Respiratory disease in practice - 2012

Winter 2012, Volume 23 Number 1

Comment: Asthma in athletes: lessons for ‘real life’ asthma?
Philip W Ind
pp 3-3
The Olympic Games are recently behind us. Asthma is common in Olympians; a recent article asked, what can we learn from asthma in elite athletes? In 1984, 11% of the US Olympic team were asthmatic; this had increased to 14% in 1996 and to almost 19% by 2000. In 2000 and in 2004, 21% of Team GB tested positive for asthma (by bronchoprovocation).

Systemic therapy for non-small cell lung cancer
Sunil Skaria
pp 4-8
Lung cancer is a leading cause of mortality, and is one of the most common cancers in the UK. It is classified broadly into small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which account for around 15% and 85% of bronchial cancers in the UK respectively. Apart from aggressive SCLC, all other subtypes of bronchial carcinoma – adenocarcinoma, squamous cell, adenosquamous, bronchoalveolar, large-cell neuroendocrine – are grouped into NSCLC.

A review of respiratory devices – origins
Mark Sanders
pp 10-12
In the first of a two-part series on respiratory and inhalant devices, Mark Sanders traces them from their origins and development, through to the mid-20th century. The inhalation of ‘medicines’ can trace its roots back to very early medical writings, a long time before pills or tablets were available. These early records have scant details about how the inhalations were taken, and pictures or physical specimens are rare.

Stepping down asthma therapy in accordance with guidelines
Beverley Bostock-Cox
pp 13-15
The British Thoracic Society (BTS) estimates that there are approximately 24 million consultations for respiratory conditions in primary care each year. This figure includes attendances for acute respiratory illness, as well as appointments for review of long-term respiratory conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.