Publications by authors named "Laursen C"

Background: Small lung lesions can represent early-stage lung cancer but are difficult to diagnose. The bronchoscopic approach has the lowest risk of complications; however, the diagnostic yield is generally lower compared to trans-thoracic biopsies. Cell-free tumor DNA (cftDNA) is fragmented DNA stemming from a tumor.

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Background: Pneumothorax is a common complication after CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy. Pneumothorax is most often diagnosed with a conventional chest X-ray after a two-hour observation period. Ultrasound has been shown to be superior to conventional X-rays in diagnosing pneumothorax in some settings and it can be repeated without radiation exposure.

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Introduction: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are recommended for pain treatment after elective hip and knee arthroplasties. However, evidence regarding the incidence of adverse effects with short-term NSAID treatment following surgery is limited. We, therefore, aim to assess the adverse effects with an eight-day postoperative treatment with ibuprofen after elective hip and knee arthroplasties.

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Background: While most Danish citizens never or very rarely call the national emergency helpline, 1-1-2, a few citizens call very often. In this article, we attend to the often-unheard voices of frequent callers, exploring why these citizens call 1-1-2 and why they often do not feel helped.

Methods: The article is based on a mixed-methods study on citizens in the Central Denmark Region who had called 1-1-2 five or more times during a period of six months in 2023.

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: Ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool in the diagnostic work-up of dyspnea and can identify even small pleural effusions. The incorporation of shear wave elastography (SWE) represents a possible tool in stratifying pleural effusions by the risk of underlying malignancy. No previous studies on ultrasound with the incorporation of SWE have been conducted in an emergency department (ED), where such stratification might have a clinical impact by hastening referrals for the diagnostic work-up of underlying malignancy.

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Background: Iatrogenic pneumothorax is a common complication of diagnostic and therapeutic pulmonary procedures. New guidelines on primary spontaneous pneumothorax suggest ambulatory approaches may be suitable. However, guidance on iatrogenic pneumothorax occurring in patients with impaired lung function, increased age, comorbidity and frailty is lacking, and the safety profile of ambulatory management is not known.

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Objectives: To evaluate general practitioners' (GPs') ability to perform focused lung ultrasound (FLUS) following a training program and assess FLUS feasibility in general practice. Also, to describe FLUS findings and evaluate GPs' ability to interpret these in adults with acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) when pneumonia is suspected and assess GPs' perception of FLUS impact.

Methods: Nine GPs, using point-of-care ultrasound, completed a FLUS training program.

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Article Synopsis
  • Fast and accurate diagnosis and treatment of pleural infections can significantly lower mortality rates, highlighting the importance of starting treatment quickly and monitoring it regularly.
  • Advanced therapies, such as intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy, should be carried out in specialized medical departments.
  • In Denmark, there's an urgent need to improve the speed of diagnostic procedures and treatment for pleural infections to enhance patient outcomes.
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  • Pleural infections pose serious challenges, especially for elderly and immunocompromised patients, but MRIs can provide a radiation-free imaging option despite historical drawbacks like longer scan times and discomfort.
  • A feasibility study involving thirteen patients found high technical success in thoracic MRI, with acceptable scan times and minimal issues reported by both radiographers and patients.
  • The study suggests thoracic MRI could be a valuable alternative to CT, particularly in detecting complications like pleural effusion septations, while maintaining a good patient experience.
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  • Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary condition characterized by faulty collagen type I, which can affect lung function and increase the risk of respiratory diseases.
  • A nationwide study in Denmark compared hospital admission rates for asthma, COPD, and pneumonia between individuals with OI and a reference population from 1995 to 2018.
  • Results showed higher admission rates for women over 65 and boys aged 0-18 with OI, indicating a relative increase in hospitalization risk for respiratory issues despite overall low admissions in the OI cohort.
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The diagnostic accuracy of handheld ultrasound (HHUS) devices operated by newly certified operators for pneumonia is unknown. This multicenter diagnostic accuracy study included patients prospectively suspected of pneumonia from February 2021 to February 2022 in four emergency departments. The index test was a 14-zone focused lung ultrasound (FLUS) examination, with consolidation with air bronchograms as diagnostic criteria for pneumonia.

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Purpose: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) helps emergency department (ED) physicians make prompt and appropriate decisions, but the optimal diagnostic integration and potential clinical benefits remain unclear. We describe the protocol and statistical analysis plan for a randomized controlled trial. The objective is to determine the effect of a POCUS-driven diagnostic pathway in adult dyspneic ED patients on the proportion of patients having a hospital stay of less than 24 hours when compared to the standard diagnostic pathway.

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Background: Without increasing radiation exposure, ultralow-dose computed tomography (CT) of the chest provides improved diagnostic accuracy of radiological pneumonia diagnosis compared to a chest radiograph. Yet, radiologist resources to rapidly report the chest CTs are limited. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of emergency clinicians' assessments of chest ultralow-dose CTs for community-acquired pneumonia using a radiologist's assessments as reference standard.

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Background: Prevalence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients referred to diagnostic imaging is decreasing, indicating a need for improving patient selection. The aim of this study was to assess reduction in referral to diagnostic imaging by integrating a bespoke ultrasound protocol and describe associated failure rate and adverse events in patients with suspected PE.

Methods: In a randomized open-label multicentre trial spanning June 18, 2021, through Feb 1, 2023, adult patients with suspected PE and 1) a Wells score of 0-6 and elevated age-adjusted D-dimer or 2) Wells score >6 were randomly assigned 1:1 to direct diagnostic imaging (controls) or focused lung, cardiac, and deep venous ultrasound by unblinded investigators.

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The incidence of non-malignant pleural effusions far outweighs that of malignant pleural effusions and is estimated to be at least 3-fold higher. These so-called benign effusions do not follow a "benign course" in many cases, with mortality rates matching and sometimes exceeding those of malignant pleural effusions. In addition to the impact on patients, healthcare systems are also significantly affected, with recent US epidemiological data demonstrating that 75% of resource allocation for pleural effusion management is spent on non-malignant pleural effusions (excluding empyema).

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent advancements in diagnostic techniques for pleural lesions are expanding the understanding of their various presentations and causes.
  • The review evaluates multiple diagnostic methods, including radiological imaging and biopsy techniques, highlighting each method's strengths and weaknesses.
  • While progress has been made, improvements are needed in minimally invasive tools, multi-omics integration, and the establishment of dedicated pleural clinics to enhance patient care and standardize practices.
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Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) affects up to 15% of patients with malignancy, and the prevalence is increasing. Non-expandable lung (NEL) complicates MPE in up to 30% of cases. However, it is not known if patients with malignant pleural effusion and NEL are more symptomatic in activities of daily living compared to patients with MPE with expandable lung.

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Background: Bronchoscopy and EBUS are standard procedures in lung cancer work-up but have low diagnostic yield in lesions outside the central airways and hilar/mediastinal lymph nodes. Growing evidence on introducing the EBUS endoscope into the oesophagus (EUS-B) in the same session as bronchoscopy/EBUS gives access to new anatomical areas that can be safely biopsied.

Objective: To summarize the current evidence of the added value of EUS-B-FNA to bronchoscopy and EBUS-TBNA in lung cancer work-up.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A one-day training course was created, and 22 gastroenterologists reviewed 535 cases to assess their learning curves and diagnostic accuracy.
  • * Results showed that after reviewing 20 cases, participants continued to struggle with accuracy and did not reach a level of competency necessary for independent evaluation, suggesting that more than 20 cases may be required for effective learning.
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Neutrophil and (alveolar) macrophage immunity is considered crucial for eliminating . Data derived from bronchoalveloar lavage (BAL) characterizing the human immuno-pulmonary response to are non-existent. To obtain a comprehensive picture of the immune pathways involved in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA), we performed proteome analysis on AL of 9 CPA patients and 17 patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD).

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Background: In patients with recurrent pleural effusion, therapeutic thoracentesis is one way of relief. Correct prediction of which patients will experience relief following drainage may support the management of these patients. This study aimed to assess the association between ultrasound (US) characteristics and a relevant improvement in dyspnoea immediately following drainage.

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Background: The use of antibiotics is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance and is considered a major threat to global health. In Denmark, approximately 75% of antibiotic prescriptions are issued in general practice, with acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) being one of the most common indications. Adults who present to general practice with symptoms of acute LRTI often suffer from self-limiting viral infections.

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Background: Delayed recognition of acute disease among older adults hinders timely management and increases the risk of hospital admission. Point-of-Care testing, including Focused Lung Ultrasound (FLUS) and in-home analysis of biological material, may support clinical decision-making in suspected acute respiratory disease. The aim of this study was to pilot test the study design for a planned randomised trial, investigate whether in-home extended use of point-of-care testing is feasible, and explore its' potential clinical impact.

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Background: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly recommended for perioperative opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic treatments. Concerns regarding the potential for serious adverse events (SAEs) associated with perioperative NSAID treatment are especially relevant following gastrointestinal surgery. We assessed the risks of SAEs with perioperative NSAID treatment in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

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Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of thoracic ultrasound (TUS) for detecting interstitial lung disease (ILD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with respiratory symptoms.

Methods: Individuals with RA visiting rheumatologic outpatient clinics in the Region of Southern Denmark were systematically screened for dyspnea, cough, recurrent pneumonia, prior severe pneumonia, or a chest x-ray indicating interstitial abnormalities. Eighty participants with a positive screening were consecutively included.

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