American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2017
Editorial Historical ArticleFifty Years of Physiology in Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2017
Multicenter StudyJoblessness and Lost Earnings After ARDS in a 1-Year National Multicenter Study.
Following acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), joblessness is common but poorly understood. ⋯ At 12 months after ARDS, nearly one-half of previously employed survivors were jobless. Post-ARDS joblessness is associated with readily identifiable patient and hospital variables and accompanied by substantial lost earnings and a shift toward government-funded healthcare coverage.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2017
ReviewHealth Disparities in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Blueprint for Action. An Official American Thoracic Society Statement.
Health disparities have a major impact in the quality of life and clinical care received by minorities in the United States. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare cardiopulmonary disorder that affects children and adults and that, if untreated, results in premature death. The impact of health disparities in the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical outcome of patients with PAH has not been systematically investigated. ⋯ At present, there are few studies that address health disparities in PAH. Given the potential adverse impact of health disparities, we recommend that research efforts be undertaken to address the topics discussed in the document. Awareness of health disparities will likely improve advocacy efforts, public health policy and the quality of care of vulnerable populations with PAH.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2017
Comparative StudySpirometry Reference Equations from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).
Accurate reference values for spirometry are important because the results are used for diagnosing common chronic lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, estimating physiologic impairment, and predicting all-cause mortality. Reference equations have been established for Mexican Americans but not for others with Hispanic/Latino backgrounds. ⋯ For patients of Dominican and Puerto Rican background who present with pulmonary symptoms in clinical practice, use of background-specific spirometry reference equations may provide more appropriate predicted and lower limit of normal values, enabling more accurate diagnoses of abnormality and physiologic impairment.