American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in adults of age 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and are currently smoking or have quit within the past 15 years. This recommendation is largely based on the findings of the National Lung Screening Trial. ⋯ Effective screening requires an appreciation that screening should be limited to individuals at high risk of death from lung cancer, and that the risk of harm related to false positive findings, overdiagnosis, and unnecessary invasive testing is real. A comprehensive understanding of these aspects of screening will inform appropriate implementation, with the objective that an evidence-based and systematic approach to screening will help to reduce the enormous mortality burden of lung cancer.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jan 2015
CT Measurement of Airway Remodeling and Emphysema in Advanced COPD: Correlation to Pulmonary Hypertension.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an established complication of advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with increased mortality. The mechanisms coupling PH and bronchial obstruction are unknown; in particular, PH appears to be unrelated to emphysema. We hypothesized that computed tomographic (CT) measurement of airway remodeling instead of emphysema may correlate with PH in COPD. ⋯ This study demonstrates, for the first time to our knowledge, an association between structural alterations of bronchi and PH in COPD. Unlike quantification of emphysema, CT measurement of airway remodeling correlates with PAPm and could be used to estimate the severity of PH in COPD. Airway remodeling burden is not limited to airflow limitation in the assessment of COPD severity and mortality.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jan 2015
Clinical TrialIntermittent Antibiotic Therapy for Nodular Bronchiectatic Mycobacterium avium Complex Lung Disease.
Although intermittent, three-times-weekly therapy is recommended for the initial treatment of noncavitary nodular bronchiectatic Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease, supporting data are limited. ⋯ These results suggest that intermittent three-times-weekly therapy with a macrolide, rifampin, and ethambutol is a reasonable initial treatment regimen for patients with noncavitary nodular bronchiectatic MAC lung disease. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 00970801).
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jan 2015
Comparative StudyDisparities in Pulmonary Function in Healthy Children Across the Indian Urban-Rural Continuum.
Marked socioeconomic health-care disparities are recognized in India, but lung health inequalities between urban and rural children have not been studied. ⋯ The presence of an urban-rural continuum of lung function within a specific ethnic group emphasizes the impact of environmental factors on lung growth in emerging nations such as India, which must be taken into account when developing ethnic-specific reference values or designing studies to optimize lung health.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jan 2015
Early Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Preterm Infants at Risk for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with poor outcomes among preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), but whether early signs of pulmonary vascular disease are associated with the subsequent development of BPD or PH at 36 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) is unknown. ⋯ Early pulmonary vascular disease is associated with the development of BPD and with late PH in preterm infants. Echocardiograms at 7 days of age may be a useful tool to identify infants at high risk for BPD and PH.