News

Testosterone replacement therapy can help slow the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in men, a new study shows. Men with COPD tend to experience shortness of breath, leading physicians to prescribe them long-term steroid-based medications. While these medications help treat pulmonary symptoms, they are also associated with…

Electronic cigarettes help reduce exacerbations and improve exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who saw their condition get worse by smoking conventional cigarettes, a new study reports. The study, “Health effects in COPD smokers who switch to electronic cigarettes: a retrospective-prospective 3-year follow-up” was…

AstraZeneca’s Bevespi Aerosphere (glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate) has been shown to have similar therapeutic activity in patients with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as GlaxoSmithKline’s approved therapy Anoro Elipta (umeclidinium/vilanterol). Bevespi Aerosphere combines a fixed dose of two bronchodilators — glycopyrrolate, a…

A specific gene variation associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is also linked with autoimmune disorders, according to a large genetic study, suggesting a role for autoimmune responses in the development of COPD. The study, “A Phenome-Wide Association Study Uncovers a Role for Autoimmunity in the…

Inhaling vaporized cannabis does not improve breathlessness or exercise endurance in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a small Canadian study. The study reporting the findings, “Effect of vaporized cannabis on exertional breathlessness and exercise endurance in advanced COPD: A randomized controlled…

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s Pulmonary Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee voted that the risk-benefit profile of GSK’s mepolizumab was not adequate to support its approval as an add-on treatment for reduction of exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are on maximum corticosteroid-based…