Top pulmonology news in August: COVID-19 and air quality, vitamin D for asthma and more
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The Healio editors have compiled a list of the most-read pulmonology news published in August.
Healio readers last month were most interested in updates on COVID-19, including connections with air quality and racial disparities and new research on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. Other highlights include news from the American Thoracic Society Virtual meeting on new therapies for uncontrolled asthma and pulmonary hypertension-associated fibrotic interstitial lung disease. Read these articles, and others, below, in no particular order.
COVID-19 and air quality: A call to address health effects, racial disparities
The American Lung Association recently held a Town Hall to discuss the connections, health impacts and racial disparities in air quality and COVID-19. Read more
Evidence mounts for ECMO in patients with severe COVID-19 respiratory failure
Two recently published studies report success with ECMO support in patients with ARDS associated with COVID-19. Read more
ED visits for acute respiratory illnesses rise before thunderstorms
In a large-scale study, ED visits for thunderstorm-related acute respiratory illnesses were increased in older U.S. adults, including those with asthma and COPD, according to findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Read more
New guidance on restoring pulmonary, sleep services
An international task force released a new guidance document to aid clinicians in safely restoring elective in-person pulmonary and sleep services as the incidence of COVID-19 declines in their communities. Read more
Asthma-COPD overlap strong risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalization
It is important to distinguish asthma from chronic pulmonary diseases to elucidate COVID-19 risk, researchers reported in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Read more
Vitamin D supplementation fails to improve time to severe asthma exacerbation in children
Vitamin D supplementation, compared with placebo, did not improve time to severe asthma exacerbation in children with persistent asthma and low vitamin D levels, according to new data published in JAMA. Read more
Patient experiences show clearer picture of chronic cough
A new study provides insights on diagnostic testing, management, individual characteristics and quality of life in adults with chronic cough. Read more
Simultaneously doubling ICS, adding LAMA to ICS/LABA improves uncontrolled asthma: CAPTAIN
Doubling the inhaled corticosteroid dose and adding umeclidinium to inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta agonist in a single-inhaler triple therapy improved outcomes in inadequately controlled asthma, data from the CAPTAIN study show. Read more
Inhaled nitric oxide at higher dose shows benefit in pulmonary hypertension, fibrotic ILD
Pulsed, inhaled nitric oxide at a higher dose was safe and well tolerated, and resulted in improvements in physical activity and other outcomes in patients at risk for pulmonary hypertension-associated fibrotic ILD. Read more
Methotrexate does not increase risk for rheumatoid arthritis-associated ILD
Methotrexate use by patients with rheumatoid arthritis was not associated with an increased risk for developing interstitial lung disease, according to a study published in European Respiratory Journal. Read more