Chest
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Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is characterized by low serum levels of or dysfunctional alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor. In the lung parenchyma, this results in a loss of protection against the activity of serine proteases, particularly neutrophil elastase. The resultant imbalance in protease and antiprotease activity leads to an increased risk for the development of early-onset emphysema and COPD. ⋯ Moreover, recent advances in quantitative CT have significantly improved our assessment of the lung architecture, which has provided investigators and clinicians with a more detailed evaluation of the extent and severity of emphysema and airways disease in AATD. In addition, serial CT imaging measures are becoming increasingly important, as they provide a tool to monitor emphysema progression. This review describes the principles of CT technology and the role of CT imaging in assessing pulmonary disease progression in AATD, including the effect of therapeutic interventions.
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Multicenter Study
The BRICS (Bronchiectasis Radiologically Indexed CT Score): A Multicenter Study Score for Use in Idiopathic and Postinfective Bronchiectasis.
The goal of this study was to develop a simplified radiological score that could assess clinical disease severity in bronchiectasis. ⋯ A simplified CT scoring system can be used as an adjunct to clinical parameters to predict disease severity in patients with idiopathic and postinfective bronchiectasis.
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive disease with an unknown pathogenesis, may be due in part to an abnormal response to injurious stimuli by alveolar epithelial cells. Air pollution and particulate inhalation of matter evoke a wide variety of pulmonary and systemic inflammatory diseases. We therefore hypothesized that increased average ambient particulate matter (PM) concentrations would be associated with an accelerated rate of decline in FVC in IPF. ⋯ Ambient air pollution, as measured by average PM10 concentration, is associated with an increase in the rate of decline of FVC in IPF, suggesting a potential mechanistic role for air pollution in the progression of disease.
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Gait speed is used increasingly to predict function and future well-being among healthy elderly people as well as for those with long-term medical conditions. When selecting outcome measures such as walking speed, it is important to include the circumstances under which the measurement is made to avoid bias and ensure accurate recommendations. We completed a retrospective chart review of walking test results from patients with chronic lung disease to demonstrate the practical implications of reporting gait speed from either a standing or walking start. ⋯ The standing start speed incorrectly identified some patients as at higher risk for poor health. In a practical example, gait speed from a standing start produced 11 false-negative evaluations of the ability to complete a road crossing at usual speed. We present walking speeds using both methods, which illustrate the importance of construct validity and measurement protocol.
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A 70-year-old woman presented to the ED with oppressive ongoing chest pain that had lasted for 1 hour and was accompanied by intense sweating. The patient had a previous history of bronchial asthma, severe degenerative mitral regurgitation, and an ostium secundum atrial septal defect that had been treated 6 years ago with a prosthetic mechanical mitral valve, Bicarbon 25, and an atrial septal defect closure. ⋯ Two weeks before the current event, because of trauma suffered in her leg, her primary care physician changed her treatment to subcutaneous enoxaparin, 80 mg once daily. Considering that her weight was 80 kg and her renal function was normal, the dose of enoxaparin prescribed was subtherapeutic for a mechanical prosthetic valve.