Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease News and Research

Latest Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease News and Research

Vitamin D status optimization could cut pneumonia cases

A large US population-based study confirms that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with the risk for community-acquired pneumonia.

2 Dec 2013

Call for greater beta blocker use in COPD

Researchers say that stubbornly low rates of beta-blocker prescribing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could be contributing toward increased mortality in these patients following myocardial infarction.

27 Nov 2013

QoL, BMI predict exacerbations in Japanese COPD patients

Analysis of a cohort of Japanese chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with a low exacerbation frequency shows that low body mass index and poor health-related quality of life independently predict flare ups of the disease.

21 Nov 2013

Smokers who quit faster may be able to lower risk of cardiovascular disease-related deaths

Cigarette smokers who are over 65 years of age may be able to lower their risk of cardiovascular disease-related deaths to the level of never-smokers when they quit faster than previously reported, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.

21 Nov 2013

Metal coil therapy may provide same benefits as major surgery for COPD

Brown was diagnosed with COPD and emphysema, the third leading cause of death in the United States, only behind heart disease and cancer. Right now, the only studied interventions that prolong life for patients with severe COPD are supplemental oxygen in people with low oxygen levels and lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) in appropriately selected individuals. Like most COPD patients, Brown was given medication but told there was no cure. He was 58 years old.

20 Nov 2013

6MWT does not reflect activity in primary care COPD patients

Researchers have found that functional exercise capacity does not reflect physical activity among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients treated in primary care.

18 Nov 2013

Study shows chronic diseases have strong negative impact on cancer survival rate

There are many people in this position and the number is increasing; cancer patients who not only have to fight against cancer, but also suffer from other diseases. So-called comorbidity is a large and growing problem, not least because we are becoming older and age increases the risk of contracting cancer as well as other diseases.

16 Nov 2013

LLN spirometry inadequate to detect airflow obstruction

Research published in Thorax indicates that use of a lower limit of normal spirometric threshold fails to identify a number of patients with airflow obstruction and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

14 Nov 2013

ICS overuse warning in COPD

Researchers from the UK caution that inhaled corticosteroids are being overused in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in light of a lack of solid evidence for their efficacy, limited guideline support, and growing concerns over their association with pneumonia.

11 Nov 2013

COPD linked to mild cognitive impairment risk

Research shows that elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are nearly twice as likely as those without to have mild cognitive impairment.

8 Nov 2013

Vitamin C can improve skeletal muscle fatigue in COPD patients

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—a health problem in which the lungs lose their inherent springiness, making it progressively harder to breathe—can have a dramatic effect on the ability to exercise and even perform simple activities of daily life because of the disease's fallout effects on skeletal muscles.

8 Nov 2013

Depression alert in Asian COPD patients

Data from Taiwan indicate that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are nearly twice as likely as other patients to develop depression.

6 Nov 2013

Community pharmacist program improves COPD care

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who receive a community pharmacist-based intervention have improved inhalation technique and medication adherence, show the results of a randomized trial.

5 Nov 2013

High pneumonia incidence ups elderly COPD medical costs

Older individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are almost six times more likely to develop pneumonia and eight times more likely to need hospital treatment than those without the disease, US researchers have found.

5 Nov 2013

FDA approves Prior Approval Supplement for EMBEDA Extended Release Capsules CII

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a Prior Approval Supplement for EMBEDA (morphine sulfate and naltrexone hydrochloride) Extended Release Capsules CII.

4 Nov 2013

Farmyard proximity benefit to respiratory health

Data from the Netherlands indicate that living in close proximity to livestock farms is associated with decreased respiratory morbidity, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

30 Oct 2013

Active management boosts patient satisfaction with COPD care

A disease management program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on the Chronic Care Model leads to greater patient satisfaction with care than standard disease management, a randomized trial suggests.

30 Oct 2013

Once-daily prescription medicine for COPD now available throughout the U.S.

GlaxoSmithKline plc and Theravance, Inc. today announced that BREO ELLIPTA, a once-daily prescription medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is now available to pharmacies throughout the U.S.

30 Oct 2013

Reduce tobacco consumption, reduce childhood asthma

A scientific study recently published on International Journal of Statistics in Medical Research states that tobacco consumption must be decreased by 15% in Spain, particularly at home, in order to reduce the number of childhood asthma cases.

30 Oct 2013

COMMONWELL project established to support health and social care services

Across Europe, providing health and social care services is becoming increasingly complex and costly. An aging population, a multitude of public, private and informal actors, together with a myriad of e-health systems and technologies create numerous hurdles to offering efficient and cost-effective care.

30 Oct 2013