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HealthDay Reports: Risk for Severe COVID-19 May Be Up in People With COPD, Smokers

A study published in the European Respiratory Journal took a look into why current cigarette smokers and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could have an increased risk for severe COVID-19.

Risk for Severe COVID-19 May Be Up in People With COPD, Smokers

FRIDAY, April 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Active cigarette smokers and individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have up-regulation of angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE-2) expression in the lower airways, which could explain the increased risk for severe COVID-19 in these subpopulations, according to a study published online April 8 in the European Respiratory Journal.

Noting that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 uses ACE-2 as the cellular entry receptor, Janice M. Leung, M.D., from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues examined ACE-2 expression in bronchial epithelial cells in the lower respiratory tract in patients with COPD compared to controls. Data were included for a cohort with 21 patients and 21 controls.

The researchers found that patients with COPD had lower forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) percent of predicted and FEV1/forced vital capacity compared with controls. In COPD versus non-COPD patients, ACE-2 expression in the epithelial cells was significantly increased. A significant inverse relationship was seen between ACE-2 gene expression and FEV1 percent of predicted. There was also a significant association seen between smoking status and ACE-2 gene expression levels in airways; current smokers had a significantly higher gene expression than never smokers. Gene expression levels of former smokers were in between those of never and current smokers. The association between ACE-2 expression and COPD was still significant, conditional on the smoking status. These findings were validated in two additional cohorts.

Read the full HealthDay story.

HealthDay Now: FDA Rejects Advisory Board to Approve Alzheimer's Drug

In our latest HealthDay Now interview, Mabel Jong spoke to Dr. G. Caleb Alexander, a professor at Johns Hopkins who served on the FDA advisory committee that nearly unanimously advised against approving Biogen's new Alzheimer's drug. Dr. Alexander shared his thoughts on the drug's highly uncertain efficacy and discussed whether the FDA's reputation has been permanently damaged by the controversial approval of the drug.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.

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HealthDay Now: Cancer Experts Share Highlights From Two Conferences

Two world-renowned medical groups — the European Hematology Association (EHA) and the International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML) — conducted virtual meetings this month to share advances in the care of blood-based cancers.

In our latest HealthDay Now, Dr. Joshua Richter, assistant professor of medicine at the Tisch Cancer Institute, gave insights on the EHA meeting. Then, Dr. Anastasios Stathis, an oncologist and a member of this year's ICML organizing committee, joined us to discuss ICML.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.


HealthDay Now: ASCO 2021 Highlights

In our latest HealthDay Now, Mabel Jong spoke with Dr. Lori Pierce, president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and a cancer radiation specialist at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Pierce shared important takeaways from the recently concluded 2021 ASCO annual meeting and discussed why equity was the chosen theme this year.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.

HealthDay Now: Why the COVID-19 Vaccine is Safe for Kids and How Vaccine Myths Impact Families

In our latest HealthDay Now, Dr. Hina Talib, a pediatrician and adolescent health specialist at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, debunks myths and common concerns parents may have about giving their children Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, which was recently approved for use in children and teens ages 12 and up.

HealthDay Now's Mabel Jong also speaks with Alan Santee, a high school freshman from Massachusetts, about why he didn't hesitate to get vaccinated, and Ethan Lindenberger, a 20-year-old vaccine advocate from Ohio, about his experience having a mom who is anti-vaccine and how kids and parents can approach these conversations.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.

HealthDay Now: The State of Mental Health and Post-COVID Stress Disorder

Watch our latest HealthDay Now to hear about the state of mental health and why many people fear returning to their social and work lives.

HealthDay's Mabel Jong spoke to Dr. Vivian Pender, president of the American Psychiatric Association, and Sherry Amatenstein, a social worker and therapist who has been dealing with these anxieties herself.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.

HealthDay Now: The Rural Doctor Shortage and More From the 2021 ACP Annual Meeting

Watch our latest HealthDay Now for a preview of the American College of Physicians Annual Meeting 2021, covering topics like the alarming shortage of primary care physicians, bringing basic health delivery needs to rural residents, and why the ACP will focus on privacy concerns at its conference.

HealthDay Now's Mabel Jong speaks with Dr. Jacqueline Fincher, president of the American College of Physicians and an internist in a rural community in Georgia.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.

HealthDay Now: The Latest on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Investigation

Watch our latest HealthDay Now as we cover the latest on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine investigation. An independent advisory panel to the CDC is waiting on additional information before making recommendations on the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after reports about rare blood clots.

Mabel Jong from our liveblog team speaks with Lynn Bahta, a member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and a clinical expert for vaccines at the Minnesota Department of Health.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.

HealthDay Now: American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021 Recap

Watch our latest HealthDay Now as we recap the highlights of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2021.

Mabel Jong from our liveblog team speaks with Dr. Antoni Ribas, former president of the American Association for Cancer Research and professor of medicine at UCLA, and Anna Plym, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.

HealthDay Now: The Latest on Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

Watch our latest HealthDay Now as we dive into the latest details on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Mabel Jong from our liveblog team speaks with Dr. Mary Beth Son, Program Director of Boston Children's Hospital's Rheumatology Program, and Brian Padla, father of James Padla, who has MIS-C.

Watch the in-depth discussion above, and see our past HealthDay Nows and other videos on our YouTube channel.