Top pulmonology news from December: Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, mild OSA treatment and more

Healio Pulmonology has you covered. The Editors have compiled a list of popular articles posted on Healio Pulmonology in December.

See below for links to studies on the incidence and prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, the use of CPAP for patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea, the surprisingly dramatic benefits of reducing air pollution and more.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease increasing in US

The incidence and prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease appear to be on the rise among the U.S. population, according to new data published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Read more

CPAP improves quality of life in mild OSA

When compared with sleep hygiene counseling, CPAP in addition to sleep counseling improved symptoms among patients with mild OSA, according to data published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. Read more

Report: Reducing air pollution confers significant benefits

A new report published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society suggests that interventions to reduce air pollution can dramatically improve health outcomes. Read more

During a press conference at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, Michelle A. Petri, MD, PhD, noted that since supplementary vitamin D is both safe and cheap, it is recommended for every patient with lupus nephritis.

Source: Adobe Stock

Asthma linked to elevated anti-citrullinated antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis

A strong association was observed between asthma and anti-citrullinated antibody elevation in a cohort of women with rheumatoid arthritis, and this association was independent of smoking, according to recent findings. Read more

Report details vaping products used by Minnesota patients with lung injury

Vitamin E acetate appears to be a common link among the products containing THC used by patients with e-cigarette- or vaping-associated lung injury, or EVALI, in Minnesota, according to a report published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Read more

Q&A: Success of triple therapy in cystic fibrosis

Raksha Jain, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, discussed findings on the benefits of triple therapy for cystic fibrosis as well as other important issues related to caring for these complex patients. Read more

Long-term study: E-cigarettes increase risk for chronic lung diseases

E-cigarette use is an independent risk factor for incident respiratory disease, including asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and COPD, researchers reported in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Read more

Health care utilization, corticosteroid use higher in patients with asthma, allergic granulomatosis

A need exists for treatments for specific eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and medications to control symptoms and improve outcomes in patients with asthma, according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. Read more

ILD affects systemic sclerosis outcomes

The presence of interstitial lung disease at systemic sclerosis diagnosis appears to affect disease outcomes, with data indicating that even mild lung fibrosis is associated with reduced survival, according to a Norwegian study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more

COPD mortality rates declining, but total deaths increasing

Although COPD mortality rates have declined from 1995 to 2017 in many countries, the total number of deaths attributable to COPD has increased during the past 20 years, according to new data published in the European Respiratory Journal. Read more