News

November is National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month, and to recognize it and the people with this disease, the testing laboratory EMSL Analytical reminded patients of indoor air quality pollutants, irritants, and allergens that can aggravate their condition. According to EMSL, indoor air pollutants and allergens that…

The criteria used to diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should be expanded beyond measurements of lung function, a new study suggests. The study, “COPDGene 2019: Redefining the Diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,” was published in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD…

AlphaID, a cheek swab test that can help identify patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have the disease due to alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), is now available for use by U.S. physicians and healthcare providers. AATD, which also is known as hereditary pulmonary emphysema, is…

A new public-private initiative brings academic and industry researchers from 15 European countries together in a large-scale effort to understand differences and commonalities in seven immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), so to better predict a patient’s likely response to treatment and likely disease progression. The…

A new national report from the Ontario Lung Association (OLA) highlights significant knowledge gaps about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD that often prevent Canadians with the inflammatory disease from being properly diagnosed and treated. Called “Helping the Missing Million,” the national report was based on…

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have more acute episodes of symptom worsening (exacerbations) during the coldest months of the year — January, February, and March — resulting in higher hospitalization and mortality rates in the U.S., a study reports. Findings also showed that an intensification of…

Duaklir (aclidinium bromide and formoterol fumarate), a long-term maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is  available to patients living in the U.S., Circassia Pharmaceuticals announced. According to the company, the product became available on Oct. 21. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration…

Tudorza (aclidinium bromide) reduces flare-ups in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications such as heart attack and stroke, or death, data from a Phase 4 trial show. The findings were discussed by Robert Wise, MD,…

Routine evaluation of respiratory function through spirometry after treatment with bronchodilator medicines can help improve diagnosis accuracy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), preventing approximately 39% of overdiagnosis, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine found that using such an assessment…

Former smokers and people who smoke relatively few cigarettes per day may experience a faster decline in lung function than people who have never smoked, although they still have a slower decline in lung function than current smokers, a new study suggests. The study, “Lung function decline…