Chest
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COPD is a chronic inflammatory and destructive disease characterized by progressive decline in lung function that can accelerate with aging. Preclinical studies suggest that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may provide a therapeutic option for this incurable disease because of their antiinflammatory, reparative, and immunomodulatory properties. To date, clinical trials using MSCs demonstrate safety in patients with COPD. ⋯ Unfortunately, the investigational status of cell-based interventions for lung diseases has not hindered the propagation of commercial businesses, exploitation of the public, and explosion of medical tourism to promote unproven and potentially harmful cell-based interventions for COPD in the United States and worldwide. Patients with COPD constitute the largest group of patients with lung disease flocking to these unregulated clinics. This review highlights the numerous questions and concerns that remain before the establishment of cell-based interventions as safe and efficacious treatments for patients with COPD.
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Multicenter Study Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Outpatient Management of Patients With COVID-19: Multicenter Prospective Validation of the HOME-CoV Rule to safely discharge patients.
The Hospitalization or Outpatient Management of Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection (HOME-CoV) rule is a checklist of eligibility criteria for home treatment of patients with COVID-19, defined using a Delphi method. ⋯ A large proportion of patients treated in the ED with probable or confirmed COVID-19 have a negative HOME-CoV rule finding and can be treated safely at home with a very low risk of complications.
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COVID-19, the disease responsible for the devastating pandemic that began at the end of 2019, has been associated with a significantly increased risk of pulmonary thrombosis, even in patients receiving prophylactic anticoagulation. The predilection for thrombosis in COVID-19 may be driven by at least two distinct, but interrelated, processes: a hypercoagulable state responsible for large-vessel thrombosis and thromboembolism and direct vascular and endothelial injury responsible for in situ microvascular thrombosis. ⋯ Given the high mortality and morbidity associated with severe COVID-19 and the concern that aspects of the disease may be driven by thrombosis, many hospital systems have instituted aggressive anticoagulation protocols above standard VTE prophylaxis. In this review, the epidemiologic and pathophysiologic features, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19 pulmonary thrombosis and thromboembolism are discussed.
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Mediastinal lymph node staging in the setting of known or suspected lung cancer is supported by multiple professional societies as standard for high-quality care, yet proper mediastinal staging often is lacking. Neglecting pathologic lymph node sampling can understage or overstage the patient and lead to inappropriate treatment. ⋯ This article discusses the nuances of mediastinal staging and emphasizes the usefulness of a multidisciplinary approach and dialog to address lung cancer staging and treatment. We summarize the relevant guidelines and literature and provide a case scenario to illustrate the approach to mediastinal staging from our viewpoints as a thoracic surgeon and pulmonologist.
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Frailty is associated with poor outcomes in critical illness. However, it is unclear whether frailty screening on admission to the ICU can be conducted routinely at the population level and whether it has prognostic importance. ⋯ Large-scale population screening for frailty degree in critical illness was possible and prognostically important, with greater frailty (especially CFS score of ≥ 6) associated with worse outcomes, including among younger patients.