Chest
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Coronary Plaque Characteristics.
Virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) is an intravascular imaging technique that enables the characterization of coronary plaques. We sought to determine the association between OSA and coronary plaque characteristics in patients presenting with coronary artery disease. ⋯ In patients presenting with coronary artery disease, moderate to severe OSA was independently associated with a larger total atheroma volume in the target coronary artery. Further studies on the effects of CPAP on total atheroma volume are warranted.
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Comparative Study
Obstructive Lung Disease in Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic Whites: an Analysis of Diagnosis and Survival in the NHANES III Follow-up Study.
Although obstructive lung disease (OLD), which includes COPD, affects all the populations, Hispanics seem to be protected against COPD development and progression. Whether this advantage translates into a survival benefit for this population is unknown. We aimed to determine the risk for OLD in Mexican Americans, the largest US Hispanic subgroup, compared with non-Hispanic whites and to assess all-cause mortality in subjects with OLD. ⋯ Although Mexican Americans appear to have lower risk for OLD, subjects of this ethnicity with OLD do not seem to have a survival advantage.
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Comparative Study
The impact of coexisting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on survival of patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer undergoing surgical resection.
COPD is a recognized risk factor for lung cancer, but studies of coexisting COPD in relation to lung cancer outcomes are limited. We assessed the impact of COPD on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ Coexisting COPD is associated with worse survival outcomes in patients with early-stage NSCLC, particularly for men and for SCC.
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The diagnosis of COPD is made by objectively demonstrating nonreversible airflow obstruction of the lungs. Despite this, rates of pulmonary function testing (PFT) for diagnosis remain low. It is still not known why testing is underused. ⋯ Only about one-third of individuals with COPD in Ontario, Canada, received PFT to confirm their diagnosis; age, comorbidity, and physician factors appear to influence its use. Targeted strategies that address these factors could increase the rate of appropriate testing of people with suspected COPD and improve quality of COPD care.