Improving Referral Patterns for Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is a minimally invasive treatment option for patients with severe emphysema and hyperinflation refractory to optimal medical care. This therapy is effective in improving functional status and quality of life, underscoring the importance of identifying potential procedure candidates. To our knowledge, scalable strategies to improve the referral of advanced lung disease patients are lacking.

Do Interviews Really Matter in Generating Programs and Applicants' Rank Lists for the Match?

Objective: A paucity of data exists on the role of the interview day in programs and applicants' final rank list. The objective of our study was to investigate the impact interview day has on our programs and our interviewees' final rank list.

Methods: For the 2020 appointment year, our program used an Electronic Residency Application System Application Scoring Tool and Interview Scoring Tool to generate the preliminary rank list for our pulmonary and critical care fellowship applicants.

Risk of arrhythmias associated with ipratropium bromide in children, adolescents, and young adults with asthma: a nested case-control study.

Study Objective: To evaluate the risk of arrhythmias associated with inhaled anticholinergic (IAC) use in young patients with asthma.

Design: Population-based nested case-control study.

Database: IMS LifeLink Health Plan Claims Database.

Determinants of spirometry use and accuracy of COPD diagnosis in primary care.

Background: It is unclear if primary care physicians are following guidelines or using other patient characteristics and factors to determine when to perform spirometry in patients at risk for COPD. It is also unclear to what degree a diagnosis of COPD is accurately reflected by spirometry results.

Objectives: To examine characteristics associated with use of spirometry in primary care for patients with increased risk for COPD and to determine the accuracy of COPD diagnosis in patients with spirometry.

Particulate matter-induced lung inflammation increases systemic levels of PAI-1 and activates coagulation through distinct mechanisms.

Background: Exposure of human populations to ambient particulate matter (PM) air pollution significantly contributes to the mortality attributable to ischemic cardiovascular events. We reported that mice treated with intratracheally instilled PM develop a prothrombotic state that requires the release of IL-6 by alveolar macrophages. We sought to determine whether exposure of mice to PM increases the levels of PAI-1, a major regulator of thrombolysis, via a similar or distinct mechanism.