Telephone Clinics During the Covid-19 Pandemic-The Experiences of Interstitial Lung Disease Patients and Their Carers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread move towards virtual consultations within secondary care due to infection concerns. This service evaluation undertaken in a Welsh Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) specialist center looks at the experiences of unselected ILD patients and their careers with telephone consultations and aims to identify the role of telephone consultations in future practice for this patient group. A mixed methods approach was used with an initial postal questionnaire followed by a virtual focus group.

Individual differences in the effects of the ACTION-PAC intervention: an application of personalized medicine in the prevention and treatment of obesity.

There is an increased interest in the use of personalized medicine approaches in the prevention or treatment of obesity, however, few studies have used these approaches to identify individual differences in treatment effects. The current study demonstrates the use of the predicted individual treatment effects framework to test for individual differences in the effects of the ACTION-PAC intervention, which targeted the treatment and prevention of obesity in a high school setting. We show how methods for personalized medicine can be used to test for significant individual differences in responses to an intervention and we discuss the potential and limitations of these methods.

Dose-Dependent Effects of Closed-Loop tACS Delivered During Slow-Wave Oscillations on Memory Consolidation.

Sleep is critically important to consolidate information learned throughout the day. Slow-wave sleep (SWS) serves to consolidate declarative memories, a process previously modulated with open-loop non-invasive electrical stimulation, though not always effectively. These failures to replicate could be explained by the fact that stimulation has only been performed in open-loop, as opposed to closed-loop where phase and frequency of the endogenous slow-wave oscillations (SWOs) are matched for optimal timing.

Sarcoidosis following alemtuzumab treatment for multiple sclerosis.

Despite proven efficacy of alemtuzumab in multiple sclerosis (MS), approximately 50% of individuals will develop a new autoimmune disease following treatment. To date, these have largely been antibody mediated and organ specific (primarily affecting the thyroid gland). In a retrospective case series of 187 patients from two UK specialist centres (Cardiff and Cambridge) followed up for a median of 10 years, we report three (1.

Classification of Tidal Breathing Airflow Profiles Using Statistical Hierarchal Cluster Analysis in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) breathing pattern changes with disease progress. This study aims to determine if unsupervised hierarchal cluster analysis (HCA) can be used to define airflow profile differences in people with and without IPF. This was tested using 31 patients with IPF and 17 matched healthy controls, all of whom had their lung function assessed using spirometry and carbon monoxide CO transfer.

Airway expression of Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Vanniloid-1 and Ankyrin-1 channels is not increased in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Dry cough is a common symptom described in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and impairs quality of life. The exact mechanisms causing cough in IPF remain unclear, however evidence suggests altered cough neurophysiology and sensitisation plays a role; IPF patients have an enhanced cough reflex sensitivity to inhaled capsaicin. The Transient Receptor Potential Vanniloid-1 channel (TRPV-1) has a role in the cough reflex and airway expression is increased in patients with chronic cough.

Experimental Treatment of Ebola Virus Disease with TKM-130803: A Single-Arm Phase 2 Clinical Trial.

Background: TKM-130803, a small interfering RNA lipid nanoparticle product, has been developed for the treatment of Ebola virus disease (EVD), but its efficacy and safety in humans has not been evaluated.

Methods And Findings: In this single-arm phase 2 trial, adults with laboratory-confirmed EVD received 0.3 mg/kg of TKM-130803 by intravenous infusion once daily for up to 7 d.

Breathing pattern and breathlessness in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: An observational study.

Background And Objective: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by progressive decline in lung function and increasing dyspnoea. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among IPF, pulmonary function, resting tidal breathing patterns and level of breathlessness.

Methods: Thirty-one participants with IPF and 17 matched healthy controls underwent lung function testing, followed by a 2-min period of resting tidal breathing.

Effect of acid suppression therapy on gastroesophageal reflux and cough in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: an intervention study.

Background: Chronic cough affects more than 70 percent of patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and causes significant morbidity. Gastroesophageal reflux is the cause of some cases of chronic cough; and also has a postulated role in the aetiology of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. A high prevalence of acid; and more recently non-acid, reflux has been observed in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis cohorts.

A mixed-methods study of the Care Needs of individuals with idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis and their carers--CaNoPy: a study protocol.

Introduction: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, life-threatening illness of unknown aetiology, with no proven pharmacological treatments. There is a limited evidence base indicating that the disease negatively affects quality of life, leading to increased dependence, restrictions on daily activities and fatigue. However, there is a paucity of in-depth information on disease impact across its trajectory, particularly in relation to unmet needs, outcomes of importance to patients and the experiences of carers.

The prediction of in-flight hypoxaemia using non-linear equations.

Background: Respiratory disease may cause profound hypoxaemia during flight. Previously derived linear equations poorly predict the need for supplemental oxygen during air travel. The current gold standard assessment is the hypoxic challenge test (HCT).

Probable occupational pneumonitis caused by inhalation of crushed clozapine.

We present a case of non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) probably caused by exposure to inhaled clozapine powder. The patient worked in a pharmacy and crushed clozapine tablets over several years. She presented with insidious onset of breathlessness and had mild hypoxia.

Mechanical induction of cough in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) frequently develop a dry, irritating cough which often proves refractory to anti-tussive therapies. The precise pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for this cough are unknown. We hypothesised that changes in nerves modulating mechanical sensitivity in areas of interstitial fibrosis might lead to enhanced cough response to mechanical stimulation of the chest in IPF.

A study of the cough reflex in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Little is known about the pathogenesis of cough in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We hypothesized that abnormalities of respiratory tract tachykinin-containing sensory nerves may be implicated. We studied cough response to capsaicin, substance P (SP), and bradykinin in 10 healthy control subjects and 10 patients with IPF.

Catamenial haemoptysis and clomiphene citrate therapy.

Case reports of catamenial haemoptysis are uncommon. We report the first case of thoracic endometriosis associated with clomiphene citrate therapy and previously unpublished endobronchial and angiographic findings.

Obstructive uropathy associated with myelomonocytic infiltration of the prostate.

A 72 year old man was diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) according to the FAB group classification. He presented with symptoms of anaemia, urinary frequency, hesitancy, and nocturia. He was later admitted with acute urinary retention and acute renal failure, which resolved with treatment.

Blood glucose and insulin levels, thyroid function, and serology in Ménière's disease, recurrent vestibulopathy, and psychogenic vertigo.

Nineteen patients with unilateral Ménière's disease, 20 with psychogenic dizziness, and 20 with recurrent vestibulopathy (diagnostic criteria in text of paper) were found to have normal five hour glucose tolerance tests, serum thyroxine and effective thyroid indices, and serologic tests for syphilis. Hypothyroidism and hypoglycemia were absent in all groups. An unexplained finding of each diagnostic group was significant increase of fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, and elevated insulin:glucose ratios, compared to a control group.

Effect of d- and dl-propranolol on glucose-stimulated insulin release.

The effect of intravenous d- and dl-propranolol on serum insulin levels has been examined before and after the administration of glucose orally to 10 normal subjects. The increase in serum insulin 45 to 90 min after glucose ingestion was reduced during the infusion of either d- or dl-propranolol. The insulin suppression was not accompanied by any alteration in the glucose curves.