Jack A Coleman
The Lung Health Institute, USA
Title: The effect of regenerative medicine interventions on non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis
Biography
Biography: Jack A Coleman
Abstract
Bronchiectasis is a chronic disease of the lungs that results most commonly from an infectious process. There is often differentiation between Cystic Fibrosis related bronchiectasis caused by a genetic defect and non-Cystic Fibrosis related bronchiectasis. In this presentation, we will be discussing non-Cystic Fibrosis related bronchiectasis and will refer to it as simply bronchiectasis. The infections result in abnormal distortion of the bronchi consisting of dilation. This results in colonization by bacteria and chronic inflammation of the airways causing cough, purulent sputum, hemoptysis, dyspnea, chest pain fever, weakness and weight loss. Exacerbations have been common in the past but less so with more aggressive antibiotic therapy. Decreasing lung function results in eventual death with rates varying with reports from 58% 4year survival to 81% at 14 years. In this study, we have attempted to try and control or alter the rate of progress of the disease and improve the patient’s quality of life by utilizing Regenerative Medicine methods to try and control the damaging inflammatory process within the lungs. Patients underwent cellular therapy with their own cells harvested from peripheral blood or bone marrow along with platelet-rich plasma. This was done as a standardized protocol in an office setting. Safety and response rate for the protocol used has previously been reported. At the time of initial evaluation, PFT and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) studies were administered as well as severity scores for the disease. Follow up studies at 3 months were also done and will be presented here.