Therapeutic Bronchoscopic Interventions for Non Foreign-Body Removal Indications in Children.

Background: The indications for pediatric airway endoscopy are expanding and a variety of therapeutic interventions are feasible for central airway obstruction (CAO) and other central airway pathologies, apart from foreign body removal.

Methods: In this retrospective chart review from four centers, we describe the indications, procedures, outcomes, and complications of therapeutic bronchoscopic interventions in children for non foreign-body removal indications.

Results: A total of 72 children (mean age:140 [60.

Persistent pulmonary impairment after 2 years of COVID-19 infection: An observational study.

Background: Persistent dyspnoea and pulmonary function impairment are common after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, long-term outcomes beyond 2 years of infection are unknown.

Methods: In this single-center study, we observed the trend of self-reported dyspnoea and pulmonary functions among subjects attending a post-COVID clinic in India after 2 years of COVID-19 illness.

Utility of Acquire 22G-fine needle biopsy (FNB) needle vs the standard 22G needle during Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA): A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT).

Background: Various types of needles are available to perform endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). A relatively new needle for EBUS-TBNA, the Acquire Fine Needle Biopsy (FNB) device, has recently become available.

Methods: Consecutive subjects with lymphadenopathy >1 cm undergoing EBUS-TBNA were randomized to the Acquire 22-G EBUS-FNB needle and the standard 22-G EBUS-TBNA needle groups.

Utility of microRNA analysis in exhaled breath condensate of sarcoidosis and mediastinal tuberculosis patients: a pilot study.

Background: Sarcoidosis and tuberculosis (TB) are the two most common causes of granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenopathy. These often exhibit overlapping clinical and radiological characteristics, rendering accurate diagnosis difficult. MicroRNA (miRNA) analysis is increasingly utilised as a potential biomarker for various diseases.

Utility and safety of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial mediastinal cryobiopsy (EBUS-TMC): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Modalities to improve tissue acquisition during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) have been investigated. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial mediastinal cryobiopsy (EBUS-TMC) is a modality to obtain larger histological samples by inserting a cryoprobe into the mediastinal lesion. We aimed to study the diagnostic yield and safety of EBUS-TMC.

Profile of patients referred for lung transplant and their transplant-free survival.

Introduction: Lung transplant (LTx) is a potential treatment option for all patients with chronic, end-stage respiratory disease, who are refractory to optimal medical therapy or where no medical therapy exists. In India, LTx is still in its evolving stages and published literature is sparse. The current study was carried out to study the selection criteria for lung transplant and to evaluate the clinical and socio-economic profile of patients referred for the same at a tertiary health care facility.

Rituximab for rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at summarizing the evidence of efficacy and safety of rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Materials And Methods: PubMed and Embase databases were searched until June 22, 2022, to identify studies on RA-ILD treated with rituximab, confined to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed on the included studies to assess the overall stabilization or improvement in ILD, changes in percent-predicted (%-predicted) forced vital capacity (FVC), and %-predicted diffusion capacity of lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) following rituximab therapy.

Antioxidant therapies for obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common clinical problem that is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes attributed to the oxidative stress due to sympathetic overstimulation. Treatment approaches targeting oxidative stress have been tried by multiple investigators. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of such approaches.

Pleural effusion guidelines from ICS and NCCP Section 1: Basic principles, laboratory tests and pleural procedures.

Pleural effusion is a common problem in our country, and most of these patients need invasive tests as they can't be evaluated by blood tests alone. The simplest of them is diagnostic pleural aspiration, and diagnostic techniques such as medical thoracoscopy are being performed more frequently than ever before. However, most physicians in India treat pleural effusion empirically, leading to delays in diagnosis, misdiagnosis and complications from wrong treatments.

NCCP-ICS joint consensus-based clinical practice guidelines on medical thoracoscopy.

Medical Thoracoscopy (MT) is commonly performed by respiratory physicians for diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes. The aim of the study was to provide evidence-based information regarding all aspects of MT, both as a diagnostic tool and therapeutic aid for pulmonologists across India. The consensus-based guidelines were formulated based on a multistep process using a set of 31 questions.

Leveraging multi-tier healthcare facility network simulations for capacity planning in a pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed severe demands on healthcare facilities across the world, and in several countries, makeshift COVID-19 centres have been operationalised to handle patient overflow. In developing countries such as India, the public healthcare system (PHS) is organised as a hierarchical network with patient flows from lower-tier primary health centres (PHC) to mid-tier community health centres (CHC) and downstream to district hospitals (DH). In this study, we demonstrate how a network-based modelling and simulation approach utilising generic modelling principles can (a) quantify the extent to which the existing facilities in the PHS can effectively cope with the forecasted COVID-19 caseload; and (b) inform decisions on capacity at makeshift COVID-19 Care Centres (CCC) to handle patient overflows.

Can cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in pleural lavage serve as a predictive and prognostic biomarker among surgically treated Stage I-III a nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC)? A pilot study.

Background And Objectives: The role of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in operable nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. This study was aimed to evaluate the feasibility for identification of cfDNA in pleural lavage fluid and its correlation with plasma in resectable NSCLCs.

Methods: Consecutively resected NSCLCs were evaluated for cfDNA levels in preoperative plasma (PLS1), intraoperative pleural-lavage (PLV) and postoperative (at 1 month) plasma sample (PLS2).

microRNAs in exhaled breath condensate for diagnosis of lung cancer in a resource-limited setting: a concise review.

Lung cancer is one of the common cancers globally with high mortality and poor prognosis. Most cases of lung cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to limited diagnostic resources. Screening modalities, such as sputum cytology and annual chest radiographs, have not proved sensitive enough to impact mortality.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Indian nonsmokers: a systematic review & meta-analysis.

Introduction: Nonsmokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are neglected despite constituting half of all cases in studies from the developed world. Herein, we systematically reviewed the prevalence of COPD among nonsmokers in India.

Content: We searched Embase, Scopus, and PubMed databases for studies examining the prevalence of COPD among nonsmokers in India.

Transoesophageal bronchoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) for left adrenal gland (LAG) sampling: A report of three cases with a review of the literature.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a standard-of-care modality for evaluating mediastinal lymph nodes and masses. The EBUS bronchoscope may also be introduced through the oesophageal route to perform sampling of accessible lesions, a technique described as transoesophageal bronchoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA). Because of the central oesophageal approach, EUS-B-FNA provides easy access to the left para-tracheal, subcarinal and para-oesophageal lymph nodes.

Transfusion trigger in the critically ill with sepsis or septic shock: A prospective study.

Background & Objectives: Current practice around transfusion trigger in critically ill sepsis patients is not clear. Moreover, any association of haemoglobin trigger and other transfusion parameters such as age of red blood cells (RBCs) at transfusion and number of units of RBCs transfused with mortality and other adverse outcomes need further assessment.

Methods: In this prospective study, patients aged 18-70 yr and admitted to intensive care with a diagnosis of sepsis were included (n=108).

Role of ApneaGraph® in the Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

Aim: To evaluate the utility of ApneaGraph® AG 200 in diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) as compared to Polysomnography, localization of the site of upper airway obstruction, and the success rate of surgery.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted including fifteen patients of OSA undergoing surgical treatment. All patients underwent sequential overnight ApneaGraph (AG) and Polysomnogram (PSG) before and after 3 months following surgery.