Mechanisms and Biomarkers of Exercise-induced Bronchoconstriction: Current Insights and Future Directions.

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) refers to temporary lower airway narrowing that occurs during or after vigorous physical exertion, with a high incidence in athletes and individuals with pre-existing asthma. The pathophysiology of EIB is not completely understood, but it is thought to involve a complex interplay among airway epithelial changes, immune responses, and environmental interactions. Phenotypic differences are apparent among those affected by EIB.

Application of computational fluid dynamics to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms in exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction.

The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) remain to be fully established. It is hypothesized that high inspiratory flow rates can exert a force on laryngeal airway walls that contribute to its inward collapse causing obstruction. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) presents an opportunity to explore the distribution of forces in a patient-specific upper airway geometry.

Impact of environmental air pollution on respiratory health and function.

Environmental air pollution presents a considerable risk to global respiratory health. If critical levels are exceeded, inhaled pollutants can lead to the development of respiratory dysfunction and provoke exacerbation in those with pre-existing chronic respiratory disease. Over 90% of the global population currently reside in areas where environmental air pollution is considered excessive-with adverse effects ranging from acute airway irritation to complex immunomodulatory alterations.

Telemedicine with special focus on allergic diseases and asthma-Status 2022: An EAACI position paper.

Efficacious, effective and efficient communication between healthcare professionals (HCP) and patients is essential to achieve a successful therapeutic alliance. Telemedicine (TM) has been used for decades but during the COVID-19 pandemic its use has become widespread. This position paper aims to describe the terminology and most important forms of TM among HCP and patients and review the existing studies on the uses of TM for asthma and allergy.

'What did you do to them Klaus?': The Klaus Fuchs Atomic Espionage Case and its Impact on the Scientific Community in early Cold War Britain.

The atomic spy, Klaus Fuchs, was one of the most notorious figures of the early Cold War. The story of his espionage and the impact it had has been the subject of extensive historical research. This article provides a new angle on the Fuchs case by examining the repercussions of his actions on his friends, colleagues, and the wider scientific community in Britain that have previously been overlooked.

ERS International Congress 2022: highlights from the Allied Respiratory Professionals Assembly.

In this article, we provide a brief overview of some of the outstanding sessions that were (co)organised by the Allied Respiratory Professionals Assembly during the 2022 European Respiratory Society International Congress, which was held in a hybrid format. Early Career Members from Assembly 9 summarised the content of the sessions, with the support of the Officers from the four Assembly groups: Respiratory Function Technologists and Scientists (Group 9.01); Physiotherapists (Group 9.

Exercise and asthma - trigger or treatment?

Exercise is one of the most commonly reported symptom triggers for people with asthma. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that regular exercise and physical activity are associated with improved clinical and patient reported outcomes. In this article, we summarise and consolidate recent original studies evaluating exercise and physical activity profiles in people with asthma and provide an up-to-date perspective concerning the role of exercise training and physical activity promotion in the context of asthma management.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide in the assessment of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: A multicenter retrospective analysis of UK-based athletes.

Introduction: Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is not only highly prevalent in people with asthma, but can also occur independently, particularly in athletes. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is an indirect biomarker of type 2 airway inflammation that has an established role in the assessment and management of asthma. The aim was to evaluate the value of FeNO in the assessment of EIB in athletes.

NICE asthma guidelines: time to re-evaluate the diagnostic value of exercise challenge testing?

https://bit.ly/3iS4smw.

Diagnostic approach to lower airway dysfunction in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis by a subgroup of the IOC consensus on 'acute respiratory illness in the athlete'.

Objectives: To compare the performance of various diagnostic bronchoprovocation tests (BPT) in the assessment of lower airway dysfunction (LAD) in athletes and inform best clinical practice.

Design: Systematic review with sensitivity and specificity meta-analyses.

Data Sources: PubMed, EBSCOhost and Web of Science (1 January 1990-31 December 2021).

Physical activity promotion interventions in chronic airways disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Physical inactivity is common in people with chronic airways disease (pwCAD) and associated with worse clinical outcomes and impaired quality of life. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to characterise and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions promoting step-based physical activity (PA) in pwCAD. We searched for studies that included a form of PA promotion and step-count outcome measure.

Diagnosis and management of allergy and respiratory disorders in sport: An EAACI task force position paper.

Allergy and respiratory disorders are common in young athletic individuals. In the context of elite sport, it is essential to secure an accurate diagnosis in order to optimize health and performance. It is also important, however, to consider the potential impact or consequences of these disorders, in recreationally active individuals engaging in structured exercise and/or physical activity to maintain health and well-being across the lifespan.

Toward a Framework for Environmental Fate and Exposure Assessment of Polymers.

Development of risk-assessment methodologies for polymers is an emerging regulatory priority to prevent negative environmental impacts; however, the diversity and complexity of polymers require adaptation of existing environmental risk-assessment approaches. The present review discusses the challenges and opportunities for the fate and exposure assessment of polymers in the context of regulatory environmental risk assessment of chemicals. The review discusses the applicability and adequacy for polymers of existing fate parameters used for nonpolymeric compounds and proposes additional parameters that could inform the fate of polymers.

Prevalence of lower airway dysfunction in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis by a subgroup of the IOC consensus group on 'acute respiratory illness in the athlete'.

Objective: To report the prevalence of lower airway dysfunction in athletes and highlight risk factors and susceptible groups.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: PubMed, EBSCOhost and Web of Science (1 January 1990 to 31 July 2020).

Associations Between Erythrocyte Membrane Fatty Acid Compositions and Biomarkers of Vascular Health in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes With and Without Insulin Resistance: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between specific erythrocyte fatty acid levels and vascular health in type 1 diabetes (T1D) with and without insulin resistance (IR).

Methods: We analyzed baseline pretreatment data in a subset of 23 patients with T1D from a previously published randomized controlled trial consisting of comprehensive erythrocyte-derived fatty acid profiles and a panel of inflammation-associated endothelial markers. Estimated glucose disposal rate was used to identify and categorize patients with IR.

Pulmonary function and COVID-19.

In people recovering from COVID-19, there is concern regarding potential long-term pulmonary sequelae and associated impairment of functional capacity. Data published thus far indicate that spirometric indices appear to be generally well preserved, but that a defect in diffusing capacity (DLco) is a prevalent abnormality identified on follow-up lung function; present in 20-30% of those with mild to moderate disease and 60% in those with severe disease. Reductions in total lung capacity were commonly reported.

Asthma medication in athletes: a qualitative investigation of adherence, avoidance and misuse in competitive sport.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to utilize the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behavior model (COM-B) to: (1) evaluate athlete knowledge and understanding of current asthma-related anti-doping regulations, (2) explore the impact of environmental and societal influences on athletes with asthma, and (3) examine athlete perception of asthma medication use in competitive sport. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten competitive endurance athletes (five athletes with asthma and five without asthma). Interviews were guided by the COM-B model and transcripts were analyzed inductively and deductively using reflexive thematic analysis.

Respiratory impact of a grand tour: insight from professional cycling.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the respiratory function and symptom perception in professional cyclists completing a Grand Tour (GT).

Methods: Nine male cyclists completed La Vuelta or Tour de France (2018/19). At study entry, airway inflammation was measured via fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO).

High prevalence of exercise-induced stridor during Parkrun: a cross-sectional field-based evaluation.

Background And Objective: The differential diagnosis for exercise-associated breathlessness is broad, however, when a young athletic individual presents with respiratory symptoms, they are most often prescribed inhaler therapy for presumed exercise-induced asthma (EIA). The purpose of this study was therefore to use a novel sound-based approach to assessment to evaluate the prevalence of exertional respiratory symptoms and characterise abnormal breathing sounds in a large cohort of recreationally active individuals.

Methods: Cross-sectional field-based evaluation of individuals completing Parkrun.

The importance of over-the-counter-sales and product format in the environmental exposure assessment of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

When assessing the environmental exposure of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the mass contributed from over the counter (OTC) sales are often not included due to difficulty obtaining this data and topical formats are overlooked completely. This study presents a comprehensive approach, investigating the significance of OTC and topical applications as sources of API releases to wastewater, in addition to temporal and subnational variations in use in the UK. The study provides methods to obtain and make use of OTC sales data which can be applied widely.