American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2019
Effect of Including Important Clinical Variables on Accuracy of the Lung Allocation Score for Cystic Fibrosis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Rationale: Clinical variables associated with shortened survival in patients with advanced-stage cystic fibrosis (CF) are not included in the lung allocation score (LAS). Objectives: To identify variables associated with wait-list and post-transplant mortality for CF lung transplant candidates using a novel database and to analyze the impact of including new CF-specific variables in the LAS system. Methods: A deterministic matching algorithm identified patients from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry. ⋯ Priority for transplant increased for COPD candidates. Access did not change for other diagnosis groups. Conclusions: Adding CF-specific variables improved discrimination among wait-listed CF candidates and benefited COPD candidates.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2019
Standardization of Spirometry 2019 Update. An Official American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society Technical Statement.
Background: Spirometry is the most common pulmonary function test. It is widely used in the assessment of lung function to provide objective information used in the diagnosis of lung diseases and monitoring lung health. In 2005, the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society jointly adopted technical standards for conducting spirometry. ⋯ The experience and expertise of task force members were used to develop recommended best practices. Conclusions: Standards and consensus recommendations are presented for manufacturers, clinicians, operators, and researchers with the aims of increasing the accuracy, precision, and quality of spirometric measurements and improving the patient experience. A comprehensive guide to aid in the implementation of these standards was developed as an online supplement.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2019
Lung Computational Models and the Role of the Small Airways in Asthma.
Rationale: Asthma is characterized by disease within the small airways. Several studies have suggested that forced oscillation technique-derived resistance at 5 Hz (R5) - resistance at 20 Hz (R20) is a measure of small airway disease; however, there has been limited validation of this measurement to date. Objectives: To validate the use of forced oscillation R5 - R20 as a measure of small airway narrowing in asthma, and to investigate the role that small airway narrowing plays in asthma. ⋯ Measurements and Main Results: Simulations demonstrated that narrowing of the small airways had a greater impact on R5 - R20 than narrowing of the larger airways and was associated (above a threshold of approximately 40% narrowing) with marked deterioration in both asthma control and asthma quality of life, above the minimal clinical important difference. The observed treatment effect on R5 - R20 in the pooled trials equated to a predicted small airway narrowing reversal of approximately 40%. Conclusions: We have demonstrated, using computational modeling, that forced oscillation R5 - R20 is a direct measure of anatomical narrowing in the small airways and that small airway narrowing has a marked impact on both asthma control and quality of life and may be modified by biologics.