Chest
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Chest radiography (CXR) continues to be the most frequently performed imaging examination worldwide, yet it remains prone to frequent errors in interpretation. These pose potential adverse consequences to patients and are a leading motivation for medical malpractice lawsuits. ⋯ The medicolegal implications of such errors are explained. Awareness of commonly missed CXR findings, their causes, and their consequences are important in developing approaches to reduce and mitigate these errors.
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Multicenter Study
Prolonged prone position ventilation is associated with reduced mortality in intubated COVID-19 patients.
Prone position ventilation (PPV) is resource-intensive, yet the optimal strategy for PPV in intubated patients with COVID-19 is unclear. ⋯ Among intubated COVID-19 patients who received PPV, prolonged PPV was associated with reduced mortality. Prolonged PPV was associated with fewer pronation and supination events and a small increase in rates of facial edema. These findings suggest that prolonged PPV is a safe, effective strategy for mortality reduction in intubated COVID-19 patients.
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Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Corticosteroids may be a beneficial adjunct in the treatment of bacterial pneumonia. ⋯ Corticosteroid therapy is associated with a lower incidence of progression to requiring mechanical ventilation among patients hospitalized with CAP. No association was found between corticosteroid therapy and mortality, treatment failure, or adverse events.
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Chest radiography (CXR), the most frequently performed imaging examination, is vulnerable to interpretation errors resulting from commonly missed findings. Methods to reduce these errors are presented. ⋯ Artificial intelligence is among the emerging and promising methods to enhance detection of CXR abnormalities. Despite their potential adverse consequences, errors offer opportunities for continued education and quality improvements in patient care, if managed within a just, supportive culture.