Respiratory Health News and Research

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Traffic-related pollution near schools contributes to pediatric asthma

Living near major highways has been linked to childhood asthma, but a new study led by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California suggests that traffic-related pollution near schools is also contributing to the development of asthma in kids.

7 Apr 2010

Gradual reduction in smoking as successful as abrupt quitting

Although many smokers try to quit by selecting a "quit day" and going cold turkey, a new Cochrane review finds that quitting gradually might work just as well.

20 Mar 2010

Childhood ETS may lead to emphysema

Children regularly exposed to tobacco smoke at home were more likely to develop early emphysema in adulthood. This finding by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health suggests that the lungs may not recover completely from the effects of early-life exposures to tobacco smoke (ETS). The study is published in the December 2009 American Journal of Epidemiology.

29 Dec 2009

Strategies to reduce greenhouse gases benefit human health, show new studies

Today, new studies published in the Lancet show that strategies to reduce greenhouse gases also benefit human health. The Lancet series highlights case studies on four climate change topics - household energy, transportation, electricity generation, and agricultural food production.

26 Nov 2009

Exposure to environmental pollutants is associated with asthma symptoms in children

Exposure shortly after birth to ambient metals from residential heating oil combustion and particles from diesel emissions are associated with respiratory symptoms in young inner city children, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

24 Nov 2009

Air pollution linked with respiratory symptoms in young inner-city children: Study

Exposure shortly after birth to ambient metals from fuel oil combustion and particles from diesel emissions is associated with respiratory symptoms in young inner-city children, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

23 Nov 2009

Advocacy groups team up to offer personalized education about clinical trials for lung cancer patients

Leading patient advocacy organizations announced today that they are teaming up for the first time on an initiative to encourage patients with lung cancer to take charge of their diagnosis and learn about clinical trials, which are an important part of treatment innovation.

20 Nov 2009

NIOSH funds the DUSTI project

In the construction industry, respiratory disease, often leading to disability or an increased risk of cancer, is a major public health concern. Studies led by Deborah Young-Corbett, a faculty member in Virginia Tech's School of Construction, have shown that specific types of sanding tools are highly effective in reducing the dust that causes these health hazards, yet the industry's usage of the available technology remains very low.

10 Nov 2009

USC: Heavy traffic corridors responsible for preventable childhood asthma

Heavy traffic corridors in the cities of Long Beach and Riverside are responsible for a significant proportion of preventable childhood asthma, and the true impact of air pollution and ship emissions on the disease has likely been underestimated, according to researchers at the University of Southern California (USC).

5 Nov 2009

Poor housing conditions can lead to chronic disease and premature death

Being warm enough at home might lead to better health, according to a new review appearing online in the American Journal of Public Health.

5 Nov 2009

Canadian Lung Association's initiative to reduce smoking rates in Canada

The Lung Association today hosted a roundtable meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and youth from St. Joseph High School in Barrhaven to talk about the impact of tobacco use among teenagers and young adults. The event was an opportunity for the Prime Minister to discuss with students leaders ways to move the youth anti-smoking agenda forward.

27 Oct 2009

Dr. Shelagh Coutts receives award for developing new brain scan

Award-winning neurologist Dr. Shelagh Coutts is on the fast track of developing new brain scanning techniques for rapid and effective diagnosis of mini-strokes.

26 Oct 2009

Alnara Pharmaceuticals’ announces results of its international Phase 3 study of liprotamase

Alnara Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical company developing novel, non-systemic orally delivered protein therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic diseases, today announced results from an international, Phase 3 open-label, long-term safety study demonstrating the safety and nutritional benefits of liprotamase, a novel pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

19 Oct 2009

Make healthy housing a priority: NCHH

According to new research from the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), the majority of U.S. families (67%) live in a home with at least one major health risk.

3 Oct 2009

Improved respiratory health in Mexican women who use vented stoves

Women in Central Mexico who used a vented stove instead of the traditional indoor open fire, experienced improved respiratory health on par with a pack-a-day smoker kicking the habit, according to a recent study.

23 Sep 2009

RI-MUHC recommends WHO to revise tuberculosis treatment guidelines

Tuberculosis is a global threat that affects more than 10 million people each year. Working with colleagues in the United States and France, Dr. Dick Menzies of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) has placed current tuberculosis treatment guidelines under the microscope in a new study.

15 Sep 2009

Research reveals the life-long detrimental impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy

A new study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) has found that the life-long effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy may occur through specific changes in DNA patterns.

25 Aug 2009

Self-treatment lowers overall health care costs for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder sufferers

Individuals suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) can experience significant savings in healthcare costs by employing a self-treatment program with the judicious use of medications, according to the results of a new study. The self-treatment program achieves these savings by reducing the duration of flare-ups.

17 May 2009

Tobacco and marijuana increase risk of respiratory symptoms and COPD

Smoking both tobacco and marijuana increases the risk of respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), found a study in CMAJ.

13 Apr 2009

Long-term ground ozone exposure increases risk of dying from lung disease

Long-term exposure to elevated levels of ground ozone - a major constituent of smog - significantly raises the risk of dying from lung disease, according to a new nationwide study of cities that evaluated the impact of ozone on respiratory health over an 18-year period.

11 Mar 2009