Chest
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Epidemiologic research has revealed a substantial portion of the general population with abnormal spirometry results that are characterized by decreased FEV1 and FVC but a preserved FEV1/FVC ratio. This restrictive spirometry pattern (RSP) is inconsistently defined in the literature and not well addressed by current guidelines; there is an accumulating body of evidence, however, that RSP is prevalent to a similar degree as airflow obstruction. Genetic and other risk factors for RSP, such as inhalational injuries and early life exposures, continue to be actively described. ⋯ RSP is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, as well as mortality, and it may be an underappreciated cause of functional impairments and respiratory symptoms. Improvement in outcomes in this population will require that clinicians have an appreciation for the significance of this spirometry pattern; additional research into the clinical and radiologic phenotype of these subjects is also needed. This article provides an overview of the recent developments in our understanding of this prevalent and highly morbid spirometry pattern.
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating and incurable progressive fibrotic lung condition associated with a significant disease burden. In recent years there has been an exponential increase in the number of preclinical and clinical studies performed in IPF. IPF is defined according to rigid diagnostic criteria; hence, a significant subset of patients with unclassifiable disease has been excluded from these studies. ⋯ Reclassifying progressive fibrotic lung diseases according to molecular endotypes may allow for more accurate assessment of prognosis and individualized treatment. Furthermore, recent developments that have been applied to a narrow group of patients with IPF may be applicable to those with other progressive fibrotic lung diseases. This review presents the latest developments from translational research in this area and explains how molecular endotyping could revolutionize the diagnosis, stratification, and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
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Because the prevalence of connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD; CTD-ILD) in China is unknown, we wanted to analyze the clinical characteristics of this disease in Chinese patients. ⋯ Patients with CTD-ILD do not receive an accurate diagnosis at the initial hospital admission possibly because of negative serologic test results for autoantibodies and the absence of obvious extrapulmonary symptoms. Thus, patients with ILD should be examined for extrapulmonary symptoms and tested for autoantibodies at follow-up examinations.
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This article describes the use of smart technology by investigators and patients to facilitate lung disease clinical trials and make them less costly and more efficient. By "smart technology" we include various electronic media, such as computer databases, the Internet, and mobile devices. We first describe the use of electronic health records for identifying potential subjects and then discuss electronic informed consent. ⋯ We discuss examples of new electronic devices that recently have been introduced to collect health data. While use of smart technology in clinical trials is an exciting development, comparison with similar interventions applied in a conventional manner is still in its infancy. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of using this omnipresent, powerful tool in clinical trials, as well as directions for future research.
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) during sepsis is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but practice patterns and outcomes associated with rate- and rhythm-targeted treatments for AF during sepsis are unclear. ⋯ Although CCBs were the most frequently used IV medications for AF during sepsis, BBs were associated with superior clinical outcomes in all subgroups analyzed. Our findings provide rationale for clinical trials comparing the effectiveness of AF rate- and rhythm-targeted treatments during sepsis.