Differences of ventilatory muscle recruitment and work of breathing in COPD and interstitial lung disease during exercise: a comprehensive evaluation.

Introduction: COPD and interstitial lung disease (ILD) are significant chronic respiratory disorders, impacting quality of life. Respiratory muscle roles and differences remain not entirely clear. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the degree of recruitment of the respiratory muscles and the work of breathing in COPD and ILD during exercise.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Heart Failure: Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment for HFpEF and HFrEF.

Purpose Of Review: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is common in heart failure (HF), and it has a significant impact on the prognosis and quality of life of patients. Additionally, COPD is independently associated with lower adherence to first-line HF therapies. In this review, we outline the challenges of identifying and managing HF with preserved (HFpEF) and reduced (HFrEF) ejection fraction with coexisting COPD.

Long-term respiratory follow-up of ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients: Prospective cohort study.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) survivors exhibit multisystemic alterations after hospitalization. Little is known about long-term imaging and pulmonary function of hospitalized patients intensive care unit (ICU) who survive COVID-19. We aimed to investigate long-term consequences of COVID-19 on the respiratory system of patients discharged from hospital ICU and identify risk factors associated with chest computed tomography (CT) lesion severity.

Vocal Impact in Patients With Unilateral Diaphragmatic Paralysis.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the possible vocal impact confirmed by diagnostic tests, the degree of perception of possible vocal impairment by patients with Unilateral Diaphragmatic paralysis (UDP) and its correlation with ventilatory weakness.

Methods: The researchers conducted an analytical, observational and case-control study with 70 individuals, including 35 UDP patients and 35 healthy patients in a control group, who underwent the following assessments: 1) Self-assessment of voice handicap (VHI-10); 2) Self-Assessment of Quality of Life (SF-36); 3) Self-Assessment of Dyspnea (MRC); 4) Objective vocal measures (Maximum Phonation Time (MPT) in /a/, /s/, /z/ and glottal-to-noise excitation ratio); 5) Functional respiratory pressures (Spirometry and maximum ventilatory pressures); 6) General degree of dysphonia - G on the GRBAS Scale. The sex, age and body mass index (BMI) of the individuals were the variables used to match the sample of this study.

A Convolutional Neural Network Approach to Quantify Lung Disease Progression in Patients with Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP).

Rationale and Objectives To evaluate associations between longitudinal changes of quantitative CT parameters and spirometry in patients with fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). Materials and Methods Serial CT images and spirometric data were retrospectively collected in a group of 25 fibrotic HP patients. Quantitative CT analysis included histogram parameters (median, interquartile range, skewness, and kurtosis) and a pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN)-based textural analysis, aimed at quantifying the extent of consolidation (C), fibrosis (F), ground-glass opacity (GGO), low attenuation areas (LAA) and healthy tissue (H).

Thoracoabdominal asynchrony associates with exercise intolerance in fibrotic interstitial lung diseases.

Background And Objective: The precise coordination of respiratory muscles during exercise minimizes work of breathing and avoids exercise intolerance. Fibrotic interstitial lung disease (f-ILD) patients are exercise-intolerant. We assessed whether respiratory muscle incoordination and thoracoabdominal asynchrony (TAA) occur in f-ILD during exercise, and their relationship with pulmonary function and exercise performance.

Unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis: inspiratory muscles, breathlessness and exercise capacity.

Background: Patients with unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (UDP) may present with dyspnoea without specific cause and limited ability to exercise. We aimed to investigate the diaphragm contraction mechanisms and nondiaphragmatic inspiratory muscle activation during exercise in patients with UDP, compared with healthy individuals.

Methods: Pulmonary function, as well as volitional and nonvolitional inspiratory muscle strength were evaluated in 35 patients and in 20 healthy subjects.

Preoperative evaluation for lung resection in patients with bronchiectasis: should we rely on standard lung function evaluation?

Objectives: The scant data about non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, including tuberculosis sequelae and impairment of lung function, can bias the preoperative physiological assessment. Our goal was to evaluate the changes in lung function and exercise capacity following pulmonary resection in these patients; we also looked for outcome predictors.

Methods: We performed a non-randomized prospective study evaluating lung function changes in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis treated with pulmonary resection.

Quantitative CT Analysis in Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: A Convolutional Neural Network Approach.

Rationale And Objectives: Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP) is a heterogeneous condition, where both small airway involvement and fibrosis may simultaneously occur. Computer-aided analysis of CT lung imaging is increasingly used to improve tissue characterization in interstitial lung diseases (ILD), quantifying disease extension, and progression. We aimed to quantify via a convolutional neural network (CNN) method the extent of different pathological classes in cHP, and to determine their correlation to pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and mosaic attenuation pattern.

Diaphragmatic ultrasound findings correlate with dyspnea, exercise tolerance, health-related quality of life and lung function in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease.

Background: Fibrotic interstitial lung disease (FILD) patients are typically dyspneic and exercise-intolerant with consequent impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Respiratory muscle dysfunction is among the underlying mechanisms of dyspnea and exercise intolerance in FILD but may be difficult to diagnose. Using ultrasound, we compared diaphragmatic mobility and thickening in FILD cases and healthy controls and correlated these findings with dyspnea, exercise tolerance, HRQoL and lung function.

Is the 6-minute pegboard and ring test valid to evaluate upper limb function in hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of COPD?

Background: The 6-minute pegboard and ring test (6-PBRT) is a useful test for assessing the functional capacity of upper limbs in patients with stable COPD. Although 6-PBRT has been validated in stable patients, the possibility of a high floor effect could compromise the validity of the test in the hospital setting. The aim of this study was to verify the convergent validity of 6-PBRT in hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD).

Accuracy of Invasive and Noninvasive Parameters for Diagnosing Ventilatory Overassistance During Pressure Support Ventilation.

Objective: Evaluate the accuracy of criteria for diagnosing pressure overassistance during pressure support ventilation.

Design: Prospective clinical study.

Setting: Medical-surgical ICU.

Lung resection improves the quality of life of patients with symptomatic bronchiectasis.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a significant cause of morbidity. Surgical resection is a treatment option, but its main outcomes regarding quality of life (QOL) and physiologic consequences have not been addressed previously, to our knowledge. We aimed to evaluate the effect of surgical procedures on QOL, exercise capacity, and lung function in patients with bronchiectasis in whom medical treatment was unsuccessful.

A pilot study assessing the effect of bronchodilator on dynamic hyperinflation in LAM.

Introduction: Positive responses to bronchodilators (BDs) on spirometry can be found in up to 30% of patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). However, no previous studies have investigated the impact of BDs on exercise outcomes, including dynamic hyperinflation (DH).

Methods: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was conducted on 38 patients with LAM, comparing inhaled placebo versus salbutamol.

Burnt sugarcane harvesting - cardiovascular effects on a group of healthy workers, Brazil.

Background: Brazil is the world's largest producer of sugarcane. Harvest is predominantly manual, exposing workers to health risks: intense physical exertion, heat, pollutants from sugarcane burning.

Design: Panel study to evaluate the effects of burnt sugarcane harvesting on blood markers and on cardiovascular system.

Clinical value of anthropometric estimates of leg lean volume in nutritionally depleted and non-depleted patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aimed to investigate the clinical usefulness of an anthropometrically based method for estimating leg lean volume (LLV) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who presented or not with nutritional depletion. We prospectively evaluated a group of forty-eight patients (thirty-eight males) with moderate to severe COPD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung disease stages II-IV) who underwent a 6 min walking test and knee isokinetic dynamometry. Leg lean mass (muscle mass plus bone) was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) with derivation of its respective volume: these values were compared with those obtained by the truncated cones method first described by Jones and Pearson in 1969.