The clinical respiratory journal
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Comparative Study
Readmissions for COPD: propensity case-matched comparison between pulmonary and non-pulmonary departments.
Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a common cause of hospitalisation, and the readmission rate is high. We aimed to determine whether patients discharged from a pulmonary department (PD) after an AECOPD episode had a lower COPD-related readmission rate during the next 12 months than comparable patients discharged from other internal medicine departments (ODs). ⋯ There was little difference in COPD-related readmission rates between comparable patients discharged from the PD and the ODs after an AECOPD during 1 year following the index admission.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Inhaled fluticasone furoate/vilanterol does not affect hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in adolescent and adult asthma: randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Fluticasone furoate (FF) is a novel inhaled corticosteroid with 24-h activity. FF is in development as a once-daily treatment for asthma as monotherapy and in combination with vilanterol (VI), a long-acting β2 agonist. Corticosteroids can have systemic effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function, potentially resulting in cortisol suppression. ⋯ FF/VI was found to be non-inferior to placebo on HPA axis function, with no indication of significant cortisol suppression after 42 days.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Acetazolamide improves oxygenation in patients with respiratory failure and metabolic alkalosis.
Coexistent respiratory failure and metabolic alkalosis is a common finding. Acidotic diuretics cause a fall in pH that may stimulate respiration. ⋯ Acetazolamide may constitute a useful adjuvant treatment mainly to be considered in selected patients with respiratory failure combined with prominent metabolic alkalosis or where non-invasive ventilation is insufficient or infeasible.