title: Treatment of advanced emphysema with emphysematous lung sealant (AeriSeal®).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This report summarizes initial tests of an emphysematous lung synthetic polymer sealant (ELS) designed to reduce lung volume in patients with advanced emphysema.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary study objective was to define a therapeutic strategy to optimize treatment safety and effectiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  ELS therapy was administered bronchoscopically to 25 patients with heterogeneous emphysema in an open-label, noncontrolled study at 6 centers in Germany. Treatment was performed initially at 2-4 subsegments. After 12 weeks, patients were eligible for repeat therapy to a total of 6 sites. Safety and efficacy were assessed after 6 months. Responses were evaluated in terms of changes from baseline in lung physiology, functional capacity, and health-related quality of life. Follow-up is available for 21 of 25 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment was well tolerated. There were no treatment-related deaths (i.e., within 90 days of treatment), and an acceptable short- and long-term safety profile. Physiological and clinical benefits were observed at 24 weeks. Efficacy responses were better among Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage III patients [n = 14; change in residual volume/total lung capacity (ΔRV/TLC) = -7.4 ± 10.3%; Δ forced expiratory volume in 1 s (ΔFEV(1)) = +15.9 ± 22.6%; change in forced vital capacity (ΔFVC) = +24.1 ± 22.7%; change in carbon monoxide lung diffusion capacity (ΔDLCO) = +19.3 ± 34.8%; change in 6-min walk test (Δ6MWD) = +28.7 ± 59.6 m; change in Medical Research Council Dyspnea (ΔMRCD) score = -1.0 ± 1.04 units; change in St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (ΔSGRQ) score = -9.9 ± 15.3 units] than for GOLD stage IV patients (n = 7; ΔRV/TLC = -0.5 ± 6.4%; ΔFEV(1) = +2.3 ± 12.3%; ΔFVC = +2.6 ± 21.1%; ΔDLCO = -2.8 ± 17.2%; Δ6MWD = +28.3 ± 58.4 m; ΔMRCD = 0.3 ± 0.81 units; ΔSGRQ = -6.7 ± 7.0 units).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ELS therapy shows promise for treating patients with advanced heterogeneous emphysema. Additional studies to assess responses in a larger cohort with a longer follow-up are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxklinik am Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Felix.Herth @ thoraxklinik-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: F J F
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Herth
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gompelmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stanzel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonnet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Behr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Magnussen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eberhardt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014109:Total Lung Capacity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: C562023:AeriSeal; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol