ERS International Congress 2023: highlights from the Sleep Disordered Breathing Assembly.

The topic of sleep-related breathing disorders is always evolving, and during the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2023 in Milan, Italy, the latest research and clinical topics in respiratory medicine were presented. The most interesting issues included new diagnostic tools, such as cardiovascular parameters and artificial intelligence, pathophysiological traits of sleep disordered breathing from routine polysomnography or polygraphy signals, and new biomarkers and the diagnostic approach in patients with excessive daytime sleepiness. This article summarises the most relevant studies and topics presented at the ERS International Congress 2023. Each section has been written by early career members of ERS Assembly 4.

Sleep and Breathing Conference highlights 2023: a summary by ERS Assembly 4.

This paper presents some of the highlights of the Sleep and Breathing Conference 2023 https://bit.ly/46MxJml.

ERS International Congress 2022: highlights from the Sleep Disordered Breathing Assembly.

During the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2022 in Barcelona, Spain, the latest research and clinical topics in respiratory medicine were presented. The sleep medicine-focused presentations and symposia provided novel insights into the pathophysiology of sleep disordered breathing, its diagnostics, and new trends in translational research and clinical applications. The presented research trends focused mainly on the assessment of sleep disordered breathing-related intermittent hypoxia, inflammation and sleep fragmentation, and their implications, especially cardiovascular. The most promising methods for assessing these aspects encompass genomics, proteomics and cluster analysis. The currently available options include positive airway pressure and a combination of it and pharmacological agents (e.g. sulthiame). This article summarises the most relevant studies and topics on these subjects presented at the ERS International Congress 2022. Each section has been written by Early Career Members of the ERS Assembly 4.

Being (past and present) President of the ERS: interview about the role, perspectives on career development, and vision for the Society.

This article presents the views of the past and current Presidents of the ERS regarding their role, perspectives on career development and vision for the Society, along with important messages to inspire ECMs to build their own successful career. https://bit.ly/3kAvxIM.

Ventilatory Support in Patients with COVID-19.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which spread throughout the world. Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure is the most dangerous complication of COVID-19 pneumonia. To date, no specific therapeutic drugs or vaccines have been proven efficacious. Ventilatory support is still a significant challenge for physicians facing COVID-19. The mechanisms underlying hypoxemia in those patients are not fully understood, but a new physiopathology model has been proposed. Oxygen therapy should be delivered to patients with mild to moderate hypoxemia. More severe patients could benefit from other treatments (high-flow nasal cannula, noninvasive ventilation or intubation, and invasive ventilation). Given the rapid evolution of COVID-19, there has been a paucity of the high-quality data that typically inform clinical practice guidelines from professional societies, and a worldwide consensus is still lacking. This chapter aims to illustrate the potentials of ventilatory support as therapeutic options for adult and pediatric patients affected by COVID-19 pneumonia.

Highlights of the ERS Lung Science Conference and Sleep and Breathing Conference 2021 and the new ECMC members.

This article provides a brief description of some of the most remarkable sessions of the @EuroRespSoc Lung Science Conference and the Sleep and Breathing Conference 2021 and presents the new incoming members of the ECMC (@EarlyCareerERS) https://bit.ly/2RSDP40.

Obstructive sleep apnea in sarcoidosis and impact of cpap treatment on fatigue.

RATIONALE: An increased incidence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in sarcoidosis has been described in small sample size studies. Fatigue is common in sarcoidosis and OSA could be a relevant, treatable comorbidity. To date, the effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) on fatigue has never been assessed. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of OSA in sarcoidosis, fatigue status and daytime sleepiness in patients of our center. To explore the effect of CPAP in fatigue and daytime sleepiness after 3 months using validated questionnaires. METHOD: Single group, one center, open-label prospective cohort study. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULT: We enrolled 68 patients and OSA was diagnosed in 60 (88.2%): 25 (36.8%) were mild while 35 (51.5%) were moderate-to-severe. 38 (55.9%) patients received CPAP but only 20 (30.9%) were compliant at 3-month evaluation. Questionnaires demonstrated fatigue in 34 (50%) and daytime sleepiness in 21 (30.9%). In multivariate regression analysis, Scadding stage and FAS behave as predictors of Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) severity while sleepiness and steroids weren't associated. FAS score (ΔFAS = 6.3; p = 0.001) and ESS score (ΔESS = 2.8; p = 0.005) improved after three months of CPAP. CONCLUSIONS: OSA is highly prevalent in patients affected by sarcoidosis. ESS questionnaire is not reliable for OSA screening and other pre-test probability tool should be evaluated in further studies. CPAP leads to a significative reduction of fatigue and daytime sleepiness at three-month. Further studies are needed to confirm the high prevalence of OSA in sarcoidosis and the positive role of CPAP in fatigue. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2020; 37 (2): 169-178).

Antibody-based therapies for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

INTRODUCTION: Pirfenidone and nintedanib have been the first agents demonstrating to slow down the progressive functional decline in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Antibody-based therapies with precise molecular targets have been largely investigated over the last decade in IPF as alternative or complementary treatments, in the hope to ameliorate the relentless fibrotic process of IPF. AREAS COVERED: In this review, we summarize the available evidence on two groups of monoclonal antibodies tested in IPF: those directed against known fibrogenic factors and matrix components, and those developed to antagonize the inflammation and immunity pathways. While the latter have failed to demonstrate any clinical efficacy in IPF so far, the anti-CTGF pamrevlumab has been recently proved to be capable of slowing down functional decline as compared to placebo, prompting further investigation. EXPERT OPINION: Despite most trials on antibody-based therapies in IPF provided so far unsatisfying results, the therapeutic development in this field should continue to be pursued to deliver a more personalized treatment approach in the future, which is not currently offered by available treatment options. A more careful trial designing and the use of valid predictive markers of response to treatment are required to enhance effectiveness of future trials.