Chest
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Race-specific spirometry reference equations are used globally to interpret lung function for clinical, research, and occupational purposes, but inclusion of race is under scrutiny. ⋯ Race-specific equations offered no advantage over race-neutral/race-free equations in three distinct explanatory models of dyspnea and chest CT scan abnormalities. Race-neutral/race-free reference equations may improve pulmonary disease diagnoses and treatment in populations highly vulnerable to lung disease.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Phenotypic features of pediatric bronchiectasis exacerbations associated with symptom resolution after 14-days of oral antibiotic treatment.
Respiratory exacerbations in children and adolescents with bronchiectasis are treated with antibiotics. However, antibiotics can have variable interindividual effects when treating exacerbations. ⋯ Children with Indigenous ethnicity, milder bronchiectasis, mild exacerbations (low reported cough scores), or new abnormal auscultatory signs are more likely to respond to appropriate oral antibiotics than those without these features. These patient and exacerbation phenotypes may assist clinical management and development of biomarkers to identify those whose symptoms are more likely to resolve after 14 days of oral antibiotics.
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Review Practice Guideline
How I Do It: MIE Implementation & Management, Aided by Graphics Analysis.
Mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MIE) facilitates airway clearance to mitigate respiratory infection, decompensation, and ultimately the need for intubation and placement of a tracheostomy tube. Despite widespread adoption as a respiratory support intervention for motor neuron disease, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, and other diseases associated with ventilatory pump failure and ineffective cough peak flow, there is debate in the clinical community about how to optimize settings when MIE is implemented. This article will demonstrate the clinical utility of MIE graphics in titrating the initial MIE settings, guiding upper airway and lung protective strategies and providing insight to clinicians for ongoing clinical management.