FLOW Study follow-up is underway

Fall, 2008

The follow-up structured telephone interviews and research clinic visits are now underway. The follow-up interview will assess important disability outcomes. The research clinic visit will reassess pulmonary function and functional limitations, including the Six Minute Walk Test and skeletal muscle strength. We have added an important new study component, which is a blood draw to assess biomarkers of systemic inflammation and to bank DNA for future genetic studies. We are also collecting direct measurements of secondhand smoke exposure.

Follow-up of the Severe Asthma Cohort

Fall, 2008

We are in the process of implementing a long-awaited follow-up of the SAC! We have merged the UCSF Asthma Cohort Study and the SAC to form a larger longitudinal asthma study. We are conducting a structured telephone interview and home visits to measure pulmonary function, exhaled nitric oxide, home allergens, and other home environmental exposures. This follow-up phase will provide important new insights into risk factors for adverse health outcomes in adult asthma.

Dr. Eisner is guest editor for an issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America

Fall, 2008

Dr. Eisner has assembled an international panel of experts to write articles for an issue focusing on "Environmental Factors and Asthma: What We Learned from Epidemiologic Studies." Topics include reviews of important environmental risk factors for adverse respiratory outcomes, including passive smoking, indoor combustion, traffic, outdoor air pollution, social and neighborhood stressors, viral infections, occupational exposures, dampness and mold, diet, living on a farm, and obesity. There is also a chapter about how living in an inner city urban environment may affect respiratory disease. The volume was just published: Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America 2008: 28(3).

Novel Risk factors and the Global Burden of Non-Smoking COPD

Fall, 2008

Although smoking is the dominant risk factor for COPD, only about 80% of the disease can be attributed to smoking. A international group of scientists, chaired by Dr. Mark Eisner and co-chaired by Dr. John Balmes, is working for the American Thoracic Society's Environmental and Occupational Health Assembly to write an authoritative statement that will address an urgent need: to evaluate the contribution of novel risk factors to COPD on a population level, both in the United States and around the world. The untraditional risk factors include longstanding asthma, secondhand smoke exposure, occupation, traffic, other outdoor air pollution, biomass fuel combustion, other indoor air pollution, diet, and genetic polymorphisms. The committee is conducting a systematic search of the literature on these exposures. The strength of the evidence for a causal association between each novel risk factor and the development of COPD will be evaluated.

Dr. Eisner was elected incoming Chair of the Environmental and Occupational Health Assembly of the American Thoracic Society

Spring, 20008

Dr. Eisner was elected incoming Chair by the membership of the Environmental and Occupational Health Assembly of the American Thoracic Society.  He will assume leadership of the Assembly from 2009-2011. The EOH Assembly includes a diverse mixture of clinicians, researchers, and educators who are united by their desire to reduce the burden of illness from environmental and occupational exposures. The Assembly has almost 500 primary members and over 1200 secondary members, one third of whom are international members. Major disciplines among the membership include respiratory medicine and occupational medicine clinicians and researchers, environmental health researchers, epidemiologists and toxicologists.