Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pulmonology for December 2008. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Children with Asthma, Sick Parent Miss More Days of School
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Children with asthma may be absent from school more often if they have a parent with a chronic disease, researchers report in the January issue of Pediatrics.
Quality of Life May Predict Cystic Fibrosis Survival
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Some elements of patient-reported health-related quality of life from patients with cystic fibrosis can help predict their survival, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Woman and Dog Infected with Bovine Tuberculosis
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- A woman and her dog were infected with bovine tuberculosis, demonstrating that human infection with the bacterium can still occur, according to a case report in the January issue of Thorax.
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Inorganic Phosphate Linked to Lung Cancer
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- High dietary levels of inorganic phosphate promotes lung tumorigenesis and altered activation of the pro-survival signaling pathway controlled by the Akt protein, according to research published in the January issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Genetics Linked to Increased Lung Cancer Risk
FRIDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Two common polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated regions of adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette B1 and C1 (ABCB1 and ABCC1) are linked to a greater risk of developing lung cancer, according to research published online Dec. 23 in Cancer.
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Lung Pathway Protects Against Cigarette Damage
TUESDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Activating a pathway that protects against oxidative damage in the lungs protects the lungs of mice chronically exposed to cigarette smoke, and may be important in preventing emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season Varies Year by Year
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- During 2007-2008, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season lasted for 22 weeks from October to March in the United States, although there were regional variations, according to a report published in the Dec. 19 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Home Rehab Works for Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who undergo rehabilitation at home receive the same benefits that would be provided to them in an outpatient setting, according to a report published in the Dec. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Food and Drug Administration Points to Asthma Drugs' Risks
MONDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The risks of using Serevent and Foradil for asthma in adults and children outweigh their benefits, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel announcement on Dec. 11.
Program Improves Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis
THURSDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- A risk assessment and prophylaxis regimens for venous thromboembolism (VTE) provided in patients' charts can improve appropriate prophylaxis for VTE, researchers report in the December issue of the Southern Medical Journal.
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Lung Function Initially Normal in Cystic Fibrosis Infants
THURSDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Infants with cystic fibrosis initially have normal lung function but start to show deficits around 6 months of age, researchers report in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Cardiovascular Risk Higher with Pulmonary Fibrosis
THURSDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease both before and after diagnosis, researchers report in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Pulmonary Disease May Increase Risk of Osteoporosis
MONDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, according to the results of a study published in the December issue of the journal Chest.
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Asthma Risk Linked to Mental Health Symptoms
FRIDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- In a nationally representative patient sample, poor mental health was linked to an increased risk of experiencing asthma, according to a report published in the December issue of Chest.
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Risk of Gastrointestinal Reflux Linked to Pulmonary Disease
FRIDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases the risk of developing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to research published in the December issue of the journal Chest.
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Breathing Exercises Improve Asthmatics' Quality of Life
THURSDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Breathing training can improve quality of life in asthmatics better than asthma education, but the training does not affect the underlying asthma pathophysiology, according to a report published online Dec. 3 in Thorax.
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Caesarean Section Linked to Childhood Asthma
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Children born by Caesarean section have an increased risk of developing asthma, particularly if they have allergic parents, according to a report published online Dec. 3 in Thorax.
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UK Panel Suggests Erlotinib As Docetaxel Alternative
MONDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved erlotinib as a second-line treatment for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer as long as it is supplied at a discounted price equivalent to the cost of docetaxel, according to a special report published online Nov. 26 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Diesel Exhaust Exposure Linked to Pulmonary Disease
MONDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to diesel exhaust at work can raise the risk of death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to study findings published online Nov. 27 in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
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