Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of intelligent volume-assured pressure support on sleep quality in stable hypercapnic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: a randomized, crossover study.
Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NPPV) using intelligent volume-assured pressure support (iVAPS) combines volume- and pressure-preset NPPV and therefore uses a variation of inspiratory positive airway pressures. ⋯ Although sleep quality in hospital was not different between iVAPS and HI-NPPV, COPD patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure reported a trend towards more restful sleep at home with iVAPS. In addition, nocturnal hypercapnia was effectively treated with iVAPS.
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Thoracic ultrasound is a noninvasive and portable diagnostic tool which is highly indicated for an initial workup of thoracic emergencies. The suspicion of a pneumothorax, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism or a lung contusion after trauma can be quickly assessed using ultrasound. ⋯ Another advantage of thoracic sonography is that this rapid, symptom-based examination has a high sensitivity and specificity. However, a disadvantage is that only pleura-affecting lesions or lesions visible through a sound window, e.g. an effusion or a subpleural consolidation, can be reached.
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Patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) share many of the respiratory symptoms and the disease progression of cystic fibrosis (CF). As there are no approved therapies for the management of NCFB, an approach has been to use therapies similar to those used to treat CF. In many cases, however, this is ineffective or detrimental. ⋯ Chronic or frequent use of systemic antibiotics, however, is impractical and sometimes unsafe, so aerosol as a means of delivery is seen as an attractive alternative. The clinical response to and tolerability of inhaled antibiotics have differed significantly between NCFB and CF. New delivery technology, novel antibiotic formulations and a better understanding of the bacterial burden of NCFB are now changing the approach to disease management.
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The discussion about setting up a program for lung cancer screening was launched with the publication of the results of the National Lung Screening Trial, which suggested reduced mortality in high-risk subjects undergoing CT screening. However, important questions about the benefit-harm balance and the details of a screening program and its cost-effectiveness remain unanswered. A panel of specialists in chest radiology, respiratory medicine, epidemiology, and thoracic surgery representing all Swiss university hospitals prepared this joint statement following several meetings. ⋯ Furthermore, requirements for lung cancer screening centers are defined, and recommendations for both the CT technique and the algorithm for lung nodule assessment are provided. In addition, related issues such as patient management, registry, and funding are addressed. Based on the current state of the knowledge, the panel concludes that lung cancer screening in Switzerland should be undertaken exclusively within a national observational study in order to provide answers to several critical questions before considering broad population-based screening for lung cancer.
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In patients with heterogeneous emphysema, surgical and bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (LVR) treatments are available. However, for patients with homogeneous emphysema these treatments are hardly investigated and seem less effective. Bronchoscopic LVR coil treatment has been shown to be effective in patients with heterogeneous emphysema, but this treatment has not been exclusively investigated in homogeneous emphysema. ⋯ LVR coil treatment in homogeneous patients improves hyperinflation, airway resistance, exercise capacity and quality of life with an acceptable safety profile. The benefit of LVR coil treatment is not limited to patients with heterogeneous emphysema, and patients with homogenous emphysema can benefit as well.