Top news of October: COVID-19 vaccine, face masks, wildfire risks and more

The Healio editors have compiled a list of the most-read pulmonology news published in October.

Highlights from October include a keynote at the virtual CHEST Annual Meeting by Anthony S. Fauci, MD, on COVID-19 vaccine development and treatments, a study that found no abnormalities in gas exchange in healthy adults or in adults with lung function impairment after wearing surgical face masks and a Q&A about lung health hazards of wildfires. Read these articles, and others, below, in no particular order.

Fauci ‘cautiously optimistic’ about safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine by end of year

COVID-19 took center stage at the virtual CHEST Annual Meeting, with a keynote by Anthony S. Fauci, MD, with his insights on vaccine development, therapeutics, high-risk groups and more. Read more

Wearing face mask unlikely to cause overexposure to CO2, even in those with lung disease

In a new study, wearing a surgical face mask did not cause gas exchange abnormalities in healthy adults or in adults with lung function impairment, researchers reported in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Read more

ILD a risk factor for poor outcomes from COVID-19

Older adults with interstitial lung disease and COVID-19 have increased risk for severe disease, hospitalization and death, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more

Shorter course of antibiotics OK for children with pneumonia who are improving

Among children with community-associated pneumonia who have improved by day 5, study findings showed that additional days of antibiotic therapy did not confer additional benefits, researchers reported during IDWeek.Read more

Q&A: Serious lung health hazards of wildfires, poor air quality

Record high temperatures and raging wildfires can create dangerous air quality and serious health hazards for people with and without preexisting medical conditions. Read more

Simple risk score may predict need for mechanical ventilation in COVID-19

Researchers developed a novel risk score to predict risk for mechanical ventilation among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Read more

Voice-based screening for chronic respiratory conditions shows promise

In a new study, automated voice and breath analysis was associated with good predictive accuracy of FVC and FEV1 and classification of obstructed vs. nonobstructed lung disease. Read more

Strategies to increase utilization of prone positioning for severe ARDS with COVID-19

A study published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society identified strategies that may be feasible to increase utilization of prone positioning for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with COVID-19. Read more

Marijuana use may impact mortality in adults hospitalized with COPD exacerbation

A new study found that marijuana users who were hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation had lower odds of in-hospital mortality compared with nonusers. Read more

Dietitian: Move cystic fibrosis nutrition virtual visits from disadvantage to opportunity

After surveying patients with cystic fibrosis and dietitians, one presenter at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference offered opportunities to build upon what is working with “telenutrition” in the cystic fibrosis clinic.Read more