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• 2011-08-31 Survey suggests pediatricians need sleep disorder training- A survey found that 96% of 346 physicians believed it was their job to counsel parents or guardians regarding sleep hygiene but only 18% of respondents reported having received formal training in sleep disorders
  
• 2011-08-30 Future climate change may increase asthma attacks in children- Climate change causing increasing levels of ozone could lead to a 7.3 percent increase in asthma-related emergency room visits by children, ages 0-17, and increased asthma-related health problems in children in the next decade
  
• 2011-08-30 Vitamin C may be beneficial for asthmatic children- Depending on the age of asthmatic children, on their exposure to molds or dampness in their bedroom, and on the severity of their asthma, vitamin C has greater or smaller beneficial effect against asthma
  
• 2011-08-29 Smokeless tobacco use during pregnancy may relate to sleep apnea in newborns- Most moms-to-be are aware that you shouldn't smoke during pregnancy, but some have a hard time kicking the habit. Some turn to smokeless tobacco like snuff or other nicotine-replacement products. But these products -- and the nicotine they release - are harmful for newborns
  
• 2011-08-29 Statins reduce deaths from infection and respiratory illness, 8 years on from trial- The death rate among patients prescribed a statin in a major trial that ended in 2003 is still lower than those given a placebo, even though most participants in both groups have been taking statins ever since
  
• 2011-08-26 Research shows heat in chili peppers can ease sinus problems- Hot chili peppers are known to make people "tear up," but a new study found that a nasal spray containing an ingredient derived from hot chili peppers (Capsicum annum) may help people "clear up" certain types of sinus inflammation
  
• 2011-08-26 Scented laundry products emit hazardous chemicals through dryer vents- Air vented from machines using the top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet contains hazardous chemicals, including two that are classified as carcinogens
  
• 2011-08-25 COPD Episodes Cut With Azithromycin- Acute exacerbations of COPD declined significantly in high-risk patients treated with azithromycin, data from a large, randomized trial showed. The hazard ratio for acute exacerbations decreased by 27% during a year of follow-up. The time to first exacerbation of COPD increased by more than 50% with azithromycin compared with placebo
  
• 2011-08-25 House dust mite test on wheezy toddlers predicts asthma in teen years- 75 per cent of children aged one – two years with a family history of allergy, who had a positive skin prick test to house dust mites, had asthma at aged 12 compared to 36 per cent of children without a positive skin prick test
  
• 2011-08-25 Success of Dyspnea Marker Takes Breath Away- A novel prohormone biomarker can identify mortality risk more accurately than conventional markers in patients with acute dyspnea, a secondary analysis found
  
• 2011-08-25 Eradicating dangerous bacteria may cause permanent harm- A researcher urges immediate investigation of widespread antibiotic use and overuse. In the zeal to eliminate dangerous bacteria, it is possible that we are also permanently killing off beneficial bacteria as well
  
• 2011-08-22 How do COPD patients respond to exacerbations?- A multicentre study shows that most COPD patients are willing to take timely self-management actions during exacerbations, however there is a low incidence of contacting a healthcare provider
  
• 2011-08-19 Obesity complicates asthma diagnosis- In an observational study, more than a third of obese asthmatic patients had no evidence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness, suggesting frequent misdiagnosis of breathlessness.  Medical records of 91 obese patients with physician-diagnosed asthma, who were enrolled in an interventional weight loss study, showed that 36.3% had no hyper-responsiveness to methacholine challenge.
  
• 2011-08-19 Using Telehealth technology to deliver pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients- Telehealth-PR was an effective tool for increasing COPD PR services, and demonstrated improvements in quality of life and exercise capacity comparable with Standard-PR
  
• 2011-08-19 Home mechanical ventilation: A Canadian Thoracic Society clinical practice guideline- The Canadian Thoracic Society HMV Guideline Committee has reviewed the available English literature on topics related to home mechanical ventilation (HMV) in adults, and completed a detailed guideline that will help standardize and improve the assessment and management of individuals requiring noninvasive or invasive HMV.
  
• 2011-08-19 FDA approves mometasone implant for chronic sinusitis- The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a novel implantable delivery system for mometasone furoate that provides controlled drug delivery for patients with chronic sinusitis. Once implanted via endoscopic surgery, the bioabsorbable, drug-releasing stent expands to prop open the ethmoid sinus and assure patency
  
• 2011-08-19 Withdrawal of inhaled corticosteroids in individuals with COPD- There is no evidence from reviewed trials in which ICS have been withdrawn from patients with COPD, that withdrawing ICS in routine practice results in important deterioration in patient outcomes. Furthermore, the extent of increase in exacerbations depends on the way exacerbations are defined and managed and may depend on the use of other medication
  
• 2011-08-19 Lung function declines as chest deformity deepens- A common deformity that cases a depression in the chest wall inhibits lung function as the cavity grows deeper, a national study of 327 patients found. These results confirm what has been observed anecdotally, that children with more severe pectus excavatum report more incidents of shortness of breath and a higher degree of exercise intolerance
  
• 2011-08-19 Slowing the allergic march- A pandemic of ailments called the "allergic march" -- the gradual acquisition of overlapping allergic diseases that commonly begins in early childhood -- has frustrated both parents and physicians. For the last three decades, an explosion of eczema, food allergies, hay fever, and asthma have afflicted children in many countries
  
• 2011-08-19 Any prime-boost mix of injected or spray flu vaccine shields toddlers- Children younger than 3 years old receive the same protective antibody response from the recommended two doses of licensed seasonal influenza vaccines regardless of whether the two doses are injected by needle, inhaled through a nasal spray or provided through one dose of each in any order, according to researchers funded by NIH
  
• 2011-08-19 Using powder-free latex gloves reduces latex allergy rate in health care workers- The most effective public health strategy to prevent allergic sensitization to latex in health care workers is to stop the use of powdered latex gloves. Reducing the use of powdered gloves reduced the allergen in the air and in air ducts at two hospitals, and prevented sensitization to latex in health care workers at both institutions
  
• 2011-08-19 Respiratory illnesses top reason for pediatric hospitalizations- Respiratory illnesses, particularly pneumonia, asthma and acute bronchitis were the leading reason for hospitalisation of children up to age 17 in the USA in 2009. The rate for respiratory hospitalisations is twice the next leading cause
  
• 2011-08-19 SNOT-16 Tool shows effect of acute sinusitis Tx- An aptly named tool can accurately assess changes in quality of life related to therapeutic interventions for acute rhinosinusitis. The modified sinonasal outcome test (SNOT-16) scale identified significant differences in the hypothesized direction for those reporting more or less severe symptoms
  
• 2011-08-15 Study sheds light on late phase of asthma attacks- New research explains why around half of people with asthma experience a 'late asthmatic response' three to eight hours after exposure to allergens, causing breathing difficulties which can last up to 24 hours
  
• 2011-08-12 Poorly Controlled Asthma Can Boost Chances of Pregnancy Complications- Pregnant women with poorly controlled asthma are at increased risk for pregnancy complications and for having a low-birth weight or premature baby
  
• 2011-08-12 Withdrawal of CPAP therapy results in rapid recurrence of OSA- The benefits of continuous positive airway pressure machines for patients with obstructive sleep apnea are quickly reversed when the therapy is withdrawn
  
• 2011-08-12 Creating Scenarios of the Impact of COPD - The COPD Assessment Test is a new short health status measure for routine use. New questionnaires require reference points so that users can understand the scores; descriptive scenarios are one way of doing this
  
• 2011-08-11 Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with asthma- The prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in the ADHD patient group compared to the controls, 24.4 % vs. 11.3 % respectively, and controls with asthma scored higher on ratings of both past and present symptoms of ADHD
  
• 2011-08-10 CPAP machine and mouthpiece best for obstructive sleep apnea- A continuous positive airway pressure machine and wearing a mandibular advancement device have been found to be the most successful treatments for obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP was backed by the most compelling evidence
  
• 2011-08-10 Multiple prenatal factors may influence child's asthma, allergies risks- Key factors that affect a child's risk of developing allergies by age 2 include race, a mother's exposure to pets during pregnancy and the method of delivery, a new study suggests
  
• 2011-08-10 Sleep apnea linked to increased risk of dementia in elderly women- Elderly women who suffer from sleep apnea are about twice as likely to develop dementia in the next five years as those without the condition. Sleep-disordered breathing can deprive the brain and other organs of the oxygen they need and, may, over time, trigger declines in cognitive ability
  
• 2011-08-05 Effects of BMI on Static Lung Volumes in Patients With Airway Obstruction- With increasing BMI, subjects with airway obstruction had consistent reductions in lung hyperinflation, with significant improvements in IC and the FEV1/FVC ratio; this effect was greatest in patients with the most severe airway obstruction. These results have important implications for the clinical assessment of patients with combined obesity and airway obstruction
  
• 2011-08-05 Physical Activity Is the Strongest Predictor of All-Cause Mortality in Patients With COPD- Objectively measured physical activity is the strongest predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with COPD. In addition, adiponectin level and vascular status provide independent prognostic information.
  
• 2011-08-05 Poorly controlled asthma costly- Poorly controlled asthma more than doubles healthcare costs associated with the disease and threatens educational achievement through a dramatic increase in school absence. Children with "very poorly controlled" asthma missed an average of 18 days of school each year, compared to 2 or less for other asthma patients
  
• 2011-08-05 Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Emerging Risk Factor for Atherosclerosis- Obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with death from cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction and stroke. Moreover, OSA treatment with continuous positive airway pressure may attenuate carotid atherosclerosis, as has been shown in a randomized clinical trial
  
• 2011-08-05 Weight Loss via Diet and Exercise Improves Exercise Breathing Mechanics in Obese Men- Modest weight loss improves breathing mechanics during submaximal exercise in otherwise healthy obese men, which is clinically encouraging. Improvement appears to be related to the cumulative loss of chest wall fat
  
• 2011-08-04 International survey on the impact of COPD on a working age population- The survey suggests that COPD has significant personal, economic and societal burden on working age people. Further efforts to improve COPD diagnosis and management are required
  
• 2011-08-04 Artificial Lung Is Microfluidics Marvel- Researchers have created a prototype artificial lung that functions with air and could be driven by the heart so that it would not require a mechanical pump or oxygen tanks. The prototype weighs about 20 grams and is about 15 x 15 x 10 cm
  
• 2011-08-04 Compression stockings may reduce OSA in some patients- Wearing compression stockings may be a simple low-tech way to improve obstructive sleep apnea in patients with chronic venous insufficiency
  
• 2011-08-04 Low Bone Mineral Density in Men with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease- Men with COPD had greater prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia than age matched male controls, with a marked difference in bone mineral density at the hip. Bone biomarkers suggest increased bone turnover
  
• 2011-08-04 IL-13 Blocker Helps Asthma Control- Asthma patients with poorly controlled symptoms on inhaled steroids had significant improvement in lung function during 12 weeks of treatment with an investigational interleukin-13 (IL-13) inhibitor
  
• 2011-08-03 COPD patients with sense of humor feel better, but laughter may be bad for lungs- Having a sense of humor is associated with improved emotional functioning and an enhanced quality of life among patients with a chronic lung illness, but the actual act of laughing out loud can reduce lung function, at least in the short term, research suggests
  
• 2011-08-03 Work-Exacerbated Asthma - Official ATS Statement- Occupational exposures can contribute to the exacerbation as well as the onset of asthma. However, work-exacerbated asthma has received less attention than occupational asthma that is caused by work.
  
• 2011-08-03 Observational Study of Inhaled Corticosteroids on Outcomes for COPD Patients with Pneumonia- Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids for those with COPD has been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of pneumonia. However, for patients with COPD, prior use of ICS is independently associated with decreased risk of short-term mortality and use of mechanical ventilation after hospitalization for pneumonia.
  
• 2011-08-03 Mold at Home Increases Risk of Asthma for Infants Later in Life- A new study shows that infants who lived in moldy homes were nearly three times more likely to have childhood asthma by age 7. Early life exposure to mold seems to play a critical role in childhood asthma development.
  
• 2011-08-02 Physician Groups Issue New COPD Guidelines- Patients with more severe COPD are best managed with inhaled monotherapy of either long-acting beta agonists or anticholinergics, according to a combined statement from the American College of Physicians, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, and the European Respiratory Society
  
• 2011-08-02 Indoor air cleaners ease asthma symptoms in children living with smokers- A Johns Hopkins Children's Center study of Baltimore City children who have asthma and live with smokers shows that indoor air cleaners can greatly reduce household air pollution and lower the rates of daytime asthma symptoms to those achieved with certain anti-inflammatory asthma drugs. Although the air cleaners improved the overall air quality in homes, they did not reduce air nicotine levels and did not counter all ill effects of second-hand smoke, the researchers warn
  
• 2011-08-02 Cigarette Smoke Remodels Airways in COPD- Cigarette smoke can directly alter lung tissue in ways that lead to permanent airway remodeling in patients with COPD. Exposure of tissue samples from COPD patients to smoke extracts led to an increase in fibronectin deposition in the extracellular matrix
  
• 2011-08-02 Power Lines, Cell Towers Tied to Asthma Risk- Higher in utero exposure to magnetic fields such as those emitted by power lines and cell phone towers may place children at an increased risk of asthma. After accounting for potential confounders, every 1-milligauss (mG) increase in a pregnant woman's magnetic field exposure was associated with a 15% greater risk of her child developing asthma
  
• 2011-08-02 Lung Biopsy Risks Not Uncommon- Needle biopsy of suspicious lung nodules, initially detected by CT scan, isn't as benign as often thought, leading to clinically-significant hemorrhage for 1% of patients and pneumothorax for 15%
  
• 2011-08-02 MAO Key Reason for Depression When Smokers Quit- Acute withdrawal from heavy smoking may increase levels of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), consistent with observations of depressed mood during smoking cessation, results of a brain-imaging study suggest
  

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