A team of Russian scientists identified the role of the interleukin-6 molecule in the development of allergic asthma. Now it can be a new target for the treatment of this disease. The results are published in Frontiers in Immunology. About 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, one of the most common chronic lung diseases in…
The science behind why it’s so difficult to quit smoking is crystal clear: Nicotine is addictive – reportedly as addictive as cocaine or heroin. Yet any adult can stroll into a drug store and buy a pack of cigarettes, no questions asked. “From a scientific standpoint, nicotine is just as hard, or harder, to quit…
Marlboro cigarette maker Philip Morris International (PM.N) drew accusations of hypocrisy after using a four-page newspaper advertisement to urge smokers to quit cigarettes. The wraparound advertisement covering Monday’s Daily Mirror tabloid is part of Philip Morris’s 2 million pound ($2.61 million) “Hold My Light” campaign, in which the world’s biggest international tobacco company is pushing…
Single-inhaler triple therapy fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI; Trelegy Ellipta) continues to boast positive findings from the Informing the Pathway of COPD Treatment (IMPACT) study. In new data to be presented at the 2018 CHEST Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has reported their first-of-its-kind triple therapy inhaler significantly reduced the annual rate of moderate-to-severe…
Research has shown that childhood asthma is associated with a two to three times higher chance of developing an internalizing disorder such as anxiety or depression, but the exact reasons for this have remained a mystery. In a new mouse study at Pennsylvania State University, the researchers suggest that persistent lung inflammation may be one…
The FDA has launched strong regulatory and enforcement moves against the industry, branding the use of e-cigarettes among teens and ‘epidemic.’ In a pronouncement, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb on Sept. 12 declared e-cigarette use “epidemic” among teens, signaled a possible ban on flavored e-cigarette liquids and launched sweeping enforcement efforts against retailers…
Testosterone replacement therapy can help slow the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in men, a new study shows. Men with COPD tend to experience shortness of breath, leading physicians to prescribe them long-term steroid-based medications. While these medications help treat pulmonary symptoms, they are also associated with testosterone dysfunction. Accordingly, previous studies have shown that…
A newly published study offers a better understanding of the mechanisms at play in a subset of patients with severe asthma. Scientists hope the new insights will help direct the development of more tailored approaches to asthma therapy. For the study, a team of investigators from several US academic research hospitals set out to better…