Variations in the anatomy of airway branches may be used as indicators for people at higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study found. The team of researchers, funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), discovered…
A new class of kinase inhibitors shows promising anti-inflammatory effects in airway cells of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a collaborative research study. The study, “Superior anti-inflammatory effects of narrow-spectrum kinase inhibitors in airway smooth muscle cells from subjects with chronic obstructive…
ResMed has introduced Mobi, a portable oxygen concentrator for people with chronic respiratory diseases. Oxygen therapy is the most important non-drug component of the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. San Diego-based ResMed said Mobi, which is lightweight and has a good battery life, will go on sale in…
Zinc deficiency in the lung causes overproduction of mucus and is associated with respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new Japanese study shows. The research study, “Zinc Deficiency via a Splice Switch in Zinc Importer ZIP2/SLC39A2 Causes Cystic Fibrosis-Associated MUC5AC Hypersecretion in…
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) carry much higher levels of glucose in their airways, increasing the growth of bacteria and consequently the risk of infections, according to researchers from Imperial College London. Their study, “Role of airway glucose in bacterial infections in patients with chronic obstructive…
A diet rich in fresh tomatoes and fruits, especially apples, slowed the natural decline of lung function over a 10-year period among former smokers, found a study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. In fact, these foods can help slow down the decline of lung function for…
The U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has updated its guidelines to include endobronchial valves as an appropriate routine treatment for severe emphysema, an advanced form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This announcement comes on the heels of positive safety and effectiveness data from multiple…
ResApp‘s smartphone app, called ResAppDx, diagnoses a wide range of respiratory illnesses accurately by using cough sounds, the company reported. The app is successful in diagnosing both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and aggravations of COPD caused by infections, pneumonia, and acute asthma. ResApp’s technology detects cough sounds…
A new study highlights the significant global burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, and calls for more attention in the prevention and treatment of these conditions. The study titled “Global, regional, and national deaths, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years, and years lived with disability for…
Many COPD patients who have acute flare-ups are not taking part in pulmonary rehabilitation programs, a British study shows. The research, “Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Exacerbation Number and Severity in People With COPD,” was published in the journal CHEST. COPD flare-ups not only harm patients’ health but also…
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