Chest
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Lack of family visitation in the ICU can have long-term consequences on patients in the ICU after discharge. The effect of family visitation on the incidence of patient psychiatric disorders is unknown. ⋯ ICU family visitation is associated with a decreased risk of psychiatric disorders in critically ill patients up to 1 year after hospital discharge.
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Cough is a common symptom of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and negatively impacts health-related quality of life (QOL). Previous studies have shown that among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cough may predict progression of lung disease and perhaps even respiratory hospitalizations and mortality. ⋯ Among a large population of well-characterized patients with ILD, cough-specific QOL was associated independently with respiratory hospitalization, death, and lung transplantation.
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The terms sex and gender often are used interchangeably, but have specific meaning when it comes to their effects on lung disease. Ample evidence is now available that sex and gender affect the incidence, susceptibility, presentation, diagnosis, and severity of many lung diseases. Some conditions are more prevalent in women, such as asthma. ⋯ Pathobiological mechanisms explaining sex differences in these diseases are beyond the scope of this article. We review the literature and focus on recent guidelines about using sex and gender in research. We also review sex and gender differences in lung diseases.
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Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is commonly used to evaluate mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Studies focusing on malignant lymphadenopathy have compared 21- and 22-gauge (21G and 22G, respectively) needles and have not identified an advantage of one needle size over the other in terms of diagnostic yield. ⋯ The study did not identify an advantage of the 19G EBUS needle over the 21/22G EBUS needles for diagnostic yield nor sensitivity for sarcoidosis or lymphoma.