Austrian LEAD Study

Rauchen ist nach wie vor eines der größten vermeidbaren Gesundheitsrisiken in Österreich. Eine aktuelle Auswertung der Wiener Gesundheitsstudie LEAD zeigt, dass der Konsum klassischer Zi******en in Österreich zwar leicht zurückgeht, im Vergleich zu anderen europäischen Ländern jedoch weiterhin hoch ist. Neue Nikotinprodukte gewinnen an Bedeutung, insbesondere bei jungen Menschen.
Im Rahmen der LEAD-Studie wurden mehr als 15.000 Teilnehmer im Alter von 6 bis 82 Jahren über 12 Jahre hinweg begleitet. Die aktuellen Daten zeigen, dass Nikotinprodukte im Durchschnitt erstmals im Alter von 16 Jahren konsumiert werden.
Da sich in diesem Alter sowohl die Lunge als auch das Gehirn noch in der Entwicklung befinden, reagieren beide Organe besonders empfindlich auf Nikotin und andere Inhaltsstoffe.

Unsere Institutsleiterin, Marie-Kathrin Breyer, war zu den am internationalen Jahreskongress der European Respiratory Society präsentierten Ergebnisse diese Woche im Ö1 Mittagsjournal und in der ZIB 1!
🕛 Ö1 Mittagsjournal https://oe1.orf.at/player/20260908/844227/1788863486300
🕛 ORF ZIB https://on.orf.at/video/14338163/16151127/in-oesterreich-wird-weniger-geraucht
Auch im science.ORF.at wurde zum Thema berichtet https://science.orf.at/stories/3237228/
Presseaussendung der European Respiratory Society https://www.ersnet.org/news-and-features/news/smoking-has-declined-overall-but-vaping-has-increased-and-people-are-starting-to-smoke-at-a-younger-age/
Wir freuen uns sehr über die große Aufmerksamkeit für dieses wichtige Thema und danken dem Sender für die Berichterstattung! 💙
Die LEAD-Studie (Lung, hEalth, sociAl, boDy) des Ludwig Boltzmann Instituts für Lungengesundheit, ein Institut der Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, wird von den Partnerorganisationen Wiener Gesundheitsverbund und der Medizinischen Fakultät der Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität in Wien unterstützt.

What an incredible week at in Barcelona!
The annual congress of the Respiratory Society has come to an end, and we are proud to look back on an inspiring and successful week of science, exchange and international collaboration.
Our researchers from the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Health in cooperation with our partner organizations Sigmund Freud PrivateUniversity Faculty of Medicine and Vienna Healthcare Group presented 23 scientific contributions, including an oral presentation, showcasing the breadth and strength of our research.
From lung function and its trajectories across the lifespan to asthma, allergy, small airways disease and COPD, our work covered a wide range of key challenges in respiratory health. Our research also addressed the links between lung health and cardiometabolic factors, body composition, sleep, to***co use and respiratory physiomics.
A particular highlight was the presentation of LEAD-DETECT – Austria’s First Lung Cancer Screening Program, contributing important evidence to the discussion on the future of early lung cancer detection.
We were especially proud to see so many members of our research team presenting their work and engaging with the international scientific community. These contributions demonstrate the strength of longitudinal and population-based research and the scientific potential of the Austrian LEAD Study.
Thank you to all our researchers for their outstanding work and commitment and to everyone who joined us for inspiring discussions and scientific exchange in Barcelona!
We are returning home with new ideas, new connections and even more motivation to continue our mission: advancing research for better lung health.
See you at the next ERS Congress in Milan!

Smoking is declining — but the ni****ne epidemic is changing shape.
We are proud to see our latest research featured in a new press release by the European Respiratory Society (ERS)following a poster presentation of our study at 2026.
https://www.ersnet.org/news-and-features/news/smoking-has-declined-overall-but-vaping-has-increased-and-people-are-starting-to-smoke-at-a-younger-age/
Presented by Charmaine Helk-Lim from the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Health and Sigmund Freud Private University, Vienna, the study examined to***co and ni****ne use among 15,056 participants of the Austrian LEAD study, aged 6–82 years in Austria, followed over 12 years.
What is most concerning: people are starting to smoke at a younger age.
Protecting lung health starts early.

A remarkable achievement at 2026!
We are incredibly proud to celebrate Marie Grasl, whose abstract was awarded the ERS Young Scientist Sponsorship at the Respiratory Society Congress 2026.
Her abstract, “Lung Function Catch-Up in Children and Adolescents: Findings of the Austrian LEAD General Population Cohort,” investigates an important and still poorly understood question: Which factors support the recovery of impaired lung function during childhood and adolescence?
Using data from the population-based Austrian LEAD cohort, she investigated lung function trajectories in more than 2,200 participants over an average follow-up of 4.4 years.
The findings show that lung function recovery during growth is strongly linked to preserved lung volumes and increases in total lung capacity. Persistent asthma and, in children, a history of prematurity were associated with lower odds of lung function catch-up, while smoking exposure may negatively influence recovery in adolescence.
These findings provide important insights into how lung function develops during the critical years of childhood and adolescence — and why protecting lung health early in life matters for lifelong respiratory health.
Congratulations, Marie, on this well-deserved recognition!

Ein Meilenstein für die Lungenkrebsvorsorge in Österreich!
Heute haben wir auf dem ERS-Kongress 2026 die ersten Ergebnisse von LEAD-DETECT https://lunghealth.lbg.ac.at/the-lead-detect-study/?lang=en vorgestellt – Österreichs erstem prospektiven, auf Risikoprognosen basierenden Pilotprojekt zur Lungenkrebsvorsorge mittels Niedrigdosis-CT (LDCT).
Unsere Auswertungen sprechen eindeutig für ein landesweites Programm!

Bei der Lungenkrebsvorsorge geht es nicht nur darum, Krebs früher zu erkennen. Sie bietet gleichzeitig die Möglichkeit, klinisch relevante pulmonale und kardiovaskuläre Begleiterkrankungen zu identifizieren.
LEAD-DETECT untermauert das Potenzial einer risikobasierten, integrierten Strategie zur Lungenkrebsvorsorge für Österreich – und liefert wichtige Daten für die nächsten Schritte auf dem Weg zur Umsetzung.
Wir sind stolz auf unsere Doktorandin Veronika Mikl, unsere Zusammenarbeit mit Prof. Tanja Stamm von der MUW, Prof. Helmut Prosch von der MUW und das gesamte Team unseres Instituts unter der Leitung von Marie-Kathrin Breyer, die zu diesem wichtigen Meilenstein in der Krebsprävention und Früherkennung beigetragen haben.

Our researchers at
Today at the ERS International Congress 2026 in Barcelona, our researchers presented their latest findings of data from the Austrian LEAD study within 4 poster sessions and an oral presentation!
We are proud to see our scientists representing our institute on an international stage and discussing their findings. 🫁
Congratulations to all our researchers for their excellent work and dedication!

Congress highlights today - the latest results of the Austrian LEAD study will be presented within 4 poster sessions and one oral presentation!

The Austrian LEAD study is a longitudinal, observational, general population-based cohort study. this year in Barcelona!
Dedicated to sharing scientific knowledge, fighting lung disease and promoting lung health.

The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Lung Health conducts pioneering research in the fields of lung health and respiratory diseases in cooperation with our partner organizations Sigmund Freud Private University Faculty of Medicine and Vienna Healthcare Group.

Celebrating excellence at ERS Congress 2026 in Barcelona!
Every year, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) presents a range of prestigious awards to recognise scientific excellence, commitment and engagement within the Society. These awards honour exceptional members for their outstanding achievements and their potential to drive further advances across all areas of respiratory medicine and science.
This year, we are especially proud to celebrate Prof. Sylvia Hartl as the recipient of the ERS Presidential Award.
With this distinguished award, the ERS recognises her outstanding scientific merit in the respiratory field, her exemplary achievements, and her valuable contributions both to respiratory research and to the Society.
Our warmest congratulations, Sylvia! We are delighted to see your dedication and achievements recognised in this special way.
We are equally delighted to celebrate Prof. Alvar Agustí, recipient of the ERS Congress Chair Award. This prestigious recognition honours his outstanding contribution to the ERS Congress and to the respiratory community.
Warmest congratulations, Alvar!
The ERS Congress is also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with long-standing collaborators and supporters, including Prof. Barbara Hoffmann (ERS Advocacy Council), Prof. Rosa Faner (Congress Chair), and many other valued colleagues and friends.
Sharing ideas, exchanging perspectives and strengthening collaborations — these encounters are what make the ERS Congress such an inspiring event.

We are here in Barcelona – it is the first morning of this year´s !
Excited to share the latest results of the Austrian LEAD (Lung, hEart, sociAl, boDy) Study (NCT 0172518) at the European Respiratory Society Congress 2026 within 22 poster sessions and one oral presentation!
LEAD is the first longitudinal, single-centre, epidemiological study of the Austrian general population. The aim is to obtain more onformation and knowledge about lung development, lung health and the development of lung diseases.

The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Health conducts pioneering research in the fields of lung health and respiratory diseases in cooperation with the partner organizations Sigmund Freud PrivateUniversity and Vienna Healthcare Group.

In Anerkennung ihres herausragenden Beitrags zur Stärkung der Lungenheilkunde weltweit wurde Univ. Prof.in Sylvia Hartl von der European Respiratory Society mit dem ERS-Presidential Award 2026 ausgezeichnet.

Es war auch der Einfluss der wissenschaftlichen Gemeinschaft der European Respiratory Society, die Sylvia und ihr Team dazu ermutigte, Österreichs größte bevölkerungsbezogene Gesundheitsstudie, die Austrian LEAD (Lung, hEart, sociAl, boDy) Study zu starten.
Die LEAD-Studie wurde 2011 am LBI for Lung Health unter der Beratung führender ERS-Experten (Giovanni Viegi, Torben Sigsgaard, Alvar Agusti, Klaus Vogelmeier, Emiel Wouters) gegründet und hat im Laufe der letzten 15 Jahre zu erfolgreichen Kooperationen mit anderen Experten innerhalb der CADSET-Gruppe geführt.

Dies ist ein Beispiel dafür, wie nachhaltig die von der European Respiratory Society geknüpften Verbindungen sein können.