If anyone reading this column resides in southwestern Ontario, you can attest to the abnormally hot temperatures that landed on us toward the end of September. For those of you who can bear the heat and humidity, I do hope you had the chance to go outside, because…
Finding Joy When the Weather Keeps You Stuck Inside
More therapies are now available for the 30 million or so people with rare diseases in the U.S. than ever before, and millions of dollars are being invested in clinical studies that will test new ways of evaluating — and advancing — potential treatments, including the use of natural history…
The diabetes therapy vildagliptin reduces lung scarring after bacteria-related lung damage, according to a study in mice. It does this by preventing endothelial cells that line lung blood vessels from transforming themselves into stem cells — a process lungs use to protect themselves from the bacteria-related attack, known as an…
Results from the RECAP clinical trial, which was conducted over five years, support the long-term safety of Esbriet (pirfenidone) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The study, “An Open-Label Study of the Long-Term Safety of Pirfenidone in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (RECAP),” was recently published in…
When talking to others about things they would like to do someday, it is common to hear people respond with, “That’s on my bucket list.” Whether it’s traveling around the world, seeking adventure in another country, or trying a daredevil-type activity such as skydiving or bungee jumping, people…
It probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that living with a chronic illness is difficult. Chronic illness not only impacts patients physically, but emotionally, socially, mentally and financially. To say that it can be challenging to navigate how to live with a chronic illness is an understatement. In…
Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are likely to experience symptoms for years before their diagnosis, a British study reports. University of Nottingham researchers analyzed symptoms in the medical charts of newly diagnosed patients to reach their conclusion. Breathlessness was the most common symptom, the team found. The research,…
Breathing exercises are important for pulmonary fibrosis patients as they help to better control breathing if they experience a sudden shortness of breath, strengthen their diaphragm and clear excess mucus. Here are four breathing exercises that may benefit people with pulmonary fibrosis, using information from the Lung Institute…
A small bacterial protein called R1R2 reduced fibrosis-promoting cells’ ability to go from the blood, where they normally reside, to lung tissue, a mouse study shows. The research, “R1R2 peptide ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis in mice through fibrocyte migration and differentiation,” was published in the journal PLOs One. Scientists…
Life can be extremely difficult when you’re coping with a chronic lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis (PF). As well as dealing with the physical effects of the disease, you also have to cope with the emotional fallout that comes from living with PF. MORE: The realities of a pulmonary fibrosis…
