Chest
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Abnormal weights, eg, obesity, has shown a strong modifying effect on the association between air pollution exposure and lung function impairment in adults. ⋯ Exposure to low to moderate levels of air pollution was associated with lung function impairment for adolescents with abnormal weight. Longer exposure aggravated the adverse effect. Whether a critical exposure window since birth exists warrants further exploration.
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Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Progesterone in Addition to Standard of Care Versus Standard of Care Alone in the Treatment of Men Hospitalized with Moderate to Severe COVID-19: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Trial.
Severity of illness in COVID-19 is consistently lower in women. A focus on sex as a biological factor may suggest a potential therapeutic intervention for this disease. We assessed whether adding progesterone to standard of care (SOC) would improve clinical outcomes of hospitalized men with moderate to severe COVID-19. ⋯ Progesterone at a dose of 100 mg, twice daily by subcutaneous injection in addition to SOC, may represent a safe and effective approach for treatment in hypoxemic men with moderate to severe COVID-19.
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Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare lung disease found primarily in women of childbearing age, characterized by the formation of air-filled cysts, which may be associated with reductions in lung function. An experimental, regional ultra-high resolution CT scan identified an additional volume of cysts relative to standard chest CT imaging, which consisted primarily of ultra-small cysts. ⋯ ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00001465; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.
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Although estimates of suboptimal adherence to oral corticosteroids in asthma range from 30% to 50%, no ideal method for measurement exists; the impact of poor adherence in severe asthma is likely to be particularly high. ⋯ Low adherence is a common problem in severe asthma, whether measured directly or self-reported. We report poor agreement between the two methods, suggesting some disassociation between self-assessment of medication adherence and regular oral corticosteroid use, which suggests that each approach may provide complementary information in clinical practice.
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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is prescribed to millions of women worldwide. Previous studies have suggested that HRT has both protective and harmful effects in asthma. ⋯ HRT seems to play a role in the development of asthma in mature women. Clinicians prescribing HRT and women receiving HRT should be aware that new airway symptoms can develop, and discontinuation of HRT should be considered.