The natural product tannic acid has anti-fibrotic effects on cultured human lung fibroblasts and in an in vivo idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) mouse model by reducing signals from TGF-beta receptors, a new study has found. The study, “…
Natural Product Tannic Acid Produces Anti-fibrotic Effects in IPF Models, Study Shows
Have you ever been in a position in which you wanted to disclose something but were worried about how it would be perceived? Were you concerned that you’d be treated differently as a result of the disclosure? Unfortunately, I’ve been in this position recently, as I continue to navigate the…
At-home use of wearable physical activity trackers and portable spirometry devices may offer a feasible way of evaluating people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) taking part in clinical trials, a small study suggests. These findings were reported in “Mobile Health Monitoring in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis,”…
I recently spoke to Dr. Heidi Engel, the physical therapist who directed my mom’s pulmonary rehabilitation while she was in the ICU at the University of California, San Francisco. We discussed ICU relationships and how providers can better support family members who are experiencing the trauma of having…
Mutations in two genes, S100A3 and S100A13, were found to be linked to an atypical, early onset form of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in two families in Saudi Arabia. The newly identified gene variants add to knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of PF development, and further support the involvement of calcium metabolism in…
I was diagnosed with a fatal lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) three years ago. Since then, my life has been full of ups and downs — most of which my peers, who are other young adults, cannot relate to as a result of living a healthy life.
When idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) runs in families, it tends to begin earlier in life and be more severe, a recent study reported. The study,”Clinical characteristics of patients with familial idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (f-IPF),” was published in the journal BMC Pulmonary Medicine. As its name…
Only a year ago, Florence Attaway — for decades a half-pack-a-day smoker — struggled to walk even one city block. “I had to take a taxi from my home one block to the hospital because I could hardly breathe,” said the 83-year-old New Yorker, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary…
Note: This is the third article in a series written in collaboration with respiratory therapist Mark W. Mangus Sr., RRT, RPFT, FAARC, and oxygen expert Ryan Diesem. This segment also includes contributions from Donna Frownfelter, PT, DPT, MA, CCS, RRT, FCCP, and Marion Mackles, PT, BS, LMT. The first two…
The mortality rate due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) increased from 1979 to 2016 in the United Kingdom, a retrospective analysis shows. Researchers estimate that death due to IPF is close to 7% annually among respiratory diseases, pointing to approximately 5,500 people dying from the disease in the U.K.
