Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors in patients with respiratory failure and metabolic alkalosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Metabolic alkalosis is common in patients with respiratory failure and may delay weaning in mechanically ventilated patients. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors block renal bicarbonate reabsorption, and thus reverse metabolic alkalosis. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the benefits and harms of carbonic anhydrase inhibitor therapy in patients with respiratory failure and metabolic alkalosis.

Ventilator auto-cycling from cardiogenic oscillations: case report and review of literature.

Background: Brain death is the total loss of all brain and brain stem functions, and its diagnosis is often confirmed by an apnoea test, which relies on disconnecting the patient from the ventilator. Auto-triggering or auto-cycling is defined as a ventilator being triggered in the absence of patient effort, intrinsic respiratory drive or inspiratory muscle activity. Ventilator auto-triggering could delay the diagnosis of brain death leading to unnecessary admission for the patient and false hopes of recovery for the family.

COPD updates: what's new in pathophysiology and management?

The historic perspective that used to define chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has changed. As reviewed in this article, it is based on a better understanding of the underlying inflammatory airflow obstruction and a multidimensional classification, which mostly targets a subgroup called 'frequent exacerbators'. Clinical and radioimaging predictors are the stamina for an aggressive therapeutic approach.

Fatal bilateral pneumothoraces complicating dyskeratosis congenita: a case report.

Introduction: Dyskeratosis congenita is a rare genodermatosis, characterized by a triad of reticular skin pigmentation, nail dystrophy and leukoplakia of mucous membranes. It is also associated with a variety of non-cutaneous abnormalities such as bone marrow failure, malignancy and pulmonary complications. Among its wide range of clinical manifestations, fatal pneumothorax has rarely been reported.

Primary dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma of the lung.

Extraskeletal dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas (DC) are uncommon tumors that predominantly occur in the head and neck. Herein, we describe a case of pulmonary DC detected in a patient with systemic sclerosis and presenting with a symptomatic large pleural effusion and a pulmonary lobar consolidation on chest imaging. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of pulmonary chondrosarcoma involving the pleura and occurring in association with systemic sclerosis.