Volunteers wanted for study

The Peninsula Medical Centre is looking for volunteers aged between 45 and 80 with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for a new study.

The Aridol Challenge test, developed by Australian researchers and under licence to local specialist pharmaceutical company Pharmaxis Ltd, could potentially change the way that doctors treat the disease.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is the name given to the family of lung diseases that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

The Aridol Challenge test is a simple bronchial provocation test (up to 25 minutes long) that requires the patient to inhale small doses of mannitol, a naturally-occurring sugar that has been specially formulated for inhalation.

The way in which the patient's airways react to the test may indicate whether or not they will respond to specific treatments, such as inhaled corticosteroids.

Doctors then use the results of this test to measure the patient's disease severity and determine which medications and what dosage are needed to treat it.

According to Professor Peter Frith, principal coordinating investigator and Head of Respiratory Services at Adelaide's Flinders Medical Centre, participation in this study will help Australian doctors diagnose the severity of a patient's disease, assess their need for medication both simply and accurately, and monitor how effectively their medication is working.

This will permit treatment of a person's disease using the most appropriate medication.

Doctors are seeking volunteers who meet certain criteria for the 13-week study.

Participants must be aged 45 to 80 years old, have mild-to-moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, are a current or ex-smoker and have a bad cough or are often short of breath.

According to Dr Michael Crookes, a general practitioner at the Peninsula Medical Centre, the study is open to adults of both sexes with symptoms of the disease.

"This could include those people who have recently been diagnosed, or those who have been experiencing symptoms for some time and have been using medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids, as part of their treatment," said Dr Crookes.

Dr Crookes said people who want to volunteer for the study could call the Australian Lung Foundation hotline on 1800 818 545 or visit www.lungnet.org.au to register their interest by December 19.

Volunteers are required to attend treatment centres at the Peninsula Medical Centre, Umina.

Once eligibility is confirmed, the patients would need to visit the treatment centre on four occasions over a period of 13 weeks.

The patients would be asked to complete questionnaires, undertake the test, perform lung function tests, take an inhaler for 12 weeks, and to keep a diary of their symptoms.

All patients enrolled in the study would receive quality medical care plus their transport expenses to and from appointments.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is the most burdensome respiratory disease in Australia and the fourth most common cause of death.

The disease affects one in 10 Australians over the age of 45.

It is a disease in which the airways and air sacs inside the lungs are partially obstructed or destroyed, making it hard to breathe.

People with the disease suffer from constant coughing, excessive production of phlegm and increasing shortness of breath that restricts their physical capacity.

Press release, November 7 Viva Communications