Bradford lung disease drugs trial is a world first (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford lung disease drugs trial is a world first

10:00am Monday 15th October 2012 in Bradford By Claire Lomax

For the second time in two years a Bradford patient is the first in the world to be recruited for a new drug research trial which aims to improve the treatment of a debilitating lung disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is primarily caused by smoking, accounts for 1,000 admissions to Bradford Royal Infirmary each year.

Researchers at the Bradford Institute for Health Research have now recruited the first patient to try a new type of inhaler which is designed to open up their airways and aid breathing.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s consultant respiratory physician Dr Dinesh Saralaya, who is leading recruitment to the Novartis trial, said it was a huge achievement for Bradford.

He said: “The product we are trialing is an antimuscarinic agent. What this does is relax the lining of the breathing tubes and allows the patient to breathe better.”

“This trial gives Bradford patients access to the best treatment. This is an inhaler that you use once a day, in the morning, and allows patients to breathe better and experience less symptoms and enjoy a better quality of life.”

The first patient to be recruited is Julie Fairhurst, 58, of Wilsden, who was diagnosed with COPD six years ago.

The mother-of-four said: “Living with COPD, you have your good and bad days. I can still go swimming as it is good for me to stay fit as it opens up my lungs, but I can’t do things like I used to like carrying heavy bags, running, aerobics and climbing hills.

“I get very breathless and when it gets cold in the winter my symptoms get worse, like breathlessness, coughing fits, mucas on my chest, and I usually don’t recover from chest colds without the aid of antibiotics now.

“I’m on three inhalers – I take two of them every single day and another one when I am doing exercise. I heard about the study as I am under the care of Dr Saralaya at the BRI. His new study means that I will only have to carry one inhaler around with me and keep a spare one for when I am exercising.

“I’m more than happy to try anything that will ease my COPD.

“It makes me very proud to take studies like these. They are vital for patients like myself and it is brilliant that doctors like Dr Saralaya and his team of research nurses are helping put the city on the map for new medical innovations like this.”