Optimal levothyroxine dose to achieve euthyroidism in patients with primary hypothyroidism: analysis according to etiology.

Introduction: Levothyroxine (LT4) has been considered the standard of care for treatment of hypothyroidism. Current recommendations suggest a LT4 dose between 1.6-1.

The influence of age and body weight on levothyroxine replacement dosage to achieve euthyroidism in patients with primary hypothyroidism.

Introduction: Although, it is generally held that the levothyroxine (LT4) dose tends to decrease with age, this theory remains controversial. Our objective was to assess whether the LT4 dose required to achieve euthyroid status varies according to age, body weight (BW), sex, menopausal status, or antibody status.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from the retrospective review of the charts of patients with a previous diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism in treatment with LT4 and in a euthyroid state.

The influence of age and body weight on levothyroxine replacement dosage to achieve euthyroidism in patients with primary hypothyroidism.

Introduction: Although, it is generally held that the levothyroxine (LT4) dose tends to decrease with age, this theory remains controversial. Our objective was to assess whether the LT4 dose required to achieve euthyroid status varies according to age, body weight (BW), sex, menopausal status, or antibody status.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from the retrospective review of the charts of patients with a previous diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism in treatment with LT4 and in a euthyroid state.

Nintedanib Treatment for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients Who Have Been Switched from Pirfenidone Therapy: A Retrospective Case Series Study.

Background: The efficacy and effectiveness of nintedanib as a first-line therapy in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients have been demonstrated by clinical trials and real-life studies. Our aim was to examine the safety profile and effectiveness of nintedanib when it is utilized as a second-line treatment in subjects who have discontinued pirfenidone.

Methods: The medical charts of 12 patients who were switched from pirfenidone to nintedanib were examined retrospectively.

High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy to treat acute respiratory failure in patients with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Some patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) develop acute exacerbation (AE-IPF) leading to severe acute respiratory failure (ARF); despite conventional supportive therapy, the mortality rate remains extremely high. The aim of this study was to assess how a treatment algorithm incorporating high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy affects the short-term mortality of patients with AE-IPF who develop ARF.

Method And Design: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted.

Pirfenidone improves the survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis hospitalized for acute exacerbation.

To examine the effect of pirfenidone on the survival of patients hospitalized due to acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF). The outcomes of 11 consecutive AE-IPF patients who were receiving pirfenidone treatment when they were admitted to a respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) for acute respiratory failure (ARF) (treatment group) were retrospectively compared with those of 9 patients who were not on pirfenidone treatment at admission (control group). The study's primary outcome measure was survival following RICU admission; the patients' mortality rate and the length of time spent in the RICU were also assessed.

Successful management of acute respiratory failure in an Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis patient using an extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal system.

Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) requiring Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (IMV) following unsuccessful treatment with Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) have a high mortality rate. IMV is, moreover, an independent predictor of poor outcome during the post-transplantation period in patients on waiting lists for Lung Transplantation (LT). Here we describe the successful management of an IPF patient with acute respiratory failure (ARF) using a pump-assisted veno-venous system for extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) (ProLUNG® system) as an alternative to endotracheal intubation (ETI) following NIV failure.

Clinical and Pulmonary Function Markers of Respiratory Exacerbation Risk in Subjects With Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy.

Background: Although respiratory exacerbations are common in patients with quadriplegic cerebral palsy (CP), little is known about the factors that are related to increased exacerbation risk. This study aimed to identify the clinical and pulmonary function variables signaling risk of exacerbation in this type of patient.

Methods: Thirty-one children and young adults with quadriplegic CP underwent a comprehensive history, physical examination, and pulmonary function test, including arterial blood gas analysis, airway resistance using the interrupter technique, and home overnight SpO2 monitoring.

Noninvasive ventilation in the event of acute respiratory failure in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Some patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) develop severe acute respiratory failure (ARF) requiring admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) and ventilatory support. A limited number of observational studies have reported that noninvasive ventilation (NIV) can be an effective treatment to support breathing and to prevent use of invasive mechanical ventilation in these patients. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the clinical status and outcomes in IPF patients receiving NIV for ARF and to identify those clinical and laboratory characteristics, which could be considered risk factors for its failure.

Enzyme replacement therapy improves respiratory outcomes in patients with late-onset type II glycogenosis and high ventilator dependency.

Purpose: Type II glycogenosis (GSDII) is a rare and often fatal neuromuscular disorder caused by acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency. Although alglucosidase alfa enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) significantly improves outcomes in subjects with the infantile form, its efficacy in patients with the late-onset one is not entirely clear. The long-term efficacy of ERT in late-onset GSGII complicated by severe pulmonary impairment causing high mechanical ventilation dependency was investigated in this study.

"Hospital at home" for neuromuscular disease patients with respiratory tract infection: a pilot study.

Background: The "hospital-at-home" model may provide adequate care without an adverse effect on clinical outcome, and is generally well received by users. Our objective was to compare hospital-at-home and in-patient hospital care for neuromuscular disease (NMD) patients with respiratory tract infections.

Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial in a university teaching hospital offering secondary care service to a population of approximately 500,000.

Asthma symptoms, lung function, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in children exposed to oil refinery pollution.

Objectives: Little is known about the effects of exposure to petroleum refinery emissions on respiratory health in children. We evaluated lung function and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in children and adolescents with and without asthma or wheezing symptoms living in a petrochemical polluted area (Sarroch, Sardinia) versus a reference area (Burcei).

Methods: Parents of 275/300 6- to 14-year-old children living in Sarroch and parents of 214/323 children living in Burcei answered a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and risk factors.

The MRC dyspnoea scale by telephone interview to monitor health status in elderly COPD patients.

Dyspnoea is the most common symptom associated with poor quality of life in patients affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). While COPD severity is commonly staged by lung function, the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea scale has been proposed as a more clinically meaningful method of quantifying disease severity in COPD. We wished to assess whether this scale might also be useful during telephone surveys as a simple surrogate marker of perceived health status in elderly patients with COPD.