A recent study suggests that severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients controlled on benralizumab can experience significant reductions in the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) therapy while still maintaining control over their asthma. The study’s findings were published in the journal, Lancet.

SHAMAL was a phase 4, randomised, open-label, active-controlled study that enrolled 208 patients. Participants were randomly assigned (3:1) to either taper their high-dose ICS to a medium-dose, low-dose, and as-needed dose (reduction group) or continue their ICS-formoterol therapy (reference group) for a period of 32 weeks. This was followed by a maintenance period of 16 weeks. 168 participants were assigned to the reduction group (n=125) and reference group (n=43). The primary endpoint was to determine the proportion of patients who reduced their ICS-formoterol dose by week 32. The primary outcome was assessed within the reduction group. Safety analyses included all randomly assigned patients who received the study treatment.

Overall, 110 patients (92%) experienced a reduction in their ICS-formoterol dose. Among them, 18 patients (15%) transitioned to a medium dose, 20 patients (17%) switched to a low dose, and 72 patients (61%) were able to rely on as-needed medication only. Dose reductions were maintained in 113 patients (96%) until week 48. Additionally, 114 patients (91%) in the reduction group did not experience any exacerbations during the tapering process. The rates of adverse events were comparable across both groups.

To summarize, benralizumab treatment can result in significant reductions in ICS therapy while effectively managing asthma in individuals with severe eosinophilic asthma.

According to a recent study, it was found that lung cancer patients who underwent preoperative respiratory therapy, showed reduction in postoperative air leakage and pain. The result of the study was published in Physiotherapy Research International: The Journal for Researchers and Clinicians in Physical Therapy.

The randomized controlled trial involved seventy-one patients, with an average age of 62.58 years. They were divided into a differentiated, experimental group (EG) that underwent preoperative respiratory therapy and a control group. Descriptive variables under study included gender, carcinogenic pathology, type of surgical incision and lung resection, presence of adhesions, and use of glue and endostapler. Quantitative values analyzed were age, body mass index, and forced expiratory volume.

The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the EG on the first 2 days with respect to postoperative air leakage during the performance of physiotherapy techniques, food, and exercises. A decrease in air leakage during gait was seen on days 2-4 in EG. Pain was found to be elevated in CG on days 1-4, after doing physiotherapy every day, except the second day.

Based on the results, it can be concluded that patients in the EG showed effective reduction in postoperative air leakage and pain levels due to preoperative respiratory therapy when compared to the CG.

According to a recent study, it was found that enhanced recovery after surgery-based respiratory function exercise was seen in elderly patients with lung cancer. The results of this study were published in the journal, Alternative therapies in health and medicine.

This study included 109 elderly lung cancer patients, who were randomly assigned to either the control group (n=52), who received conventional care or the research group (n=57), who received enhanced recovery after surgery-based respiratory function exercise along with conventional care. Parameters such as respiratory function, functional capacity, incidence of pulmonary complications, and quality of life were studied before and after the intervention.

It was seen that the research group exhibited improved Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second, Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second/Forced Vital Capacity, and Forced Vital Capacity when compared to the control group (P < .05). This group also showed higher Barthel indices, indicating better functional capacity and lower St George's Respiratory Questionnaire scores, signifying better quality of life. The incidence of pulmonary complications was also found to be lower in the research group.

Based on the above findings, it may be concluded that respiratory function can be improved following surgery-based respiratory function exercise and can promote postoperative functional recovery, enhance the quality of life, and reduce pulmonary complications in elderly patients with lung cancer.

A recent study found that patients with resectable early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) greatly benefit from neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, followed by surgery and adjuvant pembrolizumab. This study’s findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The phase 3, randomized, double-blind study included 797 patients with early-stage NSCLC. They were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive 200 mg of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab or placebo once every 3 weeks, along  with cisplatin-based chemotherapy for 4 cycles. This was followed by  surgery and 200 mg of adjuvant pembrolizumab or placebo once every 3 weeks for 13 cycles. The dual primary end-points were event-free survival and overall survival. Secondary end-points were safety, major pathological response, and major pathological complete response.

At 24 months, the event-free survival was found to be 62.4% and 40.6% in the pembrolizumab and placebo group, respectively. The overall survival during this time was 80.9% and 77.6% in the pembrolizumab and placebo group, respectively. The incidence of major pathological response and pathological complete response was 30.2% and 18.1% in the pembrolizumab group while it was 11.0% and 4.0% in the placebo group, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events were recorded in 44.9% of the participants in the pembrolizumab group and in 37.3% of the participants of the placebo group.

From the above results, it can be concluded that neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy may significantly improve event-free survival, major pathological response, and pathological complete response when compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone, followed by surgery and adjuvant pembrolizumab.