September 2018

Artificial intelligence improves doctors’ ability to correctly interpret tests and diagnose lung disease

Paris, France: Artificial intelligence (AI) can be an invaluable aid to help lung doctors interpret respiratory symptoms accurately and make a correct diagnosis, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. Dr Marko Topalovic (PhD), a postdoctoral researcher at the Laboratory for Respiratory Diseases, Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven), […]

Green space near home during childhood is linked to fewer respiratory problems in adulthood

Paris, France: Children who have access to green spaces close to their homes have fewer respiratory problems, such as asthma and wheezing, in adulthood, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. In contrast, children who are exposed to air pollution are more likely to experience respiratory problems as young […]

Exposure to organochlorine pesticides in the womb linked to poorer lung function in childhood

Paris, France: Babies exposed to higher levels of organochlorine compounds in the womb go on to have worse lung function in childhood, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. These compounds, which include the pesticide DDT, as well as electrical insulators and other industrial products, are now banned in […]

COPD patients suffer fewer respiratory-related problems when treated with Targeted Lung Denervation

Paris, France: First results from a clinical trial of a procedure to open obstructed airways in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have shown that it significantly reduces problems associated with the disease and is safe. Presenting findings from the AIRFLOW 2 phase II clinical trial, the principal investigator, Dr Dirk-Jan Slebos, from the […]

Quick and easy test for viral infections reduces hospital admissions and antibiotic use

Paris, France: A quick and easy test for viral infections can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and hospital admissions, according to new research presented to the European Respiratory Society International Congress. [1] The test, which takes just 50 minutes to obtain results, could save hospitals around €2,500 per patient not admitted to hospital, would help to […]

Paracetamol use in infancy is linked to increased risk of asthma in some teenagers: specific variants in the GST genes seem to play a role in greater susceptibility to lung problems

Paris, France: Children who take paracetamol during their first two years of life may be at a higher risk of developing asthma by the age of 18, especially if they have a particular genetic makeup, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. [1] Ms Xin (Daisy) Dai told the meeting […]

First evidence that soot from polluted air is reaching placenta

Paris, France: Evidence of tiny particles of carbon, typically created by burning fossil fuels, has been found in placentas for the first time, in new research presented today at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. Previous research has indicated links between pregnant mothers’ exposure to air pollution and premature birth, low birth weight, infant […]

Children with asthma are less likely to finish school and to work in non-manual occupations

Paris, France: People who suffer with persistent asthma from a young age are more likely to leave school at 16 years old and those who make it to university are more likely to drop out early, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. The research also suggests that when […]

Bacteria passed on in the womb is linked to premature birth and breathing difficulties but could be safely treated with antibiotics

Paris, France: Babies born very prematurely are more likely to harbour Ureaplasma bacteria, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. Ureaplasma bacteria are often present in the birth canal but they are unusually small and difficult to detect. The bacteria can be passed on to babies during pregnancy or […]