Expert review of respiratory medicine
-
Expert Rev Respir Med · Oct 2015
ReviewManagement of patients with respiratory infections in primary care: procalcitonin, C-reactive protein or both?
Use of inflammatory biomarkers to guide antibiotic decisions has shown promising results in the risk-adapted management of respiratory tract infections, mainly in the inpatient setting. Several observational and interventional trials have investigated the benefits of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) testing in primary care. Both markers have shown promising results, although CRP is an inflammatory biomarker while PCT is more specific for bacterial infections. ⋯ A high-quality trial comparing these two markers for the management of patients in primary care is currently lacking. The aim of this paper is to review the existing literature investigating the use of PCT and CRP in primary care. The authors compare their performance for guiding antibiotic stewardship and analyze the cut-off values and endpoints to put these parameters into context in a low-acuity environment.
-
Expert Rev Respir Med · Oct 2015
ReviewDual bronchodilator therapy with aclidinium bromide/formoterol fumarate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Inhaled bronchodilator therapy is a mainstay of treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Despite the number and types of treatments available, the control of symptoms and exacerbations remains suboptimal, and adherence to, and persistence with, inhaled therapy is generally poor. ⋯ Several combinations of a LAMA plus a LABA have recently become available in a single inhaler for maintenance therapy for adults with moderate-to-severe COPD, including aclidinium bromide/formoterol fumarate, glycopyrronium/indacaterol and umeclidinium/vilanterol. Here, we review clinical data demonstrating significant improvements in bronchodilation, 24-h symptoms, and health status with aclidinium/formoterol twice daily, and discuss how this treatment can be implemented in clinical practice as part of a patient-focused approach to disease control.
-
Expert Rev Respir Med · Aug 2015
ReviewShould we treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a cardiovascular disease?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by largely irreversible airflow limitation and is associated with several extrapulmonary manifestations and co-morbidities. Cardiovascular diseases are among the most frequent co-morbid conditions affecting patients with COPD and have important prognostic implications for hospitalization and mortality. In turn, COPD shares common risk factors with several cardiovascular diseases (i.e., smoking habit), while several features of COPD can predispose to cardiovascular disease (i.e., gas exchange abnormalities, polycythemia, systemic inflammation and sedentary lifestyle). ⋯ This review will discuss the increased prevalence and prognostic implications of cardiovascular co-morbidities in patients with COPD. The effect of COPD on the outcomes in cardiovascular disease will also be highlighted and the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie cardiovascular co-morbidities in patients with COPD will also be reviewed. Finally, options for the management of cardiovascular co-morbidities in patients with COPD will be discussed.
-
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is categorized into hereditary, secondary and autoimmune PAP (aPAP) types. The common pathogenesis is the ability of the alveolar macrophages to catabolize phagocytized surfactant is affected. Hereditary PAP is caused by mutations involving the GM-CSF signaling, particularly in genes for the GM-CSF receptor and sometimes by GATA2 mutations. ⋯ Myeloid cells' immunity deteriorates, increasing the risk of infections. Treatment of PAP is based on its etiology. In aPAP, recent therapeutic advances might shift the treatment option from the whole lung lavage procedure under general anesthesia to the inhalation of GM-CSF 'as needed'.
-
Expert Rev Respir Med · Jun 2015
ReviewDefining exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a very common disease often punctuated by intermittent episodes of exacerbation. These exacerbations affect the natural history of the disease, accelerating a decline in lung function. They affect the individual in many ways and affect the health service caring for these patients. ⋯ The definitions used most are either symptom based, for example, breathlessness, sputum production and sputum purulence, or event driven, for example, an event causing a patient to seek healthcare input or change to medications. In this article, we discuss the importance of exacerbations, the clinical definitions, clinical trial definitions, physiological and biomarker evidence of exacerbations and the challenges associated with each of these. Application of a practical definition would aid in our clinical management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and facilitate developments in future therapeutic advances through clinical trials.