BAL Fluid Cellular Analysis and Radiologic Patterns in Patients With Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease.

Background: BAL cellular analysis is often recommended during the initial diagnostic evaluation of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD). Despite recommendation for its use, between-center heterogeneity exists and supportive data concerning the clinical utility and correlation of BAL findings with radiologic features or patterns remain sparse.

Research Question: In patients with fibrotic ILD, are BAL findings associated with radiologic features, patterns, and clinical diagnoses?

Study Design And Methods: Patients with fibrotic ILD who underwent BAL for diagnostic evaluation and who were enrolled in the prospective Canadian Registry for Pulmonary Fibrosis were re-reviewed in a standardized multidisciplinary discussion (MDD).

Impact of Transplant Body Mass Index and Post-Transplant Weight Changes on the Development of Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction Phenotypes.

Introduction: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is a lung transplant complication for which four phenotypes are recognized: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), Restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), mixed and undefined phenotypes. Weight gain is common after transplant and may negatively impact lung function. Study objectives were to describe post-transplant weight trajectories of patients who developed (or did not) CLAD phenotypes and examine the associations between BMI at transplant, post-transplant changes in weight and BMI, and the risk of developing these phenotypes.

Characteristics of pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease.

Background: Fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) is frequently associated with abnormal oxygenation; however, little is known about the accuracy of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (SpO) compared with arterial blood gas (ABG) saturation (SaO), the factors that influence the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO) and the impact of PaCO on outcomes in patients with fibrotic ILD.

Study Design And Methods: Patients with fibrotic ILD enrolled in a large prospective registry with a room air ABG were included. Prespecified analyses included testing the correlation between SaO and SpO, the difference between SaO and SpO, the association of baseline characteristics with both the difference between SaO and SpO and the PaCO, the association of baseline characteristics with acid-base category, and the association of PaCO and acid-base category with time to death or transplant.