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Pentraxin-2 is a member of the pentraxin family of proteins, which includes C-reactive protein (CRP), pentraxin-2 and pentraxin-3.1–3 When initially discovered and characterized, pentraxin-2 was known as serum amyloid P (SAP) due to its isolation from amyloid deposits in humans; subsequently, SAP was found to be in the sera from circulating blood and, hence, its designation as […]

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by inflammation and/or fibrosis.1 Pulmonary fibrosis develops due to repeated cycles of injury and impaired repair with fibroblast activation and migration with the resultant deposition of extracellular matrix components.2,3 This injury may be mediated by environmental, infectious or immune-mediated pathways. Over time, these pathways can become […]

Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are the dominant cause of the worsening and high mortality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and are associated with higher healthcare costs as part of COPD management. AECOPD is characterized by worsening respiratory symptoms, quality of life, respiratory function and gas exchange.1 It represents a challenge in […]

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare pulmonary syndrome with a prevalence of approximately seven cases per 1 million individuals.1,2 PAP affects people of all age, sex, race and socioeconomic status. Based on the largest population studies conducted in the United States and Japan, the median age for diagnosis in Japan is 51 years with a male:female […]

There is a genuine interest on the part of researchers and the pharmaceutical industry in developing so-called ‘bifunctional’ drugs – that is, single molecules with two different primary pharmacological actions.1,2 In this context, single molecules that are capable of simultaneously inducing bronchodilation and anti-inflammatory activity are a highly intriguing possibility for treating a variety of obstructive […]

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) frequently complicates rheumatoid arthritis (RA).1 Moreover, it is more common among those who are male, smoke or are seropositive and with increasing age.1 Emergent risk factors include gain-of-function promoter variants in the MUC5B gene and telomere shortening,2 the latter possibly mediated by tobacco exposure.3 Among patients with RA, the predominant types of ILD are usual interstitial […]

Electronic nicotine delivery systems, colloquially referred to as e-cigarettes (ECs), or vaping products were introduced in the US market in 2007 as an alternative to cigarette smoking. They were marketed as a better alternative to nicotine replacement therapy for stopping cigarette smoking, as ECs are considered less harmful than tobacco cigarette smoking.1 These findings have been […]

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are disorders with predominantly chronic inflammatory airway features. They are increasingly recognized as entities on a heterogeneous obstructive airway disease continuum with distinct phenotypes, various degrees of overlap, and the predominance of asthma in some individuals and COPD in others.1 In asthma, chronic inflammation is driven by aberrant […]

Coronavirus is a family of enveloped RNA viruses that include the original SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2. According to the World Health Organization, there have been over 500 million confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections, and well over 6 million deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).1 Although the recovery rate from COVID-19 is estimated to be […]