Pulmonary and critical care ·
ATS guideline backs as-needed inhaled steroid relievers in asthma; FDA flags ButterflyBVM resuscitators; ulinastatin fails in sepsis
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read by AI voices · all episodesTHE SHORT READ
The American Thoracic Society (ATS) issued a guideline Nov. 3 strongly recommending as-needed inhaled corticosteroid-containing relievers over short-acting beta-agonist (SABA)-only therapy for patients at the first two steps of asthma treatment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted an early alert on ButterflyBVM bag-valve-mask resuscitators, the ADJUST trial found no mortality benefit from ulinastatin in sepsis, and a meta-analysis found no clear survival benefit from bicarbonate for acidosis in critically ill patients.
THE DETAILS
- Guidelines Nov 3, 2026The American Thoracic Society (ATS) clinical practice guideline, published Nov. 3 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, addresses six questions using GRADE methods. For patients at National Asthma Education and Prevention Program steps 1 and 2, it strongly recommends as-needed-only inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) with a short-acting beta-agonist (SABA), or ICS-formoterol, over SABA-only therapy. At steps 3 to 5, it strongly recommends maintenance-and-reliever therapy with ICS-formoterol over scheduled ICS plus long-acting beta-agonist with as-needed SABA, and conditionally recommends an ICS plus SABA reliever for patients on scheduled maintenance therapy.
- FDA Nov 3, 2026The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted an early alert Nov. 3 after Compact Medical reported the potential for a hole to form in the bellows of certain ButterflyBVM single-use resuscitators, which could result in serious injury or death. The company has reported no serious injuries or deaths. Units from lots 000109 through 000117 are being removed and are not to be used, and other affected lots are to undergo the pre-use test before every patient use, according to the FDA.Source: FDA
- Research Nov 6, 2026In the multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of adult ICU patients with sepsis, published Nov. 6 in Chest, 28-day all-cause mortality, the primary end point, was 23.6% (39 of 165 patients) with ulinastatin and 22.9% (39 of 170) with placebo (hazard ratio 1.03; 95% CI 0.66 to 1.61; P = .90). Adverse events occurred in 56.8% of ulinastatin patients and 42.7% of placebo patients. The authors concluded that adjunctive ulinastatin did not reduce mortality compared with placebo.Source: Chest
- Research Nov 2, 2026The Bayesian systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials in critically ill patients with metabolic acidosis, published Nov. 2 in Intensive Care Medicine, found that sodium bicarbonate did not show a clear short-term mortality benefit (relative risk 0.94; 95% credible interval 0.73 to 1.22). Short-term all-cause mortality was the primary outcome. Bicarbonate was associated with a lower risk of starting renal replacement therapy (relative risk 0.74; 95% credible interval 0.59 to 0.98).Source: Intensive Care Medicine
- Policy Nov 3, 2026Philips disclosed Nov. 3 an agreement with the Department of Justice to pay 288 million euros (about $322 million) to settle criminal and civil investigations related to its recall of millions of sleep and respiratory devices, MedTech Dive reported. The settlement is separate from a 2024 Food and Drug Administration consent decree that bars the sale of certain respiratory devices in the U.S. until Philips meets the agency's requirements. Chief Executive Roy Jakobs said the company is "not in control of any timing around the return to market."Source: MedTech Dive
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