Mohamad Ershed, Ana Beatriz Nardelli da Silva, Ana Clara Felix de Farias Dos Santos, Danhui Heo, Deivyd Vieira Silva Cavalcante, Jafar Aljazeeri
{"title":"Efficacy and safety of sotatercept in pulmonary arterial hypertension: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.","authors":"Mohamad Ershed, Ana Beatriz Nardelli da Silva, Ana Clara Felix de Farias Dos Santos, Danhui Heo, Deivyd Vieira Silva Cavalcante, Jafar Aljazeeri","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2530201","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2530201","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sotatercept, an activin signaling inhibitor, in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing sotatercept versus placebo in PAH. We calculated pooled risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed with I<sup>2</sup> statistics. The GRADE approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three RCTs comprising 601 patients were included. Compared to placebo, sotatercept significantly improved 6-minute walk distance (MD 40.57 m; 95% CI 26.64 to 54.5; <i>p</i> < 0.01), and WHO functional class (RR 2.04; 95% CI 1.53 to 2.7; <i>p</i> < 0.01). Sotatercept reduced pulmonary vascular resistance (MD -233.18 dyn·sec·cm<sup>-5</sup>; 95% CI -295.84 to -170.52; <i>p</i> < 0.01) and pulmonary artery pressure (MD -14.94 mmHg; 95% CI -19.62 to -10.27; <i>p</i> < 0.01) at study end. No significant differences were observed in all-cause mortality or NT-proBNP levels. Sotatercept was associated with epistaxis, increased hemoglobin, and telangiectasia adverse events.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Sotatercept improves exercise capacity, WHO functional class and pulmonary hemodynamics in PAH, with an acceptable safety profile. Long-term studies are needed to confirm sustained benefits.</p><p><strong>Protocol registration: </strong>www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero identifier is CRD420251032174.</p>","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144562411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthias L Riess, Claudius Balzer, Zhu Li, Matthew B Barajas
{"title":"Inhaled argon for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: current knowledge and future clinical potential.","authors":"Matthias L Riess, Claudius Balzer, Zhu Li, Matthew B Barajas","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2528944","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2528944","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144546570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of spirometry reference equations among healthy Jordanian adults: a comparative analysis of Jordanian and the Global Lung Initiative equations.","authors":"Walid Al-Qerem","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2527382","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2527382","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Accurate spirometry interpretation requires reference equations tailored to the target population. This study evaluated the performance and diagnostic agreement of the locally developed 2018 Jordanian equation and the Global Lung Initiative (GLI) global (2022), GLI-2012 Caucasian, and GLI-2012 Other/Mixed equations among healthy adult Jordanians.</p><p><strong>Research design and methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional study, healthy nonsmoking Jordanian adults aged ≥ 18 years were recruited from various regions. Spirometry and anthropometric data were collected. Each equation's suitability was assessed using mean z-score deviations from zero and standard deviations from one (via t-tests and chi-square tests). Linear and quantile regressions examined relationships between anthropometrics and lung function. Diagnostic agreement was evaluated using Cohen's kappa and frequency of classification shifts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 799 participants (400 males), the Jordanian equation showed the best fit, with mean z-scores closest to zero and standard deviations near one. GLI global (2022) and GLI-2012 equations showed significant deviations (<i>p</i> < 0.001), mainly due to age-related bias. Agreement was highest between GLI global (2022) and GLI-2012 Other/Mixed; GLI-2012 Caucasian classified the fewest as normal.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Jordanian equation provided better accuracy than GLI equations. Its use in practice may reduce misclassification and improve respiratory disease management, underscoring the value of population-specific standards.</p>","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144546569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Response to letter to the editor: 'roles of vitamins and nutrition in obstructive sleep apnea'.","authors":"Kostas Archontogeorgis, Evangelia Nena, Paschalis Steiropoulos","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2499295","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2499295","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"761"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144028172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arnau Ulsamer, Sergio Bonilla, Xosé Pérez-Fernández, Jordi Rello, Joan Sabater-Riera
{"title":"The pathogenesis of ventilator-associated pneumonia: old and new mechanisms.","authors":"Arnau Ulsamer, Sergio Bonilla, Xosé Pérez-Fernández, Jordi Rello, Joan Sabater-Riera","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2493366","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2493366","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), defined as a lung infection that occurs in patients after 48 hours on mechanical ventilation, is among the most frequently found nosocomial infections in intensive care units around the world and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and economic burden.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>We review the classical mechanisms of VAP development and explore more recent ones, such as dysbiosis, which has changed our view of the pathogenesis of the disease; whereas in the past the lower respiratory tract was classically considered a sterile organ, the use of new diagnostic techniques has shown that the lungs of healthy humans are inhabited by a large, dynamic ecosystem of microorganisms. Dysbiosis is the disruption of this ecosystem and is a key factor in the development of VAP. Recent findings have demonstrated that host immunity is microbiome-regulated and, consequently, is profoundly affected by dysbiosis. In this paper the significance of the microbiome-immunity crosstalk in the pathophysiology of VAP will be discussed.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>A deeper understanding of mechanisms of VAP pathogenesis should help to devise new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for reducing the incidence of this condition and for improving patient prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"655-671"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144063592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recent discoveries from clinical trials: why opioids should not be used for dyspnea management in COPD.","authors":"Nicholas T Vozoris","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2494643","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2494643","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Chronic breathlessness among persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a distressing and limiting symptom and a substantial management challenge for healthcare practitioners. Historically, multiple professional respiratory societies have encouraged the prescription of opioid drugs as a therapeutic intervention for chronic breathlessness. However, in 2024, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) published clinical practice guidelines that markedly departed from such traditional recommendations and stated that opioids should not be used for chronic breathlessness.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>This manuscript will review recently published, well-designed, randomized controlled trials (literature was searched on PubMed from January 2020 to January 2025) that evaluated the efficacy of oral opioids for chronic breathlessness in persons with COPD and which influenced the new position adopted by ERS in 2024.</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>Recent, well-designed, adequately powered clinical trials consistently demonstrate that oral opioids are not effective at reducing chronic breathlessness (nor at improving overall quality of life, functional status or exercise tolerance) amongst individuals with advanced COPD. Other professional respiratory societies need to consider and potentially embrace the new ERS position on opioids for dyspnea in COPD, so as to guide members away from an unhelpful, and in some cases harmful, management paradigm.</p>","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"673-678"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144059112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Annemarie Louise Lee, Imogen Nicola Clark, Adam Lewis
{"title":"Harnessing music therapy and music medicine in chronic respiratory disease management.","authors":"Annemarie Louise Lee, Imogen Nicola Clark, Adam Lewis","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2501279","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2501279","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Treatment options for those living with chronic respiratory disease include non-pharmacological therapies to maximize outcomes. However, some individuals are limited by their symptoms, which inhibit their ability to benefit to an equivalent or expected level. Both music therapy and music medicine are therapeutic approaches which could address these limitations.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>This perspective reviews the clinical effects of music therapy and music medicine in chronic respiratory diseases. This considers active music therapy methods of re-creating (group singing), improvisation (instrument playing), receptive music listening and music medicine, with a specific focus at rest and during exercise.</p><p><strong>Expert commentary: </strong>The precise role of music therapy or music medicine as an adjunct to exercise testing or structured exercise programs for people with chronic respiratory disease is unclear. Choice of music (for background or individual use for this purpose) requires input from participants and would benefit from music therapists to guide selection. While preliminary findings of group singing and instrument playing highlight some efficacy, their role in comparison to pulmonary rehabilitation requires further clarification. At present, these music therapy and music medicine approaches can be considered as adjunct therapies which may assist in managing symptoms and improving wellbeing alongside existing management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"639-654"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144012091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unmet needs and future directions of treatment options for chronic cough.","authors":"Mengru Zhang, Alyn Morice","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2499663","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2499663","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Chronic cough is a persistent condition that significantly affects patients' quality of life and poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Traditional anatomical diagnostic approaches often fail to address the underlying mechanisms, leading to suboptimal treatment outcomes.</p><p><strong>Area covered: </strong>This review aims to summarize the challenges of the management of chronic cough and highlights recent advances of several promising drug candidates in cough trials. PUBMED/CINAHL/Web of Science/Scopus were searched (February 2025).</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>Over the past 40 years, chronic cough has evolved from a mere symptom to a recognized disease. A key observation is that hypersensitivity of the afferent vagus and its central projections cause the state of cough hypersensitivity leading to the urge to cough being precipitated by otherwise innocuous stimuli. Clinical trial designs have also advanced, incorporating placebo run-in periods to reduce placebo effects and refining patient-reported outcomes to modern standards. Additionally, the realization that the variability in chronic cough, both diurnal and day-to-day, has highlighted the need for continuous cough monitoring, which has only recently been available consequence to the revolution in electronic applications. However, progress is hindered by a widespread lack of awareness among healthcare professionals and patients, underscoring the urgent need for education on this condition.</p>","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"709-720"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144048637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Value-based outcome measures in cough.","authors":"Katherine L Rhatigan, Peter S P Cho","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2498419","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2498419","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"635-637"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144038817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lucypaula Andrade Pinheiro Fernandes, Jose Dirceu Ribeiro
{"title":"Lung ultrasound in children with asthma exacerbations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Lucypaula Andrade Pinheiro Fernandes, Jose Dirceu Ribeiro","doi":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2495166","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17476348.2025.2495166","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a noninvasive radiation-free imaging tool used to evaluate respiratory conditions, particularly in children and adolescents with asthma exacerbations. However, its role in diagnosing and managing asthma exacerbations remains unclear. We aimed to demonstrate LUS findings in pediatric asthma exacerbations, focusing on patterns such as B-lines, consolidation, and pleural abnormalities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Databases such as MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE were reviewed. The eligibility criterion was observational studies on LUS for pediatric asthma exacerbations. Bias risk was assessed using a validated tool. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively, with findings summarized and meta-analysis conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five studies involving 192 participants were included in the analysis. The LUS findings included B-lines, consolidation, and pleural abnormalities. Meta-analysis revealed that 52.0% (95% confidence interval: 23.0-80.3) of the cases demonstrated positive LUS findings.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>LUS exhibited potential for diagnosing asthma exacerbations, particularly in identifying B-lines, consolidation, and pleural abnormalities. However, variability in detection rates was observed across different studies, which might be due to the differences in study populations and criteria. Despite these limitations, LUS can be a valuable tool for managing asthma exacerbations.</p><p><strong>Protocol registration: </strong>www.crd.york.ac.uk/Prospero identifier CRD42021244729.</p>","PeriodicalId":94007,"journal":{"name":"Expert review of respiratory medicine","volume":" ","pages":"733-740"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144035829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}