Dr. David Winter with Baylor Scott & White discusses the latest concerns about air quality in the US

David Winter, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers the most common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. How bad is the current air pollution in the northeastern U.S.? (SOT@ :14, TRT :42) Who is most…

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.

Susceptibility to Pathogenic T Cells in Chronic Lung Disease May Have Genetic Basis

UC San Francisco researchers have uncovered a surprising role for fibroblasts in the lungs in activating T cell inflammation that drives lung destruction in COPD exacerbation triggered by viral infection. They also identified a T cell subset that can be targeted to treat COPD exacerbations.

Peptide Treatment May Improve High White Blood Cell Count Associated with Smoking

Article title: Recombinant human β-defensin 2 delivery improves smoking-associated lung neutrophilia and bacterial exacerbation Authors: Nadia Milad, Marie Pineault, Gabrielle Bouffard, Michaël Maranda-Robitaille, Ariane Lechasseur, Marie-Josée Beaulieu, Sophie Aubin, Benjamin A. H. Jensen, Mathieu C. Morissette From the authors: This…

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.

Hackensack Meridian Health Seeks Disruptive Health Solutions through NJ Innovation Challenge

The Challenge seeks to reduce 30-day readmissions for: acute myocardial infarction (AMI); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); heart failure (HF); pneumonia; coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery; and elective primary total hip arthroplasty and/or total knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA).

“Lungs in a Box” Now Offered at Northwestern Medicine

Due to COVID-19 and a rapidly expanding list of conditions for which lung transplantation can be lifesaving, the need for new organs is growing. However, there’s a global shortage of donated lungs, which results in numerous deaths among patients on the waitlist. To help expand the donor pool, Northwestern Medicine is now using a device from XVIVO called XPS™ which is used for ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) – nicknamed “lungs in a box” – to rescue potentially viable lungs and those initially deemed “unacceptable” for transplant. Out of all solid organs, lungs have the lowest utilization, with only one in five donated lungs getting transplanted.

Study Finds Surprising Early COPD Risks for U.S. Hispanics/Latinos

A new study published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society provides the most exhaustive look to date at the risk factors, prevalence and population attributable risk (PAR) of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in U.S. Hispanics/Latinos under age 50. PAR estimates the proportion of disease attributable to exposure to disease-causing agents, such as smoking. The researchers used PAR to calculate the burden of early COPD that would be eliminated if the exposure did not take place.

Researchers reverse emphysema in mice by injecting blood vessel wall cells

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian in New York have discovered that injecting mice with pulmonary endothelial cells—the cells that line the walls of blood vessels in the lung—can reverse the symptoms of emphysema. The study, which will be published July 21 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), may lead to new treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory lung disease associated with smoking that is thought to be the third leading cause of death worldwide.

Study Links COVID-19 Public Health Efforts to Dramatic Drop in COPD Hospitalizations

Public health measures designed to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus may have fostered a substantial side benefit: A 53 percent drop in hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), likely due to a drop in circulating seasonal respiratory viruses such as influenza.

UB pharmacy researcher aims to develop real-time algorithm to lower hospital readmission rates

To lower hospital readmission rates for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), University at Buffalo pharmacy researcher David Jacobs has received a $962,000 award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to develop a real-time readmission risk prediction algorithm.

Blocking Cell Death Protein Reduces COPD-associated Inflammation, Lung Damage

Article title: Blockade of PD-1 decreases neutrophilic inflammation and lung damage in experimental COPD Authors Felix Ritzmann, Kai Borchardt, Giovanna Vella, Praneeth Chitirala, Adrian Angenendt, Christian Herr, Michael D. Menger, Markus Hoth, Annette Lis, Rainer M Bohle, Robert Bals, Christoph…

Nearly $500 million a year in Medicare costs goes to 7 services with no net health benefits

A UCLA-led study shows that physicians frequently order preventive medical services for adult Medicare beneficiaries that are considered unnecessary and of “low value” by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — at a cost of $478 million per year.

Amoeba Biology Reveals Potential Treatment Target for Lung Disease

In a series of experiments that began with amoebas — single-celled organisms that extend podlike appendages to move around — Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have identified a genetic pathway that could be activated to help sweep out mucus from the lungs of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease a widespread lung ailment.

New strategy blocks chronic lung disease in mice

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has uncovered a previously unknown role for exosomes in inflammatory respiratory diseases. The study has implications for finding new therapies. Exosomes are tiny compartments released from cells that carry different types of cargo, including inflammatory chemicals called cytokines that can drive lung disease.

NIH study shows hyaluronan is effective in treating chronic lung disease

NIH researchers and their collaborators found that inhaling unfragmented hyaluronan improves lung function in patients suffering from severe exacerbation of COPD. Hyaluronan is a sugar secreted by living tissue that acts as a scaffold for cells. Utilized as a treatment, hyaluronan decreased the number of days in the hospital.

Living Well with COPD – Everybody, Everywhere: The Forum of International Respiratory Societies

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease that causes breathlessness, chronic sputum production and cough. There are 300 million current cases of COPD in the world. COPD is currently the third leading cause of death globally and is highly prevalent in low resource countries. Exposure to tobacco smoke and other inhaled toxic particles and gases are the main risk factors for COPD, although recent research has identified that suboptimal lung growth before and after birth can also increase the risk of COPD later in life.

ATS Research Program, 4DMedical Announce Grant Opportunities for Research in Asthma, COPD and IPF

Today, the ATS Research Program announced three research grant opportunities with support from 4DMedical, a global medical technology company with a focus on lung health. With a total grant support of $150,000, each of the three $50,000 grants will fund research in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or COPD, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or IPF.

New Clinical Practice Guidelines on Non-Invasive Ventilation in Chronic Stable Hypercapnic COPD;

A subcommittee of the American Thoracic Society Assembly in Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology has released new clinical practice guidelines to help advise clinicians on the optimal management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic hypercapnia. Hypercapnia is the buildup of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream.

Baylor Scott & White Health Again Recognized as Most Awarded Not-for-profit Health System in Texas by U.S. News & World Report

In the midst of the extraordinary health challenge presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Baylor Scott & White Health remains committed to quality, safe care and helping Texas communities navigate the uncertainty of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Today, this commitment to safety and quality is recognized as U.S. News & World Report releases its 2020-2021 Best Hospitals list.

Abated Breath: From COVID-19 to Wildfire Smoke and Air Pollution, Multiple Factors Threaten Lung Health This Summer

As we continue to grapple with the global pandemic, rising summer temperatures and wildfire season pose new challenges to our lung health. A team of pulmonologists and researchers at UC San Diego Health offer a wide variety of expertise and…

LABA/LAMA Combination Therapy More Effective for COPD Patients with Exercise Intolerance

Clinicians grappling with the pharmacologic management of COPD in patients complaining of exercise intolerance or dyspnea now have new guidance. The American Thoracic Society has published an official clinical practice guideline in which a panel of experts strongly recommended LABA/LAMA combination therapy over LABA or LAMA alone. The complete guideline detailing all the recommendations was posted online ahead of print in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

UK Study Highlights Importance of Spirometry in Diagnosing COPD, Versus Over-Reliance on Medical Imaging

A UK study of patients participating in low-dose CT lung cancer screening highlights the importance of spirometry (breathing tests) in the assessment of possible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and demonstrates that over-reliance on radiological changes alone may result in detection of clinically insignificant disease. The new study is published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Traditional Biomass Stoves, Used Widely in Developing Nations, Shown to Elevate Indoor Air Pollutants, Cause Lung Inflammation

Traditional stoves that burn biomass materials and are not properly ventilated, which are widely used in developing nations where cooking is done indoors, have been shown to significantly increase indoor levels of harmful PM2.5 (miniscule atmospheric particulates) and carbon monoxide (CO) and to stimulate biological processes that cause lung inflammation and may lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

New hope for COPD patients possible with in-home device

In a new paper published Feb. 4 in JAMA, Mayo Clinic researchers describe the benefits of in-home noninvasive ventilation therapy ― which includes a type referred to as bilevel positive airway pressure, or BiPAP ― for many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The team identified a number of benefits, including reduced mortality, fewer hospital admissions, lower risk of intubation, improved shortness of breath, and fewer emergency department visits.

Wrist-Worn Step Trackers are as Accurate in Predicting Patient Health as Standardized Clinical Walking Tests, Researchers Find

In a new study, researchers at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City found that steps measured through a step tracker worn on the wrist can be used to estimate exercise capacity and determine the health status of patients, rather than the standardized six-minute walk distance test, which is usually conducted in a clinical setting.