Bronchiolitis Obliterans Clinical Trials 2023

What are Bronchiolitis Obliterans Clinical Trials?

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is a rare chronic lung disease that leads to the narrowing of the lungs' airways due to inflammation and scar tissue. BO is also known as popcorn lung because it was first diagnosed in industrial workers at microwave popcorn manufacturing factories exposed to diacetyl, a chemical used to create artificial flavors.

This disease can develop from inhaling other toxic fumes such as Acetaldehyde and formaldehyde (found in e-cigarettes), sulfur dioxide (from fossil fuel burning), metal oxide fumes (released from welding), ammonia, and chlorine. Severe lung infections such as a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can also lead to BO.

Although rare in the general population, BO is seen in lung transplantation cases where the body rejects the transplanted lung. 50% of transplant receivers develop BO in the first five years; in these cases, it is known as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS ).

Early symptoms of BO include dry cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and lethargy that start two to eight weeks after initial exposure. These symptoms worsen over time, and there is currently no cure.

Why Are Bronchiolitis Obliterans Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?

The lung damage caused by bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is irreversible and reoccurring. Current therapies can only slow down the rate of lung deterioration. BO affects 75% of lung transplant recipients in the following ten years and 10% of bone marrow recipients. This data shows the need to improve therapies after organ transplants to reduce organ rejection rates and prevent BO from developing.

Clinical trials are vital as they allow researchers to improve early detection methods and test new combinations of drugs that may be more effective than current post-transplant treatments. For cases of idiopathic BO, studies can help discover new causes and risk factors that healthcare professionals are unaware of.

What Treatment is Available for Bronchiolitis Obliterans?

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is diagnosed on patient history, pulmonary function testing, medical imaging, and lung biopsy. Once confirmed, patients have been prescribed a combination of medications. These are listed below:

• Corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation
• immunosuppressive drugs to hinder the body’s immune response
• Inhalers to assist breathing

Patients suffering from hypoxemia are also supplemented with oxygen. People suffering from BO are more likely to develop BO repeatedly and are susceptible to other respiratory infections. Vaccinations are encouraged to prevent further complications from disease pneumonia and influenza.

What are Some Recent Bronchiolitis Obliterans Clinical Trial Breakthroughs?

2015: A clinical trial that studied the effectiveness of fluticasone, azithromycin, and montelukast in treating bronchiolitis obliterans in transplant cases. Results from this trial were promising as the drug combination was well tolerated and showed signs of slowing down the lung damage.

2020: A clinical trial that studied the effects of cyclosporine inhalation solution (CIS) in stem cell and lung transplant patients who were diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). Sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), this study tested lung function and observed the quality of life in 25 patients aged 10 – 80. Results showed that patients with BOS can benefit from CIS therapy in combination with other medications.