Chest
-
In-laboratory, attended polysomnography has long been the gold standard for the diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). In recent years, economic pressures and long wait times have driven interest in home sleep testing, which has, in turn, led to the development of algorithms that bypass the sleep laboratory in favor of portable monitoring studies and in-home initiation of positive airway pressure therapy. ⋯ In the inpatient setting, in which SDB is both highly prevalent and associated with adverse outcomes in certain populations, the literature is evolving on the use of portable monitors to expedite diagnosis and treatment of SDB. This review discusses society guidelines and recent research in the growing field of portable monitoring.
-
Reducing hospital readmissions has attracted attention from many stakeholders. However, the characteristics of 30-day readmissions after asthma-related hospital admissions in adults are not known. It is also unclear whether older adults are at higher risk of 30-day readmission. ⋯ After asthma-related admission, 14.5% of patients had 30-day readmission with wide range of principal diagnoses. Compared with younger adults, older adults had higher 30-day readmission rates and proportions of nonrespiratory diagnoses.
-
There is a growing understanding of the prevalence and impact of psychological disorders on COPD. However, the role of these disorders in early readmission is unclear. ⋯ Psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, psychosis, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse are independently associated with higher all-cause 30-day readmission rates for Medicare beneficiaries with COPD.
-
Environmental factors may play important roles in asthma, but findings have been inconsistent. ⋯ Rural children from an agricultural background exhibited a reduced risk of asthma. Early life exposure to crop farming and high environmental endotoxin levels might protect the children from asthma in southern China.
-
Letter Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Comparing the Diagnostic Yield of 21- and 22-Gauge Aspiration Needles for Performing Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Sarcoidosis.