February 2024

2024-02-11 10:30:00

The health research in it asma It is a trigger for a multitude of challenges but, at the same time, a source of opportunities. In a paradigm as complex as it is changing that affects this and other plung atologiesit is worth considering the point at which its treatment is in the National Health System (SNS) and the concrete challenges and achievements that have led to it. The XXXII Winter Meeting of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (Separ) It has provided the ideal time and place to analyze all these issues from all the aspects that concern the study of said disease.

He vice president of Separ, Carlos Almonacid, wanted to delve deeper into the role that digital environments they have in the assistance, teaching, management and health research of this pulmonary condition and the virtues and shortcomings of its current use and development. As far as the educational field is concerned, this specialist highlights the work carried out by the scientific society itself following the coronavirus pandemic in favor of “developing telecare manualsimplement and improve them” with the still present purpose of “continuing working” in this line.

Carlos Almonacid, vice president of Separ.

But it is also appropriate to educate the patients themselves, and the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) They have a more than notable role in this task. Almonacid has taken the opportunity to point out the progression experienced in this regard since 2020, since at that time “less than 20 percent of SNS hospitals might provide telecare ‘under conditions’.” The tables have turned almost 360 degrees since, right now, “the patient can see his history and its analysis and has the video consultation within your reach in practically the entire health system.”

“The patient can see their history and analyzes and has the video consultation within their reach in practically the entire health system”

Still, there are ‘buts’. And for the second ‘singing voice’ of Separ, the applications developed for the monitoring of patients with asthma that this scientific society has “are failing and becoming outdated”, which is why he considers it necessary to redirect efforts towards this address and update and improve its features. That is why for Almonacid, “telemonitoring is the pending task” in the approach to patients with asthma. A correct use of ICT brings benefits in issues such as control, self-management or quality of life of the patient not only in asthma, but also in other respiratory conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

In the words of Marina Blancosecretary of Separ and responsible for the Asthma Unit of the University Hospital of A Coruña, the solution is to have patient records based on “an appropriate methodology” so that “the results derived are reliable.” If this premise can be put into practice, the next step in the specialist’s opinion is that “scientific societies must ensure that biases are avoided.” To do this, Blanco goes ‘one step further’ and calls on administrations to establish “regulations on records.”

Marina Blanco, secretary of Separ and head of the Asthma Unit of the University Hospital of A Coruña.

In vivo models in asthma research

As a starting point to understand the advances achieved so far in asthma, David Ramosmember of Separ, from the Department of Pneumology of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and of the IBiomedical Research Institute (IIB) Sant Pauhas exposed the research procedure once morest said pathology with in vivo animal models, which he defines as “an axis around which everything else rotates.” He considers that their use today “is irreplaceable”, since “without them we would not be able to learn disease mechanisms.”

The sensitization procedures for these subjects “can vary greatly,” but they always pursue the same objective: measuring lung capacity in rodents while providing increasingly higher doses of allergens. For this, mechanisms of mechanic ventilation and processes of nonspecific provocationfrom which variables with physiological interpretation are obtained such as lung failure. Ramos has clarified that, once this process is completed, “these animals cannot be recovered for ethical reasons” and are therefore subjected to a process of euthanasia.

David Ramos, member of Separ, from the Department of Pulmonology at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and the Biomedical Research Institute (IIB) Sant Pau.

Multidisciplinary approach to asthma

Another key point for an effective approach to asthma is multidisciplinarity, which must be evident from research. This is how he highlighted it Sandra Dorado, coordinator Sepa Pulmonary Rehabilitation Areary pulmonologist in la Asthma Unit of the Galdakao hospital. “Taking into account all the areas of Separ, we have many opportunities to collaborate,” he explains, adding that in the approach to asthma, Pulmonology can join forces with other medical specialties as well as with health professions such as Nursing o la Physiotherapy.

That is why collaboration between different disciplines is the dominant trend in the development of Separ Integrated Research Programs (IRP), as well as in the scholarships issued by said entity. “It is beneficial for everyone, we are going to achieve a larger sample size and recruit patients in less time,” says Dorado. The objective for her is none other than “to do Translational Medicine” based on “different perspectives” that can benefit the patient themselves.

Sandra Dorado, Separ Pulmonary Rehabilitation Area coordinator and pulmonologist in the Asthma Unit of the Galdakao hospital.

Training for asthma researchers

For its part, Inigo Ojangure, coordinator of the Separ Emerging Asthma Group (GEA) and pulmonologist at Hebron Valley Hospital, wanted to analyze what is the starting point for those SNS professionals who want to dedicate themselves to health research. In his opinion, this area has an “anecdotal role” during the Specialized Sanitary Training (FSE), Therefore, once this stage has passed, those who want to carry out research work have “many questions.” The paradigm that they subsequently encounter is not easy, since it ‘agglomerates’ issues such as pressure, lack of time or the difficulty of access to tutors and research networks for younger people, as well as the financing of the sector itself.

“Research has an ‘anecdotal role’ in Specialized Health Training”

But even with all these points once morest, Ojanguren sees in the GEA itself a “facilitating tool” of the research work which is accompanied by other Separ initiatives such as scholarships or the stay programsat a local level. All these benefits allow, in his opinion, “to meet people with similar interests and make a network of professional contacts”, two questions that will pave the way during the first steps in said union.

Iñigo Ojanguren, coordinator of the Emerging Asthma Group (GEA) of Separ and pulmonologist at the Vall d’Hebron Hospital.

Moments from the conference ‘The future of asthma research’.

Although it may contain statements, data or notes from health institutions or professionals, the information contained in Medical Writing is edited and prepared by journalists. We recommend the reader that any health-related questions be consulted with a healthcare professional.

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