Chest
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Hematologic conditions (malignant or benign) may progress to acute critical illness requiring prompt recognition and intensive management. This review outlines diagnostic considerations and approaches to management for intensivists of common benign hematologic emergencies, including the following: thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, acute chest syndrome associated with sickle cell disease, and hyperhemolysis syndrome.
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The terms sex and gender often are used interchangeably, but have specific meaning when it comes to their effects on lung disease. Ample evidence is now available that sex and gender affect the incidence, susceptibility, presentation, diagnosis, and severity of many lung diseases. Some conditions are more prevalent in women, such as asthma. ⋯ Pathobiological mechanisms explaining sex differences in these diseases are beyond the scope of this article. We review the literature and focus on recent guidelines about using sex and gender in research. We also review sex and gender differences in lung diseases.
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There are few clinically useful circulating biomarkers of lung function and lung disease. We hypothesized that genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of circulating proteins in conjunction with GWAS of pulmonary traits represents a clinically relevant approach to identifying causal proteins and therapeutically useful insights into mechanisms related to lung function and disease. ⋯ sRAGE is produced by type I alveolar cells, and it acts as a decoy receptor to block the inflammatory cascade. Our integrative genomics approach provides evidence for sRAGE as a causal and protective biomarker of lung function, and the pattern of associations is suggestive of a protective role of sRAGE against restrictive lung physiology. We speculate that targeting the AGER/sRAGE axis may be therapeutically beneficial for the treatment and prevention of inflammation-related lung disease.
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Review
Off-Label Use and Inappropriate Dosing of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Cardio-pulmonary Disease.
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly used in clinical practice and have become essential in the management of atrial fibrillation and VTE. The enthusiasm for DOACs has fueled the off-label application of these agents in cardiopulmonary disease, and their use has often outpaced the evidence supporting their application. This article reviews the evidence and current off-label use of DOACs in various cardiopulmonary disease states.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Dupilumab reduces oral corticosteroid use in patients with corticosteroid-dependent severe asthma: An analysis of the phase 3, open-label extension TRAVERSE trial.
Many patients with severe asthma require chronic corticosteroid treatment to maintain asthma control. ⋯ In the open-label TRAVERSE study, dupilumab demonstrated the ability to sustain the OCS dosage reduction from the parent OCS-sparing study, while maintaining a low exacerbation rate and improved lung function.