Asthma rates climb for high school students as cannabis use increases

Asthma is more common among high school students who use cannabis, relative to those who do not and the prevalence of asthma increases with the frequency of its use among the students, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the City University of New York. The findings are published in the journal Pediatric Pulmonology.

Army of specialized T cells may trigger asthma attacks in older men

LA JOLLA, CA—Scientists from La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and The University of Southampton, UK, have uncovered a group of immune cells that may drive severe asthma. These cells, called cytotoxic CD4+ tissue-resident memory T cells, gather in the lungs and appear to possess the molecular weaponry to cause the most harm in men who developed asthma later in life.

CHOP Researchers Validate Pediatric “Allergic March” in Largest National Study of its Kind

In the largest study of its kind, researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) used electronic health record (EHR) data from more than 200,000 pediatric patients to describe patterns of pediatric allergies across the United States, validating a population-level pattern of allergy development known as the “allergic march,” in which allergies first present as eczema, followed by food allergies, asthma, and environmental allergies. The researchers also found that a rare food allergy called eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), which has historically been considered a disease affecting primarily White males, is more common among non-White patients than previously reported.

Asthma, COPD, Health Disparities Research, and Virtual Press Event: ATS 2023

We’re mere days away from the largest gathering of respiratory health professionals! You can still register to cover ATS 2023 in Washington, DC. Before you join us, here are some of the research abstracts that will be presented to this year’s gathering of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine health professionals.

Simple new tool allows primary caregivers to detect young kids at high risk of asthma

In the study, CHART was applied to data from 2,354 children participating in CHILD, a longitudinal research study launched in 2008 that has been following the physical, social and cognitive development of nearly 3,500 Canadian children from before birth.
From information about the children’s wheezing and coughing episodes, use of asthma medications, and related hospital visits at three years of age, CHART was able to predict with 91% accuracy which of these kids would have persistent wheeze—a key indicator of asthma—by age five.

NAU research collaborative receives $21M grant to continue pioneering work into health equity in the Southwest

A groundbreaking research collaborative at Northern Arizona University received another $21 million grant to continue its work to promote health equity and study health disparities among diverse populations of the American Southwest.

Key Mechanisms of Airway Relaxation in Asthma Revealed in New Study

Many therapeutics for asthma and other obstructive lung diseases target the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that rapidly supports airway relaxation when stimulated. Yet, overuse of these agents is associated with adverse health outcomes, including death, which has limited their utility as frontline therapies. Now, a mouse model study published in today’s issue of Molecular Cell, from investigators at University Hospitals (UH) and Case Western Reserve University, identifies a novel strategy to isolate the beneficial effects of β2AR stimulation. This suggests a new therapeutic approach to airway diseases as well as numerous other conditions involving the aberrant function of GPCRs.

Renowned Pulmonary Disease Specialist to Lead UCSF Pulmonology Program

Prescott Woodruff, MD, MPH, a renowned leader in the pathogenesis and treatment of airway disease, has been appointed chief of UC San Francisco’s Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine. Prescott will assume the role of chief on July 1.

NAVIGATOR Data Show Half of Patients with Severe, Uncontrolled Asthma Improved with Tezepelumab Therapy

A greater proportion of patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma had more significant clinical responses to tezepelumab than placebo, according to research published at the ATS 2022 international conference. The study showed that nearly half of those enrolled achieved complete response to treatment across measures of exacerbation reduction, asthma control, lung function, and clinician assessment.

Novel Therapeutic Strategies May Finally Bring Relief to Those Suffering from Asthma and Allergies

Asthma and allergies are chronic health conditions that continue to adversely impact the quality of life for many around the world. Thanks to exciting breakthroughs by Mark Siracusa, a researcher at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, there may be early signs of light at the end of the tunnel.