Lung disease patients may in future receive alerts on poor air quality

Respiratory disease patients could in the future receive text messages alerting them to periods of poor air quality, such as during a haze or other extreme weather conditions that could trigger allergic reactions or respiratory attacks.

- Zhaki Abdullah

Coming as climate change contributes to more extreme weather patterns, these text messages would be part of a nationwide forecasting tool for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), based on weather changes that could trigger reactions in such patients.

"With the tool and alert system, patients and their caregivers can take necessary proactive measures to reduce exposure, thereby reducing unnecessary hospital utilisation," said principal investigator John Abisheganaden, a senior consultant in respiratory and critical care medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Such a system is one of five areas being studied in a new research programme on respiratory health here, led by a research centre at Nanyang Technological University's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine).

The programme spearheaded by The Academic Respiratory Initiative for Pulmonary Health (Tariph) Centre under LKCMedicine - will bring together researchers from nine organisations to conduct lung health research, focusing on factors unique to Asia.

The aim is to develop personalised treatments for Asian patients with chronic lung disease, and augment the development of national and regional strategies to improve lung health, particularly for those with chronic conditions such as COPD and asthma.