Newsbriefs from the journal Chest, December 2006
... New research suggests that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are unable to copy certain drawings involved in neuropsychological testing have an increased mortality rate. Italian researchers tracked 134 patients with stable COPD, age 68.7 8.5 years, for a median of 32 months. Patients underwent clinical testing, including spirometry and a 6-minute walk test, and n...Newsbriefs from the journal Chest, November 2006
... New research shows that patients who are HIV positive may be at an increased risk for developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine investigated the prevalence of COPD among 1,014 HIV-positive and 713 HIV-negative men enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort 5 Site Study. Results showed that the prevalence of COPD was 10 percent in...Newsbriefs from the journal Chest: October 2006
... People who have a family history of lung cancer are at nearly double the risk of developing the disease themselves, according to new research. In a large-scale, population-based cohort, Japanese researchers studied the association between family history of lung cancer and subsequent risk. Self-administered surveys on various lifestyle factors were administered to 102,255 middle-aged and olde...Newsbriefs from the journal CHEST, September 2006
... A new study shows that obese, non-allergic women are at a greater asthma risk than their male-counterparts. Researchers from the University of Ottawa administered a survey to over 85,000 Canadians that included questions about self-reported asthma, allergy history, height, and weight. After controlling for covariates, results showed that obese women had an 85 percent increase in the risk of...Newsbriefs from the journal Chest, August 2006
...A new study shows that patients facing end-of-life (EOL) care do not have adequate knowledge about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and that a large population show little interest in discussing EOL preferences. Canadian researchers administered face-to-face questionnaires to 440 hospitalized patients with end-stage cancer or advanced medical diseases. One hundred and sixty family members...Newsbriefs from the journal CHEST, June 2006
...Patients who have aversions to certain odors also may have increased tendency to cough, shows a new study. Swedish researchers administered the Chemical Sensitivity Scale for Sensory Hyperreactivity (CSS-SHR) questionnaire to 103 patients to determine their self-reported odor sensitivity. Researchers then determined patients' cough sensitivity, the tendency for cough to be provoked, using the...Newsbriefs from the journal Chest, May 2006
...New research shows that current or former alcoholics have a high risk for developing Streptococcus pneumoniae (S pneumoniae), a bacteria known to cause pneumonia. Researchers from Spain and Germany compared the etiology, antibiotic resistance of S pneumoniae, severity, and outcome of patients with alcohol abuse with nonalcoholics hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Among pat......A new study finds that habitual snoring in women is strongly tied to body mass index (BMI) and age, with snoring prevalence reaching its peak in women ages 50 to 59. Swedish researchers surveyed 6,817 women regarding snoring habits and potential risk factors for snoring, including BMI, smoking habits, physical activity, alcohol and medication use, and menopausal and hormonal status. The total...... New research shows that many adults with asthma view their condition as temporary, believing they have asthma only when they have symptoms. Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, and Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, surveyed 198 adult patients hospitalized with asthma regarding their asthma beliefs and behaviors and characteristics related to their beliefs. More...