Long-term exposure to air pollution and a lack of access to green spaces increases the risk of hospitalisation for respiratory conditions, according to a study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria [1]. Traffic-related air pollution is also strongly linked to the progression from asthma to asthma-COPD, according to a second […]
Category: Respiratory
Saline nasal drops reduce the duration of the common cold in young children by two days
Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by two days, according to a study that will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria [1]. They can also reduce the onward transmission of colds to family members. The results of the ELVIS-Kids randomised […]
People who a eat healthy, plant-based diet are less likely to suffer with dangerous snoring
People who eat a healthy, plant-based diet that is high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts are less likely to suffer with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to a study published in ERJ Open Research [1]. However, people eating an unhealthy plant-based diet, high in refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, high-sugar and high-salt foods, are […]
Winding down the window, drinking tea and coffee, turning the radio up and singing while driving could be signs of a dangerous snoring condition
Frequently using more than three strategies to stay alert while driving could be a sign of excessive sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to a study published in ERJ Open Research [1]. People with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and they may wake up several times. […]
Beetroot juice supplement lowers blood pressure and improves exercise capacity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
A 12-week course of daily beetroot juice supplement for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) lowered blood pressure and improved how far patients could walk in six minutes in research published n the European Respiratory Journal [1]. COPD is a serious lung condition affecting around 400 million people worldwide [2]. COPD which includes chronic […]
Study of bacteria in day care settings reveals links with children’s lung health
Milan, Italy: Particular combinations of bacteria found in dust at day care facilities have been linked to wheezing in young children in a study presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy [1]. Wheezing in young children is often an early sign of asthma. Children may spend many hours in day care […]
Exposure to air pollution while in the womb is linked to adverse changes in cell processes in new-born babies
Milan, Italy: Exposure to air pollution while in the womb is linked to alterations in proteins that can be detected after a baby is born, and which affect cell processes such as autophagy, the “self-eating” of damaged cells that occurs in response to stress. Dr Olga Gorlanova, a research physician at the University Children’s Hospital, […]
Transplanting patients’ own lung cells offers hope of ‘cure’ for COPD
Milan, Italy: For the first time, researchers have shown it is possible to repair damaged lung tissue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using the patients’ own lung cells. The European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy [1], heard that 17 patients who took part in a phase I clinical trial were […]
Young people who vape more likely to report chronic stress
Milan, Italy: Young people who have used e-cigarettes are more than twice as likely to report experiencing chronic stress, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy [1]. The study was presented by Dr Teresa To, a senior scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Canada. […]
Genetic evidence shows that smoking can cause us to age faster
Milan, Italy: A study of nearly 500,000 people has shown that smoking shortens the end fragments of chromosomes in the white blood cells of our immune systems. The length of these end fragments, called telomeres, is an indicator of how quickly we age and our cells’ ability to repair and regenerate. In her presentation to […]