Spirometry News and Research

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Spirometry is a type of pulmonary function test that provides information about the function of the lungs that can be used for a variety of purposes. The test uses a spirometer, a specialized machine with a tube connected, to measure the speed and volume of air that is exhaled into the tube.

Covidien introduces Leak Compensation software for Puritan Bennett 840 ventilator

Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global supplier of healthcare products, today announced the global launch of its Leak Compensation software option for the Puritan Bennett 840™ ventilator. This new feature will provide a ventilation solution in high-leak environments, particularly in non-invasive ventilation where air leaks associated with the use of masks, nasal prongs, and nasal pillows are common.

24 Aug 2009

Exposure to tobacco smoke early in life may lead to emphysema later on

The take-home message from our analysis is that exposure to tobacco smoke during childhood may be associated with detectable differences in lung structure, and perhaps early emphysema, later in life among people who do not themselves smoke.

19 May 2009

Mutations in a gene may stunt lung development in children

Mutations in a gene may cause poor lung development in children, making them more vulnerable to diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) later in life, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and the German Research Center for Environmental Health.

29 Mar 2009

Abdominal obesity puts the squeeze on lungs

There's more bad news for people who carry excess weight around their waists: Not only is abdominal obesity associated with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and a host of other health problems collectively known as "metabolic syndrome," a new study has found that a high waist circumference is strongly associated with decreased lung function-independent of smoking history, sex, body mass index (BMI) and other complicating factors.

8 Mar 2009

Even with medication, asthma patients show chronic airflow changes in lungs

Using a special MRI technique, researchers have determined that the location and degree of airway narrowing in the lungs of asthma sufferers can be markedly persistent over time.

2 Feb 2009

Nitric oxide monitoring does not help most children with asthma

The level of nitric oxide (NO) in an asthmatic's exhaled breath can portend worsening asthma symptoms, and may even signify an imminent attack linked to underlying airway inflammation.

7 Jan 2009

Long-term use of a macrolide antibiotic reduce COPD exacerbations, raise questions

Long-term use of a macrolide antibiotic may reduce the frequency of exacerbations in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by as much as 35 percent, according to a London-based study.

21 Nov 2008

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease sending more people to hospital

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a higher hospitalization rate and a higher hospital readmission rate than heart failure, angina, and other serious chronic diseases.

17 Nov 2008

Asthma may be over-diagnosed by up to 30 per cent in Canadian adults

A new research study suggests that asthma may be over-diagnosed by up to 30 per cent in Canadian adults.

17 Nov 2008

Latest research on diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases

Researchers are presenting more than 450 abstracts on investigational findings in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases at the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle, Nov. 6-11. Following are highlights of some key studies on asthma.

11 Nov 2008

Obesity can worsen the impact of asthma

Obesity can worsen the impact of asthma and may also mask its severity in standard tests, according to researchers in New Zealand, who studied lung function in asthmatic women with a range of body mass indexes (BMIs).

1 May 2008

Low dose inhaled corticosteroids improve lung function in mild asthma patients

A study by the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney is the first to demonstrate that in patients with very mild or well-controlled asthma, regular treatment with low dose ICS leads to significantly better day-to-day lung function.

11 Mar 2008

Ozone response greater with increasing BMI

A new study provides the first evidence that people with higher body mass index (BMI) may have a greater response to ozone than leaner people.

27 Nov 2007

Managing asthma

The great majority of the nearly 23 million people with asthma, including 6.5 million children, can avoid serious symptoms and disability if they follow the latest guidelines to keep their disease under control.

13 Nov 2007

Breastfed babies breathe better, except when mother is asthmatic

When it comes to feeding babies, the old adage "breast is best" certainly holds true, with breastfed babies having less diarrhea and fewer ear infections and incidents of wheezing in early life.

2 Nov 2007

COPD more common place in China that originally thought

In China, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in people over the age of 40 is much more prevalent than previously thought, according to researchers in Guangdong.

15 Oct 2007

Bad neighborhoods and lack of family support may worsen asthma in children and adolescents

A lack of family support and problems in one's neighborhood are associated with greater asthma symptoms in children and adolescents, according to researchers in Vancouver, Canada.

29 Sep 2007

Some kids are being misdiagnosed with asthma

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is the sudden, abnormal narrowing of the vocal cords during inhalation causing obstruction of the airflow, and is characterized by a noise that can mimic the sound of wheezing.

30 Aug 2007

New findings on vocal cord dysfunction

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is the sudden, abnormal narrowing closure of the vocal cords during inhalation causing obstruction of the airflow, and is characterized by a noise that can mimic the sound of wheezing. A VCD attack can easily be mistaken for an asthma attack though it does not respond to asthma medications.

24 Aug 2007