Embargoed for release May 20, 2001
COLUMBUS CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE RELEASES STUDY FINDINGS REVEALING INFANTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS HAVE MILD OBSTRUCTION
Baseline Measurements Collected by Using New "Adult-type" Infant Pulmonary Function Testing Device
COLUMBUS, OHIO, MAY 20, 2001-- A clinical study, presented at the 2001 American Thoracic Society Meeting on Sunday, May 20, revealed that infants with cystic fibrosis have mild obstruction. The study concluded that the baseline levels of obstruction appear to increase over the first three years of life. The findings were presented by pulmonologist and researcher Robert Castile, M.D., of Children's Research Institute, located at Columbus Children's Hospital. The measurements were collected using the first "adult-type" infant pulmonary function testing device.
Developed by Dr. Castile, this device allows doctors to measure the effectiveness of treatment for lung disease in infants and toddlers using the same tests used to evaluate lung function in older children and adults. Now, diagnoses can be made and treatments initiated at a younger age. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation have collaborated with Children's Hospital of Columbus to test the device. Collins Medical, Inc. will manufacture the device, which has been submitted for FDA approval.
"Designed specifically for use in infants and young children who cannot voluntarily perform pulmonary function tests, this device works by producing a pause in the infant's breathing, inflating the lungs fully and then applying a gentle pressure to the infant's chest and abdomen to produce a maximum blowing maneuver," explained Dr. Castile. "The device permits the collection of a number of pulmonary function measurements including spirometry and plethysmographic fractional lung volumes. Defining levels of lung function and understanding how lung disease progresses in infants with cystic fibrosis represent an essential first step in the process of developing and testing new therapies for these children.We are currently working with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Therapeutic Development Network to develop a multi-center system for testing new therapies for infants with cystic fibrosis using this new device."
Columbus Children's Hospital ranks among the top 10 in NIH research awards and grants to freestanding children's hospitals in the country. With nearly 500,000 patient visits each year, Children's Hospital is a 107-year-old pediatric healthcare network treating newborns through age 21. In 2000, the Children's Research Institute conducted more than 90 research projects. Pediatric Clinical Trials International (PCTI), a site management organization affiliated with the hospital, also coordinated 43 clinical trials. In addition to having one of the largest ambulatory programs in the country, Children's offers specialty programs and services, including more than 18 support groups. Each year, more than 75,000 consumers receive health and wellness education and 2,500 students from 50 institutions and 500 residents receive training at Children's. More information on Children's Hospital of Columbus is available by calling (614) 722-KIDS (5437) or through the hospital's Web site at http://www.childrenscolumbus.org.
The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is to assure the development of the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis and to improve the quality of life for those with the disease. The Therapeutics Development Network was created in 1998 to capitalize on the increasing number of discoveries being made about the basic defect in cystic fibrosis. By establishing specialized clinical care centers, researchers can seize these opportunities to intervene in the disease process through new cystic fibrosis treatments. Current clinical research through the network includes early-phase evaluations of several novel cystic fibrosis therapies.
Collins Medical, Inc., a Ferraris, PLC Company located in Braintree, MA, manufactures Pulmonary Function Diagnostic Equipment. Collins Medical, Inc. has been supplying the Pulmonary Medical Industry for over 80 years with innovative solutions beginning with the Iron Lung during the Polio Epidemic. Collins Medical, Inc. is in a new phase of product development, which includes Neonatal and Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine.
Cystic fibrosis is a complex genetic disease that affects about 30,000 children and adults in this country. Despite the increased median survival age for individuals with cystic fibrosis (now up to 32.2 years), the disease remains fatal. Therefore, life-saving therapeutics must be developed. For more information on cystic fibrosis, call (800) FIGHT CF or visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Web site at http://www.cff.org.
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