National Jewish Faculty to Present Latest Research at American Thoracic Society Meeting
Asthma and Infections, Asthma Medications, Drug-resistant Tuberculosis, and Cystic Fibrosis
Faculty from National Jewish Medical and Research Center will describe their most recent research findings in dozens of presentations at the American Thoracic Society's annual meeting May 18-23 in San Francisco. Among the topics to be covered will be asthma as an infectious disease, cell death in cystic fibrosis, success in drug-resistant tuberculosis, inflammation in asthma, the future of asthma medications, and nebulizers and cataracts.
Asthma as Infectious Disease
Richard Martin, MD, and his colleagues present several presentations on the links between asthma and bacterial infections. Dr. Martin has previously reported that more than half of 55 patients with chronic stable asthma showed evidence of bacterial infections in their airways. At the conference, Dr. Martin and his colleagues report that infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae is associated with several biochemical and physiological measures of asthma severity. They also report that treatment by the antibiotic clarithromycin reduces airway inflammation associated with bacterial infections in asthmatic patients. Additional evidence suggests that M. pneumoniae infection might also contribute to the development of asthma. Presentations at 8:15 a.m. PDT, Tuesday, May 22 and 1:30 p.m. PDT, Wednesday, May 23.
Failure to Clear Cell Corpses a Factor in Cystic Fibrosis
Severe and sustained inflammation causes much of the lung damage associated with cystic fibrosis (CF). Bill Vandivier, MD, and his colleagues found that the inflammation may arise as a result of an impaired ability to safely remove dying cells in airways. Proteins in the airways of CF patients can damage cell-surface receptors that help scavenger cells recognize and consume suicidal cells. The findings suggest a new strategy for helping CF patients; developing medications that prevent damage to the receptors on scavenger cells. Presentation at 2 p.m. PDT, Monday, May 21.
Surgery Helps to Fight Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
People with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) face a much greater risk of dying than do most tuberculosis patients. The problem is especially acute in Russia and some countries in Eastern Europe. In an analysis of MDR-TB patients treated at National Jewish, Michael Iseman, MD, reports that success rates have risen significantly, from 56 percent between 1973-1983 to 84 percent between 1984 and 1999. The increased use of surgery to remove damaged lung tissue inaccessible to antibiotics has been especially helpful; 92 percent of MDR-TB patients eligible for surgery were successfully treated. Presentation at 1:30 p.m. PDT, Monday, May 21.
The Future of Asthma Medications
Harold Nelson, MD, and his colleagues in San Diego and Pennsylvania report that asthma patients prefer almost five to one using a dry-powder inhaler, Pulmicort Turbuhaler, over three different pressurized metered-dose inhalers for their corticosteroid therapy. As chlorofluorocarbon-based delivery methods are phased out due to environmental concerns, dry-powder inhalers are poised to become the dominant method of medication delivery in the U.S. This study bodes well for asthma treatment since medication compliance is a huge issue in asthma, and patients are more likely to take medications that are easier to use, leave no bad aftertaste, and take less time to administer. Presentation at 8:15 a.m. PDT, Tuesday, May 22.
Deep in the Lungs of Asthmatics
Most of the attention in asthma has been paid to constriction, inflammation, and hyperresponsiveness in patients' large airways. Sally Wenzel, MD, reports that 10 patients with severe and uncontrolled asthma showed evidence of greater inflammation in the small airways deep inside the lungs than in the large airways. The findings are likely to alter concepts about the development of the disease and ways to treat it. Presentation at 9:35 a.m. PDT, Sunday, May 20.
Nebulizers and Cataracts in Children
Nebulizers are a convenient way to deliver asthma medications to young children, but doctors are hesitant to use them because of concerns that the inhaled corticosteroids may cause skin and eye problems, especially cataracts. Stanley Szefler, MD, and his colleagues reviewed 11 different studies of children ages 6 months to 8 years who used nebulizers to inhale corticosteroids. The researchers found no evidence that the inhaled corticosteroids caused cataracts, eye irritation, or skin problems. Presentation at 8:15 a.m. PDT, Tuesday, May 22.
National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado, is an independent institution known worldwide for the treatment of patients with respiratory, immune, and allergic disorders and for groundbreaking medical research. For more information about National Jewish, call Lung Line at (800) 222-LUNG, or e-mail lungline@njc.org .
