Chest
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Effect of oxygen and acetazolamide on nocturnal cardiac conduction, repolarization and arrhythmias in pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension and sleep-disturbed breathing.
Sleep-disturbed breathing (SDB) is common in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). Nocturnal oxygen therapy (NOT) and acetazolamide improve SDB in patients with PH, and NOT improves exercise capacity. We investigated the effect of NOT and acetazolamide on nocturnal cardiac conduction, repolarization, and arrhythmias in patients with PH and SDB. ⋯ In patients with PH with SDB, NOT reduces nocturnal heart rate and QTc in the morning, thus, favorably modifying prognostic markers.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Observational Study
Characterization of First-Time Hospitalizations in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in the REVEAL Registry.
Hospitalization is an important outcome in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), shown previously to correlate with survival. Using the Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term PAH Disease Management (REVEAL Registry), we sought to characterize first-time hospitalizations and their effect on subsequent hospitalization and survival in patients with newly diagnosed disease. ⋯ In the REVEAL Registry, PAH-related hospitalization was associated with relatively more rehospitalizations and worse survival at 3 years.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Study design implications of death and hospitalization as endpoints in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
The feasibility of an interventional clinical trial in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) using death and hospitalization as primary end points is an area of uncertainty. Using data from a large well-characterized clinical trial population, this article aims to illustrate the impact of cohort enrichment and study duration on sample size requirements for IPF clinical trials in which death alone or death plus hospitalization serve as the primary end point. ⋯ Study design decisions, in particular cohort enrichment strategies, have a substantial impact on sample size requirements for IPF clinical trials using time-to-event primary end points such as death and death plus hospitalization.
-
This series of guidance documents on cough, which will be published over time, is a hybrid of two processes: (1) evidence-based guidelines and (2) trustworthy consensus statements based on a robust and transparent process. ⋯ The resulting guidance statements are based on a rigorous methodology and transparency of process. Unless otherwise stated, the recommendations and suggestions meet the guidelines for trustworthiness developed by the Institute of Medicine and can be applied with confidence by physicians, nurses, other health-care providers, investigators, and patients.
-
The appropriate justification for using a diagnostic or therapeutic intervention is that it provides benefit to patients, society, or both. For decades, indwelling arterial catheters have been used very commonly in patients in the ICU, despite a complete absence of data addressing whether they confer any such benefits. Both of the main uses of arterial catheters, BP monitoring and blood sampling for laboratory testing, can be done without these invasive devices. ⋯ Given the potential dangers, widespread use, and uncertainty about consequences of arterial catheter use in ICUs, equipoise exists and randomized trials are needed. Multiple studies in different, well-characterized, patient subgroups are needed to clarify whether arterial catheters influence outcomes. These studies should assess the range of relevant outcomes, including mortality, medical resource use, patient comfort, complications, and costs.