Pulmonology

Patients in the United Kingdom who have been frequently admitted to the hospital for asthma benefit from a multidisciplinary team approach, according to the results of a recent study.

Researchers are investigating the possibility the upregulation of regulatory T (Treg) cells as a new therapy to persistently alleviate asthma. A mouse study yields promising results.

One of the biggest differences between military and civilian medicine is the very real chance of being deployed to a forward military unit from a stateside appointment. Lessons from those experiences can shape a doctor's practice back in their home country.

The life of a civilian doctor may not be all that different from a military doctor but there are certain differences which can make it a unique experience for those who serve in military medicine.

Previous research has concluded that acetaminophen (Tylenol) worsens disease activity in children with asthma; however, a new study refutes that finding in The New England Journal of Medicine.

It has been many years since Howard Schatz was a practicing physician and while he said the retina specialty has changed he has also seen the field of photography change as digital passes the age of film.

It was supposed to be just a one year sabbatical for Howard Schatz to take a break from his work as a retina specialist and enjoy what had become a growing hobby of photography. More than two decades later Schatz said he misses some parts of practice but is greatly enjoying what has become a second career.

Because those who experience BPD very early in life are believed to be at a higher risk of decreased lung function and other chronic breathing issues like apnea and asthma, the study of microbial balance in infant airways could provide doctors with important predictive information.

A recently released study from the University of Southampton argues that if a gene that causes airway remodeling can be turned off, remodeling can be reversed and asthma can be prevented.

A “banana apricot” scent can bind with the receptor, dilating the bronchi, allowing for easier breathing and counteracting the effects of histamines.

Moderate-to-severe asthmatics typically hover around 5% sputum eosophinal, with non-asthmatics under 1%. After the study, the average participant in the fevipiprant group saw a reduction from 5.4% to about 1.1%.

A recent study of children from two traditional, agrarian communities seems to indicate that environmental exposures experienced by Amish children dramatically reduce their predisposition to asthma.

Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, who served as FDA Commissioner and CMS Administrator, will be the keynote speaker at the fall meeting of the ACO & Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition, presented by The American Journal of Managed Care. The meeting will be October 20-21, 2016, in Philadelphia.

A recent study indicates that commonly available data can help physicians create a risk score that helps predict which older adults are most at risk of developing pneumonia.

The MD Magazine editors rounded up the 10 best stories from July – did you read them all?

Analysis revealed that adding mepolizumab resulted in a cost-effectiveness ratio of $385,546 per quality-adjusted life-year, or QALY; the price would need to be discounted by more than 70% to reach $100,000 per QALY, a common threshold at which insurers are willing to pay.

Hospital admission allows clinicians to optimize asthma management even when asthma patients have no breathing complaints or abnormal chest exam findings. Although the illness that prompted admission must be treated quickly, asthma care can also be discussed with patients.

A retrospective Australian study found that illicit drug users were almost four times as likely as nonusers to require intensive care for an asthma exacerbation.

Stepping down asthma therapy is often avoided because of fear of exacerbation, but a better understanding of factors that predict step-down outcomes could encourage clinicians to wean patients off medications appropriately.

The field of population health may still be a relatively new venture but work is being done on a variety of levels to raise its profile and make it a larger contributor to the medical community as a whole.

For many veteran doctors there may be a leaning toward staying the course that has guided them through their careers. As times change there have been signs that doctors must also adapt to the changing medical landscape.

There may not be a lot known about population medicine across the medical community but those involved believe as more is known about the specialty the more benefit it can provide for doctors and patients alike.

At the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting in Chicago the opening discussion in front of thousands of the top doctors across the country focused on a developing specialty aimed at improving patient health in non-traditional ways.

One year after a one-day visit to a severe asthma center, patients with previously uncontrolled asthma had better asthma control and quality of life and used fewer healthcare resources.

Formerly known as alternative or complimentary medicine, integrative medicine is a new venture in the field aiming to bring together the best of traditional care and other approaches to help patients in a variety of specialties.

Successfully measuring the eye pressure of people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) indicated to scientists for the first time a relationship between sleep apnea and glaucoma.

University of Michigan researchers reviewed previous studies on COPD care and interviewed other contacts in the field to determine major industry challenges facing COPD patients and ways in which doctors and healthcare providers can better assist them.

New research shows that ultralow-dose CT scans may be a viable means of diagnosing COPD. The study compared results of the ultralow-dose tests alongside those of standard CT tests.

A new study suggests that personal, motivational coaching may reduce instances of e-hospitalization among COPD patients. " It is a process that happens with a patient; it is not something the coach does to a patient,” says that study's lead author.