Therapeutic Areas

Psychiatry/Psychology
Pulmonary/Respiratory Diseases
Sleep

Center Overview

Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Associates, P.A. (PDCCA) is a private practice of six pulmonologists specializing in pulmonary medicine, sleep medicine, and critical care medicine. The practice also boasts two part time board certified sleep physicians. A recent addition to our group is a board eligible behavioral sleep medicine psychologist. PDCCA has a busy office referral and provides critical care services for a community hospital critical care unit. PDCCA is committed to excellence in patient care. Due to this commitment, PDCCA has earned the respect of patients and referring physicians in our community. The research arm of PDCCA has been established with the main interest of contributing to the development of novel treatment options for patients with pulmonary and sleep disease. PDCCA has opened a new state of the art 6 bed Sleep Center in May, 2009. The center is available for day/night clinical research and sleep studies.

Clinical Research Experience

PDCCA provides comprehensive consultation services in many areas of pulmonary disease and treatment to include asthma, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and sarcoidosis. In addition our specialists diagnose and treat sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, snoring, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and narcolepsy. PDCCA has been conducting clinical research for over 3 years and has participated in "pilot studies," phase II, III, and IIIB/IV.

Our list of sponsors and CROs include:

Facility Description

The PDCCA private practice facility features a pulmonary function laboratory that includes body box plethysmography. The site has temperature controlled double locked storage, centrifuge, EKG, pulse oximetry, -20 degree freezer, locked refrigerator, and code box. The Center has experience with 24 hour Holter and serial spirometry including 24 hour spirometry studies. PDCCA has staff dedicated to research. PDCCA research staff has experience with many EDC systems and have been trained in GCP and ICH policies. The state of the art 6 bed sleep lab is available for daytime and nighttime sleep research studies. The facility has dedicated exam rooms for research patients and dedicated space for monitoring visits.

PDCCA’s state of the art Sleep Center offers full polysomnograms for sleep disordered breathing and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)/ bilevel titration (BIPAP), multiple sleep latency testing (MSLT) for excessive daytime somnolence such as narcolepsy, tests for abnormal behaviors during sleep such as rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder.

Investigator Experience

Principal Investigator:

David O. Nyanjom, M.D.; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
Dr. Nyanjom is the Medical Director of PDCCA Clinical Research Program

Sub-Investigators:

Fernando DeLeon, M.D.; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Francis Chuidian, M.D., F.C.C.P.; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Bernard P. Farrell, M.D., F.C.C.P., Pulmonary Medicine

Edward W. Schaefer, M.D.; Pulmonary, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine

Emerson W. Wickwire, PhD LCP; Behavioral Sleep Medicine Specialist., Licensed Clinical Pyschologist.
Dr. Wickwire is the Co-Director of Center for Sleep Disorders

Kaiser A. Ahmad, M.D. ABSIM; Pulmonary, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine

All of our pulmonologists act as Sub-Investigators assuring that a PI or Sub-I is always present during clinical research visits.

Staff Expertise

Tracy Pino, CRTT
Clinical Manager, PDCCA
Research Coordinator
13 years Pulmonary Function Testing
3 years research experience

Adrianne Barnes
M.A. Psychology
Research Assistant
1 year research experience

Patient Demographics

PDCCA is located in Columbia (Howard County), Maryland. Patient referrals come from adjacent counties including Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, Carroll County, Montgomery County, and Frederick County. The clinical practice has over 5000 patient encounters annually. Given some of the unique features and history of these counties, the ethnic and socio-economic background of these referrals are extremely diverse. The large referral base therefore minimizes the need for advertising and recruitment outside of the practice.

Other Information

PDCCA uses a central IRB for all studies, along with central laboratories. The practice is unique in that it has been recognized as a "great add-on site" due to our ability to quickly turn around regulatory documents (within 10 business days) and rapidly recruit patients to meet recruitment deadlines.

Contact Center

If you are interested in contacting this center to discuss placing a clinical trial there, please complete and send the email form below. A representative from the research center will then follow up with you.