Chest
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The genesis of dyspnea involves the activation of several mechanisms that are mediated and perceived depending on previous experiences, values, emotions, and beliefs. Breathlessness may become unbearable, especially in patients who are terminally ill, whether afflicted by respiratory-, cardiac-, or cancer-related disorders, because of a final stage of a chronic process, an acute event, or both. ⋯ Assessments of the quality of dying for patients in an ICU consistently show that few patients are considered by family members to breathe comfortably at the end of their life. This review focuses on the management of dyspnea in patients with advanced terminal illness, summarizing clinical trial evidence on pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions available for these patients.
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In advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small biopsy specimens from endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) are often the only available material from cancer tissue for the analysis of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression. We aim to assess the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of PD-L1 expression at ≥ 1% and ≥ 50% on EBUS-TBNA samples compared with their corresponding surgically resected tumor. ⋯ A PD-L1 cutoff of ≥ 1% on EBUS-TBNA has a strong correlation with resected tumor specimen. For PD-L1 ≥ 50%, there is a significant decrease in the sensitivity and PPV of EBUS-TBNA specimen when compared with resected tumor. When analyzing for PD-L1 expression using a cutoff of ≥ 50%, EBUS-TBNA specimens may misclassify the status of PD-L1.
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As seen in this CME online activity (available at http://copdcme.elsevierresource.com/, COPD is characterized by pulmonary airflow obstruction that is not completely reversible. COPD presents clinically with diverse phenotypes ranging from relatively asymptomatic people to patients with severe chronic cough, abnormal sputum production, and dyspnea with exertion. Exacerbations accelerate the downward cycle of breathing difficulties, activity avoidance, and physical decline that characterizes progressive COPD. ⋯ Evidence-based education that addresses individualized maintenance regimens are needed to improve long-term outcomes in COPD. Within this CME/CE Snapshot educational series, an expert pulmonologist and a primary care educator discuss how to best longitudinally evaluate patients with COPD and incorporate the principles of pulmonary rehabilitation to maximize patient function and quality of life. They explain therapeutic tailoring over the course of disease and describe the importance of engaging patients in shared decision-making to promote acceptance of the diagnosis, appropriate physical activity, and treatment adherence.
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Case Reports
A 38-Year-Old Man With a 2-Month History of Fever, Cough, Palpitations, and Weight Loss.
A 38-year-old man of Indian origin, who migrated to Greece 13 years prior to presentation, was admitted to our hospital with a 2-month history of nonprogressive, intermittent (mostly evening), low-grade (up to 38.5°C) fever, accompanied by night sweats, dry cough, mild dyspnea on exertion (modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale grade 1), anorexia, fatigue, and weight loss of 10 kg. He also experienced continuous palpitations, which were regular, not associated with chest pain or dizziness, and aggravated on exertion. ⋯ He was a nonsmoker, had a history of past alcohol dependence, and had been hospitalized twice for acute pancreatitis due to hypertriglyceridemia. He had also been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, presumably poorly controlled because he mentioned not taking any medication or having regular follow-up.
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As seen in this CME online activity (available at http://courses.elseviercme.com/730), COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States among people 65 years of age and older and the fourth leading cause of death among people 45 to 65 years of age. A recent survey reported that about 12 to 15 million people in the United States have physician-diagnosed COPD. However, COPD is significantly underdiagnosed, and data suggest as many as 12 million people in the United States have undiagnosed COPD. ⋯ This CME-certified webcast provides insights into new approaches to identifying patients with undiagnosed COPD, the importance of early initiation of pharmacologic treatment in a guideline-congruent manner, and the importance of repeated patient training in correct inhaler techniques to improve adherence and patient outcomes. Additionally, the online program is part of a larger learning platform (available at https://copd.elsevierresource.com/) that provides free access to the latest clinical information related to the diagnosis and management of COPD. The COPD Learning Center is a freely accessible platform that aims to increase clinical knowledge by providing CME activities, research articles, and resources for health-care providers who treat patients with COPD.