Donor to recipient age matching in lung transplantation: A European experience.

Background: The age profile of organ donors and patients on lung transplantation (LT) waiting lists have changed over time. In Europe, the donor population has aged much more rapidly than the recipient population, making allocation decisions on lungs from older donors common. In this study we assessed the impact of donor and recipient age discrepancy on LT outcomes in the UK and France.

Emerging therapies and respiratory infections: Focus on the impact of immunosuppressants and immunotherapies.

Host defences to infection are based upon an integrated system of physical and biochemical barriers, innate and adaptive immunity. Weakness in any of these defensive elements leads to increased susceptibility to specific pathogens. Understanding how medical therapies disrupt host defences is key to the successful prevention, diagnosis and management of respiratory infection in the immunocompromised host.

Variable Sequestration of Antifungals in an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Circuit.

Fungal infections are common and frequently associated with clinical failure in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Antifungal drugs have physicochemical characteristics associated with a higher likelihood of sequestration onto ECMO circuitry potentially leading to a subtherapeutic drug concentration. The percentage of sequestration of the antifungal drugs-caspofungin, posaconazole, and voriconazole-was determined using an ex vivo ECMO model.

Reproductive health after thoracic transplantation: An ISHLT expert consensus statement.

Pregnancy after thoracic organ transplantation is feasible for select individuals but requires multidisciplinary subspecialty care. Key components for a successful pregnancy after lung or heart transplantation include preconception and contraceptive planning, thorough risk stratification, optimization of maternal comorbidities and fetal health through careful monitoring, and open communication with shared decision-making. The goal of this consensus statement is to summarize the current evidence and provide guidance surrounding preconception counseling, patient risk assessment, medical management, maternal and fetal outcomes, obstetric management, and pharmacologic considerations.

Efficacy and Safety of the 9-mm Intrabronchial Valve in Patients with Advanced Emphysema.

Background: Endoscopic valve therapy aims at lung volume reduction that is associated with improved lung function, exercise tolerance and quality of life in emphysema patients. The size of intrabronchial valves of the Spiration® Valve System (SVS) selected to achieve lobar occlusion may have an influence on treatment outcomes.

Methods: 49 severe emphysema patients (M/F: 24/25, age: 64 ± 7 years), with complete interlobar fissures on the side intended to be treated, underwent treatment with at least one 9-mm intrabronchial valve implantation at 3 centers and were followed up at 30, 90 and 180 days after intervention.

Long term follow-up of quality of life and functional ability in patients with ICU acquired Weakness - A post hoc analysis.

Purpose: ICU acquired Weakness (ICUaW) is a common complication of critical illness. The aim of our study was the assessment of quality of life (QoL) and functional ability of patients with ICUaW, 6 months post hospital discharge.

Material And Methods: Eight hundred seventy eight consecutive patients who had been discharged from the ICU were evaluated and 128 of them, 36 with ICUaW, were eligible for the study.

Endoscopic Valve Removal >180 Days since Implantation in Patients with Severe Emphysema.

Background: Valve implantation provides a reversible effective therapy in a selected group of emphysema patients. Knowing predictors for successful therapy, the rate of treatment failure has decreased. Some patients, however, do not benefit, so that the valves may have to be removed.

Medium-term impact of the economic crisis on mortality, health-related behaviours and access to healthcare in Greece.

Previous studies on the health consequences of the crisis in Greece investigated short-term impacts on selected outcomes. This study examined the impact of the crisis on a key set of health indicators with longer follow up than previous studies. We conducted interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to compare trends in standardised mortality by cause before and during the crisis.

Effect of neuromuscular stimulation and individualized rehabilitation on muscle strength in Intensive Care Unit survivors: A randomized trial.

Purpose: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors experience muscle weakness leading to restrictions in functional ability. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been an alternative to exercise in critically ill patients. The aim of our study was to investigate its effects along with individualized rehabilitation on muscle strength of ICU survivors.

Coil therapy for patients with severe emphysema and bilateral incomplete fissures - effectiveness and complications after 1-year follow-up: a single-center experience.

Background: Lung volume reduction coil (LVRC) treatment is established in daily endoscopic lung volume reduction routine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LVRC treatment.

Patients And Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 86 patients (male/female: 40/46, mean age: 64±7 years) with severe COPD and bilateral incomplete fissures.

Use of Ventilator Bundle and Staff Education to Decrease Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Intensive Care Patients.

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, has a high mortality rate.

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of VAP in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit and to examine the effects of the implementation of ventilator bundles and staff education on its incidence.

Methods: A 24-month-long before/after study was conducted, divided into baseline, intervention, and postintervention periods.

Predictors of pneumothorax following endoscopic valve therapy in patients with severe emphysema.

Background: Endoscopic valve implantation is an effective treatment for patients with advanced emphysema. Despite the minimally invasive procedure, valve placement is associated with risks, the most common of which is pneumothorax. This study was designed to identify predictors of pneumothorax following endoscopic valve implantation.

Predictors of clinical outcome in emphysema patients with atelectasis following endoscopic valve therapy: A retrospective study.

Background And Objective: The aim of endoscopic valve therapy in patients with emphysema is complete lobar atelectasis of the most emphysematous lobe. However, even after the radiological advent of atelectasis, great variability in clinical outcomes can be observed.

Methods: The baseline clinical measures (vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory flow in 1 s (FEV1 ), residual volume (RV) and 6-min walk test (6-MWT)) and computed tomography variables (low attenuation volume (LAV) of the target lobe, LAV% of the target and the ipsilateral untreated lobe and LAV of the target lobe to LAV of the target lung and to LAV of the total lung) of 77 patients with complete atelectasis following valve therapy were retrospectively examined to determine their impact on patient´s outcome (changes in VC, FEV1 , RV and 6-MWT from baseline to the time of atelectasis).

Two-year trends and predictors of e-cigarette use in 27 European Union member states.

Objective: This study assessed changes in levels of ever use, perceptions of harm from e-cigarettes and sociodemographic correlates of use among European Union (EU) adults during 2012-2014, as well as determinants of current use in 2014.

Methods: We analysed data from the 2012 (n=26 751) and 2014 (n=26 792) waves of the adult Special Eurobarometer for Tobacco survey. Point prevalence of current and ever use was calculated and logistic regression assessed correlates of current use and changes in ever use, and perception of harm.

Survival and Quality of Life Benefit after Endoscopic Management of Malignant Central Airway Obstruction.

Background: Although interventional management of malignant central airway obstruction (mCAO) is well established, its impact on survival and quality of life (QoL) has not been extensively studied.

Aim: We prospectively assessed survival, QoL and dyspnea (using validated EORTC questionnaire) in patients with mCAO 1 day before interventional bronchoscopy, 1 week after and every following month, in comparison to patients who declined this approach. Material/Patients/Methods: 36 patients underwent extensive interventional bronchoscopic management as indicated, whereas 12 declined.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation acutely mobilizes endothelial progenitor cells in critically ill patients with sepsis.

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been suggested to constitute a restoration index of the disturbed endothelium in ICU patients. Neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES) is increasingly employed in ICU to prevent comorbidities such as ICU-acquired weakness, which is related to endothelial dysfunction. The role of NMES to mobilize EPCs has not been investigated yet.

Levels of physical activity among adults 18-64 years old in 28 European countries.

Background: Sedentary lifestyle is associated with more than three million deaths annually. Data from the 2013 Eurobarometer survey were analyzed to assess levels of physical activity across the European Union (EU) and to explore factors associated with adequate and high physical activity.

Methods: A representative sample of n=19,978 individuals aged 18-64 years from the 28 EU countries (sub-sample of the Eurobarometer survey, wave 80.

Endoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves in patients with severe emphysema and established pulmonary hypertension.

Background: One of the most common forms of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is that associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). So far, patients with severe emphysema and established PH have been excluded from endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR) therapy due to the risk of right heart decompensation.

Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of ELVR using one-way endobronchial valves (EBV) in this specific group of patients.

Resuscitation after cardiac arrest in a septic porcine model: adding vasopressin vs epinephrine alone administration.

Background: Vasopressin administration has been tested in cardiac arrest. However it has not been tested when cardiac arrest occurs in certain circumstances, as in sepsis, where it may have a major role. The aim of the study was to investigate survival after cardiac arrest in a septic porcine model compared with healthy animals and to explore the effectiveness of adding vasopressin vs epinephrine alone administration.

Association between cardiovascular risk factors and measurements of blood pressure and cholesterol in 27 European countries in 2009.

Objective: To investigate whether having multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease is associated with having had cholesterol and blood pressure measurements in the past year.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2009 Eurobarometer survey (wave 72.3), were analysed.

Determinants of use of smoking cessation aids in 27 European countries.

Objective: To identify determinants of use of smoking cessation aids among current and former smokers in the European Union (EU).

Methods: Data from n=9921 current and ex-smokers from 27 European countries (Eurobarometer 77.1, February-March 2012) were analysed.