Respiratory News and Research

RSS

FDA approves first spinal tether device to treat children with idiopathic scoliosis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first spinal tether device intended to be used in children and adolescents to correct the most common form of scoliosis, called idiopathic scoliosis, that has not responded to conservative treatment options, such as external bracing.

18 Aug 2019

Scientists point to enterovirus infection as cause for acute flaccid myelitis

Scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the University of California San Diego report antibody evidence in cerebrospinal fluid that points to enterovirus infection as a cause for acute flaccid myelitis, a disease responsible for partially paralyzing more than 560 children in the United States since 2014. Results of the study appear in the journal mBio.

13 Aug 2019

Study provides evidence that enterovirus may be a factor in acute flaccid myelitis

A new study analyzing samples from patients with and without acute flaccid myelitis provides additional evidence for an association between the rare but often serious condition that causes muscle weakness and paralysis, and infection with non-polio enteroviruses.

13 Aug 2019

Hookah smoking not a safe option, finds new study

With the decline in cigarette smoking, students have taken to other ‘safer’ forms of smoking, especially hookah smoking. However, a pioneering study shows that a single puff from a hookah exposes the smoker to as high a level of certain toxins as an entire cigarette does!

13 Aug 2019

Novel robotic neck brace could improve quality of life for ALS patients

A novel neck brace, which supports the neck during its natural motion, was designed by Columbia engineers.

12 Aug 2019

Oral appliance may be effective first line treatment for some types of sleep apnea

Certain traits may define a type of obstructive sleep apnea that can be effectively treated with an oral appliance, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

9 Aug 2019

New technology uses immune system to deliver drugs directly to infection sites

A researcher at Washington State University Health Sciences Spokane has developed a new technology that harnesses the immune system to deliver drugs directly to infection sites within the body.

9 Aug 2019

Price of snakebite drug is sky high, but new competitor unlikely to lower costs

Dr. Steven Curry has treated patients with snakebites since the 1980s — long enough to remember when the treatment represented its own form of misery.

8 Aug 2019

Simple, minimally-invasive tool to study nasal airways of cystic fibrosis patients

A paper published today in Science Translational Medicine describes a simple, minimally invasive new tool for viewing differences in the nasal airways of cystic fibrosis patients in vivo at a cellular level.

8 Aug 2019

Lung mucosa plays big role in elderly's susceptibility to tuberculosis

Old lungs are not as capable as young lungs of fighting off an infection of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, placing seniors at a greater risk of developing TB.

8 Aug 2019

Lower air pollution levels save lives in New York State

Lower air pollution levels saved an estimated 5,660 lives in New York State in 2012, compared to 2002 levels, according to a new study.

7 Aug 2019

New therapy improves survival rate to 99% in preemies with chronic lung condition

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is the most common illness that develops in babies born premature with underdeveloped lungs.

6 Aug 2019

Tuberculosis still looms large over a fourth of the world’s people

A new Danish study concludes that a quarter of the people on earth have the tuberculosis bacillus within their bodies. This disease preys on over 10 million people annually, and kills 2 million a year. It is Number 1 on the list of killer diseases, far above AIDS and other infections.

5 Aug 2019

New tool makes it easier to study how influenza viruses cause disease

Studying how influenza viruses cause disease just got a little easier, thanks to a new tool developed at South Dakota State University.

3 Aug 2019

Research reveals potential target for therapies to prevent severe allergic reactions

Allergies can be life-threatening when they cause anaphylaxis, an extreme reaction with constriction of the airways and a sudden drop in blood pressure.

2 Aug 2019

Real burden of tuberculosis is probably higher than estimated, reports study

The real burden of tuberculosis is probably higher than estimated, according to a study on samples from autopsies performed in a Mozambican hospital.

2 Aug 2019

Research presents strongest evidence of link between obesity and many diseases

A new study, led by Professor Elina Hyppönen from UniSA's Australian Centre for Precision Health, presents the strongest evidence yet of a causal relationship between obesity and a wide range of serious conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurological, musculoskeletal and respiratory afflictions.

2 Aug 2019

Study: Low level of exposure to traffic related PM10 can be harmful

Air pollution is made up of both gaseous and particulate matter. Each year almost two million people die as a direct result of air pollution with many more experiencing impaired lung function, developing lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

2 Aug 2019

New staffing model based on team approach for specialist palliative care

The Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians has developed a new staffing model for specialist palliative care teams that can deliver an optimal, integrated palliative care program.

1 Aug 2019

Vaping trends and detrimental effects of e-cigarette usage

In recent news, researchers have found that the liquid used in e-cigarettes, when heated, reacts to form irritating chemicals called acetals, formed from chemicals used to flavor and perfume foods and other commercial products.

31 Jul 2019