Breathe Easy

Continuing our series on What You May Have Missed at ATS 2025, host Amy Attaway, MD, MS, of Cleveland Clinic, dives into key topics from the Clinical Year in Review with Sara Auld, MD, MSc, Emory University. Did you miss the ATS 2025 International Conference? Or were you unable to attend some key sessions? Go to conference.thoracic.org/program/conference-highlights/ to purchase your ATS Conference Highlight Package. 

This latest episode in the series "What You May Have Missed at ATS 2025," features Donna Appell, RN, immediate-past-chair of  the Public Advisory Roundtable (PAR), a unique feature of the American Thoracic Society. Helping to integrate the patient perspective in research and clinical care, PAR is comprised of nearly 15 respiratory-related patient organizations. Ms. Appell sat down with host Patti Tripathi to discuss PAR events at ATS 2025 as well as the work of the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network, Inc, of which Ms. Appell is founder and executive director.6:40 How do groups like the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network work with the ATS on grand funding?16:35 Why is it important that PAR have a presence at the International Conference?

This week's episode dives into COPD treatment. When considering inhaler devices, what is the best strategy for COPD patients? Host Amy Attaway, MD, MS, associate director of the COPD Center at  Cleveland Clinic welcomes Anthony Anzueto, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center and chief of the pulmonary section for the South Texas Veterans Healthcare System in San Antonio.This episode is supported by Viatris and Theravance BioPharma.

This episode begins our series on "What you may have missed at ATS 2025."We produce over 450 million tons of plastics each year, the vast majority of which has accumulated in the environment. Increasing evidence suggests that microplastics can accumulate in a number of different organs such as the brain, but what of the lungs? In this episode, Adam Soloff, PhD (self-described "Lorax of the Thorax"), associate professor, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, walks us through his research to find out what these ever-present microplastics do to the lungs and the pulmonary immune system in particular. Spoiler alert: once inhaled, microplastics pass through the lung seeding many tissues of the body including the heart, brain, gut, liver, and spleen. "We found it everywhere we looked," said Dr. Soloff whose team's work begins to shed light on how microplastics damage lung immunity and may predispose us to lung disease in the future.4:16 What is a microplastic?6:19 Where is the most established evidence of how microplastics affects our health?

Erika Moseson, MD, of the Air Health Our Heath podcast hosts this week's episode with guest Daniel Croft, MPH, ATSF. Dr. Croft is associate professorin the Department of Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. On this episode we share insights from the Climate Change and Respiratory Health: Opportunities to Contribute to Environmental Justice: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40311081/For additional discussion on environmental health, please also view our recent Breathe Easy episode 12 “EPA Rollbacks Spell Grave Impacts on Public Health” for an up-to-date discussion of current national changes related to health care, environmental health and environmental justice:  And for ATS members, please review the Washington Letter for up to date actions ATS is taking to protect respiratory health:  https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__site.thoracic.org_about-2Dus_news_washington-2Dletter&d=DwMFAg&c=shNJtf5dKgNcPZ6Yh64b-ALLUrcfR-4CCQkZVKC8w3o&r=cBcAqdnwqc2JZQ0oH6i362XLRsQ-_Tz-M1Wc9UELJNs&m=MdI_1W73157uyTefcBrkHA9wu2ITlxReWhEVndIGRsDlh5tkbX4XmkSOaeWSnB1a&s=yhFeE9pojesBPCkULoIjDdlcHL_vqKUR6d_rwIEVw0Y&e=

Host Patti Tripathi talks to Alpha-1 patient advocate Len Geiger ahead of his ATS 2025 International Conference plenary presentation. He was diagnosed at age 35 with a rare lung disease. He almost lost it all, but Len didn't lose his fight. "Everybody can do something more than they're doing right now," he says.

Patti Tripathi talks with Margot Kushel, MD,  and Robynne Rose-Haymer ahead of their keynote presentation on providing care to the unhoused population on May 18 at ATS 2025. Dr. Kushel is chief of the Division of Health Equity and Society and director of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations and the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative. Ms. Rose-Haymer is the director of the California Legislative Staff Education Institute at Capitol Impact Consulting.09:36 What can the VA's initiatives among the homeless population teach clinicians?13:25 How can we create solutions?Register for the ATS 2025 International Conference at conference.thoracic.org

This episode is part two of our discussion on AI. Host Eddie Qian, MD, (Vanderbilt University Medical Center) and Matthew Churpek, MD, PhD, MPH(University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health) explore the use of large language models in clinical practice, weigh the benefits vs risks and the role clinicians may play in establishing guardrails."Patients don't just walk out of the textbook," as Dr. Qian noted. These models still require input from experienced clinicians to ensure the best outcome for patients. Listen to Part I of our AI discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZInoIjGht0&list=PLFyO68a-Ji3lKQLBIdtgUlFkEBp3t1RA5&index=8Like what you heard? Get more of Dr. Qian on the ICU Ed and Todd-cast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Rolling back major EPA policies that protect our health from air pollution exposure is dangerous and even fatal in some cases. This episode features the chair and vice-chair of the ATS Environmental Health Policy Committee, Alison Lee, MD, (Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai) and Gillian Goobie, MD, PhD (University of British Columbia). Patti Tripathi hosts. 09:00 What is the evidence for policy-led air pollution reductions?14:35 Who benefits from EPA rollbacks?22:36 How does EPA deregulation affect global health?Resources:The Southern California Children’s Health Study:  https://healthstudy.usc.edu/The Ella Roberta Foundation:  https://www.ellaroberta.org/about-ellaSilent Spring by Rachel Carson:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27333.Silent_Spring

Host Amy Attaway, MD, (Cleveland Clinic) is joined by two leaders in sleep medicine— Neomi Shah, MD, MPH,  (Icahn School at Mount Sinai)  and Reena Mehra, MD, MS, ATSF (University of Washington)—to discuss the recent ATS Workshop Report: “The Great Controversy of OSA Treatment for Cardiovascular Risk: Advancing the Science Through Expert Consensus.”Together, they explore the complex relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular outcomes. Workshop Report here: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1513/AnnalsATS.202409-981ST09:45 What gaps have past studies brought to light regarding major cardiovascular events and OSA?                 11:59 How does the Report help inform discussions with patients?33:24 Is CPAP the answer?