Chest
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of lung expansion techniques on thoracoabdominal mechanics and incidence of pulmonary complications after upper abdominal surgery: a randomized and controlled trial.
Lung expansion techniques (LETs) are widely used to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). However, the effects of each of these techniques on thoracoabdominal mechanics and PPC incidence after abdominal surgery remain unclear. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of LET on pulmonary volumes, respiratory muscle activation, and PPC incidence after major, elective upper abdominal surgery. ⋯ LETs do not modify the changes on thoracoabdominal mechanics or prevent PPCs after abdominal surgery. The indiscriminate use of LETs should not be routinely prescribed to prevent PPCs; however, more studies are required to confirm our results and to change the standard practice.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Response to Fluid Boluses in the Fluid and Catheter Treatment Trial.
Recent emphasis has been placed on methods to predict fluid responsiveness, but the usefulness of using fluid boluses to increase cardiac index in critically ill patients with ineffective circulation or oliguria remains unclear. ⋯ In this cohort of critically ill patients with ARDS who were previously resuscitated, the rate of fluid responsiveness was low, and fluid boluses only led to small hemodynamic changes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Dyspnea-related cues engage the prefrontal cortex: Evidence from functional brain imaging in COPD.
Dyspnea is the major source of disability in COPD. In COPD, environmental cues (eg, the prospect of having to climb stairs) become associated with dyspnea and may trigger dyspnea even before physical activity commences. We hypothesized that brain activation relating to such cues would be different between patients with COPD and healthy control subjects, reflecting greater engagement of emotional mechanisms in patients. ⋯ The findings suggest that engagement of the emotional circuitry of the brain is important for interpretation of dyspnea-related cues in COPD and is influenced by depression, fatigue, and vigilance. A heightened response to salient cues is associated with increased symptom perception in chronic pain and asthma, and the findings suggest that such mechanisms may be relevant in COPD.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Elevated upper body position improves pregnancy related obstructive sleep apnea without impairing sleep quality or sleep architecture early after delivery.
During pregnancy, upper airway resistance is increased, predisposing vulnerable women to pregnancy-related OSA. Elevation of the upper body increases upper airway cross-sectional area (CSA) and improves severity of OSA in a subgroup of nonpregnant patients (positional-dependent sleep apnea). We tested the hypothesis that elevated position of the upper body improves OSA early after delivery. ⋯ Among early postpartum women, 45° upper body elevation increased upper airway CSA and mitigated sleep apnea. Elevated body position might improve respiratory safety in women early after delivery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
The Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Clinical Research Network (IPFnet): Diagnostic and Adjudication Processes.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored IPF Clinical Research Network (IPFnet) studies enrolled subjects with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to evaluate drug therapies in treatment trials. An adjudication committee (AC) provided a structured review of cases in which there was uncertainty or disagreement regarding diagnosis or clinical event classification. This article describes the diagnosis and adjudication processes. ⋯ The IPFnet diagnostic process was generally efficient, but a multidisciplinary adjudication committee was critical to assure correct phenotype for study enrollment. The AC was key in adjudicating all adverse outcomes in two IPFnet studies terminated early because of safety issues. Future clinical trials in IPF should consider logistical and cost issues as they incorporate AExs and hospitalizations as outcome measures.