Respiratory

Patients may find a placebo effect beneficial, but it causes issues in a clinical trial and makes it difficult to understand the efficacy of a pharmacological agent, said Ron Eccles, BSc, PhD, DSc, emeritus professor at Cardiff University.

Many respiratory viruses demonstrated atypical activity levels as compared with previous rates of activity during pre-pandemic seasonality, the CDC said this week.

Patients with complex chronic cough reported high satisfactory levels with virtual consultations.

After years of having cough related to asthma, it took a long time for a specialist to realize Paulette Nyahay had a chronic cough unrelated to her asthma.

As COVID-19 cases skyrocketed in the United States throughout the pandemic, incidences of other respiratory viral infections dramatically declined.

Moderna starts testing for its new mRNA seasonal flu vaccine; the worldwide COVID-19 death toll hits 4 million as Delta variant spreads; more states sign on to Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy reorganization plans after additional payments and release of documents are added to the deal.

Patients with a cough lasting more than 8 weeks are diagnosed with chronic cough, and for a subpopulation of those patients there is no treatable underlying cause of their cough, said Peter Dicpinigaitis, MD, professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and director of the Montefiore Cough Center.

Not all asthma is created equal, nor will all therapies work for all patients. With continued innovations in asthma treatments offering new, improved options for patients, we are more prepared than ever to address uncontrolled asthma head-on.

Patients with a chronic cough that persists even after treatment usually see a few specialists and have lingering triggers that cause their cough, explained Laurie Slovarp, PhD, CCC-SLP, associate professor in the School of Speech, Language, Hearing, and Occupational Sciences at University of Montana.

A recent study said superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) blocks are effective for treating neurogenic cough, which are coughs that continue and persist after other conditions are ruled out.

Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, MD, MS, discusses the need for concrete changes addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and respiratory health.

Fernando Holguin, MD, explains why increased risk of pulmonary disease may be overlooked when assessing obesity risk factors.

Chronic cough makes it difficult to be in public, whether socially or professionally, explained Paulette Nyahay, a patient with chronic cough. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, having a coughing spasm in public has been difficult.

Understanding why this difference exists could assist with finding new therapies, said the authors.

Farrah Kheradmand, MD, elaborates on the effects of marijuana legalization and increased recreational use on research into electronic cigarettes.

If 2020 was dominated by the news of how COVID-19 spread across the globe, then 2021 has so far been focused on ending the pandemic through vaccine distribution.

Nicotine replacement therapy can help with smoking cessation, but there are dangers of using e-cigarettes, said Laura Crotty Alexander, MD, ATSF.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, a research scholar at the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University discusses the latest findings in the Health of the Air report, which was presented at the recent American Thoracic Society 2021 International Conference.

Patients with post–COVID-19 symptoms for at least 4 weeks should be assessed for pulmonary, cardiac, neurocognitive, and psychiatric complications and referred to a specialized clinic, a recent study notes

Michelle M Cloutier, MD, is professor emerita at UCONN Health in Farmington, Connecticut, and chair of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) Coordinating Committee Expert Panel Working Group.

Joe Zein, MD, PhD, from Cleveland Clinic, explains factors apart from sex and age that can have an impact on a patient's asthma.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco products come with significant health risks, much as conventional cigarettes do, a study found.

Laryngeal hypersensitivity may be a key factor in refractory and unexplained cough.

There was an overall 4.3% drop in total US births from 2019 to 2020; the Biden administration wants to increase the COVID-19 vaccination rate among Americans; medical professionals seek reimbursement for personal protective equipment (PPE).

Courtney Blair, MD, discusses how COVID-19 has impacted patients with allergies and other respiratory conditions.