Chest
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Multicenter Study
A Large-Scale Multi-Center Retrospective Study on Nephrotoxicity Associated with Empiric Broad Spectrum Antibiotics in Critically Ill Patients.
Evidence regarding acute kidney injury associated with concomitant administration of vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam is conflicting, particularly in patients in the ICU. ⋯ VPT is associated with a higher risk of acute kidney injury than both vancomycin and cefepime and vancomycin and meropenem in patients in the ICU, especially for patients with normal initial kidney function requiring longer durations of therapy. Clinicians should consider vancomycin and meropenem or vancomycin and cefepime to reduce the risk of nephrotoxicity for patients in the ICU.
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Patients with asthma and COPD rely on inhalers to control symptoms. Yet, these products remain expensive, in part because brand-name manufacturers have obtained numerous patents on inhalers, including on their delivery devices. Recent antitrust litigation has raised questions about the boundaries of listing device patents with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), particularly when patents do not claim any active ingredients. ⋯ Patent and regulatory reform is needed to promote generic competition and to ensure that patients with asthma and COPD have access to affordable medications.
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Practice Guideline
Effect of Race and Ethnicity on Pulmonary Function Testing Interpretation: A CHEST/AARC/ATS/CTS Evidence Review and Research Statement.
Calls have been made to discontinue the routine use of race and ethnicity in medicine. Specific to respiratory medicine, the use of race- and ethnicity-specific reference equations for the interpretation of pulmonary function test (PFT) results has been questioned. ⋯ A need exists for more and better research that will inform our field about these many uncertainties and will serve as a foundation for future recommendations in this area. The identified shortcomings should not be discounted or dismissed because they may enable flawed conclusions, unintended consequences, or both. Addressing the identified research gaps and needs would allow a better-a more informed-understanding of the effects of race and ethnicity on PFT results interpretation.