It's the dog days of summer that slow most of us to a crawl in search of shade, ice and water - in no particular order. But for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the combination of high heat and humidity with congested and polluted air can leave us gasping for breath and too tired to care.
Here are a few tips for staying hydrated, cool and breathing easy, especially if you don't have air conditioning:
1) Use your quick-relief inhaler at the FIRST sign of symptoms. If you're not breathing well within 30 minutes after use, follow your written asthma action plan or call your physician for further instructions - but don't wait until symptoms become life-threatening. That's risky business, particularly in this heat.
2) Drink LOTS and LOTS of water or sports drinks to replenish electrolytes, or blend whole fruit into one of these easy-breezy waterlogged thirst quenchers (hint: the name is the recipe!): Watermelon on Ice with a Lime Wedge, Pineapple Honeydew Drencher, Peach Puzzler with Bing Cherry Floaters... or try some iced coffee.
3) If you must sit outside to watch the children playing, soak your tootsies in a basin or tub of ice water.
4) Drench a dishtowel in ice water and sling it around the back of your neck. Repeat often.
5) Go see a funny movie at the theater!
6) Go to the grocery store and stand in the frozen-food section as long as possible during the heat of the day!
7) When watering your garden, squirt yourself with the hose. So what if the neighbors are watching?
8) Mind over matter: Convince yourself that it's snowing outside and you just ate a hot bowl of chili.
9) If you don't need it plugged in, unplug it. You'd be surprised how many of our gadgets give off heat.
10) And if the air conditioning isn't working at the office - GO HOME! Working under unhealthy conditions is, well, not healthy.
Source:
Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA)
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Friday, 4 June 2010
Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. Purchases RespiVert Ltd., Fortifies Pulmonary Focal Point
Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. announced that it has acquired RespiVert Ltd., a privately held drug discovery company focused on developing small-molecule, inhaled therapies for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. The company's lead compounds, RV-568 and RV-1088, narrow spectrum kinase inhibitors with a unique profile of anti-inflammatory activities, are progressing into clinical development as potential first-in-class treatments for moderate to severe asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Cystic Fibrosis (CF). The clinical development of RV-568 and RV-1088 will be led by RespiVert in collaboration with scientists at Centocor Research and Development, Inc. The company is not disclosing financial terms.
"The RespiVert compounds offer the potential for a new class of medicines for patients with severe lung disease who are insensitive to inhaled corticosteroids," said Susan Dillon, Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Immunology, Centocor Research and Development, Inc. "The addition of RespiVert's expert scientific team and discovery platforms for inhaled medicines strengthens our capabilities and further builds our pipeline of novel oral and biologic therapies for serious pulmonary diseases."
With the acquisition of RespiVert, Centocor Ortho Biotech gains a portfolio of first-in-class, early-stage inhaled treatments for serious lung diseases. RespiVert will continue to maintain its research and discovery presence in London from the Imperial BioIncubator, which is based at the campus of Imperial College London. RespiVert employees will continue to lead ongoing research and drug discovery efforts.
Dr. Garth Rapeport, Chief Executive Officer of RespiVert , who is remaining with RespiVert following the acquisition, said, "We believe that our focused discovery efforts in pulmonary disease offer a unique opportunity to bring completely new treatment options to patients who suffer from severe, chronic respiratory diseases including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, severe asthma and Cystic Fibrosis."
About Asthma, COPD, and CF
Severe or uncontrolled asthma is associated with significant morbidity, resulting in missed work and school days, and substantial limitation of activity, adversely impacting quality of life in asthmatics. Severe asthma represents a particular societal burden, with sources suggesting that half of the total cost of asthma in the United States is attributable to severe disease. Asthma is the cause of over 4,000 deaths each year in the U.S. and over 12,000 in Europe.
COPD is an umbrella term for a group of lung diseases which include chronic bronchitis, emphysema and small airways disease. COPD is a serious, chronic disorder characterized by a slowly progressive decline in lung function with symptoms such as chronic cough and dyspnea significantly impacting quality of life. COPD is estimated to cause 130,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
CF is an inherited life-threatening disease involving a genetic mutation that disrupts the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein, resulting in poorly hydrated, thickened mucous secretions in the lungs and digestive tract. Due to these changes, the lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis are colonized and infected by bacteria from an early age. This leads to progressive and severe lung inflammation which is difficult to treat.
Source
Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc.
"The RespiVert compounds offer the potential for a new class of medicines for patients with severe lung disease who are insensitive to inhaled corticosteroids," said Susan Dillon, Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Immunology, Centocor Research and Development, Inc. "The addition of RespiVert's expert scientific team and discovery platforms for inhaled medicines strengthens our capabilities and further builds our pipeline of novel oral and biologic therapies for serious pulmonary diseases."
With the acquisition of RespiVert, Centocor Ortho Biotech gains a portfolio of first-in-class, early-stage inhaled treatments for serious lung diseases. RespiVert will continue to maintain its research and discovery presence in London from the Imperial BioIncubator, which is based at the campus of Imperial College London. RespiVert employees will continue to lead ongoing research and drug discovery efforts.
Dr. Garth Rapeport, Chief Executive Officer of RespiVert , who is remaining with RespiVert following the acquisition, said, "We believe that our focused discovery efforts in pulmonary disease offer a unique opportunity to bring completely new treatment options to patients who suffer from severe, chronic respiratory diseases including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, severe asthma and Cystic Fibrosis."
About Asthma, COPD, and CF
Severe or uncontrolled asthma is associated with significant morbidity, resulting in missed work and school days, and substantial limitation of activity, adversely impacting quality of life in asthmatics. Severe asthma represents a particular societal burden, with sources suggesting that half of the total cost of asthma in the United States is attributable to severe disease. Asthma is the cause of over 4,000 deaths each year in the U.S. and over 12,000 in Europe.
COPD is an umbrella term for a group of lung diseases which include chronic bronchitis, emphysema and small airways disease. COPD is a serious, chronic disorder characterized by a slowly progressive decline in lung function with symptoms such as chronic cough and dyspnea significantly impacting quality of life. COPD is estimated to cause 130,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
CF is an inherited life-threatening disease involving a genetic mutation that disrupts the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein, resulting in poorly hydrated, thickened mucous secretions in the lungs and digestive tract. Due to these changes, the lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis are colonized and infected by bacteria from an early age. This leads to progressive and severe lung inflammation which is difficult to treat.
Source
Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Both Obese And Slim COPD Patients Benefit From Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Obese patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) stand to gain as much from pulmonary rehabilitation as their slimmer counterparts, even though as a group they have a lower exercise capacity, according to new research from the University Hospitals of Leicester in the UK.
"Like the healthy population, the prevalence of obesity is increasing in those with COPD," said Neil Greening, M.B.B.S, M.R.C.P., who led the study. "There is evidence that obesity may lower exercise capacity but at the same time appears to confer a survival advantage, which is known as the obesity paradox. Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective in improving exercise capacity and health status in COPD but it is unclear whether these benefits accrue in patients with extreme obesity. We wanted to compare the outcomes of a pulmonary rehabilitation program in patients with obesity of varying severity and normal weight subjects."
The results of their study were reported at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.
To compare the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation between obese and non-obese patients, Dr. Greening and colleagues recruited patients with clinical and spirometric COPD and classified them according to their level of obesity, from normal weight (BMI 21-25kg/m2) to extreme obesity (BMI >40 kg/m2). The patients underwent pulmonary rehabilitation at a single center in the UK. The improvements in their exercise performance and endurance, as well as their health status (chronic respiratory questionnaire) and baseline characteristics were assessed.
"We found that obese people with COPD are more disabled in terms of exercise capacity, despite having less severe airflow obstruction (the measure used to quantify severity of COPD). However, they do just as well with rehab including those with extreme obesity," said Dr. Greening. "There is no difference between obesity subgroups in the proportion of patients achieving a clinically significant improvement in the incremental shuttle walk test."
This is the first study to look at PR in extreme obesity. While the researchers expected to find that some improvement would be seen after the pulmonary rehabilitation program, they were surprised to see no difference in training effects between normal weight and extremely obese patients.
"Patients with COPD, irrespective of body mass, improve following a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Therefore extremely obese patients with COPD should still be considered for enrolment," said Dr. Greening, adding that although there are no weight limits for pulmonary rehabilitation programs, there is likely some discrimination by medical staff who may emphasize weight loss over exercise.
There remain questions about the disparity in obese patients with COPD. Obese patients do not have the same improvements in health status following pulmonary rehabilitation. In particular, fatigue does not improve, possibly due to co-existing medical problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea or obesity hypoventilation, according to Dr, Greening. However, the most puzzling question remains the survival benefit conferred by obesity. "As medical professionals, we know that obesity is linked with medical complications such as diabetes and heart disease, so how it can lead to a survival advantage in other diseases such as COPD or chronic kidney disease is puzzling. The reasons for this are currently unknown and further research is needed."
A larger study is planned to examine some of these issues. "We are planning a study to look at the underlying mechanisms of skeletal muscle dysfunction and obesity in COPD," said Dr. Greening. "Rather than a larger multi-centre study looking at epidemiology, we are trying to understand why obesity affects patients with COPD in the way it does."
"The Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Extreme Obesity in COPD" (Session A27, Sunday, May 16, 8:15-10:45 a.m., CC-Room 293-294 (Second Level), Morial Convention Center; Abstract 1342)
Source:
Keely Savoie
American Thoracic Society
"Like the healthy population, the prevalence of obesity is increasing in those with COPD," said Neil Greening, M.B.B.S, M.R.C.P., who led the study. "There is evidence that obesity may lower exercise capacity but at the same time appears to confer a survival advantage, which is known as the obesity paradox. Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective in improving exercise capacity and health status in COPD but it is unclear whether these benefits accrue in patients with extreme obesity. We wanted to compare the outcomes of a pulmonary rehabilitation program in patients with obesity of varying severity and normal weight subjects."
The results of their study were reported at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.
To compare the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation between obese and non-obese patients, Dr. Greening and colleagues recruited patients with clinical and spirometric COPD and classified them according to their level of obesity, from normal weight (BMI 21-25kg/m2) to extreme obesity (BMI >40 kg/m2). The patients underwent pulmonary rehabilitation at a single center in the UK. The improvements in their exercise performance and endurance, as well as their health status (chronic respiratory questionnaire) and baseline characteristics were assessed.
"We found that obese people with COPD are more disabled in terms of exercise capacity, despite having less severe airflow obstruction (the measure used to quantify severity of COPD). However, they do just as well with rehab including those with extreme obesity," said Dr. Greening. "There is no difference between obesity subgroups in the proportion of patients achieving a clinically significant improvement in the incremental shuttle walk test."
This is the first study to look at PR in extreme obesity. While the researchers expected to find that some improvement would be seen after the pulmonary rehabilitation program, they were surprised to see no difference in training effects between normal weight and extremely obese patients.
"Patients with COPD, irrespective of body mass, improve following a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Therefore extremely obese patients with COPD should still be considered for enrolment," said Dr. Greening, adding that although there are no weight limits for pulmonary rehabilitation programs, there is likely some discrimination by medical staff who may emphasize weight loss over exercise.
There remain questions about the disparity in obese patients with COPD. Obese patients do not have the same improvements in health status following pulmonary rehabilitation. In particular, fatigue does not improve, possibly due to co-existing medical problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea or obesity hypoventilation, according to Dr, Greening. However, the most puzzling question remains the survival benefit conferred by obesity. "As medical professionals, we know that obesity is linked with medical complications such as diabetes and heart disease, so how it can lead to a survival advantage in other diseases such as COPD or chronic kidney disease is puzzling. The reasons for this are currently unknown and further research is needed."
A larger study is planned to examine some of these issues. "We are planning a study to look at the underlying mechanisms of skeletal muscle dysfunction and obesity in COPD," said Dr. Greening. "Rather than a larger multi-centre study looking at epidemiology, we are trying to understand why obesity affects patients with COPD in the way it does."
"The Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Extreme Obesity in COPD" (Session A27, Sunday, May 16, 8:15-10:45 a.m., CC-Room 293-294 (Second Level), Morial Convention Center; Abstract 1342)
Source:
Keely Savoie
American Thoracic Society
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Clinical Data, Inc. Reports Results Of Phase I Studies Of Stedivaze™ Demonstrating Safety And Tolerability In Patients With Asthma And COPD
Clinical Data, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDA), announced results from two Phase I studies of Stedivaze™ (apadenoson), which demonstrated that Stedivaze was safe and well tolerated in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Stedivaze is a potent and highly selective agonist of the adenosine A2A receptor subtype in development as a pharmacologic stress agent for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Currently available adenosine agonists must be used with caution or are contraindicated in patients with asthma and COPD. The high selectivity of Stedivaze offers a potential advantage for the safe use in this population, accounting for approximately 10 percent of the 7.6M MPI tests performed annually.1 The Company is also actively enrolling patients in ASPECT 1, a Phase III trial designed to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of Stedivaze.
"The positive results from our preliminary studies in asthmatics and COPD patients are encouraging and represent a milestone toward our goal of developing a coronary vasodilator that is both safe and well tolerated in these populations," said Carol R. Reed, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Clinical Data. "We intend to expand these findings by initiating further safety studies of Stedivaze in patients with asthma and COPD, while continuing to evaluate the efficacy and potential for superior tolerability of Stedivaze in our ongoing Phase III program."
In both of these placebo-controlled studies, Stedivaze was administered as a single IV bolus, at the same dose utilized in the ASPECT 1 trial. In 49 patients with mild to moderate asthma and 50 patients with moderate to severe COPD, Stedivaze had no effects on pulmonary function tests. Adverse events overall were similar in both incidence and severity to the adverse event profile seen in previous studies of Stedivaze in patients without lung disease, and continue to support its potential for improved tolerability. Most frequently observed adverse events, common to this class of agents, included palpitations, flushing, chest discomfort and shortness of breath. Results of both of these trials support the continued study of Stedivaze in patients with asthma and COPD.
In addition to completing these Phase I studies, the Company is continuing to enroll patients in its ASPECT 1 trial of Stedivaze, a Phase III randomized, double blind, active control study initiated in November 2009, which is designed to demonstrate both efficacy and the potential for improved tolerability for Stedivaze in patients undergoing SPECT MPI. ASPECT 2, a second Phase III trial similar in design to ASPECT 1, is expected to begin in the second half 2010.
About Stedivaze
Stedivaze (apadenoson) is a potent agonist of the adenosine A2A receptor subtype and offers improved selectivity for this receptor over other subtypes (A1 and A2B). Phase II studies suggest that Stedivaze produces ample coronary artery vasodilation required for SPECT MPI testing and has a pharmacokinetic profile that will allow it to be administered as a fixed dose bolus injection. Because of its superior selectivity for the A2A receptor subtype and its optimal pharmacokinetic profile, Stedivaze may offer improved tolerability over other adenosine receptor agonists currently marketed for use in pharmacologic stress MPI.
About Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
Myocardial perfusion imaging is used as a primary screen to identify the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) as evidenced by detection of areas of poor blood flow in the heart that can be caused by the presence of plaques that can reduce or block the normal flow of blood to the heart. A pharmacologic stress agent is used to temporarily increase blood flow through normal coronary arteries in order to define areas of the heart that may be receiving reduced blood flow under rest and then stress conditions. The A2A adenosine receptor is the receptor subtype responsible for coronary vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels that supply the heart muscle.2
The U.S. market for MPI testing is projected to be $800 million in 2011. Over 7.6 million MPI tests were performed in the U.S. in 2008 and approximately 3.5 million of these tests required the use of a pharmacological agent to generate maximum coronary blood flow in lieu of exercise.3 The market is expected to continue to grow due to an aging population, a rise in the number of patients unable to perform exercise during diagnostic procedures, and emerging imaging modalities that require the use of a vasodilator.
1. Eliana Reyes, MD, et al. Adenosine myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in obstructive airway disease. Journal of Nuclear Cardiology, November/December 2007
2. Shryock, J.C., Snowdy, S., Baraldi, P.G., et al. "A2A - adenosine Receptor Reserve for Coronary Vasodilation," Circulation, 1998, pp. 711-718.
3. AMR Monthly Monitor SNM: Advanced Molecular Imaging and Therapy, September 15, 2008.
Source
Clinical Data, Inc.
"The positive results from our preliminary studies in asthmatics and COPD patients are encouraging and represent a milestone toward our goal of developing a coronary vasodilator that is both safe and well tolerated in these populations," said Carol R. Reed, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Clinical Data. "We intend to expand these findings by initiating further safety studies of Stedivaze in patients with asthma and COPD, while continuing to evaluate the efficacy and potential for superior tolerability of Stedivaze in our ongoing Phase III program."
In both of these placebo-controlled studies, Stedivaze was administered as a single IV bolus, at the same dose utilized in the ASPECT 1 trial. In 49 patients with mild to moderate asthma and 50 patients with moderate to severe COPD, Stedivaze had no effects on pulmonary function tests. Adverse events overall were similar in both incidence and severity to the adverse event profile seen in previous studies of Stedivaze in patients without lung disease, and continue to support its potential for improved tolerability. Most frequently observed adverse events, common to this class of agents, included palpitations, flushing, chest discomfort and shortness of breath. Results of both of these trials support the continued study of Stedivaze in patients with asthma and COPD.
In addition to completing these Phase I studies, the Company is continuing to enroll patients in its ASPECT 1 trial of Stedivaze, a Phase III randomized, double blind, active control study initiated in November 2009, which is designed to demonstrate both efficacy and the potential for improved tolerability for Stedivaze in patients undergoing SPECT MPI. ASPECT 2, a second Phase III trial similar in design to ASPECT 1, is expected to begin in the second half 2010.
About Stedivaze
Stedivaze (apadenoson) is a potent agonist of the adenosine A2A receptor subtype and offers improved selectivity for this receptor over other subtypes (A1 and A2B). Phase II studies suggest that Stedivaze produces ample coronary artery vasodilation required for SPECT MPI testing and has a pharmacokinetic profile that will allow it to be administered as a fixed dose bolus injection. Because of its superior selectivity for the A2A receptor subtype and its optimal pharmacokinetic profile, Stedivaze may offer improved tolerability over other adenosine receptor agonists currently marketed for use in pharmacologic stress MPI.
About Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
Myocardial perfusion imaging is used as a primary screen to identify the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) as evidenced by detection of areas of poor blood flow in the heart that can be caused by the presence of plaques that can reduce or block the normal flow of blood to the heart. A pharmacologic stress agent is used to temporarily increase blood flow through normal coronary arteries in order to define areas of the heart that may be receiving reduced blood flow under rest and then stress conditions. The A2A adenosine receptor is the receptor subtype responsible for coronary vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels that supply the heart muscle.2
The U.S. market for MPI testing is projected to be $800 million in 2011. Over 7.6 million MPI tests were performed in the U.S. in 2008 and approximately 3.5 million of these tests required the use of a pharmacological agent to generate maximum coronary blood flow in lieu of exercise.3 The market is expected to continue to grow due to an aging population, a rise in the number of patients unable to perform exercise during diagnostic procedures, and emerging imaging modalities that require the use of a vasodilator.
1. Eliana Reyes, MD, et al. Adenosine myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in obstructive airway disease. Journal of Nuclear Cardiology, November/December 2007
2. Shryock, J.C., Snowdy, S., Baraldi, P.G., et al. "A2A - adenosine Receptor Reserve for Coronary Vasodilation," Circulation, 1998, pp. 711-718.
3. AMR Monthly Monitor SNM: Advanced Molecular Imaging and Therapy, September 15, 2008.
Source
Clinical Data, Inc.
Monday, 3 May 2010
News From The April Issue Of Chest
Electronic nose sniffs out asthma
New evidence shows that an "electronic nose" containing an array of gas sensors may have the ability to identify asthma in patients. Researchers from Italy compared the diagnostic performance of the electronic nose with lung function tests and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) in seven patients with asthma and seven healthy subjects. For each person, the electronic nose analysis was performed on total exhaled air and alveolar air. Results showed that the diagnostic performance for the electronic nose, FENO, and lung function testing was 87.5 percent, 79.2 percent, and 70.8 percent, respectively. Overall, the electronic nose analysis obtained the best results when performed on alveolar air and in combination with FENO. Researchers conclude that the electronic nose discriminates between patients with asthma and healthy patients, with increased diagnostic performance when combined with FENO. This article is published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: CHEST 2010; 137(4):790.
Oral vaccine may reduce exacerbations in patients with COPD
A novel vaccine may help reduce the number and severity of exacerbations in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Australian researchers developed a new oral immunotherapy (HI-164OV) using Haemophilus influenzae, the bacteria causing meningitis in children. In a randomized, multicenter, double blind, placebo-controlled trial, researchers tested the efficacy of the new vaccine and its effects on outcomes in 38 patients with severe COPD. Results showed significant reductions in the areas of moderate to severe exacerbations (63 percent reduction), mean duration of episode (37 percent reduction), prescribed antibiotics (56 percent reduction), and exacerbations requiring hospital admission (90 percent reduction). No specific adverse effect was detected. Researchers conclude that the vaccine shows potential in improving the health of patients with COPD. The article is published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: CHEST 2010; 137(4):805.
Link between acid reflux and sleep apnea challenged
New research suggests that a causal link between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may not exist. Researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin studied the sleep events of nine patients with GER without OSA, six patients with OSA without GER, 11 patients with OSA and GER, and 15 control subjects. Although GER is thought to be induced by decreasing intraesophageal pressure during OSA, study results showed that esophageal pressures progressively increased during OSA. The incidence of GER during sleep in patients with OSA and GER did not differ from the remaining three groups. Researchers speculate that OSA may not induce GER or other reflux events. This study is published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: CHEST 2010; 137(4):769.
Source:
Jennifer Stawarz
American College of Chest Physicians
New evidence shows that an "electronic nose" containing an array of gas sensors may have the ability to identify asthma in patients. Researchers from Italy compared the diagnostic performance of the electronic nose with lung function tests and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) in seven patients with asthma and seven healthy subjects. For each person, the electronic nose analysis was performed on total exhaled air and alveolar air. Results showed that the diagnostic performance for the electronic nose, FENO, and lung function testing was 87.5 percent, 79.2 percent, and 70.8 percent, respectively. Overall, the electronic nose analysis obtained the best results when performed on alveolar air and in combination with FENO. Researchers conclude that the electronic nose discriminates between patients with asthma and healthy patients, with increased diagnostic performance when combined with FENO. This article is published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: CHEST 2010; 137(4):790.
Oral vaccine may reduce exacerbations in patients with COPD
A novel vaccine may help reduce the number and severity of exacerbations in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Australian researchers developed a new oral immunotherapy (HI-164OV) using Haemophilus influenzae, the bacteria causing meningitis in children. In a randomized, multicenter, double blind, placebo-controlled trial, researchers tested the efficacy of the new vaccine and its effects on outcomes in 38 patients with severe COPD. Results showed significant reductions in the areas of moderate to severe exacerbations (63 percent reduction), mean duration of episode (37 percent reduction), prescribed antibiotics (56 percent reduction), and exacerbations requiring hospital admission (90 percent reduction). No specific adverse effect was detected. Researchers conclude that the vaccine shows potential in improving the health of patients with COPD. The article is published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: CHEST 2010; 137(4):805.
Link between acid reflux and sleep apnea challenged
New research suggests that a causal link between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may not exist. Researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin studied the sleep events of nine patients with GER without OSA, six patients with OSA without GER, 11 patients with OSA and GER, and 15 control subjects. Although GER is thought to be induced by decreasing intraesophageal pressure during OSA, study results showed that esophageal pressures progressively increased during OSA. The incidence of GER during sleep in patients with OSA and GER did not differ from the remaining three groups. Researchers speculate that OSA may not induce GER or other reflux events. This study is published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: CHEST 2010; 137(4):769.
Source:
Jennifer Stawarz
American College of Chest Physicians
Friday, 30 April 2010
Many Adults Unaware They May Be Suffering From Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
As many as 20 percent of adults with known risk factors are currently undiagnosed but suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), states a research article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
COPD is a common and costly respiratory condition that is estimated to affect 10% of people 40 years of age and older.
This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of COPD in an at-risk population of adults aged 40 years or more with a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years, the number of packs smoked per day, multiplied by the number of years smoked, who visited a primary practitioner for any reason. The study evaluated the accuracy of prior diagnosis or nondiagnosis of COPD and identified associated clinical characteristics.
In a study of 1003 participants, the researchers identified COPD in approximately one of every five adults. Although more than three-quarters of the patients with COPD reported at least one respiratory symptom, two-thirds were unaware of their diagnosis. "These findings suggest that adults who attend a primary care practice with known risk factors for COPD are important targets for screening and early intervention," write Dr. Roger Goldstein, West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto, Ontario and coauthors.
Underdiagnosis of COPD has been previously reported but according to the authors the extent of it in their study was especially striking given that all of the patients had two important risk factors for COPD.
The authors conclude that early detection of COPD in high-risk patients in a primary care setting is feasible and successful early intervention could result in important reductions in mortality, morbidity and health care costs associated with COPD, although this remains to be demonstrated in future evaluations. Further research is indicated to define more clearly the reasons for underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis of COPD in primary care settings.
Source:
Kim Barnhardt
Canadian Medical Association Journal
COPD is a common and costly respiratory condition that is estimated to affect 10% of people 40 years of age and older.
This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of COPD in an at-risk population of adults aged 40 years or more with a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years, the number of packs smoked per day, multiplied by the number of years smoked, who visited a primary practitioner for any reason. The study evaluated the accuracy of prior diagnosis or nondiagnosis of COPD and identified associated clinical characteristics.
In a study of 1003 participants, the researchers identified COPD in approximately one of every five adults. Although more than three-quarters of the patients with COPD reported at least one respiratory symptom, two-thirds were unaware of their diagnosis. "These findings suggest that adults who attend a primary care practice with known risk factors for COPD are important targets for screening and early intervention," write Dr. Roger Goldstein, West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto, Ontario and coauthors.
Underdiagnosis of COPD has been previously reported but according to the authors the extent of it in their study was especially striking given that all of the patients had two important risk factors for COPD.
The authors conclude that early detection of COPD in high-risk patients in a primary care setting is feasible and successful early intervention could result in important reductions in mortality, morbidity and health care costs associated with COPD, although this remains to be demonstrated in future evaluations. Further research is indicated to define more clearly the reasons for underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis of COPD in primary care settings.
Source:
Kim Barnhardt
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Thursday, 29 April 2010
CT Scans Can Detect Differences In Lung Blood Flow Patterns, Which Identify Smokers Most At Risk Of Emphysema
Using CT scans to measure blood flow in the lungs of people who smoke may offer a way to identify which smokers are most at risk of emphysema before the disease damages and eventually destroys areas of the lungs, according to a University of Iowa study.
The study found that smokers who have very subtle signs of emphysema, but still have normal lung function, have very different blood flow patterns in their lungs compared to non-smokers and smokers without signs of emphysema.
This difference could be used to identify smokers at increased risk of emphysema and allow for early intervention. The findings appear this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"We have developed a new tool to detect early emphysema-related changes that occur in smokers who are susceptible to the disease," said lead study author Eric Hoffman, Ph.D., UI professor of radiology, internal medicine and biomedical engineering. "Our discovery may also help researchers understand the underlying causes of this disease and help distinguish this type of emphysema from other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This type of CT scan could even be a tool to test the effectiveness of new therapies by looking at the changes in lung blood flow."
As many as 24 million Americans have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- a group of serious lung diseases that includes emphysema -- and COPD is the fourth leading cause of death nationwide. Because COPD is a group of different diseases, identifying more effective treatments may hinge on distinguishing between these diseases and targeting them separately.
The team used multi-detector row CT imaging to measure blood flow patterns in the lungs of 41 study participants -- 17 non-smokers and 24 smokers. All the participants had normal lung function, but 12 of the smokers had very subtle signs of emphysema. The CT scans showed that these 12 individuals had the most disrupted patterns of blood flow compared to the other participants.
The findings also support the idea that abnormal blood flow occurs before emphysema develops.
"Although the underlying causes of emphysema are not well understood, smoking increases the risk of developing the disease," Hoffman said. "Our study suggests that some smokers have an abnormal response to inflammation in their lungs; instead of sending more blood to the inflamed areas to help repair the damage, blood flow is turned off and the inflamed areas deteriorate."
The cellular pathway that turns off blood flow is helpful when an area of the lung has become permanently blocked and cannot be rescued. In that case, the lung "optimizes gas exchange" and stops supplying the area with blood. However, lung inflammation caused by smoking can be resolved and resultant damage repaired by increased blood flow, which brings oxygen and helpful cellular components to the site of injury.
This study suggests that the ability to distinguish when to turn off or when to ramp up blood flow is defective in some people -- probably due to genetic differences. If this genetic difference is coupled with smoking, which increases lung inflammation, that could increase the risk of developing emphysema.
In addition to Hoffman, the UI team included Sara Alford, a student in the Medical Scientist Training Program and first author of the study, Edwin van Beek, M.D., Ph.D., professor of radiology, and Geoffrey McLennan, M.D., Ph.D., UI professor of internal medicine, radiology and biomedical engineering.
Hoffman and McLennan are founders and shareholders of VIDA Diagnostics, a company commercializing lung-imaging software derived from laboratory research.
The study was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Source:
Jennifer Brown
University of Iowa - Health Science
The study found that smokers who have very subtle signs of emphysema, but still have normal lung function, have very different blood flow patterns in their lungs compared to non-smokers and smokers without signs of emphysema.
This difference could be used to identify smokers at increased risk of emphysema and allow for early intervention. The findings appear this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"We have developed a new tool to detect early emphysema-related changes that occur in smokers who are susceptible to the disease," said lead study author Eric Hoffman, Ph.D., UI professor of radiology, internal medicine and biomedical engineering. "Our discovery may also help researchers understand the underlying causes of this disease and help distinguish this type of emphysema from other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This type of CT scan could even be a tool to test the effectiveness of new therapies by looking at the changes in lung blood flow."
As many as 24 million Americans have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- a group of serious lung diseases that includes emphysema -- and COPD is the fourth leading cause of death nationwide. Because COPD is a group of different diseases, identifying more effective treatments may hinge on distinguishing between these diseases and targeting them separately.
The team used multi-detector row CT imaging to measure blood flow patterns in the lungs of 41 study participants -- 17 non-smokers and 24 smokers. All the participants had normal lung function, but 12 of the smokers had very subtle signs of emphysema. The CT scans showed that these 12 individuals had the most disrupted patterns of blood flow compared to the other participants.
The findings also support the idea that abnormal blood flow occurs before emphysema develops.
"Although the underlying causes of emphysema are not well understood, smoking increases the risk of developing the disease," Hoffman said. "Our study suggests that some smokers have an abnormal response to inflammation in their lungs; instead of sending more blood to the inflamed areas to help repair the damage, blood flow is turned off and the inflamed areas deteriorate."
The cellular pathway that turns off blood flow is helpful when an area of the lung has become permanently blocked and cannot be rescued. In that case, the lung "optimizes gas exchange" and stops supplying the area with blood. However, lung inflammation caused by smoking can be resolved and resultant damage repaired by increased blood flow, which brings oxygen and helpful cellular components to the site of injury.
This study suggests that the ability to distinguish when to turn off or when to ramp up blood flow is defective in some people -- probably due to genetic differences. If this genetic difference is coupled with smoking, which increases lung inflammation, that could increase the risk of developing emphysema.
In addition to Hoffman, the UI team included Sara Alford, a student in the Medical Scientist Training Program and first author of the study, Edwin van Beek, M.D., Ph.D., professor of radiology, and Geoffrey McLennan, M.D., Ph.D., UI professor of internal medicine, radiology and biomedical engineering.
Hoffman and McLennan are founders and shareholders of VIDA Diagnostics, a company commercializing lung-imaging software derived from laboratory research.
The study was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Source:
Jennifer Brown
University of Iowa - Health Science
$9.7 Million Stimulus Grant For New Research Center
With a goal of creating jobs and enhancing chronic disease studies, the federal government is awarding a $9.7 million grant of stimulus funds to the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) for the construction of a new Chronic Disease Clinical Research Center on its campus, David I. Meyer, PhD, the institute's president and CEO, have announced.
Construction of the new research center is expected to create up to 190 new jobs and a new environment for LA BioMed's research into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory ailments, cardiac disease and HIV/AIDS.
"With the construction of a new research center, our distinguished investigators who study chronic diseases will be able to expand and strengthen their clinical research activities to provide promising new treatments and therapies to the underserved," Dr. Meyer said. "There was incredibly stiff competition for the facilities grants, and it is a credit to LA BioMed's investigators and staff that the institute was able to secure a share of this one-time infusion of capital funding."
The grant comes from the National Institutes of Health National Center for Research Resources and is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or the stimulus program. It requires rapid deployment of shovel-ready projects to ensure the grant creates jobs and stimulates the economy.
"It is great news for Californians that LA BioMed received millions in stimulus dollars which will help it maintain essential services, save lives and provide comfort and care to people across the state," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "This much-needed funding will create jobs and build a state-of-the-art facility that will help researchers find cures and develop treatments for chronic diseases."
The construction of the new Chronic Disease Clinical Research Center is expected to generate 150 new construction-related jobs, and the expansion of research at LA BioMed is estimated to create up to 40 additional new jobs.
"One-hundred fifty new construction jobs and up to 40 new staff positions at LA BioMed are a shot in the arm for the South Bay's economy," said U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, D-Venice. "The grant will also foster the development of new treatments and therapies for chronic ailments. Congratulations to the doctors and researchers whose innovation and hard work will help save lives."
The grant will pay for the construction of a two-story, 23,171-square-foot research center that will consolidate the collaborative research programs of investigator groups who are studying chronic diseases. It will serve as the new home for LA BioMed's Center for Rehabilitative Medicine, its Center for Atherosclerosis Research, the HIV/AIDS research program and the Investigational Drug Service.
"This grant award is great news for LA BioMed and the South Bay because it will create much-needed new jobs and help stimulate our local economy," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. "LA BioMed is a pioneer in research that benefits the underserved in our society, and it is leading the way in turning great science into great medicine. I look forward to the advances in treatments and therapies that will be developed at LA BioMed's new Chronic Diseases Clinical Research Center."
The new Chronic Disease Clinical Research Center is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2013, and it will include an outpatient research clinic, research pharmacy, office space, a cardiac CT reading center and exercise physiology, pulmonary function and cardiac labs.
"This grant is great news for LA BioMed, for the South Bay and for anyone suffering from a chronic disease," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. "LA BioMed is one of Los Angeles' real gems. Its physician-researchers take the knowledge they gain at the bedside of their patients into the labs where they develop therapies and treatments that will improve the lives of people around the globe. We are fortunate to have such an outstanding research facility located in the heart of the South Bay."
Source:
Laura Mecoy
Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed)
Construction of the new research center is expected to create up to 190 new jobs and a new environment for LA BioMed's research into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory ailments, cardiac disease and HIV/AIDS.
"With the construction of a new research center, our distinguished investigators who study chronic diseases will be able to expand and strengthen their clinical research activities to provide promising new treatments and therapies to the underserved," Dr. Meyer said. "There was incredibly stiff competition for the facilities grants, and it is a credit to LA BioMed's investigators and staff that the institute was able to secure a share of this one-time infusion of capital funding."
The grant comes from the National Institutes of Health National Center for Research Resources and is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or the stimulus program. It requires rapid deployment of shovel-ready projects to ensure the grant creates jobs and stimulates the economy.
"It is great news for Californians that LA BioMed received millions in stimulus dollars which will help it maintain essential services, save lives and provide comfort and care to people across the state," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "This much-needed funding will create jobs and build a state-of-the-art facility that will help researchers find cures and develop treatments for chronic diseases."
The construction of the new Chronic Disease Clinical Research Center is expected to generate 150 new construction-related jobs, and the expansion of research at LA BioMed is estimated to create up to 40 additional new jobs.
"One-hundred fifty new construction jobs and up to 40 new staff positions at LA BioMed are a shot in the arm for the South Bay's economy," said U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, D-Venice. "The grant will also foster the development of new treatments and therapies for chronic ailments. Congratulations to the doctors and researchers whose innovation and hard work will help save lives."
The grant will pay for the construction of a two-story, 23,171-square-foot research center that will consolidate the collaborative research programs of investigator groups who are studying chronic diseases. It will serve as the new home for LA BioMed's Center for Rehabilitative Medicine, its Center for Atherosclerosis Research, the HIV/AIDS research program and the Investigational Drug Service.
"This grant award is great news for LA BioMed and the South Bay because it will create much-needed new jobs and help stimulate our local economy," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. "LA BioMed is a pioneer in research that benefits the underserved in our society, and it is leading the way in turning great science into great medicine. I look forward to the advances in treatments and therapies that will be developed at LA BioMed's new Chronic Diseases Clinical Research Center."
The new Chronic Disease Clinical Research Center is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2013, and it will include an outpatient research clinic, research pharmacy, office space, a cardiac CT reading center and exercise physiology, pulmonary function and cardiac labs.
"This grant is great news for LA BioMed, for the South Bay and for anyone suffering from a chronic disease," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. "LA BioMed is one of Los Angeles' real gems. Its physician-researchers take the knowledge they gain at the bedside of their patients into the labs where they develop therapies and treatments that will improve the lives of people around the globe. We are fortunate to have such an outstanding research facility located in the heart of the South Bay."
Source:
Laura Mecoy
Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed)
The Effectiveness Of Telemonitoring Vital Signs Examined By Study
Like the bleeps of an alarm clock, TeleCare, a home monitoring device, gives the chronically ill a wake-up call: "It's time to take your vitals."
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University will study how effective TeleCare, a device the size of an alarm clock, is in keeping individuals with complex health issues healthy and out of the hospital.
CWRU's University Center on Aging and Health awarded a one-year pilot grant to investigators Elizabeth Madigan from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Rebecca Boxer from the School of Medicine at CWRU, and Amir Poreh from Cleveland State, for the study, "Supporting Self-Management with Telehealth for Patients with Multiple Morbidity."
The researchers will work with the 40 patients under the care of the Cleveland Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) of Ohio, headquartered in Cleveland. The patients suffer from one or more of the following illnesses: heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes. They also experience symptoms of depression, anxiety or difficulties making decisions.
The Cleveland VNA has about 100 TeleCare monitors in use to track heart rates, blood pressures, oxygen saturation, temperature, weight and blood sugar of patients on days when the visiting nurses do not make house calls.
When the device announces the time to take vital signs, the patient plugs the device into the telephone jack, attaches various pieces of medical equipment (like a blood pressure cuff or scales) to the device and then records the data. The information is sent directly to a specially-trained VNA nurse at a computer station, who tracks the data for health changes that signify a potential medical issue.
According to Madigan, the technology allows health care organizations like the VNA to monitor and extend care beyond the regular home visit and find changes in the health condition before it might reach a critical stage.
An example says Madigan, who is a professor of nursing, is an elevated weight gain in a person with heart failure - a sign of potential fluid overload.
"Generally patients like this monitoring," said. While it is distant monitoring, "it's another set of eyes on their health conditions."
The VNA has used the monitors for about seven years, but past studies on home telehealth monitoring have been done on the ideal or controlled patients.
Because the targeted illnesses in this study also are associated with cognitive or mental health changes, the researchers want to see if the technology is effective in helping "the real patient with real issues" manage their illnesses.
"We hope to find out which patients benefit the most from telehealth monitoring," Madigan said.
Source:
Susan Griffith
Case Western Reserve University
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University will study how effective TeleCare, a device the size of an alarm clock, is in keeping individuals with complex health issues healthy and out of the hospital.
CWRU's University Center on Aging and Health awarded a one-year pilot grant to investigators Elizabeth Madigan from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Rebecca Boxer from the School of Medicine at CWRU, and Amir Poreh from Cleveland State, for the study, "Supporting Self-Management with Telehealth for Patients with Multiple Morbidity."
The researchers will work with the 40 patients under the care of the Cleveland Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) of Ohio, headquartered in Cleveland. The patients suffer from one or more of the following illnesses: heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes. They also experience symptoms of depression, anxiety or difficulties making decisions.
The Cleveland VNA has about 100 TeleCare monitors in use to track heart rates, blood pressures, oxygen saturation, temperature, weight and blood sugar of patients on days when the visiting nurses do not make house calls.
When the device announces the time to take vital signs, the patient plugs the device into the telephone jack, attaches various pieces of medical equipment (like a blood pressure cuff or scales) to the device and then records the data. The information is sent directly to a specially-trained VNA nurse at a computer station, who tracks the data for health changes that signify a potential medical issue.
According to Madigan, the technology allows health care organizations like the VNA to monitor and extend care beyond the regular home visit and find changes in the health condition before it might reach a critical stage.
An example says Madigan, who is a professor of nursing, is an elevated weight gain in a person with heart failure - a sign of potential fluid overload.
"Generally patients like this monitoring," said. While it is distant monitoring, "it's another set of eyes on their health conditions."
The VNA has used the monitors for about seven years, but past studies on home telehealth monitoring have been done on the ideal or controlled patients.
Because the targeted illnesses in this study also are associated with cognitive or mental health changes, the researchers want to see if the technology is effective in helping "the real patient with real issues" manage their illnesses.
"We hope to find out which patients benefit the most from telehealth monitoring," Madigan said.
Source:
Susan Griffith
Case Western Reserve University
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Pan-Canadian Initiative On Respiratory Disease
"It is high time to demystify COPD in order to better explain the issues and help people who suffer from this disease," says Dr. Jean Bourbeau, Director of the Respiratory, Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit at the Montreal Chest Institute of the MUHC, and lead investigator of CanCOLD along with Dr. Wan Tan of The James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research, University of British Columbia. As much as 70 per cent of COPD patients are under-diagnosed due to a lack of knowledge of the disease among the general public and physicians.
COPD is a chronic, degenerative disease of the respiratory system that affects nearly 3 million Canadians and includes two major disorders commonly known as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which lead to severe respiratory failure. "Smoking is a major risk factor of COPD, and as a result there is a certain public indifference towards the disease because there is a sense that it is self-inflicted," adds Dr. Bourbeau. "As researchers, part of our challenge is to change this perception; genetics, history of pulmonary infections during childhood, secondhand smoke and environmental factors are also major contributors. Our goal is to develop more effective management tools to reduce the economic and social burden associated with this disease."
"CanCOLD represents an exceptional means to multiply the savoir faire of researchers to accelerate the understanding of chronic diseases and improve patient care," explains Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, Director of the Research Institute of the MUHC and Associate Executive Director for Research at the MUHC. "Leading an initiative such as this one, which is based on a solid platform of research, information technology, modern infrastructure, and nationwide collaboration in biomedical sciences, is totally aligned with the strategic plan of the Research Institute of the MUHC."
"That a public-private consortium involving the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and several large pharmaceutical companies is supporting this study and facilitating the transfer of knowledge, from results to actual patient treatments, underscores the importance of this research," notes Dr. Bourbeau. "It is urgent that we use the tools of modern medicine to change the course of this devastating disease, which still has far too much stigma attached to it. If this trend continues, it is feared that more than 6,000 women and 5,000 men nationwide will die from COPD complications in 2010."
This research project is funded through the collaborative research program CIHR / Rx & D, in partnership with AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and the Respiratory Health Network of the FRSQ. Novartis has recently joined the consortium.
Source:
Julie Robert
McGill University Health Centre
COPD is a chronic, degenerative disease of the respiratory system that affects nearly 3 million Canadians and includes two major disorders commonly known as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which lead to severe respiratory failure. "Smoking is a major risk factor of COPD, and as a result there is a certain public indifference towards the disease because there is a sense that it is self-inflicted," adds Dr. Bourbeau. "As researchers, part of our challenge is to change this perception; genetics, history of pulmonary infections during childhood, secondhand smoke and environmental factors are also major contributors. Our goal is to develop more effective management tools to reduce the economic and social burden associated with this disease."
"CanCOLD represents an exceptional means to multiply the savoir faire of researchers to accelerate the understanding of chronic diseases and improve patient care," explains Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, Director of the Research Institute of the MUHC and Associate Executive Director for Research at the MUHC. "Leading an initiative such as this one, which is based on a solid platform of research, information technology, modern infrastructure, and nationwide collaboration in biomedical sciences, is totally aligned with the strategic plan of the Research Institute of the MUHC."
"That a public-private consortium involving the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and several large pharmaceutical companies is supporting this study and facilitating the transfer of knowledge, from results to actual patient treatments, underscores the importance of this research," notes Dr. Bourbeau. "It is urgent that we use the tools of modern medicine to change the course of this devastating disease, which still has far too much stigma attached to it. If this trend continues, it is feared that more than 6,000 women and 5,000 men nationwide will die from COPD complications in 2010."
This research project is funded through the collaborative research program CIHR / Rx & D, in partnership with AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and the Respiratory Health Network of the FRSQ. Novartis has recently joined the consortium.
Source:
Julie Robert
McGill University Health Centre
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Fresh Research Discovers The Real World Affect Of COPD On Patients, Averting The Weight Of Exacerbations Counts Most of All
Fresh research amid COPD patients and doctors exposes that nullifying the effect of exacerbations weighs most of all to patients. Portrayed for the initial time today at the ATS congress, this inquiry presents that exacerbations affiliated with COPD wield a immense physical and psychological affect on patient's lives. These 'crisis' instalments are what touch patients most and endeavouring to avert these ought be the centre of COPD direction.
Likewise daily symptoms, patients with austere COPD endure intense 'exacerbations' of symptoms. An exacerbation is a worsening in the patient's clinical condition, with declining of respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, asthmatic, phlegm output and breathlessness which in its serious form demands medical interference, often resultant in being homebound, bed rid or even hospitalized.
An aggravation commonly evolves bit by bit over a few days and the continuance deviates from a couple of days to many weeks or even months. Recuperation can be really tiresome and might call for rehabilitation. Furthermore, a lot of patients don't make a perfect recuperation by an exacerbation.
Likewise daily symptoms, patients with austere COPD endure intense 'exacerbations' of symptoms. An exacerbation is a worsening in the patient's clinical condition, with declining of respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, asthmatic, phlegm output and breathlessness which in its serious form demands medical interference, often resultant in being homebound, bed rid or even hospitalized.
An aggravation commonly evolves bit by bit over a few days and the continuance deviates from a couple of days to many weeks or even months. Recuperation can be really tiresome and might call for rehabilitation. Furthermore, a lot of patients don't make a perfect recuperation by an exacerbation.
Genes seem to act as a part in evolution of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
A Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center lung disease specialist reports that some smokers may be genetically predisposed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Jill Ohar, professor of pulmonology and critical care medicine at Wake Forest Baptist, presented her findings at the 100th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in Orlando, Fla., today (May 25).
In her study, Ohar looked at more than 500 men and women age 40 and older who had smoked 20 years or more. She found that a variation of the macrophage scavenger receptor gene (MSR-1) is related to the development of airways obstruction in some patients who smoke cigarettes.
"We found a significant association between sequence variations in the MSR-1 gene and the presence of airways obstruction in smokers that may account for some of the variability in the development of COPD," said Ohar. "This finding may help us to understand why some smokers develop COPD and improve our understanding of how the disease develops."
Smoking is the leading cause of COPD, accounting for 90 percent of all cases. Yet, COPD affects only 15 percent to 20 percent of all smokers.
COPD is a group of lung diseases characterized by limited air flow with variable degrees of enlargement of the lung's air sacs and lung destruction. When diseased, these air sacs, known as alveoli, are unable to completely deflate and are therefore unable to fill with fresh air to ensure adequate oxygen supply to the body. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common types of COPD.
Ohar was the lead investigator of a team including Arjun B. Chatterjee, M.D., Siquen L. Zheng, M.D., Deborah Meyers, Ph.D., Jing Feng Xu, M.D., and Eugene R. Bleecker, M.D., all from Wake Forest Baptist, and David Sterling, M.D., from the Saint Louis University School of Public Health.
The study was funded in part by the Selikoff Fund for Environmental and Occupational Cancer Research. Irving J. Selikoff. M.D. - the physician and scientist who led the worldwide struggle to prevent exposure to asbestos - created this fund to continue his program of applying the new discoveries in molecular biology for the detection, treatment and prevention of cancer and other diseases associated with the work and community environments.
About Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center: Wake Forest Baptist is an academic health system comprised of North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Wake Forest University School of Medicine. It is licensed to operate 1,282 acute care, psychiatric, rehabilitation and long-term care beds and is consistently ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report.
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
In her study, Ohar looked at more than 500 men and women age 40 and older who had smoked 20 years or more. She found that a variation of the macrophage scavenger receptor gene (MSR-1) is related to the development of airways obstruction in some patients who smoke cigarettes.
"We found a significant association between sequence variations in the MSR-1 gene and the presence of airways obstruction in smokers that may account for some of the variability in the development of COPD," said Ohar. "This finding may help us to understand why some smokers develop COPD and improve our understanding of how the disease develops."
Smoking is the leading cause of COPD, accounting for 90 percent of all cases. Yet, COPD affects only 15 percent to 20 percent of all smokers.
COPD is a group of lung diseases characterized by limited air flow with variable degrees of enlargement of the lung's air sacs and lung destruction. When diseased, these air sacs, known as alveoli, are unable to completely deflate and are therefore unable to fill with fresh air to ensure adequate oxygen supply to the body. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common types of COPD.
Ohar was the lead investigator of a team including Arjun B. Chatterjee, M.D., Siquen L. Zheng, M.D., Deborah Meyers, Ph.D., Jing Feng Xu, M.D., and Eugene R. Bleecker, M.D., all from Wake Forest Baptist, and David Sterling, M.D., from the Saint Louis University School of Public Health.
The study was funded in part by the Selikoff Fund for Environmental and Occupational Cancer Research. Irving J. Selikoff. M.D. - the physician and scientist who led the worldwide struggle to prevent exposure to asbestos - created this fund to continue his program of applying the new discoveries in molecular biology for the detection, treatment and prevention of cancer and other diseases associated with the work and community environments.
About Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center: Wake Forest Baptist is an academic health system comprised of North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Wake Forest University School of Medicine. It is licensed to operate 1,282 acute care, psychiatric, rehabilitation and long-term care beds and is consistently ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report.
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
Friday, 9 April 2010
Office spirometry considerably betters early spotting of COPD
Spirometry in primary care setting doubles the number of 'known' cases of COPD
Spirometry testing in a primary care setting significantly improves early identification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), says a study published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians. The study found that by using spirometry, the gold standard for diagnosing COPD, primary care physicians nearly doubled the number of "known" COPD cases. In addition, of all newly diagnosed cases of COPD, 42 percent would have remained undetected without the use of spirometry. COPD, which includes the conditions of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is characterized by obstruction of airflow and gradual loss of lung function that is irreversible.
"Although there is no cure for COPD, early detection is important for effective disease management," said Johan Buffels, MD, Katholieke University, Leuven, Belgium. "A predominant number of patients with early stage COPD receive initial medical care through primary care physicians; however, many remain undiagnosed because their physicians do not regularly screen for the disease. Without the use of spirometry by primary care physicians, nearly half of our patients with COPD will remain undiagnosed."
In the study known as the DIDASCO project, researchers from Katholieke University compared the effectiveness and accuracy of office spirometry and a screening questionnaire as used by primary care physicians to detect early stages of COPD. Primary care physicians, trained in the use of spirometry and the management of COPD and asthma, screened a total of 3,408 patients between the ages of 35 and 70 over a 12-week period. Of the patients screened, 250 were currently using bronchodilators and/or inhaled steroids, indicating a "known" condition of either asthma or COPD. The remaining 3,158 patients completed a screening questionnaire that identified 728 patients as having signs or symptoms suggesting a condition of COPD. Spirometry tests were obtained from 703 of the symptomatic patients and 10 percent of asymptomatic patients. Among the group with symptoms, researchers confirmed 126 patients with formerly unknown airflow obstruction, as compared to the extrapolated number of 90 cases in the group without symptoms. The screening questionnaire was found to be insufficient for the detection of COPD, failing to identify 42 percent of all new cases of obstructive lung disease.
"Mild or moderate COPD often has few or no symptoms. Therefore, screening only patients with symptoms of COPD may result in missing an important number of people with obstructive lung disease," said Dr. Buffels. "As shown in our study, office spirometry nearly doubled the number of known cases of COPD in our target patient population, which reinforces the need for spirometry testing in general physician practice."
The majority of newly diagnosed patients presented with mild to moderate COPD. Of newly diagnosed patients, 45 percent were women, as compared to 15 percent among "known" COPD patients. The percentage of current smokers in the newly diagnosed group (48 percent) exceeded the number of smokers in the group with normal lung function (28 percent).
"COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of over 117,000 Americans each year, yet COPD continues to be widely underdiagnosed in the primary care setting, " said Richard S. Irwin, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. "Primary care physicians play a key role in the detection of COPD and should be encouraged to learn the technique of spirometry and incorporate the screening method into regular practice."
American College of Chest Physicians
Spirometry testing in a primary care setting significantly improves early identification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), says a study published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians. The study found that by using spirometry, the gold standard for diagnosing COPD, primary care physicians nearly doubled the number of "known" COPD cases. In addition, of all newly diagnosed cases of COPD, 42 percent would have remained undetected without the use of spirometry. COPD, which includes the conditions of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is characterized by obstruction of airflow and gradual loss of lung function that is irreversible.
"Although there is no cure for COPD, early detection is important for effective disease management," said Johan Buffels, MD, Katholieke University, Leuven, Belgium. "A predominant number of patients with early stage COPD receive initial medical care through primary care physicians; however, many remain undiagnosed because their physicians do not regularly screen for the disease. Without the use of spirometry by primary care physicians, nearly half of our patients with COPD will remain undiagnosed."
In the study known as the DIDASCO project, researchers from Katholieke University compared the effectiveness and accuracy of office spirometry and a screening questionnaire as used by primary care physicians to detect early stages of COPD. Primary care physicians, trained in the use of spirometry and the management of COPD and asthma, screened a total of 3,408 patients between the ages of 35 and 70 over a 12-week period. Of the patients screened, 250 were currently using bronchodilators and/or inhaled steroids, indicating a "known" condition of either asthma or COPD. The remaining 3,158 patients completed a screening questionnaire that identified 728 patients as having signs or symptoms suggesting a condition of COPD. Spirometry tests were obtained from 703 of the symptomatic patients and 10 percent of asymptomatic patients. Among the group with symptoms, researchers confirmed 126 patients with formerly unknown airflow obstruction, as compared to the extrapolated number of 90 cases in the group without symptoms. The screening questionnaire was found to be insufficient for the detection of COPD, failing to identify 42 percent of all new cases of obstructive lung disease.
"Mild or moderate COPD often has few or no symptoms. Therefore, screening only patients with symptoms of COPD may result in missing an important number of people with obstructive lung disease," said Dr. Buffels. "As shown in our study, office spirometry nearly doubled the number of known cases of COPD in our target patient population, which reinforces the need for spirometry testing in general physician practice."
The majority of newly diagnosed patients presented with mild to moderate COPD. Of newly diagnosed patients, 45 percent were women, as compared to 15 percent among "known" COPD patients. The percentage of current smokers in the newly diagnosed group (48 percent) exceeded the number of smokers in the group with normal lung function (28 percent).
"COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of over 117,000 Americans each year, yet COPD continues to be widely underdiagnosed in the primary care setting, " said Richard S. Irwin, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. "Primary care physicians play a key role in the detection of COPD and should be encouraged to learn the technique of spirometry and incorporate the screening method into regular practice."
American College of Chest Physicians
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