Prognostic Factors in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma in a Pediatric Population: A Prospective Cohort Study in Spain.

: The objective of this study was to provide real-world data on prognostic factors in children with severe eosinophilic asthma and to assess biomarkers of outcome. : Fifty-nine children (aged 6-17 years) were included in a prospective cohort attended in a Severe Asthma Unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Badalona (Barcelona, Spain) and visited at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Study variables included asthma control using the Asthma Control Test (ACT), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV), exacerbation episodes, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and inflammatory biomarkers (blood tests, sputum cells, immunoallergic tests, and levels of cytokines and effector cells in blood and sputum).

Appropriateness of urinary catheterization in the hospital setting: A multicenter observational study.

Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the appropriateness of the indication for urinary catheterization (UC) in hospitalized patients and to analyze possible associated factors.

Methods: Cross-sectional observational study conducted in 15 hospitals. Patients over the age of 18 with UC were included in the study.

Clinical characteristics of complete responders versus non-complete responders to omalizumab, benralizumab and mepolizumab in patients with severe asthma: a long-term retrospective analysis.

Background: Some patients with severe asthma may benefit from treatment with biologics, but evidence has been mostly collected from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), in which patients' characteristics are different from those encountered in asthma patients in the real-world setting. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features of complete responders versus non-complete responders to long-term treatment with biologics in patients with severe asthma attended in routine daily practice.

Methods: Data of a cohort of 90 patients with severe asthma who were treated with biologics (omalizumab, benralizumab, and mepolizumab) for at least 12 months and were followed up to March 2022.

EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal staging of centrally located T1N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer clinically staged with PET/CT.

Background And Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for mediastinal staging of centrally located T1N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) clinically staged with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Methods: We conducted a study that included patients with centrally located T1N0M0 NSCLC, clinically staged with PET/CT who underwent EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal staging. Patients with negative EBUS-TBNA underwent mediastinoscopy, video-assisted mediastinoscopic lymphadenectomy (VAMLA) and/or lung resection with systematic nodal dissection, that were considered the gold standard.

Characterization and Factors Associated with Poor Asthma Control in Adults with Severe Eosinophilic Asthma.

A study was conducted in 98 adult patients diagnosed with severe eosinophilic asthma (73.5% women, mean age 47.2 years) and followed prospectively for 1 year.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diagnosis of respiratory diseases in the Northern Metropolitan Area in Barcelona (Spain).

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great effect on the management of chronic diseases, by limiting the access to primary care and to diagnostic procedures, causing a decline in the incidence of most diseases. Our aim was to analyze the impact of the pandemic on primary care new diagnoses of respiratory diseases.

Methods: Observational retrospective study performed to describe the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of respiratory diseases according to primary care codification.

Usefulness of Routine Bronchial Aspirate of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration.

Introduction: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is commonly used for the study of intrathoracic lymphadenopathy and centrally tumours but no report has discussed the contribution of routine cytological and microbiological BA during the procedure. The aim of the study was to analyse the diagnostic yield of BA during EBUS, and to determine the potential cost reduction.

Methods: A prospective study of cytological and microbiological BA collected during EBUS-TBNA was conducted between January 2021 and June 2022.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diagnosis of respiratory diseases in the Northern Metropolitan Area in Barcelona (Spain).

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great effect on the management of chronic diseases, by limiting the access to primary care and to diagnostic procedures, causing a decline in the incidence of most diseases. Our aim was to analyze the impact of the pandemic on primary care new diagnoses of respiratory diseases.

Methods: Observational retrospective study performed to describe the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of respiratory diseases according to primary care codification.

A novel intelligent radiomic analysis of perfusion SPECT/CT images to optimize pulmonary embolism diagnosis in COVID-19 patients.

Background: COVID-19 infection, especially in cases with pneumonia, is associated with a high rate of pulmonary embolism (PE). In patients with contraindications for CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or non-diagnostic CTPA, perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (Q-SPECT/CT) is a diagnostic alternative. The goal of this study is to develop a radiomic diagnostic system to detect PE based only on the analysis of Q-SPECT/CT scans.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Infectious Complications of EBUS-TBNA: Prospective Multicenter Study.

Unlabelled: The aim of our study was to describe the incidence of infectious complications of endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and to analyze the potential risk factors in a prospective cohort of patients.

Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter study, with all consecutive patients referred for an EBUS-TBNA with patients at risk of developing an infectious complication (considering>10 nodal samplings, known immunosuppression, bronchial colonization and cavitated or necrotic lesions) and a second group without any risk factor.

Results: Three hundred seventy patients were included: 245 with risk factors and 125 without risk factors (as the control group).

Bronchoscopy in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: Findings, Microbiological Profile, and Coinfection.

Background: Bronchoscopy is a widely use technique in critically ill patients. Nosocomial coinfections are a cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units.

Objectives: Our aim was to describe bronchoscopy findings and analyze microbiological profile and probably coinfection through bronchial aspirate (BA) samples in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia requiring intensive care unit admission.

No Effects of Meteorological Factors on the SARS-CoV-2 Infection Fatality Rate.

Objective: Previous studies have shown that meteorological factors may increase COVID-19 mortality, likely due to the increased transmission of the virus. However, this could also be related to an increased infection fatality rate (IFR). We investigated the association between meteorological factors (temperature, humidity, solar irradiance, pressure, wind, precipitation, cloud coverage) and IFR across Spanish provinces ( = 52) during the first wave of the pandemic (weeks 10-16 of 2020).

Predicting pulmonary embolism in patients infected with COVID-19 based on D-dimer levels and days between diagnosis of the infection and D-dimer determination.

Ruling out pulmonary embolism (PE) can be challenging in a situation of elevated D-dimer values such as in a case of COVID-19 infection. Our objective was to evaluate the difference in D-dimer values of subjects infected with COVID-19 in those with PE and those without and to analyze the predictive value of D-dimer for PE in these subjects based on the day of D-dimer determination. This was an observational, retrospective study, conducted at a tertiary hospital.

Rapid effect of benralizumab in exacerbation of severe eosinophilic asthma associated with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Background: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a disease that is associated with severe uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma. Eosinophils play an important pathogenic role in the development of both diseases. Benralizumab is an antieosinophilic monoclonal antibody that binds to the α subunit of the human interleukin 5 receptor that is expressed on the surface of the eosinophil and basophil.

In-Home Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Automatic Video Analysis.

Study Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a non-invasive technology based on image processing for the identification of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its severity at patients' home.

Methods: Observational, prospective, diagnostic accuracy study to evaluate the degree of measure agreement between Sleepwise (SW), in-laboratory attended polysomnography (PSG) and a home sleep apnea test (HSAT). 38 consecutive subjects with suspected OSA referred as outpatients to the sleep unit were recruited from September 2016 to September 2017.

[HOSPITALS AS PROMOTERS OF SMOKELESS SPACES: STRATEGIES AIMED AT SMOKING CONTROL].

The objective of this study was to describe the measures introduced at the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, aimed at achieving a smoke-free environment, and encouraging research, training, and clinical approaches with respect to smoking. The experience gained as a center attached to the Catalan Network of Smokeless Hospitals since 2002 shows that preventing and controlling smoking requires a specific agenda developed by a competent committee comprising workers from all hospital areas. Likewise, coordination with other centers in the network is essential as it permits the sharing of experiences.

D-dimer in patients infected with COVID-19 and suspected pulmonary embolism.

Objective: To analyze the risk factors for pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients infected with COVID-19.

Methods: We conducted an observational, retrospective study. Patients with severe infection with COVID-19 and suspected PE were included.