Introduction: Chronic Bronchitis (CB) represents a phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While several definitions have been used for diagnosis, the relationship between clinical definitions and radiologic assessment of bronchial disease (BD) has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between three clinical definitions of CB and radiographic findings of BD in spirometry-defined COPD patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 35-Year-Old Man with Chronic Cough and DyspneaA 35-year-old man presented for evaluation of chronic cough and worsening dyspnea. How do you approach the evaluation, and what is the diagnosis?
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic pulmonary disorder of unknown etiology that is characterized by a usual interstitial pneumonia pattern. Previous meta-analyses have reported associations between occupational exposures and IPF, but higher-quality studies have been published in recent years, doubling the number of studied patients. To provide a contemporary and comprehensive assessment of the relationship between occupational exposures and IPF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSilicosis in workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica while fabricating engineered stone products is an emerging respiratory health issue. We describe silicosis in engineered stone workers in California and examine clinical features by the source of identification. Cases were identified passively using hospital-based patient discharge data or actively through outreach and medical testing following enforcement investigation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Silicosis associated with inhalation of respirable crystalline silica among engineered stone countertop fabrication workers is an emerging health concern.
Objective: To describe clinical, socioeconomic, and occupational characteristics of patients diagnosed with silicosis associated with engineered stone in California.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This case series included reported cases of silicosis associated with fabrication of engineered stone countertops, as identified by statewide surveillance by the California Department of Public Health (2019-2022).
Objectives: Increasing time to mechanical ventilation and high-flow nasal cannula use may be associated with mortality in coronavirus disease 2019. We examined the impact of time to intubation and use of high-flow nasal cannula on clinical outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019.
Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Evolution has conserved "economic" systems that perform many functions, faster or better, with less. For example, three to five leukocyte types protect from thousands of pathogens. To achieve so much with so little, biological systems combine their limited elements, creating complex structures.
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