Respiratory News

The American College of Chest Physicians recently held their annual meeting in San Diego. They have an excellent web site for COPD information in plain language at http://copd.acponline.org.

Some of the studies that were presented at the convention include:

• A retrospective study showed anemia (low hemoglobin levels) is a significant comorbidity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD.)
• Those with bronchiectasis may have a high incidence of osteopenia (a condition where your bones become weak and are likely to break) and osteoporosis.
• Bulk up! Low muscle mass may be associated with poor lung function in the elderly.
• Patients with acute asthma who have failed conventional asthma therapy may benefit from electrical stimulation as a means to induce broncho-dilation.
• Patients with COPD who received once-daily indacaterol had significantly better outcomes than patients treated with twice-daily salmeterol.

A retrospective study showed for people with COPD, the likelihood of hospitalization appears to vary with the type of long-acting bronchodilator treatment received. Monotherapy with tiotropium (Spiriva) resulted in the lowest risk of COPD-related hospitalization.

Irrigating the nose every day with the help of a Neti pot may make patients more susceptible to sinus infections. Investigators felt short-term nasal saline irrigation – even for three, four or seven days – is fine. Done daily, we are modifying the immunological biochemistry of the nose.

The November 5, 2009, issue of Respiratory Research reports Belgian scientists who used embryonic stem cells to create lung tissue say this technique could pro- vide an alternative to lung transplants for patients with COPD and cystic fibrosis. Entest BioMedical Inc. has signed a Letter of Intent with Quantum Advisors, a San Diego based biotechnology consulting firm, to assist Entest with the development of its Stem Cell Therapeutic Treatment for COPD.