Posts by: Joana Carvalho

Joana Carvalho

Joana holds a BSc in Biology, a MSc in Evolutionary and Developmental Biology and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. Her work has been focused on the impact of non-canonical Wnt signaling in the collective behavior of endothelial cells — cells that made up the lining of blood vessels — found in the umbilical cord of newborns.

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021

Measuring Procalcitonin in Sputum May Help Manage Flare-ups

News

Levels of procalcitonin, the precursor of the hormone calcitonin, are higher in samples of coughed-up mucus from people with bronchiectasis during episodes of acute flare-ups. These findings suggest procalcitonin ... Read more

January 4, 2021January 4, 2021

Corticosteroid Use Higher in Children With Bronchiectasis Who Have Asthma

News

Children with non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis are more likely be prescribed inhaled corticosteroids — medications normally used to treat asthma — to manage their disease when they have certain ... Read more

December 21, 2020December 21, 2020

Hypertonic Saline May Boost Benefits of Airway Clearance Techniques in Children

News

Airway clearance techniques (ACTs) incorporating the use of hypertonic saline solutions — solutions with a higher salt concentration than blood plasma — for nebulization can improve lung function and ... Read more

December 14, 2020December 14, 2020

Young Bronchiectasis Patients Less Prepared to Shift to Adult Healthcare, NZ Study Finds

News

Young patients with non-CF bronchiectasis are less prepared than those with cystic fibrosis (CF) to transition from pediatric to adult healthcare services, a study in New Zealand has found. ... Read more

November 16, 2020November 16, 2020

EMA Grants PRIME Status to Brensocatib for Treating Non-CF Bronchiectasis

News

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given the designation of priority medicines, or PRIME, to Insmed’s brensocatib for the treatment of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFBE). A PRIME designation is ... Read more

October 19, 2020October 19, 2020

Bronchiectasis Could Be Diagnosis for Children With Persistent Wet Cough, Case Report Says

News

Although rare in children, bronchiectasis should still be considered in the differential diagnosis of young patients with persistent wet or productive cough, a case report says. In such cases, ... Read more

October 12, 2020October 12, 2020

Symptoms of Flares Distinct for Viruses and Bacteria, Study Finds

News

Although the presence of virus or bacteria, or their combination, is associated with acute exacerbations in bronchiectasis patients, each of these microbes is linked to differing symptoms, a study found. These distinctions ... Read more

October 9, 2020October 9, 2020

Patients With Bronchiectasis Linked to Tuberculosis May Develop More Severe Disease

News

People who develop bronchiectasis after contracting tuberculosis tend to have a more severe form of the disease than those in whom bronchiectasis developed from an unknown cause or is ... Read more

September 25, 2020September 25, 2020

Immune Cells Ratio May Be Used as Biomarker of Exacerbations, Study Reports

News

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) — a measure of inflammation calculated by dividing the number of different immune cells — can be used as a biomarker of exacerbations ... Read more

May 4, 2020May 4, 2020

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Poor Lung Function in Adults With Bronchiectasis

News

Vitamin D deficiency is common in adults with bronchiectasis and may be linked to radiological findings indicative of poor lung function, a study reports. The study, “Vitamin D Deficiency ... Read more