Although training and exercise have several benefits, overdoing it might not necessarily be a good thing. For instance, elite athletes have an increased risk for asthma and allergy. Several mechanisms can be implicated for this risk, which include the interplay between environmental training factors and athlete's personal risk factors, such as genetic susceptibility, neurogenic-mediated inflammation, and epithelial sensitivity. However, an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence shows the positive effects of sports as part of a healthy lifestyle. Training reduces breathlessness and asthma symptoms and attenuates Th2-mediated inflammatory responses. Taken together, the benefits far outweigh the potential hazards of training. An easily administered therapeutic healthy lifestyle intervention, which could be used alongside current treatment, must be developed.

To the Editor, We read with special interest the systematic review (SR) by Agache et al. 1 on the efficacy and safety of biologicals in patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP).Meta-analytical results were presented for the comparison between each biologic versus placebo, but indirect comparisons between different biologicals were not performed. Therefore, we aimed to complement this SR 1 with a network meta-analysis

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O microbioma é definido como o conjunto dos microrganismos, os seus genomas e respetivas interações num determinado nicho ecológico. O estudo da composição do microbioma cutâneo tem sido alvo de interesse nos últimos anos, não só em indivíduos saudáveis, como na presença de doenças cutâneas, como é o caso da dermatite atópica (DA). Esta é uma doença complexa e multifatorial dependente de fatores ambientais e do hospedeiro subjacentes à sua patofisiologia. Diversos estudos têm demonstrado uma diminuição da diversidade do microbioma cutâneo nos doentes com DA, especificamente com diminuição de bacteroidetes, fusobacteria e proteobacteria e aumento de actinobacteria e firmicutes, mais especificamente estirpes de Staphylococcus aureus. Esta variação parece estar relacionada com a gravidade da doença e com a presença de exacerbações. Várias terapêuticas da DA apresentam capacidade para modular o microbioma cutâneo, nomeadamente determinados emolientes, corticoides tópicos e inibidores da calcineurina tópicos, têxteis funcionais com propriedades antisséticas, banhos de hipoclorito de sódio, técnicas de fototerapia e climatoterapia, bem como terapêuticas mais inovadoras, como é o caso do dupilumab. À medida que surgem novas terapêuticas para o controlo da doença, nomeadamente novos imunomoduladores tópicos e sistémicos, o estudo do potencial terapêutico e preventivo do microbioma cutâneo na DA carece ainda de investigação, estando em desenvolvimento tratamentos para a doença que atuem primariamente na modulação da composição do microbioma, como é o caso da utilização de probióticos tópicos ou orais e transplantes de microbioma.

BACKGROUND Poor medication adherence is a major challenge in asthma and objective assessment of inhaler adherence is needed. InspirerMundi app aims to monitor adherence while turning into a positive experience through gamification and social support. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the InspirerMundi app to monitor medication adherence in adolescents and adults with persistent asthma (treated with daily inhaled medication). METHODS A 1-month mixed method multicenter observational study was conducted in 26 secondary care centers from Portugal and Spain. During an initial face-to-face visit, physicians reported patients’ asthma therapeutic plan in a structured questionnaire. During the visits, patients were invited to use the app daily to register their asthma medication intakes. A scheduled intake was considered taken when patients registered the intake (inhaler, blister, or other recipient) by using the image-based medication detection tool. At 1-month, patients were interviewed by phone and app satisfaction was assessed on a 1(low)-5(high) scale. Patients were also asked to point out the most and least preferred app features and to make suggestions for future app improvements. RESULTS A total of 107 patients (median 27[P25-P75 14-40] years) were invited, 99 (93%) installed the app and 79 (74%) completed the 1-month interview. Patients interacted with the app a median of 9[1-24] days. At least one medication was registered in the app by 77 patients (72%). Fifty-two (53%) participants registered all prescribed inhalers and 34 (34%) registered the complete asthma therapeutic plan. Median medication adherence was 75[25-90]% for inhalers and 82[50-94]% for other drug formulations. Patients were globally satisfied with the app, with 75% scoring ≥4, with the adherence monitoring, symptom monitoring and gamification features being the most highly scored components and the medication detection tool among the lowest scored (53% ≥4). 53% of the patients stated that the app had motivated them to improve adherence to inhaled medication and 77% would recommend the app to other patients. Patients’ feedback was reflected in four major themes: Medication-related features (n=67, 85%), Gamification and social network (n=33, 42%), Symptom monitoring and physician communication (n=21, 27, and Other aspects (n=16, 20%). CONCLUSIONS The InspirerMundi app was feasible and acceptable to monitor medication adherence in patients with asthma. Based on patients’ feedback and to increase the registering of medications, the therapeutic plan registration and the medication detection tool were redesigned. Our results highlight the importance of patient participation to produce a patient-centered and engaging mHealth asthma app.

A aspergilose broncopulmonar alérgica (ABPA) caracteriza-se por uma reação de hipersensibilidade complexa em resposta à colonização das vias aéreas pelo fungo Aspergillus fumigatus (Af). Após a inalação dos esporos de Af, a resposta imunológica pode variar de acordo com o doente, predominando mecanismos IgE-mediados. Esta doença é habitualmente diagnosticada em asmáticos com exacerbações frequentes ou em doentes com fibrose cística que apresentam deterioração clínica apesar da otimização terapêutica. Os critérios diagnósticos de ABPA atualmente utilizados datam de 2013. Contudo, esta doença implica uma abordagem diferencial diagnóstica complexa, sendo frequentemente subdiagnosticada. O tratamento da ABPA centra-se na utilização de corticoterapia e antifúngicos, sendo que os novos agentes biológicos, com eficácia terapêutica na asma grave, têm demonstrado ser promissores com bons resultados clínicos e analíticos. O objetivo desta revisão é apresentar os principais mecanismos fisiopatológicos, focando-se na abordagem clínica, diagnóstica e diferencial diagnóstica, bem como a abordagem terapêutica da ABPA.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that impacts millions of people worldwide. Recent studies suggest that diet may play a role in asthma pathophysiology. Several dietary factors have been recognized as potential contributors to the development and severity of asthma for its inflammatory and oxidative effects. Some food groups such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats appear to exert positive effects on asthma disease. On the other hand, a high consumption of dietary salt, saturated fats, and trans-fat seems to have the opposite effect. Nonetheless, as foods are not consumed separately, more research is warranted on the topic of dietary patterns. The mechanisms underlying these associations are not yet fully understood, but it is thought that diet can modulate both the immune system and inflammation, two key factors in asthma development and exacerbation. The purpose of this review is to examine how common food groups and dietary patterns are associated with asthma. In general, this research demonstrated that fruits and vegetables, fiber, healthy fats, and dietary patterns considered of high quality appear to be beneficial to asthma disease. Nonetheless, additional research is needed to better understand the interrelation between diet and asthma, and to determine the most effective dietary interventions for asthma prevention and management. Currently, there is no established dietary pattern for asthma management and prevention, and the nuances of certain food groups in relation to this disease require further investigation.