Respiratory care
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A pneumatic tube system (PTS) is a cost-effective, rapid transport modality that utilizes induced pressure changes. We evaluated the clinical importance of 2 transport modalities, human courier and PTS, for blood gas specimens. ⋯ The difference in the PO2 and PaCO2 of paired (walked vs tubed) arterial and venous blood gas specimens demonstrated a slight bias. PaCO2 values demonstrated the greatest bias, however not clinically important. Thus, PTS transport does not impact clinical interpretations of blood gas values.
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E-cigarettes are a diverse set of devices that are designed for pulmonary delivery of nicotine through an aerosol, usually consisting of propylene glycol, nicotine, and flavorings. The devices heat the nicotine solution using a battery-powered circuit and deliver the resulting vapor into the proximal airways and lung. ⋯ Pending regulation by the FDA will enforce limited disclosures on the industry but will not directly impact safety or efficacy. Meanwhile, respiratory health practitioners will need to tailor their discussions with patients, taking into account the broad range of existing effective smoking cessation techniques, including pharmaceutical nicotine replacement therapy.
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and fatal interstitial lung disease associated with poor prognosis and limited effective treatment options. Reliable predictors of outcome in daily clinical practice are needed to determine high-risk patients for urgent lung transplantation referral. This study aimed to identify practical prognostic predictors of mortality using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in IPF subjects. ⋯ This study provides simple, practical, and novel cut-off points for CPET as predictors of prognosis to identify high-risk IPF subjects. Impairment in exercise capacity and abnormal ventilatory responses during CPET were associated with poorer survival in IPF subjects. The findings suggest considering the use of CPET for IPF risk stratification and prediction of prognosis. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT01499745.).
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Exploring the Benefits to Caregivers of a Family-Oriented Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program.
COPD is a highly incapacitating disease, particularly among older people, implying significant burden for family caregivers. Involving caregivers in comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation programs might benefit their functional coping to care demands; however, there is no objective evidence to sustain such assumption. This study is a secondary analysis aiming to analyze the effects of a family-based pulmonary rehabilitation program on close family caregivers of older subjects with COPD. ⋯ The findings provide valuable evidence to recommend the inclusion of COPD family caregivers in comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation. Family-oriented pulmonary rehabilitation maximizes caregivers' adaptive coping and potentially prevents negative psychological outcomes; however, further research is needed.
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Multicenter Study
Intratracheal Administration of Antimicrobial Agents in Mechanically Ventilated Adults: An International Survey on Delivery Practices and Safety.
Intratracheal antibiotic administration is increasingly used for treating respiratory infections. Limited information is available on delivery devices, techniques, and safety. ⋯ Intratracheal antibiotic administration is a common therapeutic modality in ICUs, but inadequate practices were widely encountered, independent of the level of experience with the technique. This suggests a need to develop standardization to reduce variability and improve safety and efficacy.