Expression and Regulation of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Signalling in Acute Lung Inflammation.

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are central regulators of gene expression in response to oxygen deprivation, a common feature in critical illnesses. The significant burden that critical illnesses place on global healthcare systems highlights the need for a deeper understanding of underlying mechanisms and the development of innovative treatment strategies. Among critical illnesses, impaired lung function is frequently linked to hypoxic conditions.

Clinical remission in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma treated with mepolizumab: A analysis of RELIght study.

Remission of asthma can occur as part of the natural history of the disease; however, the use of biologics can result in disease remission in some patients. In this post hoc analysis of the RELIght study, we aimed to evaluate clinical remission in real life among patients treated with mepolizumab, to detect possible differences between "remitters" and "nonremitters," and to evaluate possible predictors of remission. Clinical remission was defined as the absence of asthma exacerbations, discontinuation of oral corticosteroids (OCS), achievement of asthma control (Asthma Control Test [ACT] ≥ 20), and stable or improved lung function.

Plasma transfusion in the intensive care unit.

Background: Current guidelines discourage prophylactic plasma use in non-bleeding patients. This study assesses global plasma transfusion practices in the intensive care unit (ICU) and their alignment with current guidelines.

Study Design And Methods: This was a sub-study of an international, prospective, observational cohort.

Targeting Epigenetic Alterations Linked to Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Phenotypes in Lung Cancer.

The focus in cancer research and treatment has recently shifted from being primarily tumor-centric to emphasizing the tumor microenvironment (TME) [...

Vistas in Signaling Pathways Implicated in HSV-1 Reactivation.

Ancient Greek physicians, including Hippocrates, documented skin conditions resembling herpes as early as 500 before common era (BCE), but it was not until the 1920s that Lowenstein successfully isolated the herpes virus from human lesions, significantly advancing our understanding of the infection [...

The Clinical Significance of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Classification in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Malignant cells flourish within a specialized environment known as the tumor microenvironment (TME) [...

Leveraging the ROS-TME Axis for Cancer Treatment.

The discovery of reactive oxygen species (ROS) dates back to the early 20th century [...

Investigating a middle‑step COVID‑19 unit in Greece.

During the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was an unprecedented requirement for hospital bed availability. The present study aimed to examine the characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized in a COVID-19 unit that operated as a novel middle-step unit in Greece. The present study aimed to determine whether the middle-step unit supported the central general hospitals; thus, highlighting the potential of these models in future pandemics.

Effect of mepolizumab in airway remodeling in patients with late-onset severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype.

Background: Clinical trials and real-world experience have provided evidence for the clinical benefits of mepolizumab, an anti-IL-5 biologic, in severe asthma. However, limited data exist regarding the impact of mepolizumab on airway remodeling.

Objective: We sought to investigate the effect of mepolizumab on airway structural remodeling in patients treated for severe asthma in routine clinical care.

Seeing the Future of Lung Cancer Vaccination.

It has been nearly fifteen years since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first therapeutic cancer vaccine for solid tumors, namely Sipuleucel-T (Provenge), marking a significant milestone in the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer [...

State of the Art and New Perspectives in Lung Cancer Therapeutics.

Cisplatin became a first-line chemotherapy regimen for lung cancer in the mid-1980s, marking a pivotal advance in lung cancer treatment [...

Fusing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in modern oncology is rapidly transforming cancer drug discovery and development [...

Adherence to Mediterranean diet and asthma control. Results from a small study among asthmatic patients in Greece.

Objectives: Current variations in asthma prevalence and clinical characteristics suggest that lifestyle choices including dietary habits, may affect the pathogenesis and/or clinical expression of the disease. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between adherence to Mediterranean diet (MD) and asthma control, considering disease severity.

Methods: Adherence to MD was assessed through a questionnaire, the MD Adherence Screener (MEDAS), previously validated in Mediterranean populations.

Expert perspectives on ECCOR for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: consensus of a 2022 European roundtable meeting.

Background: By controlling hypercapnia, respiratory acidosis, and associated consequences, extracorporeal CO removal (ECCOR) has the potential to facilitate ultra-protective lung ventilation (UPLV) strategies and to decrease injury from mechanical ventilation. We convened a meeting of European intensivists and nephrologists and used a modified Delphi process to provide updated insights into the role of ECCOR in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and to identify recommendations for a future randomized controlled trial.

Results: The group agreed that lung protective ventilation and UPLV should have distinct definitions, with UPLV primarily defined by a tidal volume (V) of 4-6 mL/kg predicted body weight with a driving pressure (ΔP) ≤ 14-15 cmHO.

The Effects of Exercise Training on Functional Capacity and Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise training on functional capacity and quality of life (QoL) in patients with RA. We performed a search in four databases, selecting clinical trials that included community or outpatient exercise training programs in patients with RA.

Mortality prevention as the centre of COPD management.

COPD is a major healthcare problem and cause of mortality worldwide. COPD patients at increased mortality risk are those who are more symptomatic, have lower lung function and lower diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, decreased exercise capacity, belong to the emphysematous phenotype and those who have concomitant bronchiectasis. Mortality risk seems to be greater in patients who experience COPD exacerbations and in those who suffer from concomitant cardiovascular and/or metabolic diseases.

Intensive Care Unit Mortality Trends during the First Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study.

Data on COVID-19 mortality among patients in intensive care units (ICUs) from Eastern and/or Southern European countries, including Greece, are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ICU mortality trends among critically ill COVID-19 patients during the first two years of the pandemic in Greece and to further investigate if certain patients' clinical characteristics contributed to this outcome. We conducted a multi-center retrospective observational study among five large university hospitals in Greece, between February 2020 and January 2022.

ERS International Congress 2023: highlights from the Respiratory Intensive Care Assembly.

Early career members of Assembly 2 (Respiratory Intensive Care) attended the 2023 European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy. The conference covered acute and chronic respiratory failure. Sessions of interest to our assembly members and to those interested in respiratory critical care are summarised in this article and include the latest updates in respiratory intensive care, in particular acute respiratory distress syndrome and mechanical ventilation.