The cardiovascular effects of long-acting bronchodilators inhalers and inhaled corticosteroids purchases among asthma and COPD patients.

Background: Confounding reports of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with the use of Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), long-acting beta-agonists, and muscarinic antagonists (LABA and LAMA) have been reported.

Objective: To explore the relationship between the purchase of ICS, LABA and LAMA inhalers and the incidence of CVDs.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with COPD and/or asthma, aged ≥ 18 years, who purchased LABA, LAMA, and ICS inhalers alone or in combination between 2017 and 2019.

Long-term oxygen therapy in precapillary pulmonary hypertension - SOPHA study.

Current guidelines recommend oxygen (O) supplementation in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), despite scarce data on long-term O therapy (LTOT). The aim of this prospective, randomized, controlled trial was to investigate the effect of LTOT in patients with precapillary PH on exercise capacity, clinical parameters and hemodynamics. Patients with precapillary PH under stable therapy and O desaturations at rest and/or during exercise were randomized to receive LTOT (≥ 16 h/day) or no O (control group) for 12 weeks.

Machine learning computational model to predict lung cancer using electronic medical records.

Background: Lung cancer (LC) screening using low-dose computed tomography (CT) is recommended according to standard risk criteria or personalized risk calculators. Machine learning (ML) models that can predict disease risk are an emerging method in medicine for identifying hidden associations that are personally unique.

Materials And Methods: Using the tree-based pipeline optimization tool (TPOT), we developed an ML-based model, which is an ensemble of the Random Forest and XGboost models, based on known risk factors for LC, as part of a larger trial for ML prediction using electronic medical records and chest CT.

Association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and COVID-19 severity.

Obstructive sleep apnea and sleep-related hypoxia have been associated with higher rates of hospitalization and mortality among patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We further explored the association between obstructive sleep apnea, COVID-19 severity and related mortality. In addition, we examined the effects of clinical and demographic parameters on COVID-19.

txci-ATAC-seq: a massive-scale single-cell technique to profile chromatin accessibility.

We develop a large-scale single-cell ATAC-seq method by combining Tn5-based pre-indexing with 10× Genomics barcoding, enabling the indexing of up to 200,000 nuclei across multiple samples in a single reaction. We profile 449,953 nuclei across diverse tissues, including the human cortex, mouse brain, human lung, mouse lung, mouse liver, and lung tissue from a club cell secretory protein knockout (CC16) model. Our study of CC16 nuclei uncovers previously underappreciated technical artifacts derived from remnant 129 mouse strain genetic material, which cause profound cell-type-specific changes in regulatory elements near many genes, thereby confounding the interpretation of this commonly referenced mouse model.

Feasibility and User Experience of Digital Patient Monitoring for Real-World Patients With Lung or Breast Cancer.

Background: Digital patient monitoring (DPM) tools can facilitate early symptom management for patients with cancer through systematic symptom reporting; however, low adherence can be a challenge. We assessed patient/healthcare professional (HCP) use of DPM in routine clinical practice.

Materials And Methods: Patients with locally advanced/metastatic lung cancer or HER2-positive breast cancer received locally approved/reimbursed drugs alongside DPM, with elements tailored by F.

Sysmex-derived COVID-19 prognostic score as an early prognostic marker for severity of the COVID-19 disease.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a life-threatening disease with a heterogeneous course. Even some young patients are at increased risk of severe course or death, as they can face severe complications. It would be very useful to have a cheap and easily available marker to predict COVID-19 course in the early stages of the disease.

Open and Closed Triple Inhaler Therapy in Patients with Uncontrolled Asthma.

Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) are a class of inhalers that has recently been included as add-on therapy in the GINA guidelines, either in a single inhaler device with inhaled corticosteroids plus long-acting β2-agonists (ICS + LABA) (closed triple inhaler therapy) or in a separate one (open triple inhaler therapy). This review summarizes the existing evidence on the addition of LAMAs in patients with persistently uncontrolled asthma despite ICS + LABA treatment based on clinical efficacy in the reduction of asthma symptoms and exacerbations, the improvement in lung function, and its safety profile.

Attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers in Israel and vaccination rates during vaccine rollout.

A new COVID-19 vaccine was introduced in a remarkably short period of time. Public and healthcare workers (HCWs) were concerned about the safety of the vaccine, especially in light of the use of new technologies. A review regarding attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination found a 22.

Radiation and Dose-densification of R-CHOP in Primary Mediastinal B-cell Lymphoma: Subgroup Analysis of the UNFOLDER Trial.

UNFOLDER (NCT00278408, EUDRACT 2005-005218-19) is a phase-3 trial in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma and intermediate prognosis, including primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). In a 2 × 2 factorial design, patients were randomized to 6× R-CHOP-14 or R-CHOP-21 (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prediso(lo)ne) and to consolidation radiotherapy to extralymphatic/bulky disease or observation. Response was assessed according to the standardized criteria from 1999, which did not include F-18 fluordesoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET) scans.

"Extrafine single inhaler triple therapy effect on health status, lung function and adherence in COPD patients: A Panhellenic prospective non-interventional study - The TRIBUNE study".

The extrafine single inhaler triple therapy (efSITT) containing beclometasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate/glycopyrronium 87/5/9 μg has proved to be efficacious in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in randomized control trials. TRIBUNE study aimed to assess the efSITT effectiveness on health status, lung function, adherence and rescue medication use in COPD patients in Greece in a real-world setting. This was a 24-week prospective, multicenter, observational study in 1,195 patients with moderate/severe COPD and history of at least one exacerbation during the previous year despite dual therapy.

Prediction of exercise respiratory limitation from pulmonary function tests.

Background: Evaluation of unexplained exercise intolerance is best resolved by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) which enables the determination of the exercise limiting system in most cases. Traditionally, pulmonary function tests (PFTs) at rest are not used for the prediction of a respiratory limitation on CPET.

Objective: We sought cut-off values on PFTs that might, a priori, rule-in or rule-out a respiratory limitation in CPET.

Arterial bicarbonate is associated with hypoxic burden and uncontrolled hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea - The ESADA cohort.

Objective: Blood bicarbonate concentration plays an important role for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients to maintain acid-base balance. We investigated the association between arterial standard bicarbonate ([HCO3]) and nocturnal hypoxia as well as comorbid hypertension in OSA.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 3329 patients in the European Sleep Apnea Database (ESADA) was performed.

Postexposure-vaccine-prophylaxis against COVID-19.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, postexposure-vaccine-prophylaxis is not a practice. Following exposure, only patient isolation is imposed. Moreover, no therapeutic prevention approach is applied.

Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Teachers: An On-line Survey in Greece.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe at a very high rate and protect against severe disease, hospitalization, and mortality. Schools are workplaces with high transmissibility of coronavirus and teachers are at risk of infection. The study aimed to find out the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in teachers.

Effectiveness and quality of life in asthmatic patients treated with budesonide/formoterol via Elpenhaler® device in primary care. The "SKIRON" real world study.

Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/long-acting β agonist (LABA) combination therapy is used for the effective control of asthma. Aim of this study was to collect data on the effectiveness, safety, quality of life, and patient satisfaction from a fixed dose combination of budesonide/formoterol administered with the Elpenhaler device following 3-months' treatment. A 3-month real-life, multicentre, one-arm, prospective observational study (SKIRON study-NCT03055793) was conducted, using the following questionnaires: Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-6) for asthma control assessment, MiniAQLQ questionnaire for QoL assessment, and Feeling of Satisfaction with Inhaler questionnaire (FSI-10) for patients' satisfaction with the inhaler device.

Lung cancer in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A retrospective multicentre study in Europe.

Background And Objective: There remains a paucity of large databases for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and lung cancer. We aimed to create a European registry.

Methods: This was a multicentre, retrospective study across seven European countries between 1 January 2010 and 18 May 2021.

Predictors of Real-World Parents' Acceptance to Vaccinate Their Children Against the COVID-19.

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten public health, the vaccination of children against the disease appears to be a key factor to control the pandemic. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of parents who have vaccinated their children against the COVID-19 and the factors influencing this decision.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a web-based cross-sectional study in Greece during the first week of September 2021.

Availability and costs of medicines for the treatment of tuberculosis in Europe.

Objectives: To evaluate the access to comprehensive diagnostics and novel antituberculosis medicines in European countries.

Methods: We investigated the access to genotypic and phenotypic Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing and the availability of antituberculosis drugs and calculated the cost of drugs and treatment regimens at major tuberculosis treatment centres in countries of the WHO European region where rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis are the highest among all WHO regions. Results were stratified by middle-income and high-income countries.

Longitudinal Associations Between Exclusive and Dual Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Cigarettes and Self-Reported Incident Diagnosed Cardiovascular Disease Among Adults.

Introduction: The cardiovascular health effects of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use are not well characterized, making it difficult to assess ENDS as a potential harm reduction tool for adults who use cigarettes.

Aims And Methods: Using waves 1-5 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (2013-2019), we analyzed the risk of self-reported incident diagnosed myocardial infarction (MI; 280 incident cases) and stroke (186 incident cases) associated with ENDS and/or cigarette use among adults aged 40 + using discrete time survival models. We employed a time-varying exposure lagged by one wave, defined as exclusive or dual established use of ENDS and/or cigarettes every day or some days, and controlled for demographics, clinical factors, and past smoking history.

Cross-sectional assessment of predictors for COVID-19 vaccine uptake: an online survey in Greece.

Objective: To estimate the percentage of the general population vaccinated against the COVID-19 and to investigate the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Material And Methods: We conducted an online cross-sectional study in Greece during August 2021. We included individuals over 18 years of age.

Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece.

Objective: We assessed the uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine and associated factors in a sample of healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods: An on-line cross-sectional study with 885 HCWs was conducted in Greece during August 2021. We measured socio-demographic data of HCWs and attitudes towards vaccination and the COVID-19 pandemic.