Molecular Clustering Analysis of Blood Biomarkers in World Trade Center Exposed Community Members with Persistent Lower Respiratory Symptoms.

The destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001 (9/11) released large amounts of toxic dusts and fumes into the air that exposed many community members who lived and/or worked in the local area. Many community members, defined as WTC survivors by the federal government, developed lower respiratory symptoms (LRS). We previously reported the persistence of these symptoms in patients with normal spirometry despite treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and/or long-acting bronchodilators.

Sleep Medicine Milestones 2.0: designed for our field.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education published the first sleep medicine milestones in 2015. However, these milestones were the same among all internal medicine fellowship programs; they were not specific to the specialty. Based on stakeholder feedback, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education called for the creation of specialty-specific milestones.

Addressing Burnout Syndrome From a Critical Care Specialty Organization Perspective.

Background: Health care specialty organizations are an important resource for their membership; however, it is not clear how specialty societies should approach combating stress and burnout on an organizational scale.

Objective: To understand the prevalence of burnout syndrome in American Thoracic Society members, identify specialty-specific risk factors, and generate strategies for health care societies to combat burnout.

Methods: Cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey in a sample of 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference attendees to assess levels of burnout syndrome, work satisfaction, and stress.

Super Obesity in the Medical Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Studies exploring the effect of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU) have yielded mixed results, with few studies assessing patients at the extremes of obesity. We sought to understand the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with super obesity (BMI > 50 kg/m) as compared to morbid obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m) and obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m).

Methods: A retrospective review of patients admitted to the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California medical intensive care unit (MICU) service between 2008 and 2013 was performed.