Role of Genetic Factors in the Pathogenesis of Lung Disease
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Summary
This study is designed to evaluate the genetics involved in the development of lung disease by surveying genes involved in the process of breathing and examining the genes in lung cells of patients with lung disease. The study will focus on defining the distribution of abnormal genes responsible for processes directly involved in different diseases affecting the lungs of patients and healthy volunteers. Optional CT Sub-study The standard CT scan will be compared to the low dose radiation CT scan for the 150 subjects enrolled in the sub-study to assess the variation between the two techniques. Specifically, the quantitative computer aided detection of lung CT abnormalities from LAM can be compared to assess whether low radiation dose CT exams is an alternative to conventional CT to monitor disease status. This optional sub-study will be offered to up to 100 adult subjects with lung disease and up to 50 children age 9 and older with CF. Children will not be enrolled in the optional CT sub-study unless they have had a standard CT scan for medical purposes to use in comparison. One additional low dose radiation CT scan of the chest may be done as part of this sub-study when these subjects have their next annual CT scan.
Description
This study is designed to evaluate genetic mechanisms of lung disease by surveying polymorphic genes involved in respiratory function and examining gene expression in the lung cells of individuals with pulmonary disease (e.g., alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, history of infection, and genetic mutations consistent with lung pathology). Emphasis will be on defining the distribution of allelic variants of nitric oxide synthase, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator genes in patie…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 2–90 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria for patients with AAT deficiency include: (1) Diagnosis of AAT with a confirmed phenotype considered in the high risk category; (2) Clinical phenotype consistent with potential genetic diseases and other genetic causes of lung diseases (3) symptoms consistent with pulmonary disease; (4) chest x-ray consistent with pulmonary disease; (5) pulmonary function tests consistent with pulmonary disease; (6) smokers, defined as individuals who are current smokers (1 pack per day for at least 2 years) and nonsmokers, defined as never-smokers or ex-smokers who ha…
Locations (2)
- Suburban HospitalBethesda, Maryland
- National Institutes of Health Clinical CenterBethesda, Maryland