Are you attending the most important European Respiratory Society meeting?

Welcome from ERS President Jørgen Vestbo 

It is a true pleasure to be hosting the 26th International Congress of the European Respiratory Society in London.

The ERS International Congress has grown to be the largest meeting in the world in the respiratory field and this year's event will not disappoint. The Chairs of the Scientific and Educational Councils, together with all ERS Officers, are busy preparing a programme that will challenge our thinking minds, encourage debate and offer new insights across the spectrum of respiratory health and disease.The ERS International Congress has grown to be the largest meeting in the world in the respiratory field and this year's true pleasure to be hosting the 26th International Congress of the European Respiratory Society in London.

We extend a special welcome to our existing and new members as we have seen our numbers rise this year with more partnerships developed with national and international societies. The Congress is the pinnacle of the year for our growing respiratory community, and others who attend our Congress, and represents a key opportunity to share knowledge across borders and professional disciplines as we work towards a common goal of improving respiratory health.

This year will see the most interactive Congress experience available. Alongside our official Congress app, we will partner with SpotMe, a highly effective networking app available for free for all delegates. The app will allow you to navigate the programme, network, access session materials, use the interactive floor plan and exhibition map, interact with faculty, access CME points, collect Congress materials, watch missed sessions and much more. More information on this will be shared on the website and in our newsletter.

Also, the venue is spectacular. It offers lots of space, also for sitting down with colleagues and collaborators for networking – one of the main attractions for coming to an ERS International Congress.

I look forward to welcoming you to London for the most exciting event in the respiratory calendar.

Professor Jørgen Vestbo

10 Reasons to attend European Respiratory Society Congress, Munich 2014

Dear friends,

as you may already know the European Respiratory Society Annual Congress will take place in Munich, 6-10 September 2014.

You have not decided yet whether you’ll be there or not?

So we have outlined 10 reasons why one would take part in the event this year.

1. Scientific and Educational Programmes

Tight schedule of programmes may attract your attention due to a high variety of postgraduate courses on different respiratory themes: Interventional Pulmonology, Update of phenotypes of asthma and COPD, evidence-based approach to advanced respiratory care, Treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea, etc. Informative and interactive lectures may be very useful for your research, while participating in workshops would allow you to follow the discussion and share your opinion, which is not the least important argument. „Meet the Professor” seminars are elaborated for those interested in the exchange of ideas with leading experts in the respiratory field.

2. Personal Presentation

That would be too simple to attend the Congress and not to express yourself. That is why the next reason is sharing your work, be it a poster, or e-presentation. Probably not everyday we have an opportunity to show the results of our work and to get a feedback at the international Congress of the same level.

3. Healthy Lungs for Life

Healthy Lungs for Life is one of the largest ever lung health campaigns, raising awareness of the importance of healthy lungs to healthcare professionals, scientists, primary care, patients, policy makers and the public through a full range of events, projects and promotional activities. In 2014, the theme is "Breathe clean air".

4. Meet colleagues and friends

Being a part of community united for several days by a common aim – speak about respiratory diseases is also a great chance to meet colleagues and friends. Every year thousands of people attend the congress, and for sure one can get acquainted with interesting people or merely see old friends.

5. Press conferences

Press conferences is another point that may draw your attention if you are a mass media representative. Attending the conferences, gathering information, listening leaders of opinion in respiratory care and asking questions may be very useful for those who want to promote lung health worldwide.

6. HERMES examination

You can take HERMES examination in adult or paediatric respiratory medicine which was created for trainees and specialists interested in knowledge assessment according to European standards. Successful completion of the examination leads to European Diploma in Respiratory Medicine and permits be part of the HERMES Diplomates Club.

7. Respiratory Championship session  

Come and join our 4 teams representing Germany, Greece, Malta and Poland who are competing to be the Champions of Respiratory Medicine. 

Sunday, 7 September 13:15 - 14:15 (Room 4 - ICM)

The quiz master will present illustrated cases (including x-rays, lung function and laboratory results, pathological slides, etc.) that focus on various fields of respiratory medicine.

The session provides a state of the art review and updates on recent advances in major areas of respiratory medicine – an ideal preparation for those preparing the HERMES examination, or for anyone interested in challenging their knowledge and expertise.

8. Exhibition

There is an activity one would like to accomplish between attending the courses and presenting the posters. Namely visiting the exhibition of world-known pharmaceutical and engineering companies, medical bookshops and technological corporations that generously offer information, materials, equipment and create a special atmosphere of international collaboration.

9. Patient Forum ELF/ERS session:'Improving CPAP and NIV - a user perspective'

The session will explore how professionals can improve their practice and healthcare outcomes by listening to the patients’ experience. Too frequently, professional prescribing CPAP and NIV are unaware of the realities of using CPAP and practical issues experienced by patients. Many of these difficulties can be addressed through open professional-patient dialogue, and adjustments to the apparatus.

10. Munich

And finally who would stay at ERS Congress round the clock? Certainly you would like to see the Munich in all its’ autumn beauty. Therefore there would defenitely be time for city tours, excursions through historic centre with all its sights.

 by Mila Corlateanu

European Respiratory Society Congress 2013: What we will remember

The 23rd annual Congress of European Respiratory Society (ERS) held in Barcelona impressed by its’ scientific quality, originality and multidisciplinary collaborations.  More than 4,000 abstracts have provided a platform for discussion. Respiratory Decade would like to recall the most interesting themes and therefore the most attended sessions of this year.

Launch of European Lung White Book: Respiratory Health and Disease in Europe

 A major new publication for the Europe - European Lung White Book is a comprehensive publication that provides information on burden, cost and risk factor for a range of respiratory diseases (asthma, COPD, lung cancer, pneumonia, bronchitis, influenza, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis, sleep apnoea, pulmonary vascular disease). A substantial part of the book form the epidemiological data from more than 50 countries, means of prevention and treatment for a range of diseases. 

ERS President, Professor Francesco Blasi, said: “The European Lung White Book calls on countries with high rates of respiratory diseases, such as tuberculosis, but it also provides key recommendations to help policy makers address this issue.” The European Lung White Book is a common call on EU Member States to make air quality an integral part of their transport policies and national plans. 

Virtual monitoring could aid adherence to TB medication

The directly observed treatment (DOT), recommended by the World Health Organization is often time consuming for a patient and is resource intensive for outreach projects. The virtually observed treatment (VOT) method instead requires people to send a short video of them taking medication to their health provider using a mobile phone. After an initial visit to the clinic, this can be completed remotely. The effectiveness of the VOT technique was piloted by the researches from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Nine people needing DOT were enrolled in the programme. Overall, the researchers observed 86% of scheduled doses. It was concluded that this was a feasible method of monitoring TB treatment programme in people able to use VOT. The outcomes of this pilot study suggest that telemedicine can help overcome the difficulty in direct monitoring of unengaged or hard-to-reach patients.

Electronic nose technology – new method for lung cancer diagnostics

Current tests for lung cancer include blood and urine tests, followed by CT scans and chest radiographs. The new method suggests people at a high risk of lung cancer could receive an initial breath test to quickly assess their symptoms. Previous research has shown that animals are capable of detecting diseases based on breath test. 

Scientists have been trying to replicate this in ‘electronic nose’ technology, which works by detecting different profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath samples. The innovative part of the study suggests it is possible to differentiate lung cancer from different lung conditions and healthy people. Still the main problem with electronic nose technology is that it is individual, so each piece of equipment must be trained to distinguish between odours. Obviously it causes a problem of standardising the practice between different centres, which is supposed to be solved in the next step of the research. Meanwhile, the advantages of exhaled breath analysis by electronic nose are hard to deny: it is cheap, easy to do, non-invasive, sufficiently accurate and possible to do in a large number of patients at risk. 

In this way, ERS Annual Congress revealed the importance of innovative diagnostics and of the patient input into communicating science to the public.  

 Report from our Special Press Representative Mila Corlateanu

New Spirometry event in Barcelona and Quit Smoking With Barça

Dear Respiratory Friends we are happy to invite you in Barcelona!!!

Barcelona town centre will play host to a free lung function testing event, organised by the European Respiratory Society and European Lung Foundation, as part of this year's Congress.

The event, which is being organised in conjunction with FC Barcelona and the European Commission's "Ex-Smokers are unstoppable" campaign, will encourage the public to score a goal for lung health by participating in a free lung test.

In addition to lung function testing, visitors will have the chance to sign up to the 'Quit Smoking With Barça' programme; a unique smoking cessation programme developed by FC Barcelona and the European Commission (EC), which is helping more than 60,000 smokers across Europe stop smoking.

Come to Plaça de la Universitat on Friday 6 or Saturday 7 September, from 10.00 until 20.00 to support the event and help us encourage even more people to keep their lungs healthy and kick the habit.

The most important Respiratory event of the year

Dear friends we are happy to invite you at the most important Respiratory event of the year! European Respiratory Society is organizing Congress at Barcelona, Spain!

The Scientific Programme runs from Saturday 7 September 2013 (09:00) to Wednesday 11 September 2013 (12:45), and is highly comprehensive and addresses the latest advances in clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung disease. It comprises over 60 Symposia, Year in Reviews, Hot Topics and Grand Rounds, as well as some 260 Free Communication sessions, which include Oral Presentations, Poster Discussions and Thematic Posters, and a series of Evening Symposia, Evening Mini-Symposia, Evening Expert Forums and Practical Workshops organised by industry. A regularly updated version of the Scientific Programme, including a day-by-day guide to sessions, is available online at www.erscongress2013.org.

The 2012 European Lung Foundation Award

The 2012 European Lung Foundation Award was presented to the 30 Lung Champions of the World Spirometry Day campaign, but the winner was famous Norwegian Olympic rowing champion, Olaf Tufte.

Chair of the European Lung Foundation, Monica Fletcher, said: “Olaf is a true champion and does not let his asthma limit or impact on his dedication to his goals. As the face of the World Spirometry Day campaign, we wanted to recognise Olaf’s hard work at achieving his ambitions and inspiring the next generation of athletes. Exercise is such an important part of managing asthma and we hope others with the condition will be motivated by Olaf’s attitude to reaching the peak of his sport.”

Olaf accepted the award at the European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Vienna, on behalf of the 30 Lung Champions. He was also joined by 11-year old Alex Supple; a dedicated rugby player and Lung Champion from the UK, who also lives with asthma.

Tufte European Lung Foundation Award from Donald O. Costello on Vimeo.

Opening Ceremony of ERS Congress 2012: sound:frame Vienna Visuals

Todays post is about original Opening Ceremony of ERS Congress at Vienna, 1 September 2012. We are sharing with you this wonderful presentation.

THE MEDICINE EDIT : sound:frame Vienna Visuals from sound:frame on Vimeo.

For creation of special atmosphere of Vienna was invited the famous VJ duo Luma.Launisch, alias Astrid Steiner and Florian Launisch, which usually create their surreal worlds on screens in techno-clubs and classical concert halls. All visual act was accompanied by Klezmer music by Roman Grinberg & Enesemble. 
Special thanks to Florian Launisch for permission to use this video.

Highlights from European Respiratory Society Congress 2012, Vienna

Next week the biggest respiratory meeting in the world will start! It is European Respiratory Society Congress which this year will take place in Vienna, Austria!

As usual ERS Congress will give possibility to learn about the latest innovations in clinical and basic science, practice and patient care from the leaders of opinion who set the standards in respiratory medicine at the global level.

For the first time will be organized evening dedicated to young scientists. On Tuesday, September 4, an informal networking session has been organised to provide young researchers with an opportunity to meet and discuss with senior members of the ERS.

Also we want to share with you invitation from ERS President Klaus Rabe on special event dedicated to World Spirometry Day 2012: 
I would like to extend a personal invitation to all Congress participants to join me, the ERS leadership and the Mayor of Vienna in a (Fun) Lung Run on Sunday, September 2 at 07:00, at the Prater. Do come and share 5 kilometers of lung-boosting exercise, running or walking for an extraordinary cause!

Liudmila CORLATEANU,
Respiratory Decade Official Media-Representative at ERS 2012 Vienna Congress 

World Spirometry Day 5-km Lung Run: Do you run with us at Vienna?

As the final fitting activity in the World Spirometry Day campaign, the World Spirometry Day 5-km Lung Run will take place during the European Respiratory Society Congress in Vienna.
Show your support for World Spirometry Day and for lung health by beating European Respiratory Society President Klaus Rabe and European Lung Foundation Chair Monica Fletcher, along with their Forum of International Society (FIRS) colleagues, across the finish line.

When?
07:00 Sunday, September 2, 2012
Where?
Wiener Prater public park – 5 minutes from the Reed Messe Wien

For more info and Registration CLICK HERE:

This is your chance to be a lung champion and to bring the baton home for your country, university, institution or company.

ERS school course on pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vascular disease, Lausanne 2012

At the end of June, I participated in European Respiratory Society (ERS) School dedicated to Pulmonary Hypertension and Pulmonary Vascular Disease, which took place at Lausanne, Switzerland. 

This course was designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vascular disease and to understand the processes of diagnosis and management of the various pulmonary vascular conditions.
The ERS course was prepared and organised by world-known faculty: Professors A. Peacock (UK), R. Naeije (Belgium) and S. Gaine (Ireland).

ERS School on Pulmonary Hypertension at Lausanne, Switzerland on 30 June 2012 - with Professor Robert Naeije (Belgium), Hoppenot D. (Lithuania), Professor Michele DAlto (Italy), Rusakova O. (Russia), Maneikiene V. (Lithuania), Irina Starodubtseva (Russia), Professor Andrew Peacock (UK), Leyla Ismayilova (Azerbaijan), Alina Badea (Romania) and Alexandru Corlateanu (Moldova).

The course also discussed diagnostic techniques and new treatment modalities to help physicians managing their patients in association with their pulmonary hypertension centres.

In very short time all presentations from this Course will be published on official site of ERS: www.ersnet.org.

 World Spirometry Day 2012 in Lausanne

Moderate Alcohol Consumption: A Protective Effect Against Asthma Development

by Liudmila Corlateanu

During the European Respiratory Society Annual Congress Sophie Lieberoth from Copenhagen University presented a curious study about the connection between asthma treatment and alcohol intake.

There is a vast range of studies concerning the hazards and benefits of alcohol. Some studies proved that frequent alcohol consumption (1-2 times/day) increases the chances of good health in old age by 30%. The authors of another work have found that consumption of one glass of wine a day helps you lose weight. 

Danish researches established that drinking alcohol in moderate quantities can reduce the risk of developing asthma. In this way, drinking 1-6 units of alcohol a week could reduce the risk of developing the condition. But what is considered to be a unit of alcohol? A half pint (284 ml) of beer that has a strength of 3.5% abv contains almost exactly one unit or a medium glass (175 ml) of 12% abv wine contains around two units of alcohol.

The research examined 19,349 twins between the ages of 12 and 41 years of age. All participants have completed a questionnaire at the start and end of the study to compare alcohol intake with the risk of developing asthma over 8 years. The results showed that the lowest risk of asthma was seen in the group which had a moderate intake of alcohol, as less than 4% of those who drank 1-6 units per week developed asthma.

Another important point of the study was that a preference for beer drinking was associated with an increased risk of asthma when compared with no preference.

It was concluded that higher incidence of asthma development occurs in the never drinking and rarely drinking group.

The relationship between alcohol intake and the risk of developing adult-onset asthma could be U-shaped, but still there is a need of further investigation. What needs no basis or explanation is the old French Proverb which states: “Eat with pleasure; drink with measure.”