Diffuse Lung Disease
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FDA proposal would eliminate addicting power of cigarettes, other combustible tobacco products
While the rule could reduce smoking rates, Sven-Eric Jordt, PhD, said clinicians must remember that low-nicotine cigarettes still expose those who smoke to carcinogens.
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Consequences of wildfire smoke exposure extend beyond local area
In a recent study, Mary E. Maldarelli, MD, and colleagues demonstrated that wildfires can increase health risks even from thousands of miles away.
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Rethinking tobacco use to include all forms of nicotine delivery
Frank Leone, MD, MS, FCCP, said clinicians must reframe how they think about tobacco product use—and how to treat it.
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Artificial intelligence and its application in interstitial lung disease
AI shows promise in improving ILD diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions by analyzing complex data and patterns, though certain limitations hinder its clinical adoption.
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Navigating new ACR/CHEST guidelines for screening, monitoring, and treatment of SARD-ILD
Authors Jose R. Castellanos, MD; Anthony J. Esposito, MD; and Caroline Zhao, MD, discuss key strategies, including early screening with pulmonary function tests and high-resolution chest tomography, cautious glucocorticoid use, and personalized steroid-sparing treatment.
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Extending exercise testing using telehealth monitoring in patients with ILD
The COVID-19 pandemic revolutionized the use of monitoring equipment in general and oxygen saturation monitoring devices as pulse oximeters in specific. Home technology devices such as home spirometry, smart apps, and wearable sensors combined with patient-reported outcome measures are increasingly used to monitor disease progression and medication compliance in addition to routine physical activity. The increasing adoption…
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The gas stove: Friend or foe?
The kitchen is considered the heart of the home, but recent discoveries have raised concerns about whether this beloved space might also pose hidden health risks. Gas stoves, present in 38% of U.S. homes, generate multiple pollutants including nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), a known respiratory irritant.1 Studies have identified a correlation between NO₂ levels and respiratory…
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HALT early recognition is key
Hyperammonemia after lung transplantation (HALT) is a rare but serious complication occurring in 1% to 4% of patients with high morbidity and mortality. Typically presenting within 2 weeks post transplant, HALT manifests as elevated serum ammonia levels with symptoms ranging from encephalopathy to seizures and cerebral edema. Early recognition is crucial, as mortality rates can…
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Improving ILD diagnosis in primary care settings
Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), with their many ubiquitous symptoms, are often hard to diagnose in patients. That’s why Amirahwaty Abdullah, MBBS, and Kavitha Selvan, MD, see value in educating clinicians on how to identify and diagnose ILD. Both Dr. Abdullah and Dr. Selvan received quality improvement grants from CHEST in October 2023 to do just…
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Short telomere length and immunosuppression: Updates in nonidiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial lung disease
Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are a diverse group of relentlessly progressive fibroinflammatory disorders. Pharmacotherapy includes antifibrotics and immunosuppressants as foundational strategies to mitigate loss of lung function. There has been a growing interest in telomere length and its response to immunosuppression in the ILD community. Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences that “cap” chromosomes and protect…
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Machine learning meets cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a clinically useful modality to discriminate between cardiac, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal limitations to physical exertion. However, it is relatively underutilized due to the lack of local expertise necessary for accurate interpretation. Several studies have explored automation of CPET interpretation, the most notable of which utilized machine learning.1 Recently, Schwendinger et…
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Making invisible problems visible
For Erika Mosesón, MD, a pulmonologist and ICU doctor, advocacy for clean air and climate action started small: signing petitions and writing letters. Even as she attended conferences and learned about the health impacts of air pollution, her impression was that experts were handling it. “I didn’t really think my voice was worth highlighting,” Dr.…
