Lung Fibrosis

The second round of Medicare Part D price negotiations will feature two drugs familiar to rheumatologists — Ofev and Otezla — a move applauded by experts as they await the impact of the first-round of discounts anticipated next year.

For diagnosing systemic sclerosis-related ILD, Krebs von den Lungen-6, surfactant protein-D and interleukin-8 in blood/bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples were found to be “reliable biomarkers,” according to results published in Thorax.

Many survivors of severe to critical COVID-19 had lung sequelae and lingering symptoms lasting up to 1 year after their infection, according to study results published in European Respiratory Journal.

Higher levels of crystalline silica were found in the lung tissue of contemporary coal miners in the U.S. compared with the lung tissue of previous generations of coal miners, researchers reported in Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Although lenabasum failed to meet its efficacy endpoint in a trial of patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, a post-hoc analysis suggests an impact on forced vital capacity, according to a speaker at the EULAR 2021 Congress.

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

This week, gastroesophageal reflux disease may contribute to development of lung fibrosis; socioeconomic factors mediate the association of race/ethnicity with worse outcomes in COVID-19; long-term air pollution exposure may elevate risk for CV mortality in patients with COPD; and more.

In a new study, the odds of having gastroesophageal reflux disease were nearly two times higher in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis compared with adults without idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

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.

In a phase 2 trial, pamrevlumab, a fully recombinant human monoclonal antibody against connective tissue growth factor, appeared to reduce the decline in lung function among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.