is associated with a a defect of the scavenging cells in the lung, which normally clear away dying cells, and some of the proteins ivolved in this process. We will investigate whether supplementing these proteins will help.
The Role Of Apoptosis And Macrophage Function In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$463,400.00
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex, chronic disease of the lungs principally caused by cigarette smoking. COPD is very common and causes a great deal of debility and mortality in our community. COPD is also linked to an increased risk of lung cancer and carviovascular disease. It is estimated to cost Australians at least $800 million dollars per year in health related costs. Despite its importance, there is a limited understanding of how COPD develops and treatment options ....Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex, chronic disease of the lungs principally caused by cigarette smoking. COPD is very common and causes a great deal of debility and mortality in our community. COPD is also linked to an increased risk of lung cancer and carviovascular disease. It is estimated to cost Australians at least $800 million dollars per year in health related costs. Despite its importance, there is a limited understanding of how COPD develops and treatment options are limited. We have identified large numbers of dying cells in the airways of people with COPD and we believe that these play a critical part in the cause and-or progression of the illness. This project will determine whether the increased rates of cell death are the result of the COPD process or part of the actual cause of the disease. This knowledge will enable us to address the urgent need to predict the risk of developing COPD in current and ex- smokers. Cells obtained from the lungs of healthy controls, current- ex smokers without COPD and current- ex smokers with COPD will be studied. The effects of current treatments for COPD on these cells as well as testing novel treatments will also be studied, paying particular attention to the effects on cell death. In this way we hope that new therapies will be identified to improve the health and well-being of those with COPD.Read moreRead less
Modulation Of Macrophage Function As A Therapy For Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$435,589.00
Summary
We have established that defective clearance of dying cells by phagocytes in the airway can a) perpetuate inflammation in smokers with-without COPD and b) be improved by administration of therapies (Mannose binding lectin and Procysteine) in a mouse model. The current proposal specifically addresses the role of phagocytes in the ongoing airway damage in our COPD patients, and more thoroughly investigates the mechanisms and effects of administration of relevant new therapies (in a mouse model).
Local SAA Production Drives Glucocortosteriod Resistant Airway Inflammation In COPD
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,704.00
Summary
We have recently identified a blood marker termed SAA that is highly elevated during an acute attack of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) mainly caused by chest infections. These episodes are a major cause of hospitalisation. Our previous studies suggest that by measuring blood SAA levels we can prevent a worsening of the attack with early intervention. We are now exploring the biological role of SAA and whether blocking SAA activity will benefit COPD patients.