Aspiration Pneumonia

Researchers are studying people who use intravenous drugs (PWIDs) to understand how often needle fragments remain in the body after injecting drugs and what factors contribute to this condition. Retained needle fragments can cause local pain, infections, or serious complications like needle emboli to the heart or lungs. The study aims to be the first large investigation into the frequency and risks of needle fragment retention among PWIDs, focusing on those receiving outpatient care at drug abuse service units. Participants will complete a questionnaire covering their drug use history, injection sites, and any related local symptoms. They will then undergo targeted low-dose X-ray imaging of common injection areas to detect retained needle fragments. Female participants under 50 will have a pregnancy test before imaging. The study includes an initial pilot with 20 participants to refine procedures, followed by recruitment of up to 100 total participants. During the study, researchers will collect information through questionnaires and X-ray imaging to identify needle fragment retention and related risk factors. They will also track how many participants have fragments surgically removed within five years after detection. The study involves outpatient volunteers who are currently in treatment and will last up to five years for follow-up of surgical outcomes and mortality risks associated with retained fragments.

Coughing is a common and distressing symptom for people with interstitial lung disease (ILD), affecting daily activities, work, and social life. This research explores a non-drug cough control therapy combined with pulmonary rehabilitation to see if it is practical and helps reduce chronic cough lasting more than eight weeks in ILD patients. The study aims to assess how well patients accept this therapy and whether it improves quality of life, cough symptoms, and fatigue compared to standard pulmonary rehabilitation alone. Participants will join a pulmonary rehabilitation program involving aerobic and strengthening exercises, disease-specific education, and self-management as usual care. Two weeks before finishing this program, they will receive four virtual sessions of 45 to 60 minutes each, focusing on cough control education and techniques. These sessions include assessing cough, learning suppression methods, breathing retraining, and reinforcing strategies to manage cough in daily life. During the study, researchers will track enrollment and attendance to measure feasibility, along with various clinical outcomes like cough severity questionnaires, fatigue scales, breathlessness ratings, and patient satisfaction interviews. The intervention is delivered online via Zoom, allowing remote participation. The total study duration averages one year, with ongoing assessments to understand the therapy's impact and participants' experiences.

Researchers are studying how different doses of opioids affect the diaphragm muscle's ability to generate stronger breathing efforts. This study focuses on adult patients undergoing lower extremity orthopedic surgery and aims to understand how opioid exposure changes diaphragm muscle function during breathing. Participants will be grouped based on receiving low, mid, or high doses of fentanyl, an opioid used for sedation during surgery. They will undergo ultrasound shear wave elastography examinations while performing various breathing techniques to measure muscle stiffness and response at different opioid dose levels. During the study, researchers will measure changes in muscle stiffness using Young's modulus derived from shear wave speed before and 10 minutes after opioid administration. Participants will have these assessments performed during surgery, and the study will monitor respiratory function to evaluate the effects of opioid doses on diaphragm strength and breathing mechanics.

Researchers are conducting an observational prospective study to build a large-scale multiomic database of adult patients undergoing advanced imaging studies. The study focuses on using recently introduced photon counting CT scanners and high-field 3T MRI scanners to explore latent imaging information, called "opportunist features," which may provide new insights into disease risk and progression. This research aims to improve understanding of pathological mechanisms and enhance diagnostic and prognostic accuracy in fields such as oncology, neurology, pulmonary, and cardiovascular diseases. The study enrolls consecutive adults undergoing advanced imaging examinations at a single center using the Photon Counting CT scanner (Neaotom Alpha, Siemens) and 3T MRI (MR 7700, Philips). Imaging raw data along with conventional images will be stored. Clinical, demographic, and laboratory information, including genetic test results when available, will be collected at enrollment. Blood samples for lab analysis will be taken during contrast media administration when applicable. Annual updates through clinical visits, telehealth, or phone interviews will be conducted to gather follow-up clinical, lab, and imaging data over a 10-year period. Participants will be asked to provide informed consent and undergo routine imaging and clinical assessments as part of their standard care. Data collection includes questionnaires, interviews, and automatic record updates when examinations occur at the study site. Researchers will monitor the development of imaging signatures linked to disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The primary outcome is the creation of a comprehensive multiomics archive to support broad scientific research, with yearly follow-ups for up to 10 years.

Researchers are evaluating a new device called the Linshom Continuous Predictive Respiratory Monitor (CPRM) to improve the early detection of respiratory depression episodes (RDE) in patients recovering from non-cardiac surgery. This observational study involves 320 post-operative patients in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) who receive supplemental oxygen and continuous monitoring. The study aims to compare the Linshom CPRM's ability to predict respiratory decline earlier than the current standard of care, including pulse oximetry and capnography. During the study, each participant will be fitted with a face mask containing the Linshom sensor connected to a monitor for continuous data collection. Additional monitoring devices include standard pulse oximeters and capnography equipment. Data will be recorded every second throughout the patient's entire stay in the PACU. Clinical interventions such as medication or oxygen adjustments will be noted alongside the sensor data, but the clinical staff will not have access to the Linshom CPRM data during the study. Participants will undergo continuous respiratory monitoring while receiving standard postoperative care. Research staff will collect detailed information on respiratory parameters like respiratory rate, tidal volume, and minute ventilation using the Linshom device. The main outcome measured is the Linshom CPRM's ability to predict respiratory depression episodes earlier than pulse oximetry. Data collection will continue through the PACU stay, and the study will analyze both non-inferiority and superiority of Linshom CPRM compared to current monitoring methods over 6 to 24 months.

Researchers are studying swallowing problems that may develop in very sick patients who need a machine to help them breathe. These patients require a tube placed in their throat, called an endotracheal tube, to allow the ventilator to push air into their lungs. After removing this tube, a condition called post-extubation dysphagia (PED) can occur, causing difficulty swallowing and risk of food or liquids entering the lungs, which may lead to lung problems. The study aims to better understand how often PED occurs, why it happens, and how to best detect it. Participants will receive several tests to evaluate swallowing function after extubation. These include a tracheal ultrasound within 72 hours before tube removal, demographic and clinical data collection, three different swallowing screening tests within 24 hours after extubation, and a fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES). The FEES exam uses a small flexible camera passed through the nose to view swallowing and assess for dysphagia. During the study, researchers will monitor swallowing ability and the presence of aspiration from extubation day 1 through hospital discharge, expected within 28 days. They will also assess other outcomes like laryngeal swelling and duration of mechanical ventilation. Participants may have videos of their swallowing recorded for evaluation by specialists. The total involvement includes these assessments and data collection during the hospital stay after extubation.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder often leading to oropharyngeal dysphagia, a swallowing problem that greatly impacts health and quality of life. This study aims to explore the clinical, biological, and brain-related factors behind swallowing difficulties in PD, focusing on how the brain may compensate for these problems. Researchers believe that swallowing issues are connected to disease severity, specific biological markers, and brain activity changes. The study is an observational, cross-sectional research involving 100 patients with PD at various disease stages. Participants will undergo a detailed swallowing assessment using flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), along with clinical evaluations of motor and non-motor symptoms, disease severity, and quality of life. Biological samples like blood and saliva will be collected to analyze markers linked to inflammation and neurodegeneration. Brain imaging with functional MRI, structural MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and muscle volumetry will examine swallowing-related brain activity and possible compensatory mechanisms. Participants will complete three main assessment blocks covering swallowing function, clinical and biological data, and neuroimaging tests. The primary outcome is dysphagia severity measured by FEES. Secondary outcomes include neural activation patterns, electromyography of swallowing muscles, cognitive function, swallowing-related quality of life, airway invasion severity, and pharyngeal residue severity. This comprehensive approach aims to improve understanding of swallowing problems in PD and support future targeted treatments to reduce complications and enhance patient care.

Researchers are evaluating the use of a special ultrasound method called backscatter quantitative ultrasound (bQUS) to examine a baby's lungs during the third trimester of pregnancy. This study aims to show if bQUS can successfully collect useful data from fetal lung ultrasound signals. The research is conducted in two phases: a feasibility phase with 5 participants to test technical viability, followed by a hypothesis-testing phase to include a total of 16 participants if the technique is deemed viable. The study involves a single 30-minute abdominal ultrasound scan between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. This scan uses a clinical ultrasound scanner that captures raw echo data of the fetal lung, which is then processed to analyze bQUS features. Aside from the specialized data collection, the ultrasound is similar to a regular fetal imaging procedure and does not involve any additional risks or discomfort. Participants will attend one study visit during which the ultrasound data will be acquired. Researchers will measure the number of participants enrolled as a sign of the feasibility of using bQUS and will quantify the variation of fetal lung microstructure features from the ultrasound data. The study is sponsored by the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and participants will be monitored only during this single visit lasting up to 30 minutes.

Researchers are evaluating the quality of chest CT images using different concentrations of iodine contrast agents combined with varying tube voltages. The study aims to determine whether low-concentration iodine contrast media with low tube voltage can produce images suitable for routine chest CT scans. This research focuses on optimizing chest CT protocols and improving image quality while potentially reducing contrast agent concentration. Participants will receive one of four chest CT scan protocols: conventional iodine contrast with conventional tube voltage, conventional iodine contrast with low tube voltage, low-concentration iodine contrast with low tube voltage, or ultra-low-concentration iodine contrast with low tube voltage. The iodine contrast media used are different concentrations of Iohexol, administered intravenously with a 100 mL injection followed by saline flushing, and CT images are captured 55 seconds after injection. During the study, participants will undergo a contrast-enhanced chest CT scan following the assigned protocol. Researchers will evaluate image quality aspects such as anatomic depiction, noise, contrast-related artifacts, and overall diagnostic acceptability. These assessments will be done up to 12 months after the CT scan. The study involves a randomized and double-blind design, and participants will be monitored to optimize chest CT imaging protocols using iodine contrast agents.

Researchers are studying how physical activity in areas with high air pollution affects children's lung health compared to rest in the same conditions. The study involves children aged 7 to 11 from primary schools in areas with different pollution levels, aiming to understand the impact of short-term air pollution on respiratory inflammation. This is a randomized, interventional study conducted by Queen Mary University of London. The study will include 330 children from 10 schools categorized by pollution levels. Children will participate in two types of outdoor sessions: a 90-minute physical education (PE) lesson and a 90-minute sedentary science lesson. During these sessions, children will wear activity monitors to track movement, while air pollution levels are measured in the playground. Lung health and immune responses will be assessed before, immediately after, and 24 hours post-exposure through breathing tests and nasal samples. Participants will be assessed at school on two separate days, including measurements of height, weight, and lung function using oscillometry. Nasal samples will be collected to analyze immune responses to pollution. The study measures airway resistance and small airway resistance to evaluate lung function changes. Overall participation will take about four hours, and the research seeks to compare respiratory effects between children in higher and lower pollution environments.