Nepal Family Cohort study: a study protocol.

Introduction: The Nepal Family Cohort study uses a life course epidemiological approach to collect comprehensive data on children's and their parents' environmental, behavioural and metabolic risk factors. These factors can affect the overall development of children to adulthood and the onset of specific diseases. Among the many risk factors, exposure to air pollution and lifestyle factors during childhood may impact lung development and function, leading to the early onset of respiratory diseases.

Inhaled Reliever Therapies for Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: The optimal inhaled reliever therapy for asthma remains unclear.

Objective: To compare short-acting β agonists (SABA) alone with SABA combined with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and with the fast-onset, long-acting β agonist formoterol combined with ICS for asthma.

Data Sources: The MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases were searched from January 1, 2020, to September 27, 2024, without language restrictions.

The McMaster Cough Severity Questionnaire (MCSQ): a cough severity instrument for patients with refractory chronic cough.

Background: Cough severity represents an important end-point to assess the impact of therapies for patients with refractory chronic cough (RCC). Our objective was to develop a new patient-reported outcome measure addressing cough severity in patients with RCC.

Methods: Phase 1 (item generation): a systematic survey, focus groups and expert consultation generated 51 items.

The Effects of Diabetes on Gas Transfer Capacity, Lung Volumes, Muscle Strength, and Cardio-pulmonary Responses During Exercise.

Background: Diabetes is a risk factor for the development of vascular disease, chronic kidney disease, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Diabetes is a co-morbid condition commonly present in patients with respiratory disorders but the extent to which it influences ventilatory capacity, gas exchange, and functional capacity is not well known. Research question Does the presence of diabetes contribute to impairment in spirometry, gas transfer, and exercise capacity?

Methods: Retrospective analysis of all subjects who performed incremental cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET) between 1988 and 2012 at McMaster University Medical Centre.

Effect of benralizumab on inflammation in skin after intradermal allergen challenge in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin barrier dysfunction characterized by tissue eosinophilia.

Objective: In patients with AD, we evaluated the effect of eosinophil depletion with benralizumab on markers of inflammation in skin after intradermal allergen challenge.

Methods: A total of 20 patients with moderate-to-severe AD completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study comparing 3 doses of benralizumab (30 mg each) administered subcutaneously every 4 weeks (n = 9) with placebo (n = 11).

Benralizumab for allergic asthma: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Benralizumab induces rapid and near-complete depletion of eosinophils from blood and lung tissue. We investigated whether benralizumab could attenuate the allergen-induced late asthmatic response (LAR) in participants with allergic asthma.

Methods: Participants with allergic asthma who demonstrated increased sputum eosinophils and LAR at screening were randomised to benralizumab 30 mg or matched placebo given every 4 weeks for 8 weeks (3 doses).

Efficacy of Biologics in Patients with Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Treatment of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is challenging. Biological therapies have been reported as adjunctive treatments for ABPA, primarily in case series or case reports. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of biologics for managing ABPA both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Airway and Systemic Immunoglobulin Profiling and Immune Response in Adult Asthma.

Introduction: Immunoglobulins play a vital role in host immune response and in the pathogenesis of conditions like asthma. Therapeutic agents such as monoclonal antibodies target specific elements of the asthmatic inflammatory cascade. Decisions to utilize these medications are often based on systemic inflammatory profiling without direct insight into the airway inflammatory profile.

Eosinophil plasticity and diversity: proceedings of the 2023 International Eosinophil Society Symposium.

This issue highlights and details the program and scientific presentations at the International Eosinophil Society's 12th biennial symposium, which was held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in July 2023. The meeting included sessions on regulation of eosinophil development; cell death, stress, and autophagy in eosinophils; local immunity interactions of eosinophils with multiple cell types; eosinophils in host defense; eosinophils and mast cells in gastrointestinal disorders; reciprocal interactions between eosinophils and the microbiome in homeostasis and dysbiosis; and eosinophils in tissue injury and repair and in tumor biology and cancer therapy. There was a mixture of special invited lectures and cutting-edge abstracts on specific aspects of eosinophil science, as well as enlivened pro-con debates on targeting eosinophils with biologics.

Neuromedin-U Mediates Rapid Activation of Airway Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells in Mild Asthma.

In asthma, sputum group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are activated within 7 hours after allergen challenge. Neuroimmune interactions mediate rapid host responses at mucosal interfaces. In murine models of asthma, lung ILC2s colocalize to sensory neuronal termini expressing the neuropeptide neuromedin U (NMU), which stimulates type 2 (T2) cytokine secretion by ILC2s, with additive effects to alarmins .

Burden of chronic cough on social participation, healthcare resource utilisation and activities of daily living in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

Background: Chronic cough is a common troublesome condition, but it is unclear whether dry or productive chronic cough and sex, impacts the burden of cough differently.

Methods: The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging is a nationally generalizable, stratified random sample of adults aged 45-85 years. Chronic cough was identified based on a self-reported daily cough in the last 12 months assessed at baseline (2011-2015) and follow-up (2015-2018).

Evaluation of the reproducibility of responses to nasal allergen challenge and effects of inhaled nasal corticosteroids.

Background: Similar immune responses in the nasal and bronchial mucosa implies that nasal allergen challenge (NAC) is a suitable early phase experimental model for drug development targeting allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. We assessed NAC reproducibility and the effects of intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) on symptoms, physiology, and inflammatory mediators.

Methods: 20 participants with mild atopic asthma and AR underwent three single blinded nasal challenges each separated by three weeks (NCT03431961).

Efficacy and Tolerability of Gefapixant for Treatment of Refractory or Unexplained Chronic Cough: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Gefapixant represents an emerging therapy for patients with refractory or unexplained chronic cough.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of gefapixant for the treatment of adults with refractory or unexplained chronic cough.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science from November 2014 to July 2023.

The added value of haemoglobin to height, age, and sex to predict DLCO in subjects with preserved exercise capacity.

Background: The single breath diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) captures several aspects of the role of the lung in meeting the metabolic demands of the body. The magnitude of the independent contributors to the DLCO is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that independently contribute to the DLCO.

Questions in Mild Asthma: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement.

Patients with mild asthma are believed to represent the majority of patients with asthma. Disease-associated risks such as exacerbations, lung function decline, and death have been understudied in this patient population. There have been no prior efforts from major societies to describe research needs in mild asthma.

Impact of Airway Virus in Severe Asthmatic Patients: A Pilot Study.

The lungs have their own microbiota which seems to be altered in disease processes such as asthma. Viral infection accounts for many asthma exacerbations. Little is known about the lung virome, and the role that viruses play in non-exacerbating asthmatics.

Inhaled anti-TSLP antibody fragment, ecleralimab, blocks responses to allergen in mild asthma.

Background: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a key upstream regulator driving allergic inflammatory responses. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ecleralimab, a potent inhaled neutralising antibody fragment against human TSLP, using allergen inhalation challenge (AIC) in subjects with mild atopic asthma.

Methods: This was a 12-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, multicentre allergen bronchoprovocation study conducted at 10 centres across Canada and Germany.