Top pulmonology news from May: Updates in ARDS, inhaled therapy for cystic fibrosis, azithromycin for COPD

Healio Pulmonology has you covered. The Editors have compiled a list of the most-popular articles posted on Healio Pulmonology in May.

See below for links to breaking news reported at the recent American Thoracic Society International Conference, the outcome of an FDA advisory committee on inhaled mannitol for adults with cystic fibrosis, a study that demonstrated corticosteroids added to antibiotics reduced community-acquired pneumonia treatment costs and more.

ROSE: No mortality benefit with early neuromuscular blockade vs. usual care in ARDS

A strategy of early neuromuscular blockade with concomitant heavy sedation, compared with usual care, did not result in a significant mortality difference at 90 days in patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, according to data presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Read more

Adding corticosteroids to antibiotics cut community-acquired pneumonia treatment costs

New data published in CHEST suggest that treating community-acquired pneumonia with corticosteroids in addition to antibiotics may lead to significant cost-savings to the health care system, particularly among those with severe disease. Read more

Azithromycin reduces treatment failure in acute COPD exacerbations

Use of the antibiotic azithromycin on top of standard care may reduce treatment failure in high-risk patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to new data from the BACE trial. Read more

As-needed budesonide-formoterol bests albuterol for exacerbation prevention in mild asthma

Single combination inhaler treatment with budesonide-formoterol on an as-needed basis, compared with albuterol, more than halved the risk for severe asthma attacks in patients with mild asthma, according to the results of the Novel START trial presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Read more

Early sedation with dexmedetomidine fails to lower mortality vs. usual care: SPICE III

Critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in the ICU who received early sedation with dexmedetomidine as the primary or sole agent had a similar rate of mortality at 90 days compared with patients who received usual care, and were likely to require supplemental sedatives, researchers reported at the American Thoracic Society International Conference and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Read more

FDA panel narrowly backs approval of inhaled mannitol for adult cystic fibrosis

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The FDA’s Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee voted 9-7 in favor of approval of the inhaled dry powder formulation of mannitol for management of cystic fibrosis to improve pulmonary function in conjunction with standard therapies in adults. Read more

Severe sleep apnea may raise postoperative cardiovascular complication risk

Unrecognized severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with a significantly increased risk for cardiovascular complications within 30 days after surgery, according to new data published in JAMA. Read more

Sleep quality, wakefulness may predict successful weaning from mechanical ventilation

Critically ill patients who have higher levels of wakefulness and the same depth of sleep in both the left and right hemispheres of their brains are more likely to experience successful weaning from mechanical ventilation, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more

Symptomatic sarcoidosis more likely to require treatment

New data suggest that patients with symptomatic sarcoidosis are more likely to require treatment, have a greater number of organs involved in their disease and have worse health-related quality of life than their asymptomatic counterparts. Read more

Nintedanib slows loss of pulmonary function in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease

Patients with interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor nintedanib exhibited a 44% reduction in the rate of decline of lung function, as measured by forced vital capacity, at 52 weeks compared with placebo, according to data from the SENSCIS trial presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Read more