Cough may warn of danger for patients with lung-scarring disease
October 18, 2011 in Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
A new analysis has found that coughing may signal trouble for patients with the lung-scarring disease known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The study, published in the journal Respirology, found that patients with the condition who also cough are more likely to develop advanced forms of the disease that may be life threatening.
When idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis develops, tissue deep in the lungs becomes thick and scarred, likely due to a response to an unknown substance. The condition affects approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States, and up to half die within three years of being diagnosed.
Almost all patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis experience shortness of breath. The second most common symptom is cough. Shortness of breath is a known warning sign that a patient has a serious form of the disease, but little is known about the importance of cough.To investigate, Christopher Ryerson, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, and his colleagues studied 242 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. They found that cough was present in 84% of patients. It was more common in patients with advanced disease and in those who had never smoked. Also, the presence of cough predicted more rapid disease progression, regardless of the severity of a patient's disease. The study's findings indicate that the presence of cough may predict which patients are likely to die prematurely or need a lung transplant in the near future.
To investigate, Christopher Ryerson, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, and his colleagues studied 242 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. They found that cough was present in 84% of patients. It was more common in patients with advanced disease and in those who had never smoked. Also, the presence of cough predicted more rapid disease progression, regardless of the severity of a patient's disease. The study's findings indicate that the presence of cough may predict which patients are likely to die prematurely or need a lung transplant in the near future.
The authors concluded that patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who cough may have a worse prognosis compared with patients who do not cough. While additional studies are needed to validate the results, patients who cough may benefit from closer monitoring and more aggressive treatments.
"These findings improve our understanding of cough in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis," said Dr. Ryerson. "The reason for the association between cough and never having smoked is unknown, but may provide insight into the pathogenesis of cough in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and thus prompt future research in this area," he added.
Provided by
Wiley
-
Gene expression patterns predict rapid decline in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients
May 30, 2007 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Pirfenidone reduces rate of lung decline in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
May 13, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Researchers discover therapeutic target that could help patients with pulmonary fibrosis
Aug 23, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Scarred lungs leave trail of beta arrestins
Mar 28, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Test could predict which idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients will become severely ill
Feb 03, 2010 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Motion perception revisited: High Phi effect challenges established motion perception assumptions
Apr 23, 2013 |
3 / 5 (2) |
2
-
Anything you can do I can do better: Neuromolecular foundations of the superiority illusion (Update)
Apr 02, 2013 |
4.5 / 5 (11) |
5
-
The visual system as economist: Neural resource allocation in visual adaptation
Mar 30, 2013 |
5 / 5 (2) |
9
-
Separate lives: Neuronal and organismal lifespans decoupled
Mar 27, 2013 |
4.9 / 5 (8) |
0
-
Sizing things up: The evolutionary neurobiology of scale invariance
Feb 28, 2013 |
4.8 / 5 (10) |
14
-
Classical and Quantum Mechanics via Lie algebras
Apr 15, 2011
- More from Physics Forums - Independent Research
More news stories
FDA warns of infections tied to Tennessee pharmacy
(AP)—Government health officials are investigating several health problems reported with potentially contaminated medications made by a Tennessee specialty pharmacy.
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
15 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Comorbidities common with alopecia areata
(HealthDay)—Comorbid conditions often accompany alopecia areata, according to a study published online May 22 in JAMA Dermatology.
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
16 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Top-ranked golfer beats scoliosis
(HealthDay)—As a world-class golfer, Stacy Lewis' accomplishments are remarkable. But it was a physical challenge in her childhood that defined her ascent to the top of her sport.
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
16 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Saudi to send animal samples to US in coronavirus probe (Update)
Saudi Arabia said Friday it would send samples taken from animals possibly infected with a deadly SARS-like virus to the United States for testing in a bid to find the source of disease.
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
20 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
WHO voices deep concern over spread of SARS-like virus
The World Health Organization voiced deep concern Thursday over the SARS-like virus that has killed 22 people in less than a year, saying it might potentially spread more widely between humans.
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
23 hours ago |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
Engineered cytomegalovirus protects monkeys from HIV equivalent
(Medical Xpress)—A new study by researchers in the US has shown that an ancient virus can be modified to help in the fight against the simian immunodeficiency virus SIV, which is the equivalent in monkeys ...
Researchers identify first drug targets in childhood genetic tumor disorder
Two mutations central to the development of infantile myofibromatosis (IM)—a disorder characterized by multiple tumors involving the skin, bone, and soft tissue—may provide new therapeutic targets, according to researchers ...
Hormone levels may provide key to understanding psychological disorders in women
Women at a particular stage in their monthly menstrual cycle may be more vulnerable to some of the psychological side-effects associated with stressful experiences, according to a study from UCL.
Are there atheists in foxholes? Study says they're the minority
Ernie Pyle – an iconic war correspondent in World War II – reportedly said "There are no atheists in foxholes." A new joint study between two brothers at Cornell and Virginia Wesleyan found that only ...
Going live: Immune cell activation in multiple sclerosis
Biological processes are generally based on events at the molecular and cellular level. To understand what happens in the course of infections, diseases or normal bodily functions, scientists would need to ...
Help at hand for people with schizophrenia
How can healthy people who hear voices help schizophrenics? Finding the answer for this is at the centre of research conducted at the University of Bergen.