Sample Collections From the Airways of Asthmatic Patients

Recruiting

• Conditions: Asthma

• Registration Number: NCT00001888
• Lead Sponsor: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Brief Summary

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a procedure which involves passing a pencil-thin tube into the lung in order to collect fluid and cells from the airways. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy can collect cells from the walls of airways by gently brushing them (bronchial brushing). In addition, squirting small amounts of sterile water in to the airway and gently suctioning it back into the bronchoscope (bronchoalveolar lavage) collects cells.

In this study, researchers plan to perform these tests on patients with asthma and normal volunteers. This research may help to improve the understanding of the processes involved in airway inflammation and asthma.

Detailed Description

This tissue procurement protocol proposes to perform bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial brushings, and bronchial wall biopsies, as well as to collect samples of sputum, exhaled breath condensates and blood, in order to evaluate the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and airway remodeling in asthmatic subjects.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 1999-06-02
• Study First Submitted: 1999-11-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 1999-11-03
• Study First Posted: 1999-11-04
• Status Verified: 2024-09-20
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-23
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-24

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 2000

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Assess the role of apolipoprotein and lipid pathways in asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects.	ongoing	These studies will increase the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying asthmatic airway inflammation and may identify novel therapeutic targets.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Assess the role of exosome-associated proteins and receptors in the regulation of airway inflammatory responses	ongoing	These studies will increase the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying asthmatic airway inflammation and may identify novel therapeutic targets.
Assess the relative contribution of specific soluble pro-inflammatory cytokines and receptors in asthmatic bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in mediating airway structural and inflammatory cell responses	ongoing	These studies will increase the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying asthmatic airway inflammation and may identify novel therapeutic targets.
Assess the expression, regulation, and function of proteins regulating the release of soluble receptors and mediators from asthmatic inflammatory and structural cell populations	ongoing	These studies will increase the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying asthmatic airway inflammation and may identify novel therapeutic targets.
Assess the expression, regulation, and function of differentially expressed proteins and genes in human airway structural and inflammatory cell populations in asthma	ongoing	These studies will increase the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying asthmatic airway inflammation and may identify novel therapeutic targets.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center; 🇺🇸 Bethesda, Maryland, United States