American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Nov 2015
Evolution of Diaphragm Thickness During Mechanical Ventilation: Impact of Inspiratory Effort.
Diaphragm atrophy and dysfunction have been reported in humans during mechanical ventilation, but the prevalence, causes, and functional impact of changes in diaphragm thickness during routine mechanical ventilation for critically ill patients are unknown. ⋯ Changes in diaphragm thickness are common during mechanical ventilation and may be associated with diaphragmatic weakness. Titrating ventilatory support to maintain normal levels of inspiratory effort may prevent changes in diaphragm configuration associated with mechanical ventilation.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Nov 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyComparison of Treatment Response in Idiopathic and Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.
Studies suggest that patients with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (CTD-PAH) have a poorer treatment response to therapies for PAH compared with patients with idiopathic PAH (IPAH), but individual randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been underpowered to examine differences within these subgroups. ⋯ Treatment for PAH was less effective in CTD-PAH compared with IPAH in terms of increasing 6MWD and preventing clinical worsening. The heterogeneity of treatment response supports the need for identifying therapies that are more effective for CTD-PAH.