Chest
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Review
BEYOND CLOTS IN THE PULMONARY CIRCULATION; PULMONARY ARTERY TUMORS MIMICKING PULMONARY EMBOLISM.
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the most common filling defect seen on CT scan pulmonary angiography. Pulmonary artery (PA) tumors can mimic PE on imaging and clinical presentation. One classic feature of tumors is failure to improve on anticoagulation. ⋯ Thus, it is essential that PA tumors, when suspected, receive an expedited confirmatory diagnosis followed by multidisciplinary treatment at an expert center. In this review, we present clinical, imaging, and histopathologic features of benign and malignant PA tumors, emphasizing differentiating features from PE. We also describe available diagnostic and treatment methods for PA tumors.
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Smoking at the time of surgical treatment for lung cancer increases the risk for perioperative morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of persistent smoking in the postoperative period and its association with long-term oncologic outcomes are poorly described. ⋯ Persistent smoking after surgery for stage I NSCLC is common and is associated with inferior overall survival. Providers should continue to assess smoking habits in the postoperative period given its disproportionate impact on long-term outcomes after potentially curative treatment for early-stage lung cancer.
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Randomized controlled trials have failed to demonstrate an effect of CPAP therapy on mortality. However, these studies have a number of important limitations, including low CPAP adherence, patient selection, and a small number of mortality events. ⋯ These real-world data from a comprehensive, unbiased database highlight the potential for ongoing use of CPAP treatment to reduce all-cause mortality in patients with OSA.
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Mechanical ventilation (MV) via tracheostomy is performed commonly for patients who are in long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) after respiratory failure. However, the outcome of MV in COVID-19-associated respiratory failure in LTACHs is not known. ⋯ Our study suggests that patients with COVID-19 requiring MV and tracheostomy have a higher chance for recovery than those without COVID-19.
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Observational Study
The relationship between insurance status and the Affordable Care Act on asthma outcomes among low-income US adults.
Asthma disproportionately affects individuals with lower income. High uninsured rates are a potential driver for this disparity. Previous studies have not examined the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on asthma-related outcomes for individuals with low income. ⋯ Insurance coverage is associated with improved asthma control for adults 18 to 64 years from households with low socioeconomic status. The ACA reduced the rates of uninsured, but did not have the same magnitude of effect on reducing cost barriers. The persistence of cost barriers may explain in part the lack of population-level improvement in asthma control.