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Journal articleOgbogu PU, Roufosse F, Akuthota P, et al., 2026,
Author Correction: Benralizumab versus placebo for hypereosinophilic syndrome: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial.
, Nat Med, Vol: 32 -
Journal articleCustovic D, Custovic A, Gern J, et al., 2026,
Reply.
, J Allergy Clin Immunol, Vol: 157, Pages: 1479-1480 -
Journal articleVieira RJ, Sousa-Pinto B, Bousquet J, et al., 2026,
Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma (ARIA)-EAACI Guidelines-2024-2025 Revision: Part II-Guidelines on Oral and Ocular Treatments.
, Allergy, Vol: 81, Pages: 1947-1970BACKGROUND: Oral and ocular medications are frequently used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). As part of the update of the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA)-EAACI guidelines, this manuscript presents the ARIA-EAACI 2024-2025 recommendations for oral and ocular treatments. METHODS: The ARIA-EAACI 2024-2025 guideline panel issued recommendations following the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence-to-decision framework. Several sources of evidence were used to inform panel judgements and recommendations, including systematic reviews, mHealth and pharmacovigilance data as well as a survey on costs. RESULTS: Eight guideline questions concerning oral treatments for AR and three questions concerning ocular treatments were addressed. These questions led to the recommendations. Overall, these questions concern the choice between different classes of medication. They also discuss the role of oral antihistamines (OAH), leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA), ocular antihistamines (OcAH) and ocular mast cell stabilisers. Four questions had not been previously evaluated in ARIA guidelines, while, for the other four, there was a change in the strength or directionality of the recommendations. Overall, these guidelines recommend using intranasal corticosteroids over OAH and using OAH over LTRA. Moreover, they suggest using OAH over OcAH and suggest being against adding LTRA to OAH. Finally, considerations for choosing between different individual OAHs are presented. CONCLUSION: This ARIA-EAACI 2024-2025 article supports patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals in choosing oral and ocular treatments for AR. Decisions on treatment should consider the clinical variability of the disease, patients' values and the affordability of medications.
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Journal articleBertels X, Scadding GK, Backer V, et al., 2026,
Shaping the Future of Respiratory Care: A Look Into the Next Decade and Strategic Recommendations by the European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airways Diseases.
, Chest, Vol: 169, Pages: 1641-1652Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) remain 1 of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and disability worldwide, affecting up to one-third of the total Western population in 2025. Recognizing the substantial burden of inflammatory airway diseases such as asthma, COPD, chronic rhinosinusitis, and respiratory allergy, the European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway Diseases (EUFOREA) organized the symposium "Shaping the Future of Respiratory Care" in April 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, at the occasion of the 10-year jubilee. Featuring keynote speakers from the World Health Organization and EUFOREA, this initiative had the following aims: (1) promoting dialogue on translating innovations into daily clinical practice; (2) encouraging collaboration between the different stakeholders in the respiratory field; and (3) defining strategic priorities to transform respiratory care and arrest the CRD epidemic over the next decade. The symposium highlighted the importance of moving toward predictive, preventive, and patient-centered medicine, while supporting value-based health care systems to improve long-term patient outcomes. This report summarizes the main insights and strategic directions discussed at the meeting.
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Journal articleWon H-K, Lee J, Yun JW, et al., 2026,
Synergistic Induction of Neutrophilic Inflammatory Programs by Staphylococcus aureus and Cigarette Smoke in Airway Epithelial Cells.
, Immune Netw, Vol: 26, ISSN: 1598-2629Staphylococcus aureus (SA) colonization and cigarette smoking are both implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic airway disease, yet their combined effects on epithelial responses remain unclear. We investigated transcriptomic changes in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) following co-exposure to SA and cigarette smoke extract (CSE). RNA sequencing revealed that combined SA+CSE co-exposure was associated with a marked increase in differentially expressed genes, compared with single exposures. Functional enrichment and network analyses identified significant activation of pathways related to neutrophil migration, extracellular matrix remodeling, and inflammatory cascades, including TNF and IL-17 signaling. Key hub genes, notably CCL20, CXCL1, CXCL8, and IL-24, showed marked synergistic upregulation, which was validated by quantitative RT-PCR. These findings suggest that SA and cigarette smoke co-exposure is associated with a transcriptomic profile suggestive of neutrophilic inflammation. The involvement of IL-24 and IL-17 signaling suggests potential pathways linking bacterial colonization and smoking to airway inflammation and remodeling.
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Journal articleCastagnoli R, Votto M, Taietti I, et al., 2026,
Bridging Rare to Common Diseases: Precision Medicine and the Transforming Landscape of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
, Pediatr Allergy Immunol, Vol: 37Pediatric immunological and allergic conditions represent a broad spectrum, ranging from highly prevalent polygenic disorders (e.g., food allergy, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis) to rarer monogenic primary atopic disorders. The management of these conditions has undergone a paradigm shift in recent years. Moving away from a "one-size-fits-all" approach, precision medicine aims to deliver the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. By integrating clinical phenotypes with molecular endotypes and using specific biomarkers and "Omics" techniques, scientists and clinicians can now employ targeted biological therapies that significantly improve patient outcomes. By identifying early therapeutic windows and specific biomarkers, pediatric specialists can implement personalized interventions that halt the atopic march and mitigate the global burden of chronic allergic diseases. By shifting the focus from symptom management to the neutralization of specific molecular pathways, it is now possible to achieve better disease control, reduce side effects associated with broad-spectrum treatments such as systemic corticosteroids, and improve the quality of life for patients with refractory allergic diseases. This review, generated during a seminar funded by the Clemens von Pirquet Foundation, aims to delineate the "rare to common" pipeline, illustrating how precision medicine tools, including multi-omics, biomarkers, and artificial intelligence methods, can connect mechanistic pathways across the immunological spectrum.
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Journal articleKocks JWH, Harrison T, Bell JP, et al., 2026,
Global pMDI Use and the Potential Impact of European PFAS Legislation on Access to These Essential Inhaled Medications.
, Pulm Ther, Vol: 12, Pages: 653-666INTRODUCTION: Many essential inhaled medicines recommended in guidelines are delivered to the lung via pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs). Global environmental legislation will lead to phasing out of hydrofluoroalkane propellants currently used in pMDIs, owing to their global warming potential (GWP). Furthermore, the European Chemicals Agency is reviewing proposed legislation to ban per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on the basis of chemical structure, which could also impact pMDI availability. Here, we estimated pMDI use as a proportion of all inhaler use in 60 countries, spanning six geographical regions, to understand the relevance of any pMDI restrictions to patients and prescribers. METHODS: pMDI use as a percentage of total inhaler use during 2022 was calculated by country and geographical region using inhaler sales data (a surrogate of use) from the IQVIA Quarterly MIDAS database; inhaler use for the 10-year period from 2013 to 2022 was also evaluated for these regions. Data were compared by individual inhalations. The total patient population living with asthma and/or chronic lower respiratory disease was calculated on the basis of Eurostat (the statistical office of the European Union [EU]) 2019 data and available disease prevalence statistics. Maintenance pMDI utilization was estimated by adjusting for ratio of maintenance pMDI use to total inhaler use. RESULTS: Across all countries analyzed, pMDIs accounted for the largest proportion of inhaler use in 2022 (77.3%). In 51 out of 55 countries with available country-level data, pMDIs represented > 50% of total inhaler use. After adjusting for pMDI usage, an estimated 8.1 million EU patients received a maintenance pMDI in 2022, with the greatest proportion in Germany and France. CONCLUSIONS: pMDIs are vital inhalers for most patients in Europe and around the world. While transitioning to near-zero or low-GWP inhalers, it is essential to avoid unintended consequences from the pr
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Journal articleArasi S, Bärhold F, Alvaro-Lozano M, et al., 2026,
Correspondence: First Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Allergen Oral Immunotherapy Product Out of Sale-A Major Drawback for Food Allergy Immunotherapy?
, Allergy, Vol: 81, Pages: 2233-2235 -
Journal articleUllah A, Fontanella S, Granell R, et al., 2026,
Joint modelling of wheeze and lung function from childhood to early adulthood: four population-based birth cohorts
, EClinicalMedicine, ISSN: 2589-5370Background: Wheeze and lung function (LF) during childhood are key indicators of respiratory health, yet their trajectories are usually examined separately. We aimed to identify joint developmental patterns of wheeze and LF.Methods: We used data from four unselected birth cohorts established between 1989 and 1996 with repeated assessments of wheeze from infancy and spirometry from early school-age to early adulthood. We used group-based multi-trajectory modelling to derive trajectories based on joint modelling of current wheeze and forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC).Findings: In the discovery analysis (n=4,645), we identified 6 trajectories: (1) Never/infrequent wheeze with normal LF (NIFW-NLF, 2925/4645 [62.97%]); (2) Never/infrequent wheeze with reduced LF (NIFW-RLF, 475/4645 [10.22%]); (3) Early-transient wheeze with normal LF (ETW-NLF, 559/4645 [12.03%]); (4) Late-onset wheeze with NLF (LOW-NLF, 335/4645 [7.21%]); (5) Persistent wheeze with NLF (PEW-NLF, 202/4645 [4.34%]); and (6) PEW with RLF (PEW-RLF, 149/4645 [3.21%]). Risk profiles of two trajectories characterised by persistent wheeze but differentiated by normal or reduced LF differed significantly. Elevated fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and allergic sensitisation were highly prevalent in both, but only PEW-RLF was significantly associated with perinatal and early-life factors/exposures (prematurity; lower gestational age: RRRs [95% CI] 2.21 [1.49–3.28], low birth weight: 2.60 [1.47–4.60]: and exposure to smoking during gestation: 2.00 [1.49–2.63]). Two low lung function trajectories (with and without symptoms; PEW-RLF and NIFW-RLF) had similar LF impairment, but divergent clinical and risk factor profiles. PEW-RLF was associated with high rates of asthma diagnosis, high FeNO, bronchodilator reversibility, and family history of atopy. In contrast, those in NIFW-RLF trajectory had no elevation in inflammatory biomarkers and low prevalence o
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Journal articleSathyapala A, Parthasarathy S, 2026,
Viewpoint: "Turning the air blue": implementing sleep apnea care to improve positive airway pressure adherence here and across the pond
, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, ISSN: 1073-449X -
Journal articleQuammie S, Rashid A, Munyal R, et al., 2026,
Burden of non-cancer comorbidities and mortality in chronic pancreatitis: a retrospective cohort study.
, BMJ Open Gastroenterol, Vol: 13, ISSN: 2054-4774OBJECTIVE: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive fibro-inflammatory disease associated with increased comorbidity and mortality. This study aimed to characterise the natural history of CP by assessing comorbidity prevalence and mortality in a CP cohort. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, including patients diagnosed with CP between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2014. Participants were followed up until 31 May 2023. Comorbidity prevalence was compared with national data from England in 2022 to calculate standardised prevalence ratios (SPRs). Similarly, standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 1003 patients with CP, 678 who resided within the Greater Nottingham area were included in the study cohort. The overall median follow-up was 5.7 years (IQR 1.2-10.6). Compared with the general population, patients with CP had significantly elevated SPRs for heart failure (3.0; 95% CI 2.3 to 3.8), diabetes mellitus (2.4; 95% CI 2.1 to 2.7), ischaemic heart disease (2.4; 95% CI 2.0 to 2.8), atrial fibrillation (1.9; 95% CI 1.5 to 2.3) and cerebrovascular disease (1.4; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.8). The cumulative incidence at 20 years of diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease and chronic kidney disease was 12%, 11% and 11%, respectively. During follow-up, 495 patients (73%) died, with median survival of 5.7 years (95% CI 4.8 to 6.4). The overall SMR of patients with CP was significantly increased (2.3; 95% CI 2.1 to 2.6; p<0.0001) compared with the general population. Leading causes of death were malignancy (27%), infections (22%) and cardiovascular disease (6.9%). CONCLUSION: CP is associated with increased risk of multiple comorbidities and elevated mortality as compared with the general population. Enhanced surveillance and early intervention strategies may help prevent or delay the onset of these associated conditions.
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Journal articleSadatsafavi M, Miravitlles M, Quint JK, et al., 2026,
Development and validation of PRECISE-X model: predicting first severe exacerbation in COPD.
, Thorax, Vol: 81, Pages: 541-547OBJECTIVES: In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), severe exacerbations (ECOPDs) impose significant morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines emphasise using ECOPD history to inform preventive treatments but offer limited guidance for risk stratification for the first severe ECOPD. METHODS: We developed and validated PRECISE-X using a cohort of newly diagnosed COPD patients from the UK's Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2004-2022), to predict first severe ECOPD over 5 years (primary outcome) and 12 months (secondary outcome). Predictors were selected via clinical expertise and data-driven methods. Internal-external cross-validation was performed across practice regions to evaluate the model's out-of-sample performance in terms of discrimination (c-statistic), calibration and net benefit. RESULTS: The study included 2 19 015 patients (mean age 66.0; 42.4% female). Observed risk of first severe ECOPD was 29.5% at 5 years (4.2% at 1 year). The final model included four mandatory predictors (sex, age, Medical Research Council dyspnoea score and forced expiratory volume in 1 second) and 28 optional predictors. In internal-external cross-validation, the average out-of-sample c-statistic was 0.836 (95% CI 0.827 to 0.846) for 5-year prediction and 0.756 (95% CI 0.746 to 0.766) for 1-year prediction. Calibration across regions was robust, and the model showed positive NB across a wide range of risk thresholds. In a secondary validation assessment among those with available spirometry data with confirmed airflow obstruction, the model was well calibrated and had only a modest decline in discriminatory performance. CONCLUSIONS: PRECISE-X accurately predicts the first severe COPD exacerbation using routine clinical data, supporting earlier risk stratification and proactive disease management.
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Journal articleMakrufardi F, Chuang H-C, Lin Y-C, et al., 2026,
Long-term ambient temperature and asthma severity and hospitalization in children: a population-based study.
, Eur J Pediatr, Vol: 185To estimate the risk projection of temperature on pediatric asthma severity and hospitalization under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) possible future climate scenarios using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) model. A retrospective study was conducted involving 102,160 pediatric asthma patients from the Taipei Medical University Clinical Research Database (TMUCRD). We utilized global climate model (GCM) outputs to project future temperature for each subject from optimistic (SSP126) to pessimistic (SSP585) projections. A multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the odds ratio of pediatric asthma severity and hospitalization. A 1 °C increase in 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year average temperatures was associated with 1.004-fold (95% CI: 1.003-1.005) and 1.332-fold (95% CI: 1.327-1.338), 1.004-fold (95% CI: 1.002-1.005) and 1.303-fold (95% CI: 1.298-1.308), and 1.005-fold (95% CI: 1.004-1.006) and 1.282-fold (95% CI: 1.278-1.287) increase in the OR for mild persistent and hospitalization of pediatric asthma. We observed a non-linear association between temperature under SSP126, SSP245, SSP370 and SSP585 with moderate persistent pediatric asthma and pediatric asthma hospitalization, with the highest OR increases observed in 2033 at 33.4% and 32.3%, 27.6% and 32.3%, 29.1% and 32.4%, and 27.2% and 32.3%, respectively. Conclusion: Projected future temperature changes as a result of climate change may be associated with a possible increase in pediatric asthma severity and hospitalization in the coming years, with an expected increase of 8.0% and 2.5% per 1 °C increase, respectively. Pediatric asthma patients may be more susceptible to poorer outcomes under climate change in the future. What is Known: • Rising temperatures have been linked to increased asthma severity and hospitalization. • Climate change worsening pediatric asthma outcomes and increasing the healthcare burden. What is New: &bu
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Journal articlePerikleous A, Bowen S-J, Griffiths C, et al., 2026,
Preschool wheeze endotypes and their association with asthma attacks and ICS response
, ERJ Open Research, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2312-0541BackgroundEosinophilic airway inflammation predicts asthma attacks and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) response in adults; similar mechanisms may apply to preschool wheeze. This study assessed whether blood eosinophil count (BEC) alone or combined with allergic sensitisation and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) was associated with future wheeze attacks.Methods95 preschool children (12–59 months old) with clinician-confirmed wheeze were recruited from primary and secondary care. At baseline, finger-prick BEC, skin-prick testing for allergic sensitisation and offline FENO were performed. Children were followed for 8–9 months. The primary outcome was the number of acute wheeze attacks diagnosed during unscheduled visits to an emergency department or general practitioner, documented by parental reports, medical records or oral corticosteroid prescriptions. Exploratory analyses examined ICS association with wheeze attack odds across different biomarker subgroups.ResultsChildren with BEC ≥300 cells·μL−1 had higher wheeze attack odds over 9 months (n=60, odds ratio (OR) 4.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–11.38). Odds were greatest in those with BEC ≥300 cells·μL−1 and FENO ≥10 ppb (n=12, OR 60.74, 95% CI 2.98–1238.9). ICS prescription was associated with reduced 3-month wheeze attack odds among children with elevated BEC (n=21, OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.49) or allergic sensitisation (n=19, OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.01–0.65), with further reduction when both were combined (n=10, OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.002–0.59).ConclusionElevated BEC may identify preschool children at increased wheeze attack odds, particularly when combined with FENO. ICS treatment was associated with odds reduction in children with elevated BEC or allergic sensitisation. These findings provide a rationale for future randomised controlled trials comparing biomarker-guided and symptom-based treatment strategies.
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Journal articleSory DR, Heyraud ACM, Jones JR, et al., 2026,
SiO₂-CAOCME/poly(tetrahydrofuran)/poly(caprolactone) 3D-printed scaffolds drive human-bone marrow stromal cell osteogenic differentiation
, Advanced Healthcare Materials, Vol: 15, ISSN: 2192-2640This article addresses the unmet clinical need of scaffolds for bone regeneration that can combine osteogenic properties, such as the promotion of bone marrow stem cell differentiation into osteoblasts, with the ability to withstand cyclic loading. In our previous study, we demonstrated that discs of SiO2-CaOCME/poly(tetrahydrofuran)/poly(caprolactone) hybrids or their dissolution products can drive terminal osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells (h-BMSCs) in vitro. The current study shows that the 3D-printed hybrid scaffolds with physiologically relevant 3D architecture further promote h-BMSC osteogenesis. The 3D-printed scaffolds support spatially organized cell behavior in an environment mirroring conditions relevant to off-the-shelf implant applications. Primary cellular functions, including viability, adhesion, and proliferation, were maintained across 3D scaffold surfaces and within inter-strut regions. osteogenic commitment was evidenced by the upregulation of lineage-specific transcripts, hydroxyapatite deposition, and the organized assembly of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Our results demonstrate that 3D-printed scaffolds drive osteogenesis by modulating cell metabolism, inducing osteogenic morphological transitions, and promoting the expression of osteocalcin and collagen type I alpha 1 chain, alongside hydroxyapatite matrix mineralization. Collectively, our findings highlight the SiO2-CaOCME/poly(tetrahydrofuran)/poly(caprolactone) scaffold's strong osteogenic properties—driven by composition, surface architecture, and ion release – and its promise for clinical bone regeneration.
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Journal articlePhilip KEJ, Owles H, McVey S, et al., 2026,
An online singing-based breathing and wellbeing programme (ENO Breathe) in people with long COVID breathlessness in the UK: a cohort study
, The Lancet Digital Health, Pages: 10098-10098, ISSN: 2589-7500BackgroundPost-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID) breathlessness is a common, complex, and frequently debilitating problem for which few evidence-based interventions exist. A previous randomised trial found that participation in an online 6-week breathing and wellbeing programme (ENO Breathe), using singing techniques, was associated with improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and breathlessness. We aimed to assess the impact of this intervention outside a trial setting.MethodsIn this cohort study, participants were referred from 51 UK-based National Health Service (NHS) long COVID clinics, where they had been diagnosed with breathlessness due to long COVID. The eligibility criteria of ENO Breathe were age 18 years or older, having long COVID with associated breathlessness, diagnosis and referral from a specialist collaborating NHS long COVID clinic, and access and ability to engage with the online programme. We compared baseline and post-intervention data to assess the effect of the ENO Breathe programme on HRQOL assessed using the RAND-36 Mental and Physical Health Composite (MHC and PHC) primary outcome, with an estimated minimally clinically important difference of 3; breathlessness (assessed using Dyspnoea-12 scores and visual analogue scales [VAS] for breathlessness at rest, walking, using stairs, and running); anxiety (assessed using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire [GAD-7]); and respiratory symptoms (assessed using the COPD Assessment Test [CAT]).Findings1413 programme participants were included in this analysis (mean age 49 years [SD 11·9], BMI 28 kg/m2 [7·2]). 1130 (80%) participants were female, 273 (19%) were male, and ten (1%) did not disclose their gender. 1165 (82%) participants were White, 87 (6%) were Asian, 47 (3%) were Black, 48 (3%) were of mixed or multiple ethnic backgrounds, 31 (2%) reported their ethnicity or race as other (ie, not one of the categories specified), and 35 (2%) did not d
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Journal articleSousa-Pinto B, Vieira RJ, Gil-Mata S, et al., 2026,
Treatment Dose Increase Versus Co-Medication in Allergic Rhinitis: Systematic Review With Dose-Response Network Meta-Analysis.
, AllergyBACKGROUND: To achieve adequate symptom control, patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) often need to increase their medication dose or add other treatments (co-medication). We aimed to perform a systematic review to compare the efficacy and safety of AR medications for increased dose versus co-medication. METHODS: We searched four bibliographic databases and three trial databases for randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of intranasal and/or oral medications in patients of all ages with seasonal or perennial AR. We performed pairwise meta-analysis based on direct evidence to compare (i) non-standard versus standard treatment doses, and (ii) co-medication strategies versus monotherapy using standard doses. Furthermore, we fitted dose-response network meta-analysis (NMA) to obtain projected estimates for comparisons involving two times the standard dose of AR medications in monotherapy versus co-medication with the standard dose of the same medications. We assessed the certainty of evidence using GRADE for NMA. RESULTS: We included 262 studies. Co-medication schemes involving oral antihistamines (OAH) + intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) resulted in higher improvements of nasal symptoms and quality of life than doubling the dose of OAH. However, doubling the dose of intranasal medications led to better results than having intranasal medications + OAH. Doubling the dose of INCS was associated with higher efficacy than adding intranasal antihistamines (INAH). No relevant safety differences were found between treatment strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Results favoured (i) doubling the dose of intranasal medications versus adding OAH, and (ii) adding INCS to OAH over doubling the dose of OAH. This study will inform the ARIA-EAACI 2024-2025 guidelines.
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Journal articleMassen G, Stone PW, Jenkins RG, et al., 2026,
The association between fibrotic diseases and treatment resistant hypertension in England
, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Vol: 33, Pages: 1227-1235, ISSN: 2047-4873AimsMultimorbidity has been identified as a research priority in recent years; fibrosis (progressive organ scarring) is one mechanism that may underpin multimorbidity. Some studies suggest hypertension could be fibrotic, particularly severe hypertension (uncontrollable with medications); however, it is not currently known whether severe hypertension is associated with fibrotic conditions. The objective is to investigate whether treatment-resistant hypertension is associated with fibrotic conditions.Methods and resultsWe used the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum primary care database to define a cohort of people with hypertension during 2015. We determined the percentage of people who had conditions with fibrotic manifestations and explored differences respective to hypertension control. We applied multivariable logistic regression to analyse associations (P < 0.001) between hypertension control and each fibrotic condition, respectively. Of 1 340 495 people with hypertension during 2015, 83.50% (n = 1 119 333) had managed hypertension either by lifestyle or by medication; 16.50% (n = 221 162) had treatment-resistant hypertension. Fibrotic conditions were more common {75.40% [95% confidence interval (CI): 75.20–75.60] vs. 68.90% (95% CI: 68.81–70.01)} in people with treatment-resistant hypertension compared with those with managed hypertension. We found that treatment-resistant hypertension was associated with cardiomyopathy (ORadj: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.81–1.90), both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (ORadj: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.44–1.55, ORadj: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.60–1.63, respectively), liver fibrosis (ORadj: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.46–1.58), valve fibrosis (ORadj: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.37–1.44), and urinary fibrosis (ORadj: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.36–1.47).ConclusionThe proportion of people with fibrotic conditions was greater in those with treatment-resistant hypertension than managed hypertension. The identified associations between treatment-res
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Journal articleDinh C-T, Lee Y-L, Chang L-T, et al., 2026,
Assessing the impact of air pollution on anemia: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis.
, Expert Rev Hematol, Vol: 19, Pages: 529-538INTRODUCTION: Air pollution and household fuel use may impair hematologic health through inflammation and oxidative stress. We synthesized evidence on associations of ambient/household air pollution with anemia risk and erythrocyte indices. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science (inception-27 September 2025). Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. Random-effects meta-analyses pooled risk ratios (RRs) per 10 µg/m3 for particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 µm (PM10), ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and by household fuel type. RESULTS: Thirty-six studies were included. Each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and NO2 was associated with higher anemia risk (RR 1.200, 95% CI 1.041-1.384, I2 98.2%; RR 1.127, 95% CI 1.025-1.241, I2 98.0%). Solid and biomass fuel increased anemia risk (RR 1.143, 95% CI 1.027-1.274, I2 82.9%; RR 1.271, 95% CI 1.050-1.539, I2 91.7%). PM10 was associated with lower hemoglobin (0.074 g/dL, 95% CI -0.124 to -0.023, I2 90.7%). Effects were generally stronger in males and in low- and middle-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Ambient and household air pollution are associated with increased anemia risk and reductions in hemoglobin; high heterogeneity and observational designs limit causal inference.
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Journal articleZheng Y, Li Y, Zeyneloglu C, et al., 2026,
Risk and Protective Factors for Infection, Severe Disease, and Mortality in Epidemic Respiratory Viruses.
, Allergy, Vol: 81, Pages: 1397-1432The post-COVID pandemic era has witnessed a concerning resurgence of respiratory viruses, driving a global increase in acute respiratory infections. This trend may stem from relaxed non-pharmaceutical interventions, waning herd immunity, immunological imprinting limiting heterosubtypic protection, or viral antigenic evolution. This review aims to identify and characterize risk and protective factors associated with infection, hospitalization, severe illness, and mortality, while elucidating the drivers of the rising incidence of respiratory virus infections post-pandemic. Evidence on SARS-CoV-2 sublineages, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, human parainfluenza virus, human coronaviruses, and cytomegalovirus has been collected and identified. Identified risk factors include demographic characteristics such as pediatrics and older age, male sex, race (Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska native), preterm birth, and HLA-DQA1, IFNAR2, ST6GAL, and B3GALT5 genetic susceptibility. Behavioral, socioeconomic (low socioeconomic status, crowded living conditions), environmental influences (cold seasons, pollution), smoking, obesity and malnutrition could also exacerbate the risk of infection and adverse outcomes. Comorbidities, such as chronic conditions and immunocompromised states, significantly increase the risk of severe disease and hospitalization. Laboratory indices linked to severe disease outcomes include neutrophilia or neutropenia, lymphopenia, eosinopenia, and elevated C-reactive protein. Viral subtypes, viral load kinetics, vaccination status, and antiviral therapies further delineate risk profiles. Epithelial barrier impairment and underlying chronic airway diseases characterized by type 2 immunity also play a detrimental role in the development and severity of respiratory viral infections. Our findings highlight the need for stratified prevention strategies, which combine universal measures targeting shar
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