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The BETTER-B study, recently presented at ERS and published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, provided new insights into the management of severe breathlessness in patients with chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD).  Severe breathlessness is a debilitating symptom that significantly impacts the quality of life for millions of people worldwide, yet there are currently no licensed medications to effectively address it outside of Australia. Given the clinical challenges and limited treatment options, clinicians often resort to off-label use of medications like mirtazapine, a widely prescribed antidepressant that appeared promising. Despite its initial promise, the study found that doses ranging from 15 to 45 mg of mirtazapine failed to provide significant relief compared to a placebo. Additionally, the findings highlighted potential adverse effects and increased healthcare costs associated with its use. 

Welcome to the latest edition of touchREVIEWS in Respiratory & Pulmonary Diseases. As we continually strive to deliver cutting-edge research and insightful commentary, this issue is no exception, featuring a diverse array of articles that illuminate both emerging treatments and evolving practices within the field of respiratory and pulmonary medicine. We begin with a compelling […]

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 […]

Lung cancer accounts for the highest cancer-related mortality and is the second most common cause of malignancy worldwide.1 Diagnosis at an early stage (ES) has a direct effect on management and survival rates. Overall, the 5-year survival rate from 2013 to 2019 in the US was 62.8% when the cancer was detected at stage I or […]

The topic of the carbon footprint of human activities is one frequently discussed worldwide. There have been conscious efforts across multiple fields, including healthcare, to reduce their carbon footprint. In Canada, 4.6% of greenhouse gases (GHG) are manufactured by the healthcare institutions, ranking it second worldwide. 1,2 The treatments for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) […]

COUGH 1 and COUGH 2, were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials, that investigated gefapixant for the treatment of refractory or unexplained chronic cough. It was a pleasure to speak with Dr. Imran Satia (McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada) around his analysis of COUGH-1 and -2, looking at gefapixant efficacy by patient history of refractory […]

Chronic cough is a cough that lasts 8 weeks or longer and is not due to serious underlying conditions. It is a common problem in primary care, accounting for up to 40% of referrals to pulmonologists.1 Common causes include rhinosinusitis, cough-variant asthma, eosinophilic bronchitis, smoking, certain medications (including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) and gastroesophageal reflux.2 Once […]