Fibrosis File
Be sure to check out the latest videos from the PF War- riors meetings and seminars at https://pfwarrior.com/video/
Research News
Physicians at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler have devel- oped a drug that could reverse scarring in the lungs that occurs in pulmonary fibrosis. A fragment of a protein, now called LTI-03, was found effective in preventing and then actually reversing fibrosis. An Austin compa- ny, Lung Therapeutics, is working to bring it to market. LTI-03 targets a different cellular signaling pathway than other pharmaceuti- cal approaches. Initial studies will take place in Belfast to test the safety of the drug.
Dr. David Schwartz and a team of inves- tigators from the University of Colorado have identified a connection between mucus in the small airways and pulmonary fibro- sis. The overproduction of a lung mucin (MUC5B) has consistently been shown to be the strongest risk for the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and rheumatoid arthritis-interstitial lung disease. The findings provide a critical breakthrough in understanding the cause and potentially the treatment of IPF by demonstrating that excess mucus in the small airways can cause lung fibrosis.
Necessity is the mother of invention. When John Didde developed IPF and start- ed oxygen therapy, he wanted a way to adjust the flow from his concentrator after he sat down. He needed the increased flow with activity but not at rest. John developed the Diddco oxygen flowmeter .
You can control the flow of oxygen up to 10 liters per minute using the flowmeter between a two- foot cannula and extension tubing. It is available at www.diddco.com or you may call John at 913-832-5001.
At the start of the flu season last year, the predominant strain was influenza A H1N1. Now a more severe strain, influenza A H3N2, accounts for nearly half of all the new cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year’s vaccine is more effective than last year’s was– 62 percent effective against H1N1 and 44 percent effective against H3N2.
In a study published in Physiotherapy, Brazilian researchers compared two sim- ilar six-month protocols of high-intensity exercise training – one in water and the other on land – in 36 people with moderate to severe COPD. They found exercise training in water generates similar effects compared with training on land, rendering it an equally beneficial therapeutic option.
Don’t hold back! A recent issue of JAMA Network Open revealed 60 percent to 80 percent of people are not forthcoming with their physicians when asked about their symptoms and other health-related topics.