Thorax Podcast

Prophylactic use of azithromycin is common in the management of COPD patients with frequent acute exacerbations. But its application is conservative due to concerns around adverse events, interactions with other drugs, and bacterial resistance. Given these concerns, it is important to identify patients who are likely to be responders or non-responders.

According to the NICE guidance in the UK, you should consider azithromycin if th...

Another journal club episode featuring guest-host Dr. Kristina Montemayor of the PulmPEEPs, in conversation with Thorax education editor Dr. Christopher Turnbull, and Dr. Natalie McCleod, author of a recent journal club article focussing on the theme of ventilation and sleep. They discuss the four papers selected by Natalie, covering topics including CPAP therapy's benefit on blood pressure, and Hypoglossal nerve stimulation for ob...

There are many factors which might contribute to asthma patients not adhering to their medication, such as access to services, or convenience of use. One well-known and important barrier in the United States is simply cost. Thorax social media editor Dr. Kate Diomede speaks to Dr. Chun-Tse Hung¹, Dr. Steven Erickson²,  and Prof. Chung-Hsuen Wu¹, the authors of a recent study on the subject.

Read the paper: Cost-related non-adhere...

With no identified cause or cure, sarcoidosis is a challenging disease that has a heterogeneous presentation and an unpredictable clinical course. A recent paper in Thorax examined the outcomes for patients grouped by pulmonary function phenotypes, race and sex. First author for the study, Dr. Michelle Sharp¹, joins social media editor Dr. Kate Diomede to talk through the findings.

Read the paper: Pulmonary sarcoidosis: differences...

The PulmPEEPs are back with another journal club episode. Dr. Kristina Montemayor and Dr. David Furfaro are joined by Thorax education editor Dr. Christopher Turnbull, and journal club author Dr. Ewan Mackay. They discuss a handful of selected papers focussing on COPD, covering the global impact of different household fuels on lung disease, early signs of CT changes in smokers before the detection of COPD, and a trial of treprostin...

Lung conditions remain one of the biggest causes of death and cost the economy billions annually. Despite this they receive only 2.5% of total public research investment in the UK. The Asthma + Lung UK charity brought together a number of experts and stakeholders in an effort to improve the working approach to this problem. This group published a letter in Thorax recently with a number of recommendations. One of the authors, Dr. Sa...

The growing use of artificial stone has seen the emergence of an aggressive, progressive respiratory disease, which is causing silicosis in young people. Dr. Johanna Feary¹ ² joins Thorax's Dr. Kate Diomede in the studio, to discuss. They talk through some the UK's earliest cases, the background to this phenomenon, international response, and the broader history of silicosis as a disease.

Links:

• Artificial stone silicosis: a UK...

A special journal club episode featuring guest-hosts Dr. Kristina Montemayor and Dr. David Furfaro of the PulmPEEPs. They're joined in conversation with Thorax education editor Dr. Christopher Turnbull, and Dr. Imran Howell, author of a recent journal club article in Thorax. Focussing on the theme of airway disease, they discuss the four papers in Imran's roundup, covering topics from nutritional impact on tuberculosis rates to inf...

A new clinical statement from the British Thoracic Society was recently published in Thorax. It describes a building-block approach for how to manage patients with tobacco dependency in a hospital setting. Thorax podcast host Dr. Kate Diomede speaks with two of the authors, Prof. Sanjay Agrawal (1) and Dr. Matthew Evison (2). 

Read the statement: Medical management of inpatients with tobacco dependency

Further reading:

• NCSCT on...

What are the effects of high levels of social media consumption amongst young people? New research published in Thorax quantifies the impact that exposure to marketing on online platforms is having, showing a greater likelihood of smoking or vaping with greater time spent on these platforms. Thorax associate editor Prof. Nick Hopkinson (1) joins Dr. Kate Diomede to discuss the paper's findings.

Read the paper: Association of time s...

Asthma prevalence is increasing around the world, and is theorised to be due to a number of environmental factors. One such factor is a sensitivity to house dust mite (HDM) allergens, which is common in asthma patients. Dr. Klaus Bønnelykke (1) joins the podcast to speak with Dr. Kate Diomede about this topic, following the publication of the paper, "Genetic and T2 biomarkers linked to the efficacy of HDM sublingual immunotherapy i...

Socioeconomic deprivation is a driving factor in lung cancer rates. With the roll out of a national lung cancer screening programme in the UK, it's important that the right invitation strategies are used for reaching community members who may be at risk. This episode, Dr. Patrick Goodley (@patrick_goodley) joins host Dr. Kate Diomede to discuss the recent paper, "Invitation strategies and participation in a community-based lung can...

What impact do reproductive events, like menarche, miscarriage or menopause have on female lung health? Prof. Gita Mishra (1) joins Thorax host Dr. Kate Diomede to discuss this question. They consider how recurrent fertility issues can point to an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease later in life, and how variance in oestrogen levels throughout the lifespan affect lung development. The conversation is centred ar...

In a conversation touching on diet, fat distribution, and inflammatory pathways, Dr. Hayley Scott (1) speaks with host Dr. Kate Diomede about the recent paper, “Effect of obesity on airway and systemic inflammation in adults with asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis".

Read the article here: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/78/10/957 

(1) School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Th...

Dr. Wei Shen Lim (1) joins Thorax's podcast host and social media editor Dr. Kate Diomede to talk over the recent research paper, “Readmission following hospital admission for community-acquired pneumonia in England”.

Read the article here: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2023/07/28/thorax-2022-219925

(1) Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, No...

Dr. Kate Diomede, podcast host and Thorax social media editor, is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Smith (1) to discuss a study on the longterm respiratory outcomes for survivors of very preterm birth, titled "Risk factors for poorer respiratory outcomes in adolescents and young adults born preterm."

Read the article here: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2023/05/18/thorax-2022-219634 

Find more info on the team's work at: https://walya...

Dr. Kate Diomede, podcast host and Thorax social media editor, is joined by Prof. Najib Rahman (1) and Prof. Nick Maskell (2) to discuss the July 2023 update of the British Thoracic Society's guideline for treatment of pleural disease. This document was last updated in 2010, and now accounts for the high quality data provided by more recent trials, as well as modern practices informed by those.

Read the guideline here: https://thor...