I’ve experienced increased sensitivity to comments, gestures, or unusual behavior from others since my IPF diagnosis. Sometimes this is attributed to the medications I take for the management of my disease, such as high doses of steroids. At other times, I feel increasingly sensitive because I am aware…
I Can’t Help Feeling Like a Burden
A plant compound called parthenolide significantly reduces lung fibrosis and its associated inflammatory responses, according to a study conducted in mice with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The work also exposed the mechanisms behind parthenolide’s actions, providing a deeper understanding of lung fibrosis’ mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. The study,…
The American Lung Association’s Better Breathers Club is now extending its resources and support network to patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF), among others with chronic lung diseases. Getting a PF diagnosis can be overwhelming, as the disease remains without a cure and is characterized by a progressive decline in lung health.
Many patients living with chronic illness are considered immunocompromised due to the medications they take to treat their disease. This means that their immune system is not as strong as people who are healthy and that they can fall ill more easily. A patient living with a chronic…
Agricultural workers, veterinarians, and steel and metal industry workers are at higher risk of developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new study from central Italy reports. The findings also showed that organic dust, metal dust, and fumes are risk factors for the disease. The study, “Occupational risk…
About two years ago I had a very touching experience. I had retired from my counseling practice of 30 years. I was part of a group of 10 wonderful therapists who were good friends as well as colleagues. Once a year we went on a retreat to a…
Gossypol — a pharmacological inhibitor of the LDHA enzyme — shows promising results in the prevention and treatment of lung fibrosis, according to a study performed in a mouse model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The results point to LDHA as a potential therapeutic target for this disorder. The study, “…
As a patient living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), it is inevitable that my dependency on others will increase as my disease worsens. This is something I have had to come to terms with since being diagnosed nearly two years ago. Since then, my independence has been threatened…
Results of a Phase 2 trial of Promedior’s PRM-151, a treatment candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), show a slowing in the loss of lung function among treated patients. The research, “Effect of Recombinant Human Pentraxin 2 vs Placebo on Change in Forced Vital Capacity in…
Double lung transplants are linked to significantly higher survival rates than single lung transplants among pulmonary fibrosis patients younger than 70, a retrospective study shows. The study, “Single versus Double Lung Transplantation in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Impact of Age and Pulmonary Hypertension,” was published in the journal The…
