Long term adherence to continuous positive Airway pressure in mild obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Studies have shown that a significant percentage of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) do not tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy and long-term use may be as low as 30%. Given the lower levels of symptoms and health-related risks, patients with mild sleep apnea may be at even higher risk for non-adherence to long term CPAP. The purpose of our study was to investigate the prevalence and associations of long-term CPAP adherence in first time users with mild sleep apnea diagnosed by home sleep apnea testing (HSAT).

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage associated with ustekinumab treatment.

Purpose: A case of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) occurring as a reaction to ustekinumab therapy is reported.

Summary: After starting ustekinumab for treatment of psoriatric arthritis, a 46-year-old female presented with flu-like symptoms and cough with blood-tinged sputum that had begun 1 week previously. Her initial computed tomography scan of the chest demonstrated bilateral ground-glass opacities.

Evaluation of Vasopressor Exposure and Mortality in Patients With Septic Shock.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine the association between vasopressor dosing intensity during the first 6 hours and first 24 hours after the onset of septic shock and 30-day in-hospital mortality; 2) determine whether the effect of vasopressor dosing intensity varies by fluid resuscitation volume; and 3) determine whether the effect of vasopressor dosing intensity varies by dosing titration pattern.

Design: Multicenter prospective cohort study between September 2017 and February 2018. Vasopressor dosing intensity was defined as the total vasopressor dose infused across all vasopressors in norepinephrine equivalents.

Variation in Fluid and Vasopressor Use in Shock With and Without Physiologic Assessment: A Multicenter Observational Study.

Objectives: To characterize the association between the use of physiologic assessment (central venous pressure, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, stroke volume variation, pulse pressure variation, passive leg raise test, and critical care ultrasound) with fluid and vasopressor administration 24 hours after shock onset and with in-hospital mortality.

Design: Multicenter prospective cohort study between September 2017 and February 2018.

Settings: Thirty-four hospitals in the United States and Jordan.

Utility of extended cardiac monitoring to detect atrial fibrillation in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and increased risk for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been well established in previous studies. The relationship between OSA and silent AF is unknown. We hypothesized that patients with OSA but no known history of AF are at an increased risk for the arrhythmia and may be detectable by prolonged electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring.

Perseverant, non-indicated treatment of obese patients for obstructive lung disease.

Background: Bronchodilators are a mainstay of treatment for patients with airflow obstruction. We hypothesized that patients with obesity and no objective documentation of airflow obstruction are inappropriately treated with bronchodilators.

Methods: Spirometric results and medical records of all patients with body mass index >30 kg/m2 who were referred for testing between March 2010 and August 2011 were analyzed.

Positive pressure for obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

Obesity is increasing world-wide; obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), formerly Pickwickian syndrome, has increased in parallel. Despite its prevalence, OHS has not been studied well, but there is abundant evidence that it is tightly linked with sleep-disordered breathing, most commonly obstructive sleep apnea. This article reviews the pathophysiology of OHS as well as the literature regarding the benefits of treating this disorder with positive airway pressure.

Cardiac injury in patients with COPD presenting with dyspnea: a pilot study.

Purpose: The aim of this pilot study was to test the hypothesis that myocardial ischemia complicates the management of some patients with chest-pain-free chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations.

Methods: In this prospective, observational, cohort study, patients admitted to a 350-bed community teaching hospital, with dyspnea and a primary diagnosis of COPD exacerbation, were followed for enzymatic and electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial ischemia for the first 24 hours of hospital admission.

Results: A total of 114 patients were studied.

Atypical antipsychotic medications are independently associated with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Atypical antipsychotic (AA) medications are widely prescribed for their Food and Drug Administration-approved uses (acute mania, bipolar mania, psychotic agitation, bipolar maintenance, etc) and off-label indications. Although AA medications are associated with substantial weight gain, their tranquilizing effects may independently contribute to risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) perhaps, by a reduction in activity of hypoglossal or recurrent activity of laryngeal nerve on the upper motor airway musculature.

Methods: We hypothesized that AA medications are associated with more severe OSA independent of weight and neck circumference.

Pulmonary effects of illicit drug use.

The lungs are at considerable risk from the use of injected or inhaled illicit drugs. The extent and clinical significance of illicit drug induced lung damage is not known completely. Drug use leads to an increase in infectious pulmonary disease, historically in relation to nonsterile injection techniques, and, more recently, in relation to HIV infection and its pulmonary manifestations.

HIV-related pulmonary infections: a review of the recent literature.

Antimicrobial prophylaxis and highly active antiretroviral therapy have changed the epidemiology and impact of pulmonary infection in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, pulmonary infection remains a significant contributor to the morbidity and mortality of such patients. Bacterial pneumonia and tuberculosis remain common lung infections in this setting, especially where appropriate prophylaxis is unavailable or when compliance with such therapy is poor.