Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Long-term treatment with Olympus’ Spiration Valve System (SVS) safely led to sustained improvements in lung function — and in life quality — among people with severe emphysema, a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). That’s according to two-year follow-up data from the EMPOWER trial, which had tested…

While smoking is a known risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heavy smokers can exhibit a series of respiratory symptoms without developing airflow blockage – one of the criteria to diagnose COPD – a study reports. The findings, which are based on the long-term follow-up of participants…

Grifols’ test kit to detect alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (alpha-1), called AlphaID At Home, is now available for consumers in the U.S., the company announced. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the kit, which doesn’t require a medical prescription, last year, letting adults living in the U.S. assess…

The benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be tied to changes in oral microbiota, the natural community of microbes in the mouth, a study suggests. Pulmonary rehabilitation for 12 weeks prevented a drop in Rothia bacteria, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, and…

Kaia Health’s smartphone app, designed to help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) manage their breathing symptoms at home, can now be prescribed by medical providers in Germany and is covered by statutory health insurance in that country, the company announced. The app, called Kaia COPD, offers…

Hospital admission rates for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma increased by 59.1% in England and Wales between 1999 and 2020, a 21-year follow-up study reported. COPD accompanied by acute lower respiratory infection accounted for 38.7% of hospital admissions, and more than half of admitted patients…

Measuring inflammatory markers during routine blood tests in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could acute exacerbations at risk of experiencing worse outcomes, according to a small literature review study. Specifically, the researchers suggest measuring the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) — an indicator of systemic or body-wide inflammation. The…

AstraZeneca has acquired the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize C4X Discovery’s oral NRF2 activator for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other inflammatory and respiratory diseases. The activator program aims to harness the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of NRF2 in these conditions, although COPD will be…

Therapeutic Solutions International (TSOI) has launched a pharmaceutical spin-off — Breathe Biologics — that will take the lead in developing and marketing therapies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including JadiCell, its investigational stem cell therapy. TSOI has licensed to Breathe Biologics the investigational new drug (IND) application for…

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) a study of patients in Spain reported, with depression linked to a greater risk of a repeat hospitalization due to acute disease worsening. No association, however, was found between prognosis, or the disease’s likely course,…