Abnormal Heart Rate Recovery and Chronotropic Incompetence With Exercise in Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease With and Without Pulmonary Hypertension.

Introduction Chronotropic incompetence (CI) and heart rate (HR) recovery at one minute post-exercise (HRR1) have been proposed as indicators of autonomic imbalance. We retrospectively studied the presence of CI and HRR1 attained on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and those with interstitial lung disease with pulmonary hypertension (ILD-PHTN). Methods A total of 32 patients (21 had ILD alone; 11 had ILD-PHTN) underwent CPET performed per American Thoracic Society protocol on a manually-braked bicycle.

Randomized Open Investigation Determining Steroid Dose in Severe COVID-19: The ROIDS-Dose Clinical Trial.

Introduction Treatment with dexamethasone reduces mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia requiring supplemental oxygen, but the optimal dose has not been determined. Objective To determine whether weight-based dexamethasone of 0.2 mg/kg is superior to 6 mg daily in reducing 28-day mortality in patients with COVID-19 and hypoxemia.

Comparison of obstructive sleep apnoea prevalence and severity across WHO pulmonary hypertension groups.

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension is classified into five groups in the WHO classification system. Patients with pulmonary hypertension often have comorbid obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), yet the prevalence and severity of OSA in each of the WHO pulmonary hypertension groups have not been well established.

Methods: To compare the prevalence and severity of OSA between WHO pulmonary hypertension groups, we performed a retrospective cohort study, including patients who had polysomnography or a home sleep study and confirmed pulmonary hypertension on right heart catheterisation.

The clinical impact of the Covid-19 pandemic first wave on patients with cystic fibrosis in New York.

Background: People with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) may be at risk of complications from COVID-19 but the impact of COVID-19 on pwCF remains unknown.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic first wave on pwCF in the New York metropolitan area (NY) from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020. Objectives were to determine (1) the prevalence of COVID-19 by PCR and IgG antibody testing, (2) the clinical characteristics of COVID-19, (3) delay in routine outpatient care, and (4) the effect on anxiety and depression in pwCF.

Sleep architecture in patients with interstitial lung disease with and without pulmonary hypertension.

Purpose: Sleep disturbance is common in patients with advanced interstitial lung disease (ILD) often complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH) and may contribute to poor quality of life. The etiology of sleep disturbance and the relationship between PH and sleep architecture in patients with ILD remains unknown.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study comparing sleep architecture on polysomnography in patients with ILD with and without PH, defined as mean pulmonary artery pressure on right heart catheterization ≥ 20 mmHg.

Enlarged pulmonary artery on computed tomography and respiratory failure in sickle cell disease acute chest syndrome.

Predicting the severity of acute chest syndrome is an important research priority in sickle cell disease. In this retrospective study of patients with acute chest syndrome, an enlarged pulmonary artery on computed tomography was associated with severe respiratory failure defined by the need for either noninvasive or mechanical ventilation.

Hemoglobin Target and Transfusion Modality for Adult Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Acute Chest Syndrome.

Background: Despite the importance of transfusion in treating sickle cell disease acute chest syndrome, the target hemoglobin and optimal modality for transfusion remain unknown.

Objectives: To compare hospital length of stay (LOS) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with acute chest syndrome transfused to hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL versus patients transfused to hemoglobin < 8 g/dL; and to compare hospital LOS in acute chest syndrome patients treated with and without exchange transfusion.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all acute chest syndrome patients treated in the medical ICU at 2 tertiary care hospitals between January 2011 and August 2016 ( = 82).

Pulmonary artery dilatation and obstructive sleep apnea.

Simonson J, Greenberg H, Talwar A. Pulmonary artery dilatation and obstructive sleep apnea. .

Disparities in complementary alternative medicine use and asthma exacerbation in the United States.

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are associated with poor asthma medication adherence, a major risk factor for asthma exacerbation. However, previous studies showed inconsistent relationships between CAM use and asthma control due to small sample sizes, demographic differences across populations studied, and poor differentiation of CAM types. We examined associations between CAM use and asthma exacerbation using a cross-sectional analysis of the 2012 National Health Interview Survey.

Assessment of patient perception of glaucomatous visual field loss and its association with disease severity using Amsler grid.

Purpose: To investigate patients' perception of glaucomatous VF loss and its association with glaucoma severity using the Amsler grid test.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, glaucoma patients with abnormal 10-2 Humphrey Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm-standard VF tests were enrolled consecutively. All patients underwent a black-on-white Amsler grid test for each eligible eye.

Efficacy of the Amsler Grid Test in Evaluating Glaucomatous Central Visual Field Defects.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of the Amsler grid test in detecting central visual field (VF) defects in glaucoma.

Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study.

Participants: Patients with glaucoma with reliable Humphrey 10-2 Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm standard VF on the date of enrollment or within the previous 3 months.

Defining 10-2 visual field progression criteria: exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis using pointwise linear regression.

Purpose: To test different visual field progression criteria using trend analysis in a glaucoma population followed with long sequences of 10-2 tests as a first attempt to understand and document rates of progression in the central field.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: We included 146 eyes of 146 patients with established glaucoma.

Factors associated with focal lamina cribrosa defects in glaucoma.

Purpose: To assess factors associated with focal lamina cribrosa (LC) defects in glaucoma.

Methods: Serial enhanced depth imaging (EDI) optical coherence tomography (OCT) B-scans of the optic nerve head were obtained from glaucoma patients. EDI OCT scans were reviewed for focal LC defects (laminar holes or disinsertions).

Parafoveal scotoma progression in glaucoma: humphrey 10-2 versus 24-2 visual field analysis.

Objective: To compare the performance of 10-2 versus 24-2 visual fields (VFs) in detecting progression of initial parafoveal scotoma (IPFS) in glaucomatous eyes.

Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Participants: Glaucoma patients with the following criteria: (1) an IPFS (≥ 3 adjacent points with P<0.

Progression pattern of initial parafoveal scotomas in glaucoma.

Objective: To characterize the progression pattern of initial parafoveal scotomas (IPFSs) using cross-sectional and longitudinal 10-2 visual field (VF) data.

Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Participants: Glaucoma patients with an IPFS in either hemifield based on 2 reliable 24-2 Swedish interactive threshold algorithm standard VFs (≥3 adjacent points with P<0.

Gas adsorption gates based on ultrathin composite polymer films.

High surface area alumina coatings were prepared on surface acoustic wave (SAW) mass balances. These coatings were fabricated by anodic etching of evaporated aluminum films. The coatings consisted of roughly collinear pores penetrating through the monolithic alumina film.