COPD is a serious condition and is the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Lung Association. A thorough diagnosis is crucial to begin treating COPD early, as it is an incurable condition. People with COPD often experience initial signs, including: coughing up a lot of mucus shortness of […]
People with COPD suffer fewer lung-related problems when treated with targeted lung denervation
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 University Medical […]
Chronic diseases driven by metabolic dysfunction: New model suggests natural healing cycle becomes blocked by cellular miscommunication, allowing conditions like cancer, diabetes and some neurological disorders to persist; a small but dramatic autism trial offers evidence
Much of modern Western medicine is based upon the treatment of acute, immediate harm, from physical injury to infections, from broken bones and the common cold to heart and asthma attacks. But progress in treating chronic illness, where the cause of the problem is often unknown — and, in fact, may no longer even be […]
New genetic regulators of regeneration identified: Discovery could one day lead to new therapies to trigger regeneration in humans
Scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory and the University of Maine have discovered that genetic material in the cell that was previously thought to be “junk” because of its apparent lack of function likely plays a part in regulating genetic circuits responsible for regeneration in highly regenerative animals. Viravuth P. Yin, Ph.D., of the MDI […]
Autoimmunity plays role in development of COPD
Autoimmunity plays a role in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study led by Georgia State University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center that analyzed human genome information stored in Vanderbilt’s DNA biobank. COPD is a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. COPD, which includes emphysema and […]
New lung cell type discovered: A previously unknown airway cell type may be a key to efforts to cure cystic fibrosis
In separate studies published online in Nature on Aug. 1, two independent research teams report the discovery of a new, rare type of cell in the human airway. These cells appear to be the primary source of activity of the CFTR gene, mutations to which cause cystic fibrosis, a multiorgan disease that affects more than […]
Readmission rate 19.2 percent after acute exacerbation of COPD
(HealthDay)—The rate of 30-day index readmissions after acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is 19.2 percent, according to a study published in the July issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. David M. Jacobs, Pharm.D., Ph.D., from the University of Buffalo in New York, and colleagues analyzed the Nationwide Readmission Database […]