TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) and American Thoracic Society recently endorsed a race-composite spirometry reference equation ("GLI Global"). Africa (outside North Africa) is not represented in the underlying dataset; GLI Global has not been evaluated in the region. We evaluated the fit and diagnostic implications of GLI and African (identified by scoping review) reference equations in three East/Southern African countries. METHODS: Among healthy participants from a tuberculosis household contact cohort study in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe (age ≥10 years) with post-bronchodilator spirometry we calculated forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC z-scores using different equations, the proportion of people with obstructive airways disease or preserved-ratio-impaired spirometry by different equations. We compared these measures across reference equations. RESULTS: In total, 806 healthy people had good-quality post-bronchodilator spirometry. Across GLI equations, "African American" fitted best (mean±sd FEV1 z-score -0.12±1.20, mean FVC z-score -0.35±1.19). Compared with "African American", GLI Global resulted in twice as many people being identified as having preserved-ratio impaired spirometry (22% versus 11%) with a similar proportion having obstruction (4.2% versus 3.8%). Reference equations developed in Africa conferred similar fit compared with the GLI African American equation. CONCLUSIONS: Reference equations have clinical and public health implications that demand careful consideration, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Use of GLI Global may result more people being identified as having lung function impairment. Further work that includes clinical outcomes is needed to ensure that GLI Global is globally representative. The key limitation of this work is the potential for people with undiagnosed respiratory disease to have been included in the analysis.
AU  - Banze, D.*
AU  - Calderwood, C.J.*
AU  - Nhamuave, C.*
AU  - Marambire, E.T.*
AU  - Mfinanga, A.*
AU  - Larsson, L.*
AU  - Malhotra, A.M.*
AU  - Minja, L.T.*
AU  - Ivanova, O.*
AU  - Zurba, L.*
AU  - Heinrich, N.*
AU  - Ferrand, R.A.*
AU  - Fielding, K.*
AU  - Kranzer, K.*
AU  - Rachow, A.
AU  - Hurst, J.R.*
AU  - Khosa, C.*
C1  - 75192
C2  - 57848
CY  - 442 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2px, England
TI  - Implications of reference equations for interpretation of spirometry in three African countries: A cross-sectional study.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
PB  - European Respiratory Soc Journals Ltd
PY  - 2025
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with COPD contributes to morbidity and mortality. Further characterisation to improve management is warranted. The aim of the study was to apply the recently proposed PH classification and to assess the association of lung volume involvement and PH over the course of disease in patients with advanced COPD. METHODS: Patients with COPD undergoing transplant evaluation, including right heart catheterisation were included irrespective of the likelihood of having PH. Spirometry, plethysmography and computed tomography were used to assess the degree of parenchymal and vascular involvement. Follow-up investigation was performed for 18±12 months. The 2022 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines were used for classification of PH. RESULTS: In total, 340 patients were included and 639 right heart catheters were assessed. The majority of patients were classified as no PH (n=131, 38%) or nonsevere PH (n=133, 39%), whereas severe COPD-PH was present in 26 patients (8%). Patients with severe COPD-PH had similar degrees of airflow obstruction but lower lung volumes. Further, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) correlated negatively with residual volume. Interstitial lung abnormalities were present in 11 patients (3%) and scattered across all PH groups. Follow-up (n=141, 41.5%) demonstrated a low rate of deterioration to severe COPD-PH (4%). However, an increase of PVR was common and was associated with a decrease of total lung capacity. CONCLUSION: Unbiased longitudinal invasive follow-up and assessment of lung volumes by plethysmography provided evidence of an association of lung volume and PVR.
AU  - Barnikel, M.*
AU  - Milger, K.*
AU  - Mertsch, P.*
AU  - Arnold, P.*
AU  - Leuschner, G.*
AU  - Veit, T.*
AU  - Gerckens, M.
AU  - Mümmler, C.
AU  - Barton, J.*
AU  - Ghiani, A.*
AU  - Yildirim, A.Ö.
AU  - Dinkel, J.*
AU  - Neurohr, C.*
AU  - Behr, J.*
AU  - Kneidinger, N.*
C1  - 75193
C2  - 57849
CY  - 442 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2px, England
TI  - Classification and course of pulmonary hypertension associated with end-stage COPD.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
PB  - European Respiratory Soc Journals Ltd
PY  - 2025
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic lung disease, i.e., bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), is the most prevalent complication after premature birth. Despite the clinical relevance, insight into persisting lung structural changes in BPD in later childhood remains sparse. We therefore assessed lung structural changes by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in (pre)school-aged children born before 32 weeks' gestation and compared them to pulmonary characteristics of BPD at near-term age. METHODS: (Pre)school-aged children after premature birth with and without BPD underwent 3T MRI without sedation at a median age of 5.8 years (4.3-8.7 years, n=27). Comparative analyses used imaging at near-term age in 88 preterm infants with a subgroup of 16 serial measurements. Standardised image analysis (consensus panel scoring, 5-point Likert scale) of coronal/axial/sagittal T2-weighted single-shot fast-spin-echo sequences obtained scores for the variables "emphysema", "interstitial enhancement", "airway accentuation" and "ventilation inhomogeneity", complemented by transverse (T2) and longitudinal (T1) relaxation-time mapping (n=26), lung volume measurements and follow-up parental questionnaires. RESULTS: MRI scoring revealed persisting emphysema-like changes in children with moderate/severe BPD (p=0.031 versus no BPD). The prevalence was associated with greater immaturity (p=0.018) and in line with an increase in lung volume. In contrast, higher scores for "interstitial enhancement" and "airway accentuation" were not associated with a history of BPD at (pre)school age. INTERPRETATION: Persisting structural changes in the BPD lung are dominated by underlying immaturity and demonstrate an emphysema-like phenotype, potentially fitting the concept of dysanapsis. Lung MRI can inform treatment and monitoring strategies through the provision of additional information on disease characteristics and severity.
AU  - Förster, K.
AU  - Strobl, K.*
AU  - Kindt, A.*
AU  - Häfner, F.
AU  - Schubert, B.
AU  - Heinen, F.*
AU  - Flemmer, A.W.*
AU  - Steffinger, D.*
AU  - Dietrich, O.*
AU  - Stoecklein, S.*
AU  - Brinkmann, F.*
AU  - Hilgendorff, A.
C1  - 75911
C2  - 58191
CY  - 442 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2px, England
TI  - Lung MRI scoring reveals persistence of emphysema-like changes in lungs of infants born preterm at (pre)school age.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 11
IS  - 5
PB  - European Respiratory Soc Journals Ltd
PY  - 2025
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: Baseline lung allograft dysfunction (BLAD) is characterised by the failure to achieve normal baseline lung function after lung transplantation (LTX), affecting over a third of LTX recipients and conveying significant mortality. While previous studies identified BLAD as a risk factor for mortality, evolution, transitions and risk factors influencing transitions from BLAD to normal lung function or death/retransplantation remain unknown. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 472 LTX recipients transplanted between 2010 and 2018, using a Markov multistate model to characterise lung function evolution. The model investigated transitions between "indeterminate", "BLAD", "normal baseline lung function" and "death/retransplantation" states. We modelled state transitions, association of BLAD with mortality, and risk factors influencing transitions and mortality through respective states. RESULTS: Our study confirms a higher mortality risk for BLAD, particularly in single LTX (SLTX) compared to double LTX (DLTX) recipients. DLTX recipients with obstructive underlying disease were more likely to recover from BLAD (hazard ratio (HR) 3.1) but faced higher mortality if remaining in BLAD (HR 2.6). Chronic lung allograft dysfunction had a strong association with mortality in patients with normal baseline lung function (HR 5.1) but also to a lesser extent in BLAD patients (HR 1.8). Longitudinal analysis demonstrated that DLTX recipients often recover from BLAD, while SLTX recipients rarely achieve normal lung function if starting in BLAD. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights differences in lung function evolution between SLTX and DLTX recipients and investigates for the first time prevalence and risk factors for transitions between BLAD and non-BLAD states, as well as risk factors influencing BLAD-related mortality in LTX recipients.
AU  - Gerckens, M.
AU  - Richard, A.*
AU  - Arnold, P.*
AU  - Veit, T.*
AU  - Barton, J.*
AU  - Götschke, J.*
AU  - Milger, K.*
AU  - Kauke, T.*
AU  - Schneider, C.*
AU  - Michel, S.*
AU  - Irlbeck, M.*
AU  - Luecken, M.
AU  - Yildirim, A.O.E.*
AU  - Behr, J.*
AU  - Kneidinger, N.*
AU  - Mümmler, C.
C1  - 75912
C2  - 58190
CY  - 442 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2px, England
TI  - Multistate modelling of baseline lung allograft dysfunction in lung transplant recipients.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 11
IS  - 5
PB  - European Respiratory Soc Journals Ltd
PY  - 2025
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - ERJOR: In case you missed the #LSC2024, this work highlights some of the new key points that were discussed at the @EuroRespSoc Lung Science Conference about #COPD & #IPF by @SaraOcana1 @danielchengyuwu @cami93melo @EarlyCareerERS @ERSpublications #ERJOR https://bit.ly/4cbMjpS.
AU  - Wu, C.Y.*
AU  - Melo-Narváez, M.C
AU  - Cuevas-Ocaña, S.*
C1  - 72836
C2  - 56741
CY  - 442 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2px, England
TI  - Early career member highlights from the 22nd ERS Lung Science Conference: Development of chronic lung diseases - from life-spanning mechanisms to preventive therapy.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 10
IS  - 6
PB  - European Respiratory Soc Journals Ltd
PY  - 2024
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - CONF
AB  - In this review, the Basic and Translational Science Assembly of the European Respiratory Society provides an overview of the 2022 International Congress highlights. We discuss the consequences of respiratory events from birth until old age regarding climate change related alterations in air quality due to pollution caused by increased ozone, pollen, wildfires and fuel combustion as well as the increasing presence of microplastic and microfibres. Early life events such as the effect of hyperoxia in the context of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and crucial effects of the intrauterine environment in the context of pre-eclampsia were discussed. The Human Lung Cell Atlas (HLCA) was put forward as a new point of reference for healthy human lungs. The combination of single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial data in the HLCA has enabled the discovery of new cell types/states and niches, and served as a platform that facilitates further investigation of mechanistic perturbations. The role of cell death modalities in regulating the onset and progression of chronic lung diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target was also discussed. Translational studies identified novel therapeutic targets and immunoregulatory mechanisms in asthma. Lastly, it was highlighted that the choice of regenerative therapy depends on disease severity, ranging from transplantation to cell therapies and regenerative pharmacology.
AU  - Cuevas Ocaña, S.*
AU  - El-Merhie, N.*
AU  - Kuipers, M.E.*
AU  - Lehmann, M.
AU  - Enes, S.R.*
AU  - Voss, C.
AU  - Dean, L.S.N.*
AU  - Loxham, M.*
AU  - Boots, A.W.*
AU  - Cloonan, S.M.*
AU  - Greene, C.M.*
AU  - Heijink, I.H.*
AU  - Joannes, A.*
AU  - Mailleux, A.A.*
AU  - Mansouri, N.*
AU  - Reynaert, N.L.*
AU  - van der Does, A.M.*
AU  - Wagner, D.*
AU  - Ubags, N.*
C1  - 67683
C2  - 53990
CY  - 442 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2px, England
TI  - ERS International Congress 2022: Highlights from the Basic and Translational Science Assembly.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
PB  - European Respiratory Soc Journals Ltd
PY  - 2023
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Oral inflammation is not associated with increased F ENO in nonasthmatic children and adolescents. The observed inverse association implies that gingival bleeding might decrease F ENO but this needs more study to be confirmed. https://bit.ly/3BhMP6f.
AU  - Zhao, T.
AU  - Thiering, E.
AU  - Jörres, R.A.*
AU  - Standl, M.
AU  - Kühnisch, J.*
AU  - Heinrich, J.*
C1  - 67745
C2  - 54055
CY  - 442 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2px, England
TI  - Oral inflammation and exhaled nitric oxide fraction: A cross-sectional study.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
PB  - European Respiratory Soc Journals Ltd
PY  - 2023
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - More DEGs are detected by RNA-Seq than microarrays in COPD lung biopsies and are associated with immunological pathways. Performing bulk tissue cell-type deconvolution in microarray lung samples, using the SVR method, reflects RNA-Seq results. https://bit.ly/2N8sY3s.
AU  - Ditz, B.*
AU  - Boekhoudt, J.G.*
AU  - Aliee, H.
AU  - Theis, F.J.
AU  - Nawijn, M.C.*
AU  - Brandsma, C.A.*
AU  - Hiemstra, P.S.*
AU  - Timens, W.*
AU  - Tew, G.W.*
AU  - Grimbaldeston, M.A.*
AU  - Neighbors, M.*
AU  - Guryev, V.*
AU  - van den Berge, M.*
AU  - Faiz, A.*
C1  - 62468
C2  - 50889
TI  - Comparison of genome-wide gene expression profiling by RNA Sequencing versus microarray in bronchial biopsies of COPD patients before and after inhaled corticosteroid treatment: Does it provide new insights?
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 7
IS  - 2
PY  - 2021
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background: Infection control measures for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might have affected management and clinical state of patients with COPD. We analysed to which extent this common notion is fact-based. Methods: Patients of the COSYCONET cohort were contacted with three recurring surveys (COVID1, 2 and 3 at 0, 3 and 6 months, respectively). The questionnaires comprised behaviour, clinical and functional state, and medical treatment. The responses to the questionnaires were compared amongst themselves and with pre-COVID information from the last visit of COSYCONET. Results: Overall, 594 patients were contacted and 375 patients (58% males, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 61±22% predicted) provided valid data in COVID1 and COVID2. Five patients reported infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Most patients - except for patients with higher education - reported compliance with recommended protective measures, whereby compliance to hygiene, contact and access to physicians slightly improved between COVID1 and COVID2. Also, patients obtained more information from physicians than from public media. In the majority of cases, the personal physician could not be substituted by remote consultation. Over time, symptoms slightly increased and self-assessed physical capacity decreased. Results of COVID3 were similar. Women and patients with more exacerbations and dyspnoea avoided medical consultations, whereas Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) D patients were more amenable to tele-consultation. Conclusion: In well-characterised COPD patients, we observed on average slight deteriorations of clinical state during the period of COVID-19 restrictions, with high and partially increasing adherence to protective measures. The data suggest that in particular, women and GOLD D patients should be actively contacted by physicians to identify deteriorations.
AU  - Kahnert, K.*
AU  - Lutter, J.
AU  - Welte, T.*
AU  - Alter, P.*
AU  - Behr, J.*
AU  - Herth, F.*
AU  - Kauczor, H.U.*
AU  - Söhler, S.*
AU  - Pfeifer, M.*
AU  - Watz, H.*
AU  - Vogelmeier, C.F.*
AU  - Bals, R.*
AU  - Jörres, R.A.*
AU  - Trudzinski, F.C.*
C1  - 62881
C2  - 51137
TI  - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the behaviour and health status of patients with COPD: Results from the German COPD cohort COSYCONET.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 7
IS  - 3
PY  - 2021
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background: The Munich Breathlessness Service has adapted novel support services to the German context, to reduce burden in patients and carers from breathlessness in advanced disease. It has been evaluated in a pragmatic fast-track randomised controlled trial (BreathEase; NCT02622412) with embedded qualitative interviews and postal survey. The aim of this article is to describe the intervention model and study design, analyse recruitment to the trial and compare sample characteristics with other studies in the field. Methods: Analysis of recruitment pathways and enrolment, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of participants and carers. Results: Out of 439 people screened, 253 (58%) were offered enrolment and 183 (42%) participated. n=97 (70%) carers participated. 186 (42%) people did not qualify for inclusion, mostly because breathlessness could not be attributed to an underlying disease. All participants were self-referring; 60% through media sources. Eligibility and willingness to participate were associated to social networks and illness-related activities as recruitment routes. Mean age of participants was 71 years (51% women), with COPD (63%), chronic heart failure (8%), interstitial lung disease (9%), pulmonary hypertension (6%) and cancer (7%) as underlying conditions. Postal survey response rate was 89%. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 patients and nine carers. Conclusion: The BreathEase study has a larger and more heterogeneous sample compared to other trials. The self-referral-based and prolonged recruitment drawing on media sources approximates real-world conditions of early palliative care. Integrating qualitative and quantitative components will allow a better understanding and interpretation of the results of the main effectiveness study.
AU  - Schunk, M.*
AU  - Berger, U.*
AU  - Le, L.*
AU  - Rehfuess, E.*
AU  - Schwarzkopf, L.
AU  - Streitwieser, S.*
AU  - Müller, T.*
AU  - Hofmann, M.*
AU  - Holle, R.
AU  - Huber, R.M.*
AU  - Mansmann, U.*
AU  - Bausewein, C.*
C1  - 63457
C2  - 51540
TI  - BreathEase: Rationale, design and recruitment of a randomised trial and embedded mixed-methods study of a multiprofessional breathlessness service in early palliative care.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 7
IS  - 4
PY  - 2021
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - In this review, the Basic and Translational Sciences Assembly of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) provides an overview of the 2019 ERS International Congress highlights. In particular, we discuss how the novel and very promising technology of single cell sequencing has led to the development of a comprehensive map of the human lung, the lung cell atlas, including the discovery of novel cell types and new insights into cellular trajectories in lung health and disease. Further, we summarise recent insights in the field of respiratory infections, which can aid in a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these infections in order to develop novel vaccines and improved treatment options. Novel concepts delineating the early origins of lung disease are focused on the effects of pre- and post-natal exposures on neonatal lung development and long-term lung health. Moreover, we discuss how these early life exposures can affect the lung microbiome and respiratory infections. In addition, the importance of metabolomics and mitochondrial function analysis to subphenotype chronic lung disease patients according to their metabolic program is described. Finally, basic and translational respiratory science is rapidly moving forward and this will be beneficial for an advanced molecular understanding of the mechanisms underlying a variety of lung diseases. In the long-term this will aid in the development of novel therapeutic targeting strategies in the field of respiratory medicine.
AU  - Ubags, N.D.*
AU  - Baker, J.*
AU  - Boots, A.*
AU  - Costa, R.
AU  - El-Merhie, N.*
AU  - Fabre, A.*
AU  - Faiz, A.*
AU  - Heijink, I.H.*
AU  - Hiemstra, P.S.*
AU  - Lehmann, M.
AU  - Meiners, S.
AU  - Rolandsson Enes, S.*
AU  - Bartel, S.*
C1  - 60977
C2  - 49613
TI  - ERS International Congress, Madrid, 2019: Highlights from the basic and translational science assembly.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 6
IS  - 1
PY  - 2020
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Asthma often remains uncontrolled, despite the fact that the pharmacological treatment has undergone large changes. We studied changes in the treatment of asthma over a 20-year period and identified factors associated with the regular use of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment. Changes in the use of medication were determined in 4617 randomly selected subjects, while changes in adults with persistent asthma were analysed in 369 participants. The study compares data from three surveys in 24 centres in 11 countries. The use of ICSs increased from 1.7% to 5.9% in the general population and the regular use of ICSs increased from 19% to 34% among persistent asthmatic subjects. The proportion of asthmatic subjects reporting asthma attacks in the last 12 months decreased, while the proportion that had seen a doctor in the last 12 months remained unchanged (42%). Subjects with asthma who had experienced attacks or had seen a doctor were more likely to use ICSs on a regular basis. Although ICS use has increased, only one-third of subjects with persistent asthma take ICSs on a regular basis. Less than half had seen a doctor during the last year. This indicates that underuse of ICSs and lack of regular healthcare contacts remains a problem in the management of asthma.
AU  - Janson, C.*
AU  - Accordini, S.*
AU  - Cazzoletti, L.*
AU  - Cerveri, I.*
AU  - Chanoine, S.*
AU  - Corsico, A.*
AU  - Ferreira, D.S.*
AU  - Garcia-Aymerich, J.*
AU  - Gislason, D.*
AU  - Nielsen, R.*
AU  - Johannessen, A.*
AU  - Jogi, R.*
AU  - Malinovschi, A.*
AU  - Martinez-Moratalla Rovira, J.*
AU  - Marcon, A.*
AU  - Pin, I.*
AU  - Quint, J.*
AU  - Siroux, V.*
AU  - Almar, E.*
AU  - Bellisario, V.*
AU  - Franklin, K.A.*
AU  - Gullón, J.A.*
AU  - Holm, M.*
AU  - Heinrich, J.
AU  - Nowak, D.
AU  - Sánchez-Ramos, J.L.*
AU  - Weyler, J.J.*
AU  - Jarvis, D.*
C1  - 55990
C2  - 46658
TI  - Pharmacological treatment of asthma in a cohort of adults during a 20-year period: Results from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey I, II and III.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 5
IS  - 1
PY  - 2019
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - This novel mouse model mimics malignant pleural effusion drainage using an indwelling pleural catheter in humans, and provides direct access to the pleural space potentially enabling the testing of intrapleural therapies in the treatment of MPE. bit.ly/2W2kzO0.
AU  - Merrick, C.*
AU  - Sherrill, T.*
AU  - Kanellakis, N.I.*
AU  - Asciak, R.*
AU  - Stathopoulos, G.T.
AU  - Maldonado, F.*
AU  - Rahman, N.M.*
AU  - Blackwell, T.*
AU  - Psallidas, I.*
C1  - 56197
C2  - 46890
TI  - Novel mouse model of indwelling pleural catheter in mice with malignant pleural effusion.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 5
IS  - 2
PY  - 2019
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress is the largest respiratory congress and brings together leading experts in all fields of respiratory medicine and research. ERS Assembly 3 shapes the basic and translational science aspects of this congress, aiming to combine cutting-edge novel developments in basic research with novel clinical findings. In this article, we summarise a selection of the scientific highlights from the perspective of the three groups within Assembly 3. In particular, we discuss new insights into the pathophysiology of the human alveolus, novel tools in organoid development and (epi)genome editing, as well as insights from the presented abstracts on novel therapeutic targets being identified for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
AU  - Nikolić, M.Z.*
AU  - Garrido-Martin, E.M.*
AU  - Greiffo, F.R.
AU  - Fabre, A.*
AU  - Heijink, I.H.*
AU  - Boots, A.*
AU  - Greene, C.M.*
AU  - Hiemstra, P.S.*
AU  - Bartel, S.*
C1  - 56098
C2  - 47195
TI  - From the pathophysiology of the human lung alveolus to epigenetic editing: Congress 2018 highlights from ERS Assembly 3 "Basic and Translational Science.".
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 5
IS  - 2
PY  - 2019
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - While there is evidence for variations in prevalence rates of childhood wheeze and asthma between countries, longitudinal, individual-level data are needed to understand these differences. The aim of this study was to examine variations in prevalence rates of childhood asthma, wheeze and wheeze with asthma in Europe. We analysed datasets from 10 MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of ALLergy) cohorts in eight countries, representing 26 663 children, to calculate prevalence rates of wheeze and asthma by child age and wheeze with asthma at age 4 years. Harmonised variables included outcomes parent-reported wheeze and parent-reported doctor-diagnosed asthma, and covariates maternal education, parental smoking, pets, parental asthma, doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis, doctor-diagnosed eczema and wheeze severity. At age 4 years, asthma prevalence varied from 1.72% in Germany to 13.48% in England and the prevalence of wheeze varied from 9.82% in Greece to 55.37% in Spain. Adjusted estimates of the proportion of 4-year-old children with wheeze diagnosed with asthma remained highest in England (38.14%, 95% CI 31.38–44.90%) and lowest in Spain (15.94%, 95% CI 6.16–25.71%). The large differences in prevalence rates of asthma, wheeze and wheeze with asthma at age 4 years between European cohorts may indicate that childhood asthma is more readily diagnosed in some countries while going unrecognised elsewhere.
AU  - Uphoff, C.C.*
AU  - Bird, P.*
AU  - Antò, J.M.*
AU  - Basterrechea, M.*
AU  - von Berg, A.*
AU  - Bergström, A.*
AU  - Bousquet, J.*
AU  - Chatzi, L.*
AU  - Fantini, M.P.*
AU  - Ferrero, A.*
AU  - Gehring, U.*
AU  - Gori, D.*
AU  - Heinrich, J.
AU  - Keil, T.*
AU  - Kull, I.*
AU  - Lau, S*
AU  - Maier, D.*
AU  - Momas, I.*
AU  - Narduzzi, S.*
AU  - Porta, D.*
AU  - Ranciere, F.*
AU  - Roumeliotaki, T.*
AU  - Schikowski, T.*
AU  - Smit, H.A.*
AU  - Standl, M.
AU  - Sunyer, J.*
AU  - Wright, J.*
C1  - 51531
C2  - 43172
TI  - Variations in the prevalence of childhood asthma and wheeze in MeDALL cohorts in Europe.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 36
IS  - 3
PY  - 2017
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Exposure of small animals to cigarette smoke is widely used as a model to study the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, protocols and exposure systems utilised vary substantially and it is unclear how these different systems compare. We analysed the gene expression profile of six publically available murine datasets from different cigarette smoke-exposure systems and related the gene signatures to three clinical cohorts. 234 genes significantly regulated by cigarette smoke in at least one model were used to construct a 55-gene network containing 17 clusters. Increasing numbers of differentially regulated clusters were associated with higher total particulate matter concentrations in the different datasets. Low total particulate matterinduced genes mainly related to xenobiotic/detoxification responses, while higher total particulate matter activated immune/inflammatory processes in addition to xenobiotic/detoxification responses. To translate these observations to the clinic, we analysed the regulation of the revealed network in three human cohorts. Similar to mice, we observed marked differences in the number of regulated clusters between the cohorts. These differences were not determined by pack-year. Although none of the experimental models exhibited a complete alignment with any of the human cohorts, some exposure systems showed higher resemblance. Thus, depending on the cohort, clinically observed changes in gene expression may be mirrored more closely by specific cigarette smoke exposure systems. This study emphasises the need for careful validation of animal models.
AU  - Dvorkin-Gheva, A.*
AU  - Vanderstocken, G.*
AU  - Yildirim, A.Ö.
AU  - Brandsma, C.A.*
AU  - Obeidat, M.*
AU  - Bossé, Y.*
AU  - Hassell, J.A.*
AU  - Stampfli, M.R.*
C1  - 50452
C2  - 42271
TI  - Total particulate matter concentration skews cigarette smoke’s gene expression profile.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 2
IS  - 4
PY  - 2016
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in exhaled air has been reported to be elevated in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but results are inconsistent and difficult to reproduce. As H2O2 occurs in ambient air, we examined its association with exhaled H2 O2 in human subjects. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of 12 COPD patients and nine healthy control subjects was collected either with an inhalation filter (efficiency 81%) or without. Ambient air condensate (AAC) was collected in parallel and samples were analysed for H2O2. Additionally, ambient H2O2 was recorded by an atmospheric measuring device (online fluorometric measurement). H2 O2 concentration in AAC was significantly higher (p<0.001) than in EBC. AAC variations were concordant with the data from the atmospheric measuring instrument. In both subjects’ groups, the inhalation filter reduced H2O2 values (p<0.01). Despite generally low levels in exhaled air, analysis by a mathematical model revealed a contribution from endogenous H2O2 production. The low H2O2 levels in exhaled air are explained by the reconditioning of H2O2-containing inhaled air in the airways. Inhaled H2O2 may be one factor in the heterogeneity and limited reproducibility of study results. A valid determination of endogenous H2 O2 production requires inhalation filters.
AU  - Peters, S.*
AU  - Kronseder, A.*
AU  - Karrasch, S.
AU  - Neff, P.A.*
AU  - Haaks, M.*
AU  - Koczulla, A.R.*
AU  - Reinhold, P.*
AU  - Nowak, D.*
AU  - Jörres, R.A.*
C1  - 49585
C2  - 40840
TI  - Hydrogen peroxide in exhaled air: A source of error, a paradox and its resolution.
JO  - ERJ Open Res.
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
PY  - 2016
SN  - 2312-0541
ER  -