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Top pulmonology news from July: FDA updates, antibiotics in cystic fibrosis, treatment of COPD exacerbations

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

See below for links to a study on reducing antibiotic use for COPD exacerbations, the outcome of an FDA advisory committee meeting on nintedanib for a rare form of interstitial lung disease, updates on treatment of respiratory infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and more.

C-reactive protein testing safely reduces antibiotic use for COPD exacerbations

The use of point-of-care testing for C-reactive protein to guide treatment lessened the use of antibiotics for COPD exacerbations without worsening clinical outcomes, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Read more

New digital inhaler receives FDA approval for patients with asthma

The FDA has approved a combination therapy digital inhaler for treatment of asthma in patients aged 12 years and older, according to a manufacturer press release. Read more

FDA panel supports approval of nintedanib for systemic sclerosis-associated ILD

The FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee voted 10-7 to recommend approval of nintedanib for treatment of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease. Read more

ECMO use outpacing mechanical ventilation in lung transplantation

In the past decade, the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation has increased significantly, whereas the use of mechanical ventilation has steadily decreased, researchers reported in The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. Read more

Azithromycin treatment outcomes may differ based on antibiotic type

Patients with cystic fibrosis saw a greater increase in FEV₁ when given oral azithromycin in combination with certain IV antibiotics for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as an increased overall improvement of FEV₁, according to a study published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Read more

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty compares favorably with riociguat in CTEPH

When compared with riociguat therapy, balloon pulmonary angioplasty was associated with more improvement in some parameters of hemodynamics and exercise tolerance in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, according to a meta-analysis published in Clinical Cardiology. Read more

Antifibrotic agents may reduce mortality risk in IPF

Among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the antifibrotic medications pirfenidone and nintedanib were associated with significantly reduced risks for all-cause mortality and hospitalizations vs. those who received no treatment, according to data published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more

Diaphragm dysfunction unable to predict extubation failure

New data show that ultrasound-detected diaphragmatic dysfunction does not predict which patients will fail to successfully wean from mechanical ventilation. Read more

Long-acting bronchodilator combination may be preferred for preventing COPD exacerbations

Among patients with COPD, combination treatment with a long-acting beta agonist plus a long-acting muscarinic antagonist was as effective as combination therapy with a LABA and an inhaled corticosteroid for preventing exacerbations while also being associated with fewer hospitalizations for severe pneumonia, new data published in CHEST indicate. Read more

Ivacaftor may reduce respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis

Among patients with cystic fibrosis, the use of ivacaftor was associated with a 32% reduction in the rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and a 15% reduction in the rate of Staphylococcus aureus infection over time, according to data published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Read more