Category: Respiratory

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 […]

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 […]

Paris, France: Obesity is known to be a risk factor for developing asthma but a new study shows that the reverse is also true: people with asthma are more likely to go on to become obese. The new research, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress [1], indicates that those who develop asthma as […]

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 […]

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with changes to the structure of the brain that are also seen in the early stages of dementia, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal. OSA, where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep stopping breathing, is known to reduce levels of oxygen […]

In a statement published in the European Respiratory Journal, a coalition of respiratory doctors and scientists from six continents have warned of the dangers posed to children and adolescents by electronic cigarettes. They say there is mounting evidence that e-cigarettes damage health and are highly addictive, yet manufacturers are marketing them as “healthier” cigarettes and […]

Women with asthma who only use short-acting asthma relievers take longer to become pregnant than other women, according to research published in the European Respiratory Journal. However, the study of more than 5,000 women in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland also shows that women with asthma who use long-acting asthma preventers conceive […]

The vapour from e-cigarettes seems to help pneumonia-causing bacteria stick to the cells that line the airways, according to research published in the European Respiratory Journal [1]. The study included experiments with cells, mice and humans. It showed that e-cigarette vapour had an effect similar to the reported effects of traditional cigarette smoke or particulate […]

Children who are fitter and whose fitness improves during childhood and adolescence have better lung function as young adults, according to a large study published in the European Respiratory Journal. Good lung function in early adult life is believed to lower the risk of developing chronic lung disease later in life, but until now, there […]