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,…

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…

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.

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.

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…