Pulmonology

Pirfenidone has been approved in Europe for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) since 2011, whereas this is the first approval for nintedanib for the treatment of IPF.

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) has released new guidelines designed to prevent the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in thousands of patients who undergo lung surgery in the United States each year.

The actions and experiences of staff at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, provide many lessons for clinicians at other facilities who may be dealing with an increase in EV-D68 cases.

At IDWeek 2014, one of the physicians from the admitting hospital reviewed the facts of the case, outlined the testing strategy utilized during the epidemiologic investigation into the causes of the paralysis, discussed possible factors suggesting an association with EV-D68, and provided an update on the prognosis of the affected children.

Study results show that a multifaceted pilot telehealth program designed to improve self-management among patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was well received by patients.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found hospitals' administration of pharmacologic venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis was not associated with lower rates of VTE.

Scientists from Sanofi Pasteur's Swiftwater, PA facility have published results of a study indicating that a high-dose, trivalent, inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV3-HD or high dose Fluzone®) improves antibody responses to influenza among adults 65 years of age or older.

A letter published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association presents the first microbiologic pathogens trend analysis in hospitalized patients in the United States.

Because a key antiviral defense mechanism is present in asthmatics, another defect in their immune system must explain their difficulty combating respiratory viruses, according to researchers from Washington University in St. Louis.

Study results show many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may experience cognitive deterioration that becomes more severe as their COPD worsens.

In this installment, we look at underlying causes of metabolic acidosis, approaches for evaluating patients with suspected metabolic acidosis, and why measurement of the anion gap is of great usefulness in these cases.

As more practices and hospitals enter the digital age with Electronic Health Records (EHR) and other health information technology tools, a recent article points out that all those efforts are only half the battle.

Airway inflammation, a common symptom among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, does not contribute to muscle atrophy and nutrient depletion, according to researchers at the University of Leicester.

Implementation of Massachusetts health care reform reduced all-cause mortality and mortality from causes amenable to health care

Efficacy of anti-inflammatory or antibiotic treatment in patients with non-complicated acute bronchitis and discoloured sputum: randomised placebo controlled trial

Organ supply and demand varies sharply by geography in the US. "The status quo is intolerable-there is too much geographic disparity," said Michael Charlton, MD, speaking at a Sept. 16 meeting in Chicago where transplant surgeons and others debated a controversial proposal to consolidate the nation's current regional organ distribution districts. The forum was convened by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), a non-profit organization that under a contract with the federal Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) runs the current system of deciding which donor organs go where.

Enterovirus-D68 could soon be in the rearview mirror, according to a Hartford, CT, pediatric intensivist who has treated more than 20 children hospitalized with the infection. "We may have plateaued," said Christopher Carroll, MD, an asthma specialist at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. While children are still being admitted for respiratory problems, "Now it's more a mix of symptoms, not those of classic enterovirus." Though he could not say for certain the outbreak has peaked, he did say that "things are not continuing to get worse."

As Enterovirus D68 continues to spread across the US, the prognosis for children who are hospitalized with infections tends to be good. That applies to children with asthma, as well. "It's hard to say whether this virus is hitting kids with asthma harder than other viruses-but it is not causing as severe symptoms as other viruses out there, like adenovirus," said Christopher Carroll, MD, a pediatric intensivist and asthma specialist at Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, CT. "Even certain strains of rhinovirus are worse," Carroll said.

Adherence is defined as conforming to the recommendations made by the provider with respect to timing, dosage, and frequency of medication taking, and following these recommendations is important for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to fully benefit from disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).

The end of September will mark the deadline set for hospitals across the country to reach Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use program for the year and that means the clock is ticking for health care professionals around the country to meet the goals set for them.

On June 7, 2014, the state of Missouri passed State Bill 716, a piece of legislation creating a new category of health care provider in the state, known as the, "Assistant Physician."

The leading cause of cancer related deaths in both men and women is lung cancer. The 5-year survival rate of lung cancer is only 16%, as 75% of patients with lung cancer are presented with symptoms of advanced disease.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and of the top 5 causes of death, it is the only one that increased in incidence between 2007 and 2010, and our understanding of how to assess, manage, and treat COPD has advanced significantly over the past decade.

GlaxoSmithKline's Arnuity approved for patients over the age of 12 as part of treatment options

Using the metric of time to first cigarette after waking was found to help improve efficiency and reduce false-positive detection in lung cancer screening, a new case-control study suggests.

The nation's youth, and its smoke-free air need federal protection from vapors from e-cigarettes, according to a set of recommendations released Aug. 25 by the American and Heart Association.

The intravenous respiratory stimulant GAL-021 is effective in treating opioid-induced respiratory depression, according to the results of a small study.

Eliquis is also now indicated for reducing the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy.

New guidelines for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension include 79 recommendations and expert consensus statements, as well as appropriate use of the latest drug therapies.

A staggering portion of the homeless who are alcohol dependent began drinking as children and cited their drinking as the main cause of their homelessness.