Respiratory

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.

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).

FDA's step toward additional flavoring bans in tobacco products advances its commitment to reducing tobacco-related death, officials said.

A recent study concluded that designers of pulmonary rehabilitation programs should consider patients’ preferences on what components they feel are the most important to ensure that the programs are successful and effective.

Medications and management processes known to be ineffective or harmful in infants with bronchiolitis were tossed in favor of targeted interventions in hospitals, resulting in improvements in bronchiolitis care.

With unprecedented pauses in air pollution emissions in spring 2020 and ongoing virus mitigation behaviors around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to better understand the impact of poor air quality on human health.

The study, on the quality of on-demand video telemedicine services, found that patients using telemedicine for respiratory infections were more likely to receive follow-up care, causing higher health care spending.

Moderna announces upcoming trial of a vaccine candidate against flu; April 11-17 marks Black Maternal Health Week; the European Commission will not renew COVID-19 vaccine contracts with Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca when they expire next year.

Given the high prevalence of Kawasaki disease during the pandemic, Japanese investigators determined that droplet or contact transmission of pathogens is likely not a major route causing the development of the disease.

University of Oxford pauses AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine study in children; psychiatric, neurological illness rates high in patients who’ve had COVID-19; new CDC reports shows possible link between multisystem inflammatory syndrome and asymptomatic COVID-19.

Physicians should evaluate female patients complaining of chronic cough for psychological conditions when determining course of treatment as the two may be related, investigators concluded.

Researchers found that physicians may have a financial conflict of interest when examining a chest x-ray for black lung disease, suggesting that sweeping changes are needed to avoid biases and improve transparency.

Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an air pollutant generated from automobiles, may increase risk of mortality, even if the exposure amount is well below regulatory limits, investigators concluded.

A recent study found that a sizable portion of the commercially insured asthma population lacks disease control, regardless of asthma severity, signaling a needed shift in treatment strategies.

Patients discharged from hospitals after recovering from severe COVID-19 were found to have lasting functional impairment and post-traumatic stress symptoms months after, according to a study.

The FDA issues updated guidance on the emergency use authorization (EUA) process for COVID-19 screening tools; Eli Lilly releases patient-reported outcome results for Verzenio (abemaciclib) in breast cancer; COVID-19 vaccines possibly improve long-haul symptoms among patients.

Female patients and those under age 50 have a greater risk of severe asthma exacerbations and a lower health-related quality of life, despite having better lung function compared with male and older patients.