People who practised blowing through a conch shell regularly for six months experienced a reduction in their symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to a small randomised controlled trial published in ERJ Open Research [1]. OSA is a common sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops during the night due to a blocked airway. It […]
Category: Respiratory
Treatment for sleep apnoea is good for the heart in some patients but bad for others
A treatment commonly used for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), lowers the risk of serious cardiovascular events in some patients but not others, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. People with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and they may wake up several times. Not only […]
Women who work nightshifts are more likely to have asthma
Women who work night shifts are more likely to suffer with moderate or severe asthma compared to women who work in the daytime, according to a study published in ERJ Open Research [1]. The research, which included more than 270,000 people, found no such link between asthma and working nightshifts in men. The study was […]
Scientists find unusual build-up of soot-like particles in lung cells of COPD patients
— As a result, cells grow abnormally large and cause inflammation — Cells taken from the lungs of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a larger accumulation of soot-like carbon deposits compared to cells taken from people who smoke but do not have COPD, according to a study published in ERJ Open Research […]
Asthma attacks more common for some women taking the progesterone-only pill
— Study sheds light on why women face higher risk of death from asthma — A major study of around 260,000 women shows that taking the progesterone-only contraceptive pill can increase asthma attacks in some women. The research, published in ERJ Open Research [1], shows an increase in asthma attacks in women with asthma who […]
People who use vapes as well as cigarettes are less likely to quit and often switch to just smoking
People who use both vapes and cigarettes are less likely to quit compared to people who only smoke or only vape, according to a study published in ERJ Open Research [1]. Instead, the research suggests that over time, most of these ‘dual users’ tend to revert to only smoking cigarettes. The researchers say their findings […]
Survey of 12 European countries reveals the best and worst for smoke-free homes
Seven out of ten homes in Europe are smoke-free, according to a major survey published in ERJ Open Research [1]. However, some countries have come further than others in protecting children and adults from second-hand tobacco smoke in the home. Greece came out bottom of the 12 countries in the survey, with smoking allowed in […]
AI analysis of urine can predict flare up of lung disease a week in advance
Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse patient urine samples and predict when symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will flare up according to a study published in ERJ Open Research [1]. The patients taking part in the study carried out a simple daily dipstick test on their urine and sent their results […]
Drug treatment shows promise for dangerous snoring condition, obstructive sleep apnoea
Patients taking sulthiame, a drug currently in use for epilepsy, experienced a reduction in their symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to results of a clinical trial presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria [1]. Patients with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and […]
Women with asthma are more likely to miscarry and need fertility treatment
Women who are being treated for asthma are more likely to miscarry and need fertility treatment to get pregnant, according to a large study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria [1]. However, the study also suggests that most women with asthma are able to have babies. The study was presented […]