Airway Inflammation

This pilot clinical trial will evaluate the feasibility and potential health effects of a nutrition-based intervention among adults living in communities affected by air pollution near the Port of Savannah, Georgia. Participants will be assigned to either a nutrition intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will receive biweekly grocery deliveries emphasizing foods naturally rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, including vitamins C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyphenols. The control group will continue their usual dietary practices during the study period. The study will evaluate whether the nutritional intervention is associated with changes in selected respiratory, oxidative stress, and cardiometabolic health indicators. Assessments will include fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) as a marker of airway inflammation, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in exhaled breath condensate as a marker of oxidative stress, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃) will also be monitored to characterize participants' household air-pollution exposures. Measurements will be collected at baseline and at subsequent study assessments, as specified for each outcome. Findings from this pilot study will be used to evaluate feasibility, estimate changes in health outcomes, and inform the design of a larger clinical trial investigating nutritional approaches to potentially reduce health effects associated with air-pollution exposure.

This project will investigate the effectiveness of HEPA air cleaners in reducing indoor air pollution and improving asthma morbidity in children living in East Harlem, New York City (NYC). The study will be conducted over a 2-year period. Columbia University and Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service (LSAFHS) will conduct an intervention study to evaluate the efficacy of using a cost-effective high-capacity high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air cleaner to reduce airborne particulate matter (PM) in the homes of children with asthma and to reduce their asthma morbidity. The study will take place in East Harlem, a low-income neighborhood with high asthma prevalence. It will build on findings from prior Housing and Urban Development Lead and Healthy Homes Technical Studies (HUD LHHTS)-funded research, the experience of LSAFHS installing air cleaners in the homes of asthmatic children, and recent findings demonstrating the effectiveness of home air cleaners in reducing asthma morbidity. The investigators hypothesize that the cost-effective single air cleaner will substantially reduce PM exposure in the homes of asthmatic children and reduce airway inflammation and asthma morbidity. This study will use cutting-edge air sampling technology to continuously quantify and characterize indoor air pollutants in the home for one year, verify and incentivize compliance, and conduct repeated exhaled nitric oxide and pulmonary function tests before and throughout the year after the intervention. This cost-effective intervention can be easily and quickly implemented in homes in low-income, urban communities and easily transferred between homes if families move.

This study will test whether astaxanthin, a naturally occurring antioxidant supplement, can improve lung function, reduce airway inflammation, and improve asthma control in adults with mild-to-moderate asthma. Participants will receive astaxanthin and placebo in random order in a double-blind crossover design. Each treatment period lasts 4 weeks and is separated by a 3-week washout period. The study also measures indoor and personal air pollution exposure to examine whether pollution influences asthma symptoms, airway responsiveness, and response to treatment. Exploratory thoracic bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy will be assessed alongside standard respiratory tests.

The goal of this study is to learn how the body's immune system affects disease control in people with different airway inflammatory diseases.We want to understand: 1.Whether specific immune cell patterns in the blood are linked to how severe the disease is or how well it is controlled. Participants will: 1. Answer questions about their health and symptoms. 2. Give blood samples 3. Have lung function tests and other standard check-ups. 4. share sleep study results. We will compare people with airway diseases to healthy volunteers to see how their immune systems differ.