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Worse Lung Function Prevalent in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods

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Study underscores effects of race, socioeconomic status on disease outcomes

People with sarcoidosis who live in neighborhoods lacking economic and social resources have lower lung function and faster lung function decline, a study in the U.S. and Canada revealed.

Non-white patients were overrepresented in the group with greater disadvantage, suggesting how race and differences in socioeconomic status can lead to poorer outcomes among people from minority backgrounds.  Read more in Sarcoidosis News.

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HPV Infection Risk Rises for Women With CF and Lung Transplant

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Human papillomavirus can be cause of cervical cancer

Researchers also observed that it was more common for these women than for the general population to have cervical dysplasia, or an abnormal growth of cells on the cervix, the lowermost part of the uterus.

Study findings are in line with similar research in Canada, which reported a four times higher likelihood of cervical dysplasia among female CF patients with a lung transplant than other women with CF.  Read more in Cystic Fibrosis News Today.

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Study uncovers mechanism behind primary graft dysfunction

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Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered the pathways through which autoantibodies—immune proteins that mistakenly attack a person’s own body—leak out of blood vessels and cause primary graft dysfunction in some lung transplant recipients, according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a potentially lethal injury to fragile transplanted lungs that occurs in the first days after a transplant operation and affects more than half of lung transplant recipients. The condition is the leading cause of early post-transplantation morbidity and mortality. Read more from Medical Xpress.

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30 Days of PH: A Lung Transplant Gave Me a New Lease on Life

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This is Justin Anthony’s story:

I can hardly recognize the man I used to be. The past few months have changed me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I tried to brave it out, hold on to hope, and pray for a miracle.

A few months ago, my doctors advised that oral pulmonary hypertension medication was no longer working. I had to move on to infusions of Remodulin (treprostinil) or be listed for transplant. Each option posed its own challenges. Read the full story from Pulmonary Hypertension News.

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Study Uncovers Mechanism Behind Primary Graft Dysfunction

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Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered the pathways through which autoantibodies – immune proteins that mistakenly attack a person’s own body – leak out of blood vessels and cause primary graft dysfunction in some lung transplant recipients, according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a potentially lethal injury to fragile transplanted lungs that occurs in the first days after a transplant operation and affects more than half of lung transplant recipients. The condition is the leading cause of early post-transplantation morbidity and mortality. Read the full article from Northwestern Medicine News Center.

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How I Pivoted to a New Career After My Heart-lung Transplant

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Changing career paths has brought columnist Anna Jeter both grief and joy

Four weeks before I entered my freshman year of college, I was being evaluated for a heart-lung transplant due to pulmonary hypertension (PH). Little did I know that I would spend the next four years managing these very separate journeys alongside each other.

During this time, I think I did a good job of compartmentalizing events in my mind — perhaps too good a job. On one train of thought, I was preparing for a career in nursing and pursuing my degree to secure this future. In a completely different realm, I was beginning my transplant journey. Read the full article in Pulmonary Hypertension News here.

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You Need an Organ Transplant: 10 Pieces of Advice from Those Who Have Gone Through It

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You just found out you need an organ transplant. Whether it’s a heart, kidney, liver or lung, there are some key fundamentals to keep in mind as you navigate your transplant journey. Who better to share advice than those who have been through it?

Below are words of advice transplant recipients shared on Facebook and Instagram from their experiences during their transplant journeys. Read more on CareDx.com.

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