Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease
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COVID-19 has grown into a global pandemic that has strained healthcare throughout the world. There is a sense of urgency in finding a cure for this deadly virus. In this study, we reviewed the empiric options used in common practice for COVID-19, based on the literature available online, with an emphasis on human experiences with these treatments on severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-COV-1) and other viruses. ⋯ The use of lopinavir-ritonavir did not prove beneficial in a large RCT. The use of corticosteroids should be avoided in COVID-19 pneumonia unless used for other indications, based on the suggestion of harm in patients with SARS-COV-1 and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) infection. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
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Ther Adv Respir Dis · Jan 2020
Observational StudyReal-life experiences in a single center: efficacy of pirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and fibrotic idiopathic non-specific interstitial pneumonia patients.
Pirfenidone is the first antifibrotic drug approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and it is used in the treatment of other interstitial pneumonias, such as unclassifiable interstitial lung disease (ILD) and connective tissue-related ILD. This study examined the efficacy of pirfenidone in patients with IPF and fibrotic idiopathic non-specific interstitial pneumonia (f-iNSIP). ⋯ Pirfenidone safely reduced disease progression by improving the lung function and progression-free survival in IPF patients, with acceptable side effects. The efficacy of pirfenidone on f-iNSIP was not significant, suggesting the need for further studies.The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
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Ther Adv Respir Dis · Jan 2020
Is thoracoscopy superior to thoracotomy in the treatment of congenital lung malformations? An updated meta-analysis.
A meta-analysis was performed for a comparison of outcomes between video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy for congenital lung malformations (CLM). ⋯ VATS is associated with fewer complications, less use of epidural anesthesia, shorter length of stay and length of chest drainage, but longer operative time, as compared with thoracotomy. Symptomatic patients with CLM using VATS may be prone to conversion to thoracotomy.The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
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Ther Adv Respir Dis · Jan 2020
Meta AnalysisC-reactive protein, procalcitonin, D-dimer, and ferritin in severe coronavirus disease-2019: a meta-analysis.
Patients critically ill with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) feature hyperinflammation, and the associated biomarkers may be beneficial for risk stratification. We aimed to investigate the association between several biomarkers, including serum C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), D-dimer, and serum ferritin, and COVID-19 severity. ⋯ This meta-analysis showed that an elevated serum CRP, PCT, D-dimer, and ferritin were associated with a poor outcome in COVID-19. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.