Annals of the American Thoracic Society
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Low educational attainment is a risk factor of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is limited knowledge on the relationship between educational level and computed tomography measures of emphysema and airway wall thickness (AWT). ⋯ Lower educational attainment was associated with increased emphysema among adults with COPD. Among those without COPD, this association was more pronounced with increasing age. No significant linear relationship between educational attainment and AWT was found. Clinicians treating adults with emphysema should keep in mind that factors related to low education beyond that of smoking and occupational dust exposure might be of importance to the disease.
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Diabetes and hypertension are common among patients with airflow limitation and contribute to cardiovascular (CV) mortality, one of the leading causes of death among patients with airflow limitation. ⋯ Severity of airflow limitation is associated with decreased adherence to β-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors. The decreased adherence to these medications may be related to adverse effects on symptoms in patients with lung disease, and may partially explain excess CV mortality in these patients.
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The indwelling tunneled pleural catheter has altered the management of patients with dyspnea related to malignant pleural effusions. However, indwelling tunneled pleural catheter placement does not remain free from risk. The most commonly reported risk is infection. ⋯ The use of a continuous quality improvement program to review indwelling tunneled pleural catheter practices can result in the identification of infectious complications and lead to implementation of measures to improve patient outcomes.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Post-Acute Care Use and Hospital Readmission after Sepsis.
The epidemiology of post-acute care use and hospital readmission after sepsis remains largely unknown. ⋯ Post-acute care use and hospital readmissions were common after sepsis. The increased readmission risk after sepsis was observed regardless of sepsis severity and was associated with adverse readmission outcomes.