Chest
-
A 21-year-old male college student presented for a second opinion with low alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) levels and complaints of episodic dyspnea with wheezing and cough. He was a never smoker with a medical history of frequent respiratory tract infections in early childhood and allergy to dander, dust mites, peanuts, and eggs. ⋯ His symptoms were not controlled on inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators. His AAT genotype was found to be PI∗SZ, and augmentation therapy (with pooled human-plasma derived AAT) was recommended locally.
-
Ozone effects on lung function are particularly important to understand in the context of the air pollution-health outcomes epidemiologic literature, given the complex relationships between ozone and other air pollutants with known lung function effects. ⋯ Much of this literature involves concentrations below the current US Environmental Protection Agency's National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 70 parts per billion over an 8-h averaging time, suggesting that this current standard may not protect children adequately from ozone-related decrements in lung function.
-
Sarcoidosis-related hospitalizations have been increasing in the past decade. There is a paucity of data on mortality trends over time in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and respiratory failure who are hospitalized. ⋯ Hospitalizations for respiratory failure in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis are increasing; however, inpatient mortality from respiratory failure has declined. Older age, respiratory failure, pHTN, and frailty are important predictors of inpatient mortality in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis who are hospitalized.
-
The coping styles of the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire (SICQ; positivism, redefinition, toughness, fighting spirit, nonacceptance) may affect the health and recovery of hospitalized critically ill patients. ⋯ SICQ coping is associated with long-term mental HRQoL, hospital length of stay, and hazard for death among hospitalized critically ill patients.
-
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States. Prospective randomized lung screening trials suggest a greater lung cancer mortality benefit from screening women compared with men. ⋯ Although the USPSTF 2021 eligibility criteria are more sensitive than the USPSTF 2013 guidelines, sex disparities in eligibility remain. Adding the PLCOm2012 risk prediction model to the USPSTF guidelines would improve sensitivity and attenuate sex disparities.