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 therapys impact and participants experiences.

Researchers are evaluating how different doses of opioids affect the strength of the diaphragm muscle during elective lower extremity orthopedic surgery. This study focuses on measuring the diaphragms ability to generate stronger breathing efforts under varying opioid exposure. It is a Phase 4, randomized, and triple-blinded trial conducted to understand opioid impacts on respiratory function. Participants will be assigned to one of three groups receiving low, mid, or higher doses of fentanyl injections as part of their standard sedation during surgery. Each group will undergo an ultrasound shear wave elastography examination to assess diaphragm muscle stiffness while performing various breathing techniques. The study measures changes in Youngs modulus derived from shear wave speed before and 10 minutes after opioid administration. During the study, participants will have ultrasound exams to monitor diaphragm function and breathing patterns. Researchers will collect data on diaphragm muscle strength changes related to opioid dose. The study involves monitoring at baseline and post-opioid dosing to understand respiratory muscle response. Participants will be tracked through the surgery and immediate postoperative period, with overall study completion expected by 2027.

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 CPRMs 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 patients 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 CPRMs 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.

This trial studies preterm infants born before 34 weeks of gestation who require non-invasive respiratory support. It compares closed-loop automated oxygen control CLAC with manual oxygen control to see if CLAC can reduce the time infants need supplemental oxygen and improve how well oxygen levels are kept within target ranges. The study also looks at whether CLAC lowers risks of low or high oxygen levels, reduces manual adjustments to oxygen settings, and decreases complications like bronchopulmonary dysplasia BPD. Participants will be randomly assigned to either automated oxygen control using the OxyGenie software or to manual oxygen control. Both groups receive non-invasive support such as nasal CPAP, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation, or humidified high flow nasal cannula oxygen. Oxygen settings are adjusted as needed by clinical staff. The study is conducted at a single hospital neonatal intensive care unit and includes continuous monitoring with standard bedside monitors and specialized sensors. Parents provide consent for infants to join soon after starting non-invasive respiratory support, and infants are followed until they stop needing this support, reach 36 weeks postmenstrual age, or are discharged. Researchers will track time spent on ventilation, oxygen saturation within target ranges, low and high oxygen episodes, number of manual oxygen adjustments, total oxygen treatment duration, length of hospital stay, and occurrence of BPD at 36 weeks. This comprehensive monitoring aims to assess how automated oxygen control affects infant outcomes during their early care.

Parkinsons 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 exploring the use of a specialized ultrasound technique called backscatter quantitative ultrasound bQUS to assess fetal lung development during late pregnancy. This observational study focuses on pregnant females between 18 and 45 years old who have a single, live fetus and are between 32.1 and 36.7 weeks of gestation. The study aims to demonstrate whether bQUS can technically capture useful data during routine third-trimester ultrasound scans and to analyze the variation of lung features across the population. Participants will undergo one ultrasound session lasting up to 30 minutes, where standard abdominal fetal imaging is performed using a scanner capable of capturing raw ultrasound data for offline bQUS analysis. The study has two phases an initial feasibility phase with 5 participants to assess technical viability, followed by a hypothesis-testing phase to recruit up to 16 participants for population analysis if feasible. The ultrasound procedure is similar to routine care, with no perceptible difference for participants besides the time needed for data capture. During the single study visit, researchers will collect non-processed ultrasound echo signals and analyze them to measure fetal lung microstructure. The primary outcome is the number of participants enrolled as a measure of feasibility. Secondary outcomes include the population variance of lung ultrasound features. The study includes monitoring for technical challenges and involves no additional procedures beyond the ultrasound. Total participant involvement is one visit lasting approximately 30 minutes.

Researchers are studying children aged 7 to 11 to understand how physical activity in areas with high air pollution affects lung health compared to rest in the same conditions. The study focuses on children attending schools classified by their air pollution levels, aiming to assess airway resistance and inflammation related to pollution exposure during physical activity versus sedentary behavior. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a 90-minute outdoor physical education PE lesson or a 90-minute outdoor science lesson, both conducted in their school playgrounds. During these sessions, children will wear activity monitors to track their movements, and air pollution levels will be recorded. Lung health assessments including height, weight, breathing tests, and nasal samples will be collected before and after the sessions. Children will be assessed on two separate days, with lung function and immune response tests conducted immediately after and 24 hours post-exposure. The study involves about four hours of total participation time, including health assessments and activity or rest sessions. Researchers will compare lung health changes between children in higher and lower pollution schools to understand the impact of air pollution during physical activity.