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Latest Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine research

The 10 most useful pulmonary and respiratory medicine studies published this week, chosen from Q1 journals and graded on the Oxford CEBM evidence hierarchy. Each paper links to a short summary and the original on PubMed. Updated 22 September 2026.

Top 10 this week

Week of 20 September 2026

  1. 1

    A Multicenter Randomized Phase III Trial Comparing MET Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors vs. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors With or Without Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring MET Exon 14 Skipping Mutations: JCOG2506 (DECIDE-MET)

    Clinical lung cancer · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 20 August 2026

    An open-label, multicenter randomized study will enroll 100 treatment-naïve adults with advanced MET exon 14-skipping lung cancer, assigning them to either tepotinib or capmatinib versus pembrolizumab alone (PD-L1 at least 50%) or pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy (PD-L1 <50%). Overall survival is the primary endpoint, aiming to resolve which first-line strategy offers better efficacy and tolerability.

  2. 2

    Randomised controlled trial of partitioned aerobic exercise training using one-leg cycling in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

    Thorax · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 15 September 2026

    Randomised controlled trial, improves exercise endurance

  3. 3

    Efficacy of Biologics in Patients with Moderate to Very Severe COPD: A Systematic Review

    International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 10 September 2026

    Systematic review of biologics in COPD

  4. 4

    Multicomponent Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation in Patients Aged 80 Years or Older: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Chest · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 19 September 2026

    In a randomized trial of 150 octogenarians on prolonged ventilation, a structured pulmonary rehab program enabled 45% of participants to be successfully weaned, compared with only 12% receiving standard care. The intervention also improved oxygenation, diaphragm movement, cough and muscle strength, and lowered pneumonia rates, suggesting a viable strategy to enhance liberation from the ventilator in the very elderly.

  5. 5

    Statins use and prognosis in lung cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: evidence from a meta-analysis

    Frontiers in immunology · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 1 September 2026

    A meta-analysis of 12 retrospective studies (5,156 patients) found that taking statins was linked to a 24% lower overall mortality and an 18% reduction in disease progression among those treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The benefit persisted after multivariate adjustment but was not seen in unadjusted or very large cohorts, and the evidence remains limited to observational data, prompting a call for prospective trials.

  6. 6

    Targeting fatigue in COPD with chronic respiratory failure undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of L-arginine/liposomal vitamin C

    Thorax · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 18 September 2026

    In a double-blind trial of 98 oxygen-dependent COPD patients undergoing a 28-day pulmonary rehabilitation program, adding oral L-arginine and liposomal vitamin C reduced Fatigue Severity Scale scores by roughly one point compared with placebo, exceeding the minimal clinically important difference. The supplement did not improve walking distance, strength, dyspnea or quality-of-life measures, leaving its broader functional benefit uncertain.

  7. 7

    Biologics for Children and Adolescents with Asthma: A Systematic Review and Exploratory Indirect Comparative Analysis

    Journal of asthma and allergy · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 10 September 2026

    Three pediatric trials of omalizumab, dupilumab and mepolizumab each showed fewer asthma attacks than placebo, with moderate certainty for this benefit. Safety was similar for omalizumab and dupilumab, while mepolizumab reported more overall adverse events and serious events were uncertain. Indirect comparisons were low-certainty, so head-to-head trials are still needed.

  8. 8

    Accuracy of type 2 inflammatory biomarkers to diagnose asthma in adults and children: a meta-analysis of 30 studies with prospective validation in an adult primary care cohort

    The Lancet. Respiratory medicine · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 15 September 2026

    A meta-analysis of 30 studies and a prospective primary-care cohort showed that an exhaled nitric-oxide level at least 65 ppb correctly ruled in asthma in roughly four-fifths of adults with suspected disease, while a level <20 ppb ruled out asthma with 93% negative predictive value. Blood eosinophil counts added no diagnostic benefit, and recent inhaled-corticosteroid use reduced FeNO accuracy. Further work is needed to confirm pediatric thresholds.

  9. 9

    Efficacy and safety of tiotropium in partial and uncontrolled preschool asthma (TIPP): a phase III, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

    EClinicalMedicine · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 4 September 2026

    In a 52-week trial of 86 children aged 1-5 years with high-risk asthma, adding tiotropium to inhaled steroids did not change the time to first severe exacerbation compared with placebo. Adverse events were common but similar between groups, and no new safety concerns emerged, suggesting tiotropium is safe but not effective for this age group.

  10. 10

    Effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose influenza vaccines against hospitalisation according to frailty risk: a prespecified analysis of the randomised trial DANFLU-2

    The lancet. Healthy longevity · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 12 August 2027

    In a Danish trial of over 330,000 adults 65+, the high-dose influenza shot lowered influenza or pneumonia admissions by roughly 20% among those with the highest frailty scores, compared with standard-dose, while showing little benefit in low-frailty participants. The benefit rose with frailty level, but confidence intervals were wide and the finding was exploratory, so further study is needed.

Paper of the day, last two weeks

Evidence summaries in Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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