Underweight women and women who were underweight as teenagers or in their mid-30s are at greater risk of experiencing an early menopause compared to lean or normal weight women, according to a study of nearly 80,000 women. In addition, underweight women who lost 20 pounds or more at least three times between the ages of […]
Blood-thinning drugs appear to protect against dementia as well as stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation
Blood-thinning drugs not only reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) but are also associated with a significant reduction in the risk of dementia, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Among 444,106 patients with atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm), those who were taking anticoagulant drugs […]
Oral sex and smoking increase men’s risk of head and neck cancer. But the risk is still low, making screening for the disease a challenge
Men who smoke and have five or more partners with whom they perform oral sex have the highest risk of developing a type of head and neck cancer that is triggered by exposure to the human papilloma virus – known as HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer – according to research published in the leading cancer journal Annals […]
Having an older sibling poses risk of serious flu for babies and toddlers
Children under two years are more likely to be admitted to hospital with influenza if they have an older sister or brother, according to research published in the European Respiratory Journal. Flu can be serious in very young children because it can cause lung infections and breathing difficulties. It can also cause a very high […]
Treating asthma or COPD with steroid inhaler increases the risk of hard-to-treat infections
Older people who use steroid inhalers for asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more likely to suffer particular bacterial infections, according to a large study published in the European Respiratory Journal. Worldwide, asthma and COPD affect hundreds of thousands of people and they are commonly treated with steroid inhalers to reduce symptoms and […]
Offspring of female mice exposed to e-cigarette vaping have increased risk of allergic asthma
Researchers found that maternal e-cigarette vaping was linked to an increased risk of allergic asthma in offspring. The study was carried out in mice, but Dr Pawan Sharma, Chancellors Fellow and Research Leader in the Airways Disease Group at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, told the European Respiratory Society International Congress: “These findings highlight that […]
HRT can slow decline in lung function for middle-aged women
Milan, Italy: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can slow the decline in lung function in middle-aged women, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. Evidence from a study that followed 3,713 women for approximately 20 years from the early 1990s to 2010, showed that those who took long-term HRT (for two […]
Asthma linked to increase in fertility treatment
Milan, Italy: Women with asthma are more likely to have fertility treatment before giving birth than non-asthmatic women, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. Among 744 pregnant asthmatic women enrolled in the Management of Asthma During Pregnancy programme at the Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark, and who gave birth between […]
Asthma symptoms can be improved by diet and exercise in non-obese patients
Milan, Italy: Non-obese people with asthma could reduce their symptoms and improve their quality of life through diet and exercise, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2017. Asthma is a common and long-term condition affecting around one in ten people in the western world. The majority of patients rely on daily […]
E-cigarettes linked to increased arterial stiffness, blood pressure and heart rate in humans
Milan, Italy: New research has shown for the first time that e-cigarettes with nicotine cause a stiffening of the arteries in humans. This has important implications for the use of e-cigarettes, as arterial stiffness is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in later life. Presenting the research at the European Respiratory […]