Chest
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Review
Management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in the Elderly Patient: Addressing Key Questions.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is strongly associated with advanced age. Making an accurate diagnosis of IPF is critical, as it remains only one of many potential diagnoses for an elderly patient with newly recognized interstitial lung disease. Optimal management of IPF, especially in older-aged patients, hinges on such factors as balancing the application of standard-of-care measures with the patient's overall health status (robustness vs frailty) and considering the patient's wishes, desires, and expectations. ⋯ However, the antifibrotic agents pirfenidone and nintedanib have now become commercially available in the United States for the treatment of IPF. The monitoring and treatment of patients with IPF, especially elderly patients with comorbid medical conditions, require consideration of adverse side effects, the avoidance of potential drug-drug interactions, treatment of comorbidities, and the timely implementation of supportive and palliative measures. Individualized counseling to guide decision-making and enhance quality of life is also integral to optimal management of the elderly patient with IPF.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Standardizing Predicted Body Weight Equations for Mechanical Ventilation Tidal Volume Settings.
Recent recommendations for lung protective mechanical ventilation include a tidal volume target of 6 mL/kg predicted body weight (PBW). Different PBW equations might introduce important differences in tidal volumes delivered to research subjects and patients. ⋯ Significant differences between PBW equations for both men and women could be important sources of interstudy variation. Studies should adopt a standard PBW equation. We recommend using the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ARDS Network PBW equation because it is associated with the clinical trial that identified 6 mL/kg PBW as an appropriate target.
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Review
HEATED HUMIDIFIED HIGH-FLOW NASAL OXYGEN IN ADULTS: MECHANISMS OF ACTION AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS.
Traditionally, nasal oxygen therapy has been delivered at low flows through nasal cannulae. In recent years, nasal cannulae designed to administer heated and humidified air/oxygen mixtures at high flows (up to 60 L/min) have been gaining popularity. These high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) systems enhance patient comfort and tolerance compared with traditional high-flow oxygenation systems, such as nasal masks and nonrebreathing systems. ⋯ HFNC also generates a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), which may counterbalance auto-PEEP, further reducing ventilator work; improve oxygenation; and provide back pressure to enhance airway patency during expiration, permitting more complete emptying. HFNC has been tried for multiple indications, including secretion retention, hypoxemic respiratory failure, and cardiogenic pulmonary edema, to counterbalance auto-PEEP in patients with COPD and as prophylactic therapy or treatment of respiratory failure postsurgery and postextubation. As of yet, very few high-quality studies have been published evaluating these indications, so recommendations regarding clinical applications of HFNC remain tentative.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Differential effect of mMRC dyspnea, CAT and CCQ for symptom evaluation within the new GOLD staging and mortality in COPD.
The modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea, the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) have been interchangeably proposed by GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) for assessing symptoms in patients with COPD. However, there are no data on the prognostic value of these tools in terms of mortality. We endeavored to evaluate the prognostic value of the CAT and CCQ scores and compare them with mMRC dyspnea. ⋯ The CAT and the CCQ have similar ability for predicting all-cause mortality in patients with COPD, but were inferior to mMRC dyspnea scores. We suggest new thresholds for CAT and CCQ scores based on mortality risk that could be useful for the new GOLD grading classification.
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The knowledge of airway anatomy is the most fundamental requirement of every bronchoscopist. There are numerous and frequent anatomic variations of the central airways making the examination unique for every individual. It is imperative for every bronchoscopist to be fully cognizant of the common congenital anomalies involving the central airways. ⋯ This article focuses on the congenital anomalies of central airway encountered among adults. Each of these anatomic variations has a characteristic appearance, yet requires bronchoscopic acumen for their identification. This review provides a comprehensive description of these anomalies and highlights their clinical implications.