Chest
-
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an interstitial lung disease of unknown origin. A limited number of small studies show an effect of tobacco smoking on risk of IPF, but second-hand smoking has not been examined. ⋯ Active and maternal tobacco smoking have an independent detrimental effect on risk of IPF and work synergistically. Also, intensity of smoking presents a dose-response association with IPF, strengthening the hypothesis for a potentially causal association.
-
Different lung ultrasound (LUS) scanning protocols have been used, and the results in terms of diagnostic accuracy are heterogeneous. ⋯ The LUS score is able to predict msBPD from the third DOL with a moderate diagnostic accuracy. Scanning posterior lung fields slightly improved diagnostic accuracy only at the 14th DOL. Adding GA and sex improves the diagnostic accuracy of the LUS scores. The LUS score is useful to stratify BPD risk early after birth.
-
Smokers manifest varied phenotypes of pulmonary impairment. ⋯ Lung hyperinflation is associated strongly with clinical and subclinical CAD in smokers, including those with airflow obstruction. After lung hyperinflation was accounted for, FEV1 and emphysema no longer were associated with CAD. Subsequent studies should consider measuring lung hyperinflation and examining its mechanistic role in CAD in current and former smokers.
-
Evidence-based guidelines recommend management strategies for malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) based on life expectancy. Existent risk-prediction rules do not provide precise individualized survival estimates. ⋯ EMM is present between cancer type and other predictors; thus, DSMs outperformed the models that failed to account for this. Discrete risk-prediction models lacked enough precision to be useful for individual-level predictions.
-
Multicenter Study Observational Study
Clinical and Prognostic Impact of low DLco values in patients with GOLD I COPD.
The Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) does not promote diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (Dlco) values in the evaluation of COPD. In GOLD spirometric stage I COPD patients, the clinical and prognostic impact of a low Dlco has not been explored. ⋯ A Dlco cutoff value of <60% predicted was associated with all-cause mortality (Dlco ≥ 60%: 9% vs Dlco < 60%: 23%, P = .01). At a same FEV1% predicted and Charlson score, patients with Dlco < 60% had lower BMI, more dyspnea, lower inspiratory capacity (IC)/total lung capacity (TLC) ratio, lower 6-min walk distance (6MWD), and higher BODE. Cox multiple regression analysis confirmed that after adjusting for age, sex, pack-years history, smoking status, and BMI, a Dlco < 60% is associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 95% CI = 3.37, 1.35-8.39; P = .009) INTERPRETATION: In GOLD I COPD patients, a Dlco < 60% predicted is associated with increased risk of death and worse clinical presentation. What the cause(s) of this association are and whether they can be treated need to be determined.