Chest
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Early Changes over Time in the Radiographic Assessment of Lung Edema (RALE) Score are Associated with Survival in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
The Radiographic Assessment of Lung Edema (RALE) score is associated with the severity of ARDS, and treatments targeted at reducing pulmonary edema such as conservative fluid management cause a reduction in RALE score over time. ⋯ The change in RALE during the first days after ARDS onset is independently associated with survival and may be useful as a surrogate end point in future clinical trials of new therapeutics in ARDS.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Incidence, risk factors, and effects on outcome of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients with traumatic brain injury. Analysis of a large, multicenter, prospective, observational longitudinal study.
No large prospective data, to our knowledge, are available on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT02210221; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.
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Review
Basic and Advanced Pleural Procedures Coding and Professional Fees Update for Pulmonologists.
There is an evolution of pleural procedures that involve broadened clinical indication and expanded scope that include advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, and palliative procedures. Finance and clinical professionals have been challenged to understand the indication and coding complexities that accompany these procedures. This article describes the utility of pleural procedures, the appropriate current procedural terminology coding, and necessary modifiers. Coding pearls that help close the knowledge gap between basic and advanced procedures aim to address coding confusion that is prevalent with pleural procedures and the risk of payment denials, potential underpayment, and documentation audits.
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Patients with autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) are prone to serious infectious complications such as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). In non-HIV patients, the prognosis is poorer, and diagnostic tests are of lower sensitivity. Given the low incidence of PJP in AIIDs, with the exception of granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and the non-negligible side effects of chemoprophylaxis, routine prescription of primary prophylaxis is still debated. ⋯ Effective alternative drugs such as atovaquone or aerosolized pentamidine could be used when trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is not tolerated or contraindicated. No standard guidelines are available to guide PJP prophylaxis in patients with AIIDs. This review covers the epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention of pneumocystis in the context of AIIDs.