Bosentan for patients with steroid-resistant pulmonary sarcoidosis: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a disorder of unknown aetiology. Most patients have steroid-responsive disease, but side effects and steroid resistance may necessitate alternative treatments. Endothelin has in-vitro fibrogenic activity and the endothelin system is activated in sarcoidosis.

Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment of Stable COPD and Acute Exacerbations of COPD: The Swiss Recommendations 2018.

The Swiss National Guidelines 2013 for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been revised in order to acknowledge recent progress in diagnosis and management of this disease. The resulting new Swiss recommendations are based on best evidence from the literature, the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2018 report and other published national guidelines. Misdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is common and means that patients do not always receive optimal treatment.

Treatment of COPD Exacerbation in Switzerland: Results and Recommendations of the European COPD Audit.

Background: The European COPD Audit initiated by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) evaluated the management of hospital admissions due to exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in several European countries. Data on the treatment of severe acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPDs) in Switzerland are scarce.

Objectives: In light of the GOLD 2010 guidelines, this work aims to examine the quality of care for AECOPD and to provide specific recommendations for the management of severe AECOPD in Switzerland.

Aspergillus-PCR in bronchoalveolar lavage for detection of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients.

Background: Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a frequent and serious infectious complication in immunocompromised patients. Culture and cytology in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) have a high specificity but low sensitivity for the diagnosis of IFD as assessed by histology. Molecular methods are expected to allow a rapid diagnosis of IFD with a high sensitivity.

Lung resection in hematologic patients with pulmonary invasive fungal disease.

Background: Pulmonary invasive fungal disease is a frequent complication in patients with hematologic malignancies. Surgical resection in addition to antifungal therapy is an option for selected cases but often feared because of immunosuppression.

Methods: We analyzed the outcome of 71 patients undergoing lung resection for pulmonary invasive fungal disease.