The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where my mom, Holly, received her double-lung transplant, has gone to great lengths to provide information at every turn on the transplant journey. The infamous blue binder contains everything you need to know about post-transplant life. UCSF’s approach to transplant…
Prednisone and Self-image: Transplant Side Effects We Don’t Talk About
Procalcitonin, a precursor of the calcitonin hormone, may be used as a potential biomarker of lung cancer developing in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a recent study suggests. Compared with patients with IPF alone, procalcitonin was significantly higher in IPF patients who also had lung…
It’s common for young adults in their early 30s to plan for their future. For some, this might include planning for a beautiful wedding or having a family. For others, it might mean traveling the world, buying a dream home, or landing the ideal job. My ideal future would include…
An inhaled formulation of nintedanib — the active ingredient in Ofev — demonstrated enhanced antifibrotic effects after short-duration doses compared to oral formulations given at a higher dose in a rat model with induced idiopathic pulmonary…
Ofev (nintedanib) is safe and effective for adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with poorer lung function, a small real-world analysis has found. Age and lung function predicted the therapy’s efficacy in this group of patients. …
Research investigating the role of immune cells in triggering lung and heart rejection following transplant will be supported by $10 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grants, awarded to scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, will support research that aims…
Same But Different, a U.K. nonprofit that uses the arts to bring communities together, is holding a calendar photography competition to raise awareness for rare diseases. Under the theme “A Glimmer of Hope,” the competition is a means to “visually express the hope that exists for people affected by…
As we launch into Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month this September, I personally believe there’s a lot that can be done to educate others and to raise the profile of this cruel and life-threatening lung disease. I look forward to sharing in an upcoming column more tangible ideas about how…
Japanese people diagnosed with both pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and emphysema appear to carry a single genetic mutation that contributes to the development of both conditions, a study reports. This mutation was linked to lower levels of the anti-inflammatory…
In the U.S., idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) mortality rates decreased from 2004 to 2017, a new study shows. The data suggests the decline might be partly explained by a decline in smoking, but further research is needed to better understand the factors contributing to this trend. The study, “Mortality Trends…
