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Frits Franssen

@fritsfranssen.bsky.social
159 followers 79 following 49 posts

Head of department of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands / Fellow of ERS

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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Environmental and clinical factors associated with small airways disease (SAD), a pre-clinical feature of frequent respiratory obstructive diseases, in the general population. DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0008-2026
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Clinical features that associate with mucus plug-high phenotypes of asthma and COPD DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02358-2025 #ERS #ERJ
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
COPD is a complex, heterogeneous disorder driven by environmental exposures, genetic susceptibility, immune dysregulation, and accelerated lung aging rather than solely by airflow limitation. doi.org/10.2147/COPD...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
COPD exacerbations are characterized by epithelial barrier disruption, dysregulated inflammation, and impaired repair. This figure shows epithelial repair processes in both healthy conditions and COPD exacerbation. doi.org/10.1016/j.ph...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
E-cigarettes delivering nicotine are likely to be carcinogenic to humans who use them causing oral cancer and lung cancer. The burden of disease cannot be quantified from data presently available. doi.org/10.1093/carc...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Viral respiratory infections are major and potentially modifiable triggers of COPD exacerbations. Thus, vaccination may be a preventive strategy for these events. This figure illustrates which patients may benefit most from vaccination. doi.org/10.1055/a-28...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Our latest study focusses on prevalence of Type 2 inflammation in COPD patients with frequent exacerbations in a real-world cohort in the Netherlands doi.org/10.1111/all.... #allergy
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
The 13 hallmarks of the aging lung... doi.org/10.1183/1399...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
The systemic effects of acute exacerbations of COPD doi.org/10.1183/2312...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Key cellular mechanisms leading to limb skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD doi.org/10.3390/cell...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Lung microbiome profile in the healthy state, in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and during exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) with associated clinical outcomes and potential applications doi.org/10.31083/BJH...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Independent of genetic background, a large longitudinal cohort study shows a significant association between in utero smoke exposure and the risk of developing COPD later in life doi.org/10.1093/ntr/...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Factors contributing to eosinophilic mucus plug formation in COPD #jaip doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
The vicious vortex of bronchiectasis with the treatments evaluated in the 2025 ERS bronchiectasis guideline publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Hypothetical mechanisms of airway mucus plugs in COPD doi.org/10.1002/resp... #respirology
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Remote photoplethysmography (PPG) app-based prolonged opportunistic arrhythmia screening pathway for COPD doi.org/10.1183/2312...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Natural disasters affecting respiratory health and the underlying mechanisms #ERS doi.org/10.1183/1399...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Modeled evolution of the global economic and health burden of COPD from 2025 to 2050, considering trends in risk factors and an expanding population. Actions needed to reduce risk factors and improve treatments. #CHEST doi.org/10.1016/j.ch...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Pathophysiological mechanisms disrupting lung development. Early-life exposures, including genetic and epigenetic alterations, infections, oxidative stress, and inflammation, contribute to impaired lung development. doi.org/10.1146/annu... #worldlungday
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Having had just 1 moderate exacerbation in the year prior to COPD diagnosis significantly increases the risk of future events, suggesting that placing patients with 0 or 1 moderate event in the same low risk of future exacerbation groups (A & B) in GOLD is not justified doi.org/10.1183/1399...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
Multiple direct and indirect pathways increase risk of lung disease exacerbations during heat waves. Community preparedness and advocacy are needed, particularly to address greater adverse effects on vulnerable populations. doi.org/10.1164/rccm... @atsblueeditor.bsky.social
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
New US study shows that COPD confers a 1.9-fold higher risk of intensive care unit admission or in-hospital mortality in adults hospitalized with RSV doi.org/10.1093/ofid... #virus #RSV
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
COPD patient survey shows that >20% of patients are not on maintenance therapy; leading reasons include that their COPD was not severe enough, and that their doctors had not recommended it. Action is needed for more effective and timely disease management. #COPDfoundation doi.org/10.15326/jco...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Airway mucus plugs were previously associated with increased risk of exacerbations and mortality in COPD. Now, persistent and newly formed mucus plugs are associated with a faster decrease in lung function (FEV1) in this disease. @nejm.org www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 26/05/2025
Newly proposed diagnostic schema for COPD using major and minor criteria classifies individuals as having this disease beyond airflow limitation and identifies individuals at increased risk for poor outcomes. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.7358 @jama.com
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Pulmonary rehabilitation is an evidence-based, personalized, comprehensive intervention that improves physical and psychological function and reduces healthcare consumption in people with chronic respiratory conditions #PRweek2025 #COPD
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Almost 31% of persons hospitalized with severe RSV infection has underlying COPD and in-hospital mortality in this group may be as high as 18%. Preventive vaccins are available but need to be implemented. www.springernature.com/gp/open-rese...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Targeting T2 inflammation or epithelial-derived alarmins represents a step forward in precision medicine for the treatment of a subset of COPD... www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Theoretical framework illustrating the potential impact of body composition on COPD exacerbation risk; from our latest editorial in Respirology #felipemachado doi.org/10.1111/resp...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
Hard to comprehend and even harder to accept: a 46.3%, or 35 year, loss of life expectancy in the Gaza Strip during the period October, 2023, to September, 2024. Touched by this @thelancet.bsky.social paper. doi.org/10.1016/S014...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
New meta-analysis shows a significant 20% reduction in all-cause mortality with ICS-containing therapies versus non-ICS containing inhaler therapies in COPD. Future research should identify patient subgroups most likely to benefit while minimizing adverse effects. doi.org/10.1080/1747...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
The worldwide prevalence of shortness of breath in adults is approx. 14%, with a wide variation across sites. Furthermore, it is strongly associated with spirometric obstruction and restriction. #BOLD www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
PDE3 and PDE4 contribute to inflammation and airway smooth muscle contraction, that is evident in conditions such as COPD. Dual inhibition of these enzymes may provide clinical benefit to a broad range of patients with COPD and represents a promising new treatment strategy. doi.org/10.15326/jco...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
Proposal for the management of cardiovascular risk factors and disease in patients with COPD doi.org/10.1080/1477...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
Impact of home non-invasive ventilation in chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure due to COPD. Initiation of home noninvasive ventilation in hypercapnic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: when, where, and how? - PubMed (nih.gov)
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are poorly related to clinical measures in severe asthma, but PROMs are prone to changes in usual care, with exacerbations playing a key role. doi.org/10.1186/s129... #asthma
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Our latest study is now online in @JAMA Network Open, reporting on the limited estimative performance of exacerbation (ECOPD) history categories by GOLD. Novel cutoffs are suggested in the paper. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.45488
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
Low birth weight is associated with increased risk of COPD, but also has interactions with maternal smoking, older age and passive smoking. Low birth weight and smoking during pregnancy have a joint effect. bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/11/1...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy for patients with exacerbations of COPD significantly reduced the rate of antibiotic prescriptions without negatively affecting treatment success rate or other outcomes. doi.org/10.1016/j.cm... @cmijournal.bsky.social
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Several interesting points in this figure: 1) ex-smokers with COPD are less likely to have cough or phlegm than current smokers; 2) more extensive mucus plugging is associated with lower percentage of patients without these symptoms #COPDGene journal.chestnet.org/article/S001... #chest
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
Framework for understanding the neurophysiologic mechanisms of dyspnea during exercise in patients with COPD journals.lww.com/co-pulmonary...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Differences in microbiome composition and macrophage function between health and COPD #ERS #ERJ #dysbiosis doi.org/10.1183/1600...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
COPD is a heterogeneous complex disease resulting from complex host–environment interactions due to multiple environmental exposures over time, the host’s underlying susceptibility and various host responses at the protein-to-cell and tissue-to-organ scales publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
The last revival of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in COPD? > Long-term treatment with high-dose NAC did not reduce the annual rate of total exacerbations (or improve lung function) in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD. doi.org/10.1038/s414... @naturecomms.bsky.social
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Reposted by Frits Franssen
ATS Blue Journal @atsblueeditor.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Application of ERS/ATS Spirometry Standards and Race-Neutral Equations in COPDGene ERS/ATS criteria discriminate survival, imaging characteristics, and exacerbation rates better than GOLD stage, and highlight use of race-neutral spirometry @atscommunity.bsky.social 🔗 tinyurl.com/mryvmucz
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
New post hoc analysis of the FLAME study reports that blood eosinophil count (BEC) off inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) or BEC change during ICS treatment are more suitable for guiding ICS treatment decisions than BEC on ICS. doi.org/10.1016/j.ch... #chest #COPD #eosinophils
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Impaired lung function is associated with poorer survival for lung cancer patients in the general population @annalsats.bsky.social doi.org/10.1513/Anna...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Classification of COPD severity according to FEV1/FVC ratio (STAR) is significantly associated with all-cause mortality in people with COPD among the general population. Thus, this novel classification may be clinically relevant. @atsblueeditor.bsky.social doi.org/10.1164/rccm...
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Frits Franssen @fritsfranssen.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
The development of pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). From: www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejo... #COPD #respiratory #lungs
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