Chest
-
Randomized clinical trials of bronchial thermoplasty (BT) were conducted in patients with a baseline FEV1 greater than 50%. There is a paucity of data regarding BT in patients with more severe obstruction, and consequently these patients are often excluded from receiving BT. The purpose of this study was to compare safety and efficacy outcomes in a large cohort of patients with an FEV1 less than 50% with those of a cohort of less obstructed patients. ⋯ This study demonstrates that BT can confidently be offered to patients with asthma with an FEV1 that is 30% to 50% of predicted without risk of more frequent or more severe adverse events, and with the expectation of the same degree of response as patients with better lung function.
-
A 46-year-old otherwise healthy woman visited the ED twice over a period of 4 days for chest discomfort, midback pain, and dyspnea. The pain was localized, constant, nonpleuritic in nature, moderate in severity, and was not relieved by over-the-counter medications.