EVALI: The critical role of vaping in lung injury cases

By América Torres Photo: Prostooleh/Freepik Vaping as the Cause of EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use–Associated Lung Injury), a pulmonary disease that can be severe and potentially life-threatening. The term was coined at the same time the disease was first recognized in August 2019. It is important to clarify that EVALI is not a clinical […]

2023 American College of Rheumatology  Guideline for the Screening andMonitoring of Interstitial Lung Disease in Patients with Systemic AutoimmuneRheumatic Disease

By América Torres peoplecreations/Freepik With the aim of providing you with information that may be useful in your medical practice, the Guide have summarized the main recommendations of the 2023 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Detection and Monitoring of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) in individuals with systemic autoimmune disease. Rheumatic disease. This clinical […]

Pulmonary diseases: when the profession is a risk

By América Torres Many professions carry the risk of developing pulmonary diseases. The lungs are organs with an extensive surface area, high vascularity, and a thin barrier between air and blood. This structure makes them a contact site for environmental agents, many of which have local and/or systemic or immunological toxic effects. Exposures to toxic […]

Diagnosis of Asthma: Challenges and Solutions

The diagnosis of asthma is an urgent need for two main reasons. The first is that it is estimated to affect 300 million people worldwide. And the second is that asthma treatment generates high costs for healthcare institutions and patients.1 Although current asthma guidelines use both clinical criteria and spirometry-based criteria to define the severity […]

The crucial role of spirometry to enhance lung health

By América Torres Spirometry is fundamental in the assessment of overall pulmonary function. It allows analyzing the impact on lung function caused by various diseases, evaluating the airways’ response to medical treatment, monitoring the disease’s progression, or the outcome of therapeutic interventions, and determining the prognosis for many pulmonary conditions. In this article, we will […]

Clinical Benefits of Oscillometry in Respiratory Assessment

By América Torres Oscillometry is a non-invasive method to measure the mechanical properties of the respiratory system. This diagnostic tool enhances the valuable contributions of spirometry for the diagnosis, assessment, and monitoring of respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD.   In this article, we will discuss the clinical advantages of oscillometry as a complementary […]

Asthma: Exploring its Impactful Figures

By América Torres According to the GINA Guide 2019, asthma is estimated to affect 300 million people worldwide. In fact, it is one of the most common and costly diseases in the United States. It consists of diffuse inflammation of the airways caused by various stimuli, which cause a partial or completely reversible bronchoconstriction. Symptoms […]

SCHILLER performed BP & lung function screening at Adult Day Care center

By América Torres Dr. Francesco Iacona (bottom left) & and our product specialists (in red and grey polos). Our mission at SCHILLER is to develop innovative technology that helps healthcare professionals provide accurate cardiopulmonary diagnostics for patients of all ages. Adult Day Care Centers play an important role keeping the elderly physical and mentally healthy. […]

Emphysema: ESI, a new marker of severity

By América Torres Emphysema detected by CT scan has a new marker of severity. It is the ESI index (Emphysema Severity Index) a novel marker (based on spirometry) that still has no clear clinical validity. Despite this, it provides information that has made it possible to establish a relationship between this index and death from […]

Relationship between decline in lung function and cardiovascular risk

By América Torres Photo Lifestyle memory / Freepik The decline in lung function begins around the age of 25: an annual FEV1 drop between 25 and 30 ml is considered normal. Among influencing factors we can include smoking, environmental and behavioral factors and genetics. While this is a well-known predictor of COPD and is associated […]