Chest
-
The implementation of workplace smoking bans has contributed to a significant reduction in the incidence of acute coronary syndrome admissions, but their influence on adult acute pulmonary disease admissions is unclear. We sought to assess the impact of a national smoking ban on nationwide admissions of individuals of working age with acute pulmonary illness. ⋯ The implementation of a nationwide workplace smoking ban is associated with a decline in admissions with acute pulmonary disease among specific age groups and an overall reduction in asthma admissions. This may result from reduced exposure of vulnerable individuals to environmental tobacco smoke, emphasizing the potential benefit of legislation reducing second-hand smoke exposure.
-
Nutrition is an important component of clinical care for patients with cystic fibrosis. We aimed to test the hypothesis that increased BMI, height, and level of creatinine as a biomarker for lean muscle mass are associated with lower mortality and whether differences in these measures may contribute toward sex differences in survival in cystic fibrosis. ⋯ Lower muscle mass, shorter stature, and a low BMI are associated with increased mortality in cystic fibrosis. These measures of body habitus may contribute to the sex-specific survival differences in individuals with cystic fibrosis.
-
No data on long-term outcomes of survivors of 2009 influenza A(H1N1) (A[H1N1])-associated ARDS are available. The objective of this study was to compare the 1-year outcomes of survivors of A(H1N1)-associated ARDS, according to use or no use of extracorporeal lung assist (ECLA), using its need as an ARDS severity surrogate. ⋯ One year post-ICU discharge, a majority of survivors of A(H1N1)-associated ARDS had minor lung disabilities with diminished diffusion capacities across the blood-gas barrier, and most had psychologic impairment and poorer HRQoL than a sex- and age-matched general population group. ECLA and no-ECLA group patients had comparable outcomes.