Respiratory Diseases

Get highlights from a new CDC report with the most recent number of reported cases, patterns of the outbreak, patient characteristics, and more. 

Findings: COPD patients who are lonely and depressed are at increased risk for ED use and hospital admission. Even mild depression is a risk factor.

Findings: Don’t blame patients for all inhaler-use errors; singing may help improve breathing, QOL; Rx adherence does improve over time; plus 3 more outcomes of interest.

A pulmonologist summarizes key research and guidance on the harmful effects of e-cigarettes. 

Cystic fibrosis treatment guidelines must evolve to keep pace with new treatments and disease knowledge. Try 7 questions on the latest iteration.

Pilot study success with a new cystic fibrosis treatment adherence tool may augur similar positive results from current RCT. Outcomes are due, soon.

Recent vaping behavior is the only commonality found among teens and young adults hospitalized in 2 midwestern states, for severe respiratory symptoms.

DALLAS--Results of 3 studies presented at the American Thoracic Society meeting this week focus on the predictive role of disease exacerbations, machine learning, and Hgb levels in COPD. 

DALLAS-At the American Thoracic Society meeting thought leaders cited disturbing trends in e-cigarette use by teens and warned of health dangers, known and unknown.

A 37-year-old man recently was diagnosed with asthma and prescribed a dry-powder inhaler. He says it's not working and actually making his symptoms worse. What's wrong?

"I'm having trouble catching my breath." "I can't pay for my inhaler." "I'm just so sad." They may not tell us, so we need to ask. Here's my experience.

Only 1 respondent to this physician’s poll had never discharged a patient. Those who had cited abusive behavior, dangerous noncompliance, intuition, and more.

Simultaneous events can confuse a clinical picture. In this case, the ECG offers clues to an event that occurred during an episode of bronchitis.

Beth is age 52, smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day, gets breathless in cold weather, and has had "bronchitis" twice this year. What's your diagnosis?

"Cindy" says she's using her albuterol inhaler up to 6 times a day, but her asthma is worse. A pulmonologist poses 4 questions that can lead to preferred Rx.

This compact yet detailed slide show offers primary care physicians a guide to essentials of IPF diagnosis and when to refer for pulmonary consult.

Dorothy is 55-years-old, has never smoked, and was well until 1 year ago when she first noticed mild dyspnea on exertion; it has gotten progressively worse.

A pulmonologist answers some of the most common questions he hears from colleagues and students about COPD exacerbations and their management.

What are the early warning signs and symptoms of IPF? Click through this concise overview of the disease and its differential diagnosis.

A pulmonologist describes an approach to guide the primary care clinician faced with a patient in whom interstitial lung disease is suspected.

A new study’s lead author notes, however, that lack of significant effect may have been secondary to important study limitations.

Lower respiratory infections in children seem to predispose to poor adult lung function, but causation and directionality have yet to be determined.

Household bleach may not lead to COPD, as recently reported in the lay press, but a number of respiratory dangers are present in many US homes.

Study authors propose a new asthma patient “phenotype” in which a previous severe event is the sole predictor of another one.

Results of a recent study into the role of lipids in atopic asthma could help identify new targets for therapy.

Some find new meta-analysis results disturbing; others say they underscore the need for more focused research.

Nicotine amounts aren't constant among cigar brands Even smokers of the same brand may be exposed to varying doses of nicotine and other smoke constituents.

Severe asthma symptoms but low allergy and inflammation levels may mean poor response to guideline-based therapy.

Study: Among adolescents age 13-19 years, those with asthma were twice as likely to smoke as their healthy counterparts. Solutions?