Diagnosis of lung cancer following emergency admission: Examining care pathways, clinical outcomes, and advanced NSCLC treatment in an Italian cancer Center.

Background: Lung cancer patients diagnosed following emergency admission often present with advanced disease and poor performance status, leading to suboptimal treatment options and outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and molecular characteristics, treatment initiation, and survival outcomes of these patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 124 patients diagnosed with lung cancer following emergency admission at a single institution.

Pneumomediastinum following Endobronchial Ultrasound- Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration: A Case Report.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is an effective and safe technique associated with a very low complication rate for the sampling of lymph nodes in those presenting with mediastinal and hilar adenopathy." We report a rare case describing the development of pneumomediastinum following EBUS-TBNA in a young patient with mediastinal lymphadenopathy secondary to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Conservative treatment led to spontaneous resolution of the pneumomediastinum.

Severe respiratory failure as a presenting feature of an interstitial lung disease associated with anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS).

Anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS) is defined as a heterogeneous connective tissue disorder characterized by the association of an interstitial lung disease (ILD) with or without inflammatory myositis with the presence of anti-aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetase antibodies. ILD is one of the major extra-muscular manifestations of polymyositis and dermatomyositis. We report a case of a patient with dyspnea, cough, and intermittent fever as well as ILD associated ASS in the absence of muscular involvement.

Non-invasive mechanical ventilation in elderly patients: A narrative review.

The treatment of acute respiratory failure with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) as a first-line therapy is increasingly common in intensive care units. The reduced invasiveness of NIV leads to better outcomes than endotracheal intubation in carefully selected groups of patients. Furthermore, the use of NIV as a palliative treatment for respiratory failure and dyspnea has become increasingly common.

Is there an optimal level of positive expiratory pressure (PEP) to improve walking tolerance in patients with severe COPD?

Background: The application of positive expiratory pressure (PEP) devices during exercise had been proposed in order to counteract the pulmonary hyperinflation, reduce the dyspnea and thus increase the exercise tolerance in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This randomized controlled crossover trial investigated the effect of two different levels of PEP (1 cmH2O and 10 cmH2O) on distance covered at 6minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with severe COPD. Secondary outcomes were the evaluation of PEP effects on physiological and pulmonary function variables.

Severe Respiratory Failure Due to Interferon Beta-Related Pulmonary Hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an uncommon but devastating disease. There is increasing evidence of a correlation between interferon (IFN) use and PAH. Very few cases of PAH in patients treated with IFN are reported in literature.

Streptococcus pneumoniae-associated pneumonia complicated by purulent pericarditis: case series.

Objective: In the antibiotic era, purulent pericarditis is a rare entity. However, there are still reports of cases of the disease, which is associated with high mortality, and most such cases are attributed to delayed diagnosis. Approximately 40-50% of all cases of purulent pericarditis are caused by Gram-positive bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae in particular.

Predictors of non-invasive ventilation failure in severe respiratory failure due to community acquired pneumonia.

Background: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been used for acute respiratory failure to avoid endotracheal intubation and intensive care admission. Few studies have assessed the usefulness of NIV in patients with severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP). The use of NIV in severe CAP is controversial because there is a greater variability in success compared to other pulmonary conditions.