Chest
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Limited data are available regarding when to start treatment after a diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacteria-pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) or regarding how achieving culture conversion affects NTM-PD outcomes. ⋯ It may be reasonable to start antibiotics according to the "watchful waiting" strategy for NTM-PD, but given the survival benefits, achieving culture conversion is an important goal for patients in need of treatment.
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Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections are difficult to diagnose and treat. Biomarkers to identify patients with active infection or at risk of disease progression would have clinical utility. Sputum is the most frequently used matrix for the diagnosis of NTM lung disease. ⋯ Sputum proteomics identified candidate biomarkers of NTM severity and treatment response. However, underlying lung disease and typical bacterial pathogens such as P aeruginosa are also key determinants of the sputum proteomic profile.
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A 16-year-old girl presented to the ED with complaints of loose stools, abdominal pain, and rash over her legs for the last 7 days. There was no history of fever, vomiting, oral ulcers, or mucosal bleeds. ⋯ There was a history of significant but undocumented weight loss. On day 3 of hospital admission, she developed numbness over her right foot.
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A 16-year-old male patient was admitted to our Cardiology Department for new-onset exertional dyspnea (NYHA functional class II-III). He had no family history of cardiovascular diseases, no cardiovascular risk factors, and an unremarkable medical history, except for a blunt chest trauma after a motorbike accident 2 years earlier.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Virginia adult cystic fibrosis (CF) center transitioned from in-person clinical encounters to a model that included interdisciplinary telemedicine. The pandemic presented an unprecedented opportunity to assess the impact of the interdisciplinary telemedicine model on clinical CF outcomes. ⋯ This CF care model, which includes IDC-TM, successfully monitored lung function and BMI, identified exacerbations, and followed guidelines-based care during the pandemic. A significant decrease in antibiotic use suggests that social mitigation strategies were protective.