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The association between breathing sounds and respiratory health or disease has been exceptionally useful in the practice of medicine since the advent of the stethoscope. Remote patient monitoring technology and artificial intelligence offer the potential to develop practical means of assessing respiratory function or dysfunction through continuous assessment of breathing sounds when patients are at home, at work, or even asleep. Automated reports such as cough counts or the percentage of the breathing cycles containing wheezes can be delivered to a practitioner via secure electronic means or returned to the clinical office at the first opportunity. ⋯ Little of this has appeared in the medical literature. The potential value of this technology for pulmonary medicine is compelling. We expect that these tiny, smart devices soon will allow us to address clinical questions that occur away from the clinic.
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Although interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with inflammatory myopathies, the current definition and diagnostic criteria of autoimmune myositis remain inadequate to capture the large proportion of patients with lung-dominant disease. As a result, these patients present unique diagnostic and treatment challenges for even the most experienced clinicians. This article highlights the emerging role of autoantibodies in the diagnosis, classification, and management of patients with ILD. ⋯ Additionally, evidence supporting the various therapies used in the treatment of myositis-associated ILD is reviewed. The classification and treatment of patients with myositis-associated ILD remains challenging. A standardized therapeutic approach to these patients is lacking, and prospective studies in the field are needed to determine optimal treatment regimens.
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Hypomethylation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor repressor (AHRR) gene indicates long-term smoking exposure and might therefore be a monitor for smoking-induced disease risk. However, studies of individual longitudinal changes in AHRR methylation are sparse. ⋯ AHRR methylation recovered after individuals quit smoking, and recovery was more pronounced and occurred faster in younger compared with older interim quitters.
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Lung function decline varies significantly in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), impeding individualized clinical decision-making. ⋯ Longitudinal modeling of routine clinical data can allow individualized LAM prognostication and assist in decision-making regarding the timing of treatment initiation.