Researchers have shown that night-time coughing, measured via a smartphone app, can indicate that asthma is getting worse. The study, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1], is the first of its kind to measure patients’ coughing over a series of nights and shows that it is a sign of their asthma deteriorating. […]
Category: Respiratory
Electronic alert reduces excessive prescribing of short-acting asthma relievers
An automatic, electronic alert on general practitioners’ (GPs) computer screens can help to prevent excessive prescribing of short-acting asthma reliever medication, according to research presented at the ‘virtual’ European Respiratory Society International Congress. [1] The alert pops up when GPs open the medical records for a patient who has been issued with three prescriptions for […]
Fewer fungi types in the lungs is linked to worse disease in acute respiratory distress syndrome
Many COVID-19 patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition where the lungs cannot provide the body’s vital organs with enough oxygen. Patients with ARDS are usually placed on ventilators to help get enough oxygen into their bodies. Now, new research presented at the ‘virtual’ European Respiratory Society International Congress [1] has found […]
Study of nose and throat reveals why people with COVID-19 may lose their sense of smell
Researchers studying tissue removed from patients noses during surgery believe they may have discovered the reason why so many people with COVID-19 lose their sense of smell, even when they have no other symptoms. In their experiments they found extremely high levels of angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE-2) only in the area of the nose […]
Prepare now for a winter COVID-19 peak, warns Academy of Medical Sciences
The UK must prepare now for a potential new wave of coronavirus infections this winter that could be more serious than the first, says a new report from the Academy of Medical Sciences released. Combined with the disruption already created in the health service by COVID-19, a backlog of patients needing NHS assessment and treatment, […]
Asthma and allergies more common in teens who stay up late
Teenagers who prefer to stay up late and wake later in the morning are more likely to suffer with asthma and allergies compared to those who sleep and wake earlier, according to a study published in ERJ Open Research. [1] Asthma symptoms are known to be strongly linked to the body’s internal clock, but this […]
First comparison of dangers of tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes and water pipes
Any smoking and vaping technique may increase risk of COVID-19 infection and death Smoking and vaping, whether by means of tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes or waterpipes, stiffens the arteries, causes inflammation and damages DNA, leading to a variety of health problems, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal [1]. In addition, smoking and […]
Risk of severe COVID-19 could be increased in people with COPD and smokers due to higher levels of ‘entry point’ enzyme in lungs
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and people who currently smoke may have higher levels of a molecule, called angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE-2), in their lungs according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal. [1] Previous research shows that ACE-2, which sits on the surface of lung cells, is the ‘entry point’ […]
Newborns infected with COVID-19 in China experienced mild symptoms
Researchers have identified a total of four cases of newborn babies with COVID-19 infection in China. In all cases the babies experienced only mild symptoms with none requiring intensive care or mechanical ventilation according to research published in in the European Respiratory Journal. [1] The study was carried out by Dr Zhi-Jiang Zhang and colleagues […]
The world faces an air pollution ‘pandemic’. Researchers say people’s lives are shortened by an average of nearly three years worldwide from different sources of air pollution
Air pollution is responsible for shortening people’s lives worldwide on a scale far greater than wars and other forms of violence, parasitic and vector-born diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and smoking, according to a study published in Cardiovascular Research [1]. Professors Jos Lelieveld and Thomas Münzel, of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the […]