https://medicalxpress.com/pulmonary-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Pulmonary medicine A city-wide mold intervention in public housing can reduce asthma emergency department (ED) visits, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2026 International Conference, held from May 15 to 20 in Orlando, Florida. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-ats-city-wide-mold-intervention.html Mon, 18 May 2026 15:20:01 EDT news698331404 The drug tezepelumab was shown to significantly reduce exacerbations in people with severe asthma in clinical trials. Now, a new study presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference shows that it is also safe and effective in real-world patients. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-clinical-trial-tezepelumab-asthma-diverse.html Mon, 18 May 2026 09:10:01 EDT news698046179 A once-nightly oral pill helped control obstructive sleep apnea in a large, Phase III clinical trial presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference. The drug, called AD109, is the first therapy to treat OSA by addressing its underlying mechanisms and targeting the neuromuscular causes of airway collapse. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-nightly-pill-airway-collapse-obstructive.html Mon, 18 May 2026 07:00:03 EDT news698052901 New research presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference shows that pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) significantly improves functioning and quality of life in children with chronic respiratory conditions, regardless of whether lung function itself improves. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-pediatric-pulmonary-rehab-ability-quality.html Sun, 17 May 2026 15:30:01 EDT news698053141 The New York City Housing Authority developed Mold Busters, a mold-removal program, in response to a 2013 class-action lawsuit filed by residents suffering from asthma due to mold in their apartments. New research presented at the ATS 2026 International Conference shows that the program results in nearly 2,800 fewer asthma-related emergency department visits annually. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-housing-mold-intervention-york-asthma.html Sun, 17 May 2026 11:10:02 EDT news697989601 As worsening air quality and wildfire events increasingly impact communities worldwide, a study recognized by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a 2025 Paper of the Year is drawing attention to a growing but often overlooked threat to athletes and active individuals: the impact of air pollution on performance, health, and safety. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-air-pollution-athletic-health.html Sat, 16 May 2026 09:30:01 EDT news697890507 Barrier organs that form boundaries between the body and the outside environment, such as the lungs, skin, and intestines, face a difficult balancing act. They must respond quickly to threats such as infection, but they also need to avoid triggering unnecessary inflammation that can damage the tissue. A new study led by Whitehead Institute member Pulin Li and graduate student in her lab Diep Nguyen reveals one way the lung manages that tradeoff. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-lungs-defense-tuning-responses-deeper.html Sat, 16 May 2026 08:00:03 EDT news697991375 New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey (May 12–15) shows the use of the new GLP-1 class of obesity drugs in people with asthma is associated with a 26% fall in the number of asthma exacerbations and a 14% drop in use of asthma inhaler reliever use. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-links-obesity-drugs-reduction-asthma.html Fri, 15 May 2026 06:42:21 EDT news698046051 Children who get more than 30% of their daily energy from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), such as soda drinks, packaged snacks, and sweetened breakfast cereals, have a nearly fourfold risk of developing asthma in their early school years. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-ultra-foods-fourfold-asthma-children.html Thu, 14 May 2026 11:40:01 EDT news697977176 Fine particles (PM₂.₅) were associated with around 79,000 preventable deaths, followed by nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃) and coarser particles (PM₂.₅-₁₀, particles with a diameter between 2.5 and 10 micrometers). These are among the findings of a new study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), in collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center–Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS), which provides the first Europe-wide estimate of short-term mortality associated with the combined effects of multiple pollutants across 31 European countries. The findings, published in Nature Health, support the development of impact-based early warning systems to help protect the population from the health effects of air pollution. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-combined-short-term-effects-air.html Wed, 13 May 2026 16:38:53 EDT news697909082 A new study shows that a simple measurement from routine chest X-rays can help predict survival among patients with lung cancer and breathing disorders. Researchers found that lower diaphragmatic dome height (DDH) before surgery was associated with poorer long-term outcomes and higher respiratory-related deaths. This is the first study to establish DDH as a practical prognostic marker, offering a low-cost, widely accessible way to identify high-risk patients and guide treatment decisions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-simple-ray-linked-survival-lung.html Wed, 13 May 2026 15:40:09 EDT news697903912 A urine test developed by scientists at the University of Cambridge has moved a step closer to clinical use following new findings revealing it could do more than first thought. Originally designed to detect early signs of lung cancer and treatment resistance, the test shows potential in identifying biological signals associated with pulmonary fibrosis—a serious condition where early diagnosis remains a major challenge. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-urine-nanosensor-tracks-lung-cancer.html Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:07 EDT news697727282 Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, making early and accurate diagnosis essential for improving patient outcomes. Chest computed tomography (CT) scans are widely used to detect pulmonary nodules, but interpreting these images requires careful assessment of multiple features, including shape, margins, and internal structure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-vision-language-diagnosis-ct-scans.html Tue, 12 May 2026 18:20:01 EDT news697817822 Asking patients with chronic lung illnesses to paint a picture, of sorts, that shows how they perceive the extent of their lung disease can tell clinicians as much about their symptom-related quality of life as pulmonary test results, a new study suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-visual-illness-perception-picture-quality.html Tue, 12 May 2026 12:40:01 EDT news697808161 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is a multidrug-resistant bacterium that can cause severe and life-threatening hemorrhagic pneumonia in individuals with weakened immune systems. Despite this, there are limited treatment options for this bacterium and the infections it causes are extremely difficult to treat. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-mouse-antibiotics-curb-deadly-maltophilia.html Mon, 11 May 2026 12:40:01 EDT news697717918 Every minute counts when a donor organ is being transported for a transplant surgery. Historically, donor organs—usually stored on ice in coolers—have a limited window before they become unusable. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-student-team-cool-device-donor.html Mon, 11 May 2026 08:00:05 EDT news697702021 A new research statement published in the May 2026 issue of the journal CHEST, highlights significant gaps in the scientific evidence needed to effectively regulate electronic cigarettes (ECs) and protect public health. The article, "Critical Gaps in the Scientific Basis for Electronic Cigarette Regulation", was developed by the CHEST Tobacco and Vaping Workgroup to inform future regulatory and research priorities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-statement-critical-gaps-science-cigarette.html Mon, 11 May 2026 07:20:01 EDT news697701362 The deaths of three people aboard a small cruise ship during a suspected outbreak of hantavirus demonstrate the potential deadliness of the rodent-borne illness. "Once somebody gets sick, once somebody comes in contact with hantavirus, they can develop severe illness fairly quickly," said Neil Maniar, director of Northeastern's master of public health program. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-hantavirus-small-cruise-ship-human.html Sun, 10 May 2026 10:00:01 EDT news697279825 A deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius has triggered an international health response after at least three passengers died and several others fell ill during a voyage in the South Atlantic. Health officials across multiple countries are tracing passengers amid concerns over the rare Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread through close human contact. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-hantavirus-outbreak-cruise-ship-transmission.html Fri, 08 May 2026 07:40:01 EDT news697437182 As wildfires increase in frequency and intensity across regions like the western United States, smoke exposure is becoming more widespread and prolonged. Yet current knowledge gaps make it harder to develop targeted interventions or guidelines. Despite this growing exposure, scientists say the underlying health risks remain poorly understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-wildfire-understudied-paper.html Thu, 07 May 2026 18:20:03 EDT news697392121 A new University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that lung cancer screening rates among eligible U.S. adults have improved in recent years, but fewer than one in four are getting screened annually as recommended. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-lung-cancer-screening.html Thu, 07 May 2026 16:40:08 EDT news697390501 About half of people diagnosed with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer never receive treatment, despite advances in options over recent decades that have created meaningful improvements in lifespan and quality of life for many patients. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-breakthroughs-treatment-metastatic-lung-cancer.html Thu, 07 May 2026 11:00:13 EDT news697277282 A Hiroshima University study of more than 31,000 patients found that pneumonia occurred more often after breathing tubes were removed than during ventilation, with most cases developing within a 1–2 week window after surgery. The findings suggest this under-recognized condition may be a distinct clinical entity linked to swallowing dysfunction and that early assessment and intervention, including identification of high-risk patients, may be key to prevention and improved outcomes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-extubation-pneumonia-distinct-condition-surgery.html Thu, 07 May 2026 09:56:07 EDT news697366516 As an Atlantic cruise ship remains isolated off the South African coast due to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, the world watches with anticipation to learn more about this uncommon but dangerous infectious disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-hantavirus-symptoms-transmission-treatment.html Thu, 07 May 2026 08:40:28 EDT news697361282 Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects the airways. It gets its common name from the "whoop" sound that some infected children make when they take a deep, gasping breath after a severe coughing fit. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-100day-adults.html Wed, 06 May 2026 22:20:01 EDT news697293137 Hospitals in Baltimore see an uptick in asthma-related emergency room cases in the weeks following nighttime heat waves in their neighboring communities, according to new research from Johns Hopkins University. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-baltimore-emergency-rooms-spike-asthma.html Wed, 06 May 2026 09:00:05 EDT news697195801 Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that some cancer cells express the YAP1 protein only after treatment with chemotherapy, allowing them to survive by becoming more invasive and leading to treatment resistance with eventual relapse in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-biomarker-chemotherapy-resistance-relapsed-lung.html Wed, 06 May 2026 07:20:01 EDT news697269679 Researchers from National Jewish Health have conducted what is believed to be the largest systematic review of silicosis in mineral miners. Silicosis is an irreversible lung disease caused by the inhalation of respirable (breathable) crystalline silica dust, and—while preventable—it is not treatable and can be disabling. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-disease-global-pits-demand-critical.html Tue, 05 May 2026 16:00:06 EDT news697214461 Pneumonia is responsible for a tremendous burden of disease worldwide. In the U.S., it is a leading cause of death due to infection, especially for those of advanced age. For survivors, pneumonia's lingering effects such as reduced lung function, scarring, and new or worsened respiratory issues like asthma or COPD may accelerate unhealthy aging. While pneumonia is fundamentally a disease of the lung tissue characterized by inflammation and alveolar damage, medical science has historically relied on symptoms, imaging (X-rays), and microbiological cultures (microbe-directed) to classify the disease, rather than analyzing the specific cellular damage and structural changes in the lungs (histopathology) to create personalized treatment subgroups (subphenotyping). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-analyses-human-lungs-reveal-subphenotypes.html Tue, 05 May 2026 11:40:05 EDT news697199581 Thanks to improved treatments, many people with asthma live good lives. However, for a smaller group—those with severe asthma—the picture is different. A new study within the Nordic research collaboration NORDSTAR, based on data from more than 11,000 patients, shows that the risk of death is significantly higher in this group. In fact, people with severe asthma have nearly twice the risk of dying prematurely compared to other asthma patients, according to the study published in the European Respiratory Journal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-severe-asthma-linked-mortality.html Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:01 EDT news697123203