ERS 2023: Seeking a Healthy Environment for the Lungs

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) 2023 International Congress will take place in Milan, Italy, with a hybrid format. “Pollution, climate change, and sustainable developments” is the topic for 2023 and will be discussed cross-sectionally through the different sessions during the 5 days of the Congress, September 9–13.

Here are some suggestions from ERS experts on what they think should not be missed.

Pollution, climate change and sustainable developments

“Many activities will be organized which focus on these topics. This includes scientific sessions, professional awareness activities, and public awareness and education activities under the ERS/European Lung Foundation Healthy Lungs for Life campaign,” said ERS President Carlos Robalo Cordeiro about the official theme. In addition to the scientific sessions, the Coffee and Clean Air events will represent an awareness moment for healthcare professionals and patients.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD)

Hot topics in ILD are sarcoidosis, phenotypes in ILD, such as progressive pulmonary fibrosis, symptom-based and new therapies in ILD, and discussion of challenging cases. Michael Kreuter, secretary of the ERS Assembly 12, selected three sessions from the program: the Interactive Lungs on Fire session, the Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis: Challenges and Controversies, which also includes patients’ voices, and ALERT sessions, with news from clinical trials in ILD.

Katerina Antoniou, head of the ERS Assembly 12, pointed out the State of the Art session, including a focus on the primary care setting.

Sleep and breathing disorders

“Sleep-disordered breathing affects 9% to 13 % of the population and therefore has major health impacts,” claimed Winfried Randerath, head of the ERS Assembly 4 Sleep Disordered Breathing. These are his picks from the program: a State of he Art session on sleep and breathing disorders, a Hot Topic symposium on precision medicine in obstructive sleep apnea, and one that tackles the burdern of obesity on pulmonary health and lung efficiency.

Airway diseases, asthma, COPD, and chronic cough 

Omar Usmani, head of ERS Assembly 5, mentioned two Hot Topic symposium sessions from the 2023 Congress: Current Challenges in Airway disease Management, with a focus on patient management in asthma, COPD, chronic cough, and rhinosinusitis, and Precision Medicine in Airway Disease: where is the science going and what can we offer in the clinic? “I always enjoy the poster sessions ― pure, novel research, clinical, basic, and translational at its best” added Apostolos Bossios, ERS Assembly 5 secretary.

Thoracic oncology

The State of the Art Thoracic Oncology session was mentioned as not to be missed by Torsten Gerriet Blum and Najib M. Rahman, who are respectively head and secretary of ERS Assembly 11. Gerriet Blum identified low-dose CT lung cancer screening and the management of positive findings in noninvasive diagnostics and biomarkers in lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma among the hot topics for thoracic oncology.

Pediatric respiratory diseases

Marielle Pijnenburg, head of ERS Assembly 7, is looking forward to discussing the latest insights in pediatric respiratory medicine, highlighting the State of the Art session and Year in Review session. “These are always excellent sessions to get a good overview on relevant topics,” she said. She also picked the minisymposium Genetics in Pediatric Respiratory Diseases and the symposium, Addressing Disparities and Deprivation in the Car of Children With Lung Diseases: A World View.

Pulmonary vascular diseases

“This year, you can listen and learn about pulmonary vascular disease and/or pulmonary embolism at every hour of the event,” said Mona Lichtblau, early-career representative of ERS Assembly 13. Among her selections on the topic, the symposium Pulmonary Embolism and Its Implication With Other Clinical Respiratory Settings and Specialties and the skill workshop Clinical-Radiological-Pathological Correlation In Pulmonary Hypertension.

Respiratory critical care

According to João Carlos Winck, secretary of ERS Assembly 2, it is important to discuss new developments in noninvasive respiratory support therapies both in the acute and chronic setting. Among the other hot topics, the new definition of ARDS and the role of stem cell therapies, early mobilization in the ICU, and rehabilitation of ICU survivors. Moreover, the Pro-Con debate Rising From the Ashes: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Early Mobilization” is one of the picks from Christian Karagiannidis, head of ERS Assembly 2

Respiratory infections 

As an early-career representative of ERS Assembly 10, Holly Keir highlighted, among others, a symposium closely related to the official theme of the Congress: War, Climate Change, Migration and Respiratory Infections. “It offers a dynamic discussion on global challenges to respiratory health, and how adaptive strategies and policy interventions can help to minimize health risk,” she commented.

The Wednesday special program

The Wednesday program will cover relevant topics for the respiratory community as well as for citizens. From sessions such as How to Reduce the Tobacco and e-Cigarette Epidemic in Youth to How to Build a Successful, Sustainable, International Research Network? and Building Support for Clean Air Policies, ERS members will be able to discuss hot topics from a broad perspective and learn more about ERS projects.

Milan, much more than fashion districts

For the 2023 Congress, ERS has chosen Milan. “Both the city of Milan and the venue of the Congress have good environmental policies in place and these things need to be acknowledged and championed” said Marisa Bonsignore, ERS Congress 2023 co-chair.

Moreover, Milan is a vibrant European city, full of events and shopping opportunities, but ― above all ― it’s close to beautiful landscapes and is rich in artistic and historical attractions. The Duomo, the Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, and the Pinacoteca di Brera are just some of these art masterpieces.

European Respiratory Society (ERS) 2023 International Congress: September 9–13, 2023, Milan, Italy.

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