Top news of March: Symbicort generic, OTC rescue inhalers, long COVID pulmonary symptoms

The Healio Editors compiled the most-read news in pulmonology posted in March.

Highlights include FDA approval of the first generic of Symbicort for asthma and COPD; a study that found small airways disease may persist for many with long COVID; a call for switching to OTC availability of asthma rescue inhalers; research linking higher BMI with favorable outcomes in cystic fibrosis; and more.

Read these articles, and others, below, in no particular order.

Small airways disease may persist for many with long COVID

Small airways disease was common in patients with persistent symptoms following COVID-19, independent of severity of initial infection, according to a single-center study published in Radiology. Read more

A call for switching to OTC availability of asthma rescue inhalers

In a viewpoint published in JAMA, authors propose that switching to over-the-counter availability of rescue inhalers would offer patients with asthma access to safer and more effective rescue therapy than what is currently available OTC. Read more

FDA approves first generic of Symbicort for asthma, COPD

The FDA announced approval of the first generic of Symbicort — budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate — Inhalation Aerosol for the treatment of asthma and COPD, according to an agency press release. Read more

‘Demonstrable’ lung function decline over 10 years in current, former smokers: COPDGene

Ten-year follow-up data from the COPDGene study show that changes in lung function, respiratory symptom burden and functional capacity in current and former smokers appear to be slow. Read more

Home dust allergen exposures common in patients with COPD

Home dust allergen exposures are common in patients with COPD and exposure is associated with adverse outcomes in those who also have allergen sensitization, researchers reported in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more

Acute respiratory failure in early childhood may affect long-term neurocognitive outcomes

Survival of ICU hospitalization for acute respiratory failure and discharge without severe cognitive dysfunction in early childhood was associated with significantly lower subsequent IQ scores compared with matched siblings. Read more

Higher BMI associated with favorable clinical outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers found higher BMI was associated with favorable clinical outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis, urging reconsideration of the currently recommended target BMI. Read more

Portable handheld ultrasound beneficial for estimating right atrial pressure in clinic

Right atrial pressure estimated by a portable hand-held ultrasound corresponded with B-type natriuretic peptide and was an independent predictor of clinical worsening in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Read more

Adding azithromycin to standard care improves asthma control, exacerbations in children

The addition of oral azithromycin to standard treatment improved asthma control and reduced exacerbations compared with standard treatment alone among children with poorly controlled asthma. Read more

Venovenous ECMO for severe COVID-19 led to ‘exceptional early survival’ that was sustained

Patients with severe COVID-19 who received venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support had “exceptional early survival” to discharge that was sustained 1 year after cannulation. Read more