Available for interview on breaking news, trending topics in respiratory medicine
Tag: Lung Health
Contracting RSV Before Age 2 Can Cause Long-term Lung Changes and Impairment
Infants and children who have severe cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) before age 2 are likely to have changes to their lung structure and function that could affect respiratory health later in life.
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.
Urban Pollution Changes Properties of Lung Cells, Causes Fibrosis
Article title: Complex urban atmosphere alters alveolar stem cells niche properties and drives lung fibrosis Authors: Randa Belgacemi, Bruno Ribeiro Baptista, Grégoire Justeau, Marylène Toigo, Andrew Frauenpreis, Rojda Yilmaz, Audrey Der Vartanian, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Antonin Bergé, Aline Gratien,…
Importance of early-life factors identified in new lung health study
New insights into the importance of early-life factors on lung health have been unveiled in the most comprehensive study of its kind, led by the Universities of Essex and Bristol.
Health risk of graphene residues investigated
Empa researchers have studied residues from the incineration of graphene-containing plastics. Conclusion of the study: Burned composite materials containing graphene nanoparticles can be considered harmless in case of acute exposure.
Researchers Suggest Continued Heart and Lung Monitoring after COVID-19 for People with Highly Physical Jobs
Article title: The effect of medium-term recovery status after COVID-19 illness on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in a physically active adult population Authors: Peter Ladlow, Oliver O’Sullivan, Alexander N. Bennett, Robert Barker-Davies, Andrew Houston, Rebecca Chamley, Samantha May, Daniel Mills, Dominic…
FIRS Partners Address Tobacco Industry for World No Tobacco Day
On World No Tobacco Day, May 31, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), of which the American Thoracic Society is a member, is voicing concerns over the tobacco industry’s impact on environmental health and ultimately lung health.
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Position Statement Recommends Addressing Palliative Care Early in Patient Journey
New Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) position statement advises that pulmonologists who treat patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) explore palliative care resources available in their communities to facilitate early referral and better quality of life.
Smokers – you’re at risk for this disease
According to the Surgeon General, 14% of Americans smoke and 16 million suffer from smoking-related diseases. Pulmonary fibrosis, a debilitating disease often caused by tobacco usage, is little-known among smokers. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation shares insights on critical risk factors.
Study reveals how smoking worsens COVID-19 infection in the airways
UCLA researchers using a model of airway tissue created from human stem cells have pinpointed how smoking cigarettes causes more severe infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the airways of the lungs.
Aging Limits Lung Cells’ Ability to Regenerate after Injury
A new study in mice explores the effect of aging on the regenerative properties of lung cells after lung injury. The study is published in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. It was chosen as an APSselect article for November.
Healthy Lung Month: Know these pulmonary fibrosis risk factors
October is Healthy Lung Month, an apt time to educate the public about the importance of protecting our lungs against mold, airborne pollutants and smoking – which put hundreds of thousands of Americans at higher risk for pulmonary fibrosis (PF).
Ultrasound Technique Offers More Precise, Quantified Assessments of Lung Health
Researchers have developed a technique that uses ultrasound to provide non-invasive assessments of pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary edema. The technique has been shown to both quantify lung scarring and detect lung fluid in rats. A study on pulmonary edema in humans is under way.
Face Masks Unlikely to Cause Over-exposure to Carbon Dioxide, Even in Patients with Lung Disease
New research findings contradict statements linking wearing face masks to carbon dioxide poisoning by trapping CO2. During the COVID-19 pandemic the wearing of face masks has become a highly political issue with some individuals falsely claiming that wearing face masks may be putting people’s health at risk. The study published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society shows otherwise.
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.
Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month Highlights Realities of Rare Disease
September’s Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month shares crucial realities and insights about the rare disease, its symptoms and helpful resources provided by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation to educate the public about this devastating disease which impacts over 200,000 Americans.
Bounce Back Better: Sustainable Strategies for a Healthy Recovery from the Pandemic
The American Thoracic Society (ATS), European Respiratory Society (ERS) and International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) are dedicated to improving health around the globe, with ATS and ERS achieving this goal by advancing research, patient care and public health in pulmonary diseases, while ISEE advances research on environment and health.
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…
ATS Publishes New Guidance on Safely Restoring Elective Pulmonary and Sleep Services
An American Thoracic Society-led international task force has released a guidance document to help guide clinicians on restoring elective in-person pulmonary and sleep services as COVID-19 incidence decreases in their communities. The new guidance, published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, is titled “Restoring Pulmonary and Sleep Services as the COVID-19 Pandemic Lessens.”
Estrogen’s Regulation of ACE2 Expression in Lungs Could Explain COVID-19 Sex Differences
Article title: Estrogen regulates the expression of SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 in differentiated airway epithelial cells Authors: Kimberly E. Stelzig, Fabrizio Canepa-Escaro, Marta Schiliro, Sergejs Berdnikovs, Y. S. Prakash, Sergio E. Chiarella From the authors: “Given the striking sexual dimorphism in the COVID-19…
“For My Lung Health” Campaign Promotes Lung Health Education in Underserved Black and Latino Communities
This month the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) launched For My Lung Health, a patient-education website and media campaign. Using public service announcements and an education-based website, For My Lung Health focuses on empowering people from underserved communities who live with chronic lung disease.
Improving Lung Capacity Pre- and Post-COVID-19
For many patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19, surviving the virus is only half of the battle. Once deemed virus-free and ready to be sent home, the often-long road to recovery – including rebuilding lung capacity and overall respiratory health – begins. Two Cedars-Sinai respiratory therapists explain what roadblocks these hospital-admitted patients face when it comes to lung health and offer tips for non-patients looking to improve their overall respiratory health.
Cover Clinical Trials Session, June 24, Before ATS 2020 Virtual Kick-Off
ATS 2020 Virtual is taking place on Aug. 5-10, but you can register for “Breaking News: Clinical Trial Results in Pulmonary Medicine,” a preview session taking place on June 24 at 2-3:45 pm ET. Review program details here. Please note that all content for the Clinical Trial Results session is embargoed until 2 p.m. ET June 24.
New Study Identifies Characteristics of Patients With Fatal COVID-19
In a new study, researchers identified the most common characteristics of 85 COVID-19 patients who died in Wuhan, China in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. The study reports on commonalities of the largest group of coronavirus patient deaths to be studied to date. The paper was published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
ATS Foundation Research Program Announces Unrestricted Grant Recipients for the 2019 Cycle
The ATS Foundation Research Program has announced that 17 researchers have been awarded one-year $40,000 Unrestricted Research Grants to advance pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.
GW Experts Are Available to Speak for Stories during Lung Cancer Awareness Month
WASHINGTON (Oct. 30, 2019) — November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and according to the American Cancer Society, more than 220,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year. The George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center has various experts…
Women with Asthma Appear More Likely to Have Lower Levels of Testosterone
Women with asthma appear more likely to have lower levels of “free” (not attached to proteins) testosterone than women who do not have asthma, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.