In the current issue

Yochai Adir and co-workers present the results of their retrospective study showing that circulating eosinophil levels do not predict severe exacerbations in COPD. They also demonstrate that treatment with inhaled corticosteroids does not show a significant association with risk reduction of severe exacerbation in patients with low or high circulating eosinophils.

Original article Circulating eosinophil levels do not predict severe exacerbations in COPD: a retrospective study

Ana Kantorowski and colleagues show that history of depression, social support, oxygen use and season predict change in physical activity in COPD, and that response to physical activity promotion is associated with improvements in lung function, exercise capacity and systemic inflammation.

Original article Determinants and outcomes of change in physical activity in COPD​

Tanel Laisaar and co-workers, from Tartu, Estonia, address two questions regarding surgically treated lung cancer patients: do they all smoke and would they all have been detected with lung cancer screening? They conclude that many currently surgically treated lung cancer patients, especially females, are not a target for lung cancer screening.

Original article Surgically treated lung cancer patients: do they all smoke and would they all have been detected with lung cancer screening?