A man with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was kept alive and his blood oxygenated for more than a year while waiting for a lung transplant using a type of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) called veno-venous ECMO — a procedure usually limited in use to about two weeks, researchers in Japan report. They estimate that one…
I’ve been writing this column for almost two years, and it has been a delight to share with you, get to know you, and learn from your wisdom. I write from my experience as a PF patient and share my struggles as well as some tips I’ve learned…
Astragaloside IV — a compound isolated from a traditional Chinese medicinal plant — was found to reverse epithelial–mesenchymal transition, a process crucial to the progression of fibrosis, through its impact on a protein called FOXO3a, a study by researchers in China reports. The study, “Astragaloside IV modulates TGF-b1-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal…
The introduction of bias in the design and analysis of studies likely explains a reported reduction of mortality with antacid therapy in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a new Canadian review study. The research, “The effect of anti-acid therapy on survival in idiopathic…
Since my 2016 IPF diagnosis, so much has changed for me. I can no longer participate in the sports I once enjoyed or go for a run to channel my energy or frustrations with the day. I can no longer maintain the social schedule I was so fond…
Formaldehyde, a chemical widely used in construction, health, and manufacturing industries, was seen to worsen lung inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a Brazilian study reports. In mice lungs, the chemical was found to increase the amount of collagen, a protein responsible for tissue…
This is an ongoing series. Read the May 2018 entry here. Here it is: my gratitude miniseries column for June 2018. This means that we’re halfway through the year and, overall, I’d say it has been a better one for me, compared to the past few years. That isn’t…
A common oral medication for type 2 diabetes called metformin was seen to quickly reverse pulmonary fibrosis in a mouse model of the disease and lessen fibrosis in lung tissue of PF patients, a study reports, adding that similar compounds might have similar benefits. The research, “Metformin reverses…
Hello PF friends! I would so appreciate your input regarding a heartfelt project I’m considering. For about a year I’ve been pondering finishing a book to help patients like me deal with being diagnosed with a terminal illness. I started this book a year ago but set it…
Galectin Therapeutics was issued a patent for its lead investigative therapy GR-MD-02 for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the company announced. GR-MD-02 is a carbohydrate-based medicine that binds and stops the action of the galectin-3 protein, which is directly involved in multiple…
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