Chest
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A 29-year-old woman presented with a 1-week history of fever, weakness, anorexia, darkened urine, and mild cough. The patient described her cough as nonproductive and without hemoptysis. ⋯ She reported regular cigarette smoking, but denied illicit or IV drug use or any recent travel or sick contacts. The patient also had no known pertinent family history.
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This article provides an update on progress toward establishing pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) fellowship training as one of the first four subspecialties to be recognized and supported by the Chinese government. Designed and implemented throughout 2013 and 2014 by a collaborative effort of the Chinese Thoracic Society (CTS) and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), 12 leading Chinese hospitals enrolled a total of 64 fellows into standardized PCCM training programs with common curricula, educational activities, and assessment measures. ⋯ As a result of this initial progress, the Chinese government, through the Chinese Medical Doctor's Association, endorsed the concept of subspecialty fellowship training in China, with PCCM as one of the four pilot subspecialties to be operationalized nationwide in 2016, followed by implementation across other subspecialties by 2020. This article also reflects on the achievements of the training sites and the challenges they face and outlines plans to enhance and expand PCCM training and practice in China.
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Sarcoidosis is a disease that is associated with occupational and environmental antigens, in the setting of a susceptible host. The aim of this study was to examine the association between sarcoidosis mortality and previously reported occupational exposures based on sex and race. ⋯ Findings of prior occupations and risk of sarcoidosis were verified using sarcoidosis mortality rates. There were significant differences in risk for sarcoidosis mortality by occupational exposures based on sex and race.
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This study aimed to show whether circulating bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) levels are associated with increased risk of mortality in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). ⋯ Levels of circulating BMP7 correlate with mortality in PAH, and may be a predictor of disease in patients with HPAH and IPAH.
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ARDS is an important clinical problem. The definition of ARDS requires testing of arterial blood gas to define the ratio of Pao2 to Fio2 (Pao2/Fio2 ratio). However, many patients with ARDS do not undergo blood gas measurement, which may result in underdiagnosis of the condition. As a consequence, a method for estimating Pao2 on the basis of noninvasive measurements is desirable. ⋯ A nonlinear equation more accurately imputes Pao2/Fio2 from Spo2/Fio2 than linear or log-linear equations, with similar observed hospital mortality depending on Spo2/Fio2 ratio vs measured Pao2/Fio2 ratios. While further refinement through prospective validation is indicated, a nonlinear imputation appears superior to prior approaches to imputation.