Thorax podcast

In this podcast, Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor of Thorax BMJ, is joined by Professor Ashley Woodcock, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, The University of Manchester, UK, to discuss the paper "Effects of switching from a metered dose inhaler to a dry powder inhaler on climate emissions and asthma control: post-hoc analysis." This paper was a secondary analysis of the Salford Lung Study in Asthma. In a real world study SLS asthma showed that a once daily combination treatment in a dry powder inhaler improved asthma control over one year, versus usual treatment. This secondary analysis looked at the impact on carbon footprint for those patients switching from a pressurised MDI to DPI treatment.

Do hospitalised COVID-19 patients receiving treatment with CPAP and HFNOT present a significant added risk of viral contamination to the surrounding environment used by healthcare workers? And is there enough evidence to suggest or recommend levels of PPE that should be used for healthcare workers caring for patients on CPAP or HFNOT? Two of the main questions this short podcast addresses. Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor Thorax BMJ, interviews Dr Chris Green, Consultant in Infectious Diseases & General (Internal) Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Read the two related papers: SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination from hospitalised patients with COVID-19 receiving aerosol-generating procedures - https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2021/11/01/thoraxjnl-2021-218035 Coughs and sneezes spread diseases: but do ‘aerosol generating' procedures? - https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2021/11/10/thoraxjnl-2021-218133

In this podcast, Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor of Thorax BMJ, talks to Dr Ash Clift Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford. The evidence surrounding COVID-19 has been conflicting and inconsistent. This podcast discusses the findings of this observational and Mendelian randomisation study using the UK Biobank cohort. The author discusses the findings with regards to the potential causal effect of cigarette smoking on the severity of COVID-19 infection and what this means for both the public and clinicians. Related article: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/early/2021/09/12/thoraxjnl-2021-217080

In this podcast, we discuss the impact of Best Practice Tariffs (BPT) in improving outcomes for people with COPD admitted to hospital following an acute exacerbation. The key question was to understand if the combination of specialist review within 24 hours and a discharge care bundle incentivised by the English COPD BPT scheme was associated with improved mortality and readmission rates for those admitted with an acute exacerbation of COPD. Thorax Multimedia Editor, Rachael Moses, talks to Philip Stone, from the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK. Read the paper (https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2021/07/15/thoraxjnl-2021-216880) and subscribe to the Thorax Podcast on your favourite platform.

In this podcast, Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor of Thorax BMJ, talks to Professor James Trauer, Epidemiological Modelling Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Tuberculosis is the world's leading infectious disease killer with the BCG vaccine being the only approved vaccine for its control. The paper on hand was a systematic review of studies looking at the effect of BCG vaccination on TB disease, including sub-categories of TB disease. They discuss what makes this review different and the potential implications of the findings. Read the related articles: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2021/05/18/thoraxjnl-2020-216794

In this podcast Rachael Moses, MultiMedia Editor Thorax BMJ talks to Ms Laura Hidalgo Armas, OSI Araba Hospital University, Vitoria, Spain. They discuss the effectiveness of a new vibrational positional device located on the forehead on reducing the apnea-hypopnea index and total sleep time in the supine position for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Links to related papers: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2021/04/21/thoraxjnl-2020-216167

In this podcast, Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor of Thorax, is joined by Dr Makiko Kanai, National Hospital Organisation Kyoto Medical Center, Japan, to discuss how a smoking cessation pathway was trialed in a Japanese workplace using heated tobacco products. Listen to a related podcast on the SUR-VAPES Study (https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/the-sur-vapes-study?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/thorax) Links to related papers: https://thorax.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215900 https://thorax.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-216253 https://thorax.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-216743

In this podcast, Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor of Thorax BMJ, talks to Professor Lorenzo Loffredo, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. They discuss the impact of chronic use of heat-not-burn cigarettes on oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and platelet activation. This is also known as the SUR-VAPES Chronic Study. Are these products safer than smoking? Listen to a related podcast on smoking cessation at work and heated tobacco (https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/smoking-cessation-at-work-do-heated-tobacco-products-work) Links to related papers: https://thorax.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215900 https://thorax.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-216253 https://thorax.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-216743

The recent development of triple CFTR modulation means that up to 90% of people with CF will be eligible for ‘highly effective’ CFTR modulator therapy. In this podcast, Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor of Thorax, and Dr Peter Barry, Consultant Respiratory Physician, Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, discuss the long-term adherence to and effects of ivacaftor on lung function, weight and healthcare utilisation in people with cystic fibrosis and the Gly551Asp mutation. Read the related paper: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2021/03/24/thoraxjnl-2020-215556

Multimedia Editor of Thorax, Rachael Moses, interviews Dr Sonali Bose, Faculty in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine, New York. They discuss the relationship between western diet, particularly increased advanced glycation end product and meat consumption, in childhood wheeze and the public health implications of the findings. Read the related articles: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2020/11/22/thoraxjnl-2020-216109 https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2020/11/25/thoraxjnl-2020-216369

In this podcast, the effect of hormonal contraception on the impact of severe asthma exacerbation in women of reproductive age is discussed. Multimedia Editor of Thorax, Rachael Moses, interviews Dr Nwaru, Associate Professor of epidemiology, Krefting Research Centre, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, author of the longest longitudinal study investigating this impact in women with established asthma. [LINK]

We discuss the viral load of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and the potential protracted course of COVID-19 infection than initially thought. The data within this study further supports the use of face masks in the community to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Read the paper: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2020/08/28/thoraxjnl-2020-215042

This podcast discusses the exposure and potential viral carriage of healthcare workers in a large UK Hospital. It also discusses the impact of exposure, the importance of personal protective equipment and how we can use the findings ot help prepare for future pandemics. Read the article on the Thorax website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215414

An expedition ship departed on an Antarctic cruise mid-March 2020 with no known COVID passengers or crew members. However after 8 days the first passenger became febrile and isolation procedures were followed. A further 24 members of the ship developed symptoms (some as late as 23 days later) with 8 requiring medical evacuation. Of the 217 passengers and crew on board, 128 tested positive for COVID-19 with 81% of those positive being asymptomatic. This paper demonstrates how quickly COVID-19 can spread as well as the high number of COVID positive people being asymptomatic showcasing the importance of testing in this group. Rachael Moses, Multimedia Editor Thorax BMJ, talks to the Professor Alvin Ing, Clinical Program Head, Respiratory and Cardiovascular Medicine, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia, and author of the paper published by Thorax (https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2020/05/27/thoraxjnl-2020-215091)

Childhood obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is an independent determinant of blood pressure in adulthood – a longitudinal follow-up study’ with host Rachael Moses and Dr Kate Chan, Chinese University of Hong Kong. This podcast discusses the relationship between Childhood OSA and adverse BP in adulthood as well as the long term health implications and why it is important this is treated. Read the paper on the Thorax website: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2020/03/23/thoraxjnl-2019-213692

Smoking with children in a car has been illegal since 2015 in England and 2016 in Scotland. This podcast explores the importance and impact of this ban on children and the important message it gives to the public to ensure smoking rates continue to fall. Listen to the conversation between Rachael Moses and Dr Anthony Laverty, Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK and lead author of https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2020/01/08/thoraxjnl-2019-213998

In this podcast, Multimedia Editor of Thorax Rachael Moses, discusses with Dr Magnus Ekstrom, Lund University, Sweden, the key findings of a population-based study investigating the relationship between increased body mass index with breathlessness and lung function. Read the paper on the Thorax website: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/74/10/958.

The study discussed in this podcast introduces evidence that supports a biological explanation behind the observed asthma discordance between males and females. Read the paper on the Thorax website: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2019/01/29/thoraxjnl-2018-212207

Assisted reproduction techniques might increase asthma risk in children conceived this way, a study published by Thorax concludes. Maria Magnus, Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, talks with Thorax podcast editor Rachel Moses about her research group findings, that you can also read for free at http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-211886. A related editorial can also be found on the journal website (thorax.bmj.com).

The study discussed in this podcast cautions against the widely held opinion that e-cigarettes are safe. Listen to the conversation between the Multimedia Associate Editor of Thorax Rachael Moses and Professor David Thickett (Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, UK) and read the study 'Pro-inflammatory effects of e-cigarette vapour condensate on human alveolar' on the Thorax website: https://thorax.bmj.com/ You can subscribe to the Thorax Podcast in all major podcast Apps. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a podcast review at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/thorax-podcast/id343304910?mt=2.

In this podcast Jennifer Quint talks to Shyamali Dharmage and Brittany Campbell about their recent press released paper "Growing up on a farm as related to adult lung function and allergic phenotypes: An international population based study".

Patients exposed to air pollution after diagnosis of lung cancer have shorter survival, in particular those patients with early-stage non-small cell cancers (specially adenocarcinomas), according to a study published by Thorax and conducted by researchers from the Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California. The first study of this kind was based on a population of over 300 thousand patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer over more than two decades. In this podcast, Dr Jaime Hart, from the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School and author of the Thorax editorial about this study, tells Dr Jennifer Quint the details of this study and its impact on how air pollution is considered by general population. Read the original article ’Air pollution affects lung cancer survival’, which corresponding author is Dr Sandrah P Eckel, here: http://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2016/06/22/thoraxjnl-2015-207927.full. The editorial is available here: http://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2016/07/20/thoraxjnl-2016-208967.full.

In this podcast Dr Ian Mudway talks to Dr Elizabeth Batalla-Duran about his recent paper in Plos-One entitled "Effects of air pollution and introduction of the London low emission zone on the prevalence of respiratory and allergic symptoms on the school children of East London".

In this podcast Dr Elizabeth Batalla-Duran talks to Dr Adam Leventhal from the University Southern California about his paper "Association of Electronic Cigarette Use With Initiation of Combustible Tobacco Product Smoking in Early Adolescence" recently published in JAMA.

In this podcast Dr Janice Higginson talks to Dr Helena Anderson from Oslo University Hospital about her recent paper published in Rheumatology. The paper is a retrospective review of research done into rituximab's effect on the rare Antisynthetase Syndrome.

Thorax deputy editor Paul Cullinan talks to David Coggon, MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, about pneumococcal vaccination for welders. Read the full article: http://goo.gl/p3qN8s

Ian Pavord talks to Scott Weiss, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, about his review on the genomic origins of asthma, which considers several areas where environmental exposures, genomics, development and asthma occurrence overlap. Read the full review: http://goo.gl/KctouZ

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) can result in significant morbidities including the cardiovascular, metabolic and neurocognitive systems. While great advances have been made in sleep medicine research in the past decades, there are still wide gaps in our knowledge concerning the exact underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA and consequences. A recent review in Thorax discusses the recent exciting discoveries in genotype-phenotype interactions, epigenetics, genomics and proteomics related to OSA. Thorax editor Andy Bush talks to co-author David Gozal, professor in the Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, about the highlights.Read the full paper:The promise of translational and personalised approaches for paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea: an ‘Omics’ perspective http://goo.gl/fKf28O

We are delighted to present a podcast recording of an interview with Professor Ajit Lalvani to coincide with the TB special edition of Thorax in March. He describes the development of the FDA-approved, NICE and CDC-endorsed interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA, ELISpot, T-SPOT.TB) which he invented and validated as the first advance in diagnosis of latent TB in 100-years. He will discuss new findings using this assay published in the March issue of Thorax, and the prospects for improved immunodiagnostics in TB. Professor Lalvani is a superstar in this field and has contributed greatly to the TB special edition of Thorax. He is the chair of infectious diseases, co-chairman of the Section of Respiratory Infection of the National Heart and Lung Institute, and honorary consultant physician at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary’s Campus. He is a Wellcome Trust senior clinical research fellow and NIHR senior investigator. Read the special issue: http://thorax.bmj.com/content/68/3.

Benny Weksler, associate professor of surgery, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, talks to Jennifer Quint, Thorax journal club editor, about surgery for small cell carcinoma of the lung.See also:http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/3/889

Jennifer Quint, Thorax’s journal club editor, talks to Philipp Lepper, consultant physician, University Hospital of Saarland, Germany, about his study which revealed glucose levels can predict mortality in patients admitted with community acquired pneumonia.See also:http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e3397

Closing schools to restrict the spread of influenza during a pandemic is an idea oftern floated, but what effect does it actually have? Thorax’s Journal Club editor Jennifer Quint asks David Earn, professor of mathematics, McMaster University, what his work on the 2009 H1N1 outbreak in Alberta, Canada reveals.See also:http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1033342

A combination of prednisone, azathioprine, and N-acetylcysteine has been widely used as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, however the safety and efficacy of this three-drug regimen is unknown. Jennifer Quint, Thorax’s Journal Club editor, talks to Fernando Martinez, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, about the controversy surrounding the question, and what his paper on it reveals.See also:http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1113354

Jennifer Quint, Thorax’s Journal Club editor, talks to David Jablons, University of California San Francisco, and consultant for Life Technologies, about his assay to predict survival in resected non-squamous, non-small-cell lung cancer.See also:http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2961941-7/abstract

Jennifer Quint, Thorax’s Journal Club editor, talks to Subroto Paul, Division of Thorasic Surgery at New York Presbrytarian Hospital System, about his study comparing short-term postoperative outcomes following open and thoracoscopic lobectomy.See also:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22826474http://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2012/08/23/thoraxjnl-2012-202521.full

Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s journal club editor) talks to Dale Needham (associate professor of medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) about his paper recently published in the BMJ:See also:http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2124

Ian Pavord (Thorax editor) talks to Peter Gibson (professor of respiratory medicine, John Hunter Hospital, New South Wales, Australia) about non-eosinophilic asthma, particularly neutrophilic asthma.They discuss the stability of the different inflammatory phenotypes, tools to recognise non-eosinophilic asthma, whether these patients benefit from inhaled steroids, and Professor Gibson’s paper investigating the relationship between H influenzae respiratory infection and neutrophilic asthma.See also:Combined Haemophilus influenzae respiratory infection and allergic airways disease drives chronic infection and features of neutrophilic asthma

Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s journal club editor) talks to Paolo Macchiarini (professor in the Advanced Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm) about using bioartificial scaffolds to replace complex airway defects.Professor Macchiarini was part of a team who replaced the airway of a tracheal cancer patient with a tailor-made bioartificial scaffold. Their paper was recently published in the Lancet:http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2961715-7/abstract#cor1 ,

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its components. Professor SK Sharma (head of the Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences) has investigated whether treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) would modify these outcomes. Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s Journal Club editor) speaks to him about his results recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine.See also:http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1103944

Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s Journal Club editor) talks to Onno Mets (Department of Radiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht) about his paper recently published in JAMA:http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1104554

Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s journal club editor) talks to Ann Joseph (Wexler Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota) about whether treating tobacco dependence as a chronic condition results in better short and long term quit rates.

Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s Journal Club editor) talks to Frank McKeon (Genome Institute of Singapore, Harvard Medical School) about his work into the extent of lung regeneration following catastrophic damage and the potential role of adult stem cells. Dr McKeon’s latest paper, published in Cell, examines airway regeneration in mice after H1N1 influenza infection.See also:http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674%2811%2901173-1

Many treatments available for smoking cessation are unaffordable for the majority of smokers, however cytisine is one exception. Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s journal club editor) talks to Robert West (Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London) about the mechanism of the drug and his research into its efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Professor West’s trial was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.See also:http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1102035

Only one treatment is licensed for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and this only in Europe. Luca Richeldi (Center for Rare Lung Diseases, University of Modena, Italy) describes his phase 2 trial of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor to see if it could be safely and effectively used in patients with the disease. Dr Richeldi’s research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.See also:http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1103690

Jennifer Quint (Thorax’s journal club editor) talks to Pallav Shah (a respiratory physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital, UK) about his trial of airway bypass for patients with severe emphysema, recently published in the Lancet.Dr Shah explains the procedure and how effective it was.See also:http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2961050-7/abstract

We were delighted to speak to Professor John Britton about the research published in the October issue of Thorax, by his and other groups, on smoking in the young.John is a chest physician, an epidemiologist and a former editor of Thorax. He is the director of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies at the University of Nottingham. John has been a giant in tobacco research. He chaired the influential RCP Tobacco Advisory Group and played a major role in making the case for banning smoking in public places. Arguably, he has done more than anyone else in this country to limit tobacco exposure. We applaud his contribution.

A paper recently published in Thorax looks at the link between bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in lung transplant recipients and the proximity of a major road to their home.In this podcast, two of the authors of that paper, Tim Narwot and Bart M Vanaudenaerde, talk to Paul Cullen about their research.See also:http://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2011/03/31/thx.2010.155192.abstract?

Andrew Bush, Professor of Paediatric Respirology Imperial College London, talks to Fernando Martinez, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Arizona Respiratory Center at University of Arizona, about recent developements in the understanding of the link between childhood asthma and infection.

Each month we aim to bring you an insight into different areas of Thorax, and explain a bit about the editorial processes and decisions that go on behind the scenes.In this podcast Dr Angshu Bhowmik talks to Thorax Editor Professor Wisia Wedzicha about her time as Thorax editor, and what steps to take to become an editor in a scientific journal.

Welcome to the Thorax podcastEach month we aim to bring you an insight into different areas of Thorax, and explain a bit about the editorial processes and decisions that go on behind the scenes.In this podcast Dr Angshu Bhowmik talks to Thorax Editor Professor Wisia Wedzicha about the articles highlighted in March’s “Airwaves”. They also discuss the importance of trial registration.

Welcome to the Thorax podcastEach month we aim to bring you an insight into different areas of Thorax, and explain a bit about the editorial processes and decisions that go on behind the scenes.In this podcast Dr Angshu Bhowmik talks to Thorax Editor Professor Wisia Wedzicha about the articles highlighted in January’s “Airwaves”. They also give some tips on writing a good paper.