Organ involvement in newly diagnosed sarcoidosis patients in the Netherlands: The first large European multicentre prospective study.

Background: Clinical presentation and prevalence of organ involvement is highly variable in sarcoidosis and depends on ethnic, genetic and geographical factors. These data are not extensively studied in a Dutch population.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of organ involvement and the indication for systemic immunosuppressive therapy in newly diagnosed sarcoidosis patients in the Netherlands.

Pulmonary embolism in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: Short- and long-term clinical outcomes.

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a frequent complication in COVID-19. However, the influence of PE on the prognosis of COVID-19 remains unclear as previous studies were affected by misclassification bias. Therefore, we evaluated a cohort of COVID-19 patients whom all underwent systematic screening for PE (thereby avoiding misclassification) and compared clinical outcomes between patients with and without PE.

Summary of the Dutch Multidisciplinary Practice Guideline on Asthma and Pregnancy.

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in women of childbearing age and during pregnancy. This paper presents a summary of the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline on asthma and pregnancy. The aim of this guideline is to provide structured, where possible, evidence-based recommendations to optimize the management of asthma during pregnancy.

Thyroid and adrenal incidentalomas on chest CT: Prevalence, diagnostic work-up and outcomes in a cohort of COVID-19 suspected patients.

Objective: Due to increased use of computed tomography (CT), prevalence of thyroid and adrenal incidentalomas is rising. Yet, previous studies on the outcomes of diagnostic work-up of incidentalomas are subjected to inclusion bias. Therefore, we aimed to investigate prevalence and outcomes of diagnostic work-up of thyroid and adrenal incidentalomas detected on chest CT in a less selected population of COVID-19 suspected patients.

What is the aetiology of dysnatraemia in COVID-19 and how is this related to outcomes in patients admitted during earlier and later COVID-19 waves? A multicentre, retrospective observational study in 11 Dutch hospitals.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship among dysnatraemia at hospital presentation and duration of admission, risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and all-cause mortality and to assess the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of hyponatraemia in patients with COVID-19. Our hypothesis is that both hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia at presentation are associated with adverse outcomes.

Design: Observational study.

Systematic screening versus clinical gestalt in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in COVID-19 patients in the emergency department.

Background: Diagnosing concomitant pulmonary embolism (PE) in COVID-19 patients remains challenging. As such, PE may be overlooked. We compared the diagnostic yield of systematic PE-screening based on the YEARS-algorithm to PE-screening based on clinical gestalt in emergency department (ED) patients with COVID-19.

Effects of long-term tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS) once daily on exacerbation rate in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Background: Use of long-term tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS) has been shown beneficial in cystic fibrosis (CF) and earlier findings also suggest a benefit in non-CF bronchiectasis. We investigated the efficacy and safety of maintenance TIS once daily (OD) in frequent exacerbating bronchiectasis patients chronically infected by different pathogens sensitive for tobramycin.

Objective: The primary outcome was the frequency of exacerbations during the 12-month study period.

Early warning scores to assess the probability of critical illness in patients with COVID-19.

Objective: Validated clinical risk scores are needed to identify patients with COVID-19 at risk of severe disease and to guide triage decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the performance of early warning scores (EWS) in the ED when identifying patients with COVID-19 who will require intensive care unit (ICU) admission for high-flow-oxygen usage or mechanical ventilation.

Methods: Patients with a proven SARS-CoV-2 infection with complete resuscitate orders treated in nine hospitals between 27 February and 30 July 2020 needing hospital admission were included.

In-Depth Investigation of Conjunctival Swabs and Tear Fluid of Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients, an Observational Cohort Study.

Purpose: The putative presence of SARS-CoV-2 in ocular specimen puts healthcare workers at risk. We thoroughly examined conjunctival swabs and tear fluid in a large cohort of COVID-19 patients.

Methods: A total of 243 symptomatic laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were included in this observational multicenter study.

Predicting mortality of individual patients with COVID-19: a multicentre Dutch cohort.

Objective: Develop and validate models that predict mortality of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 admitted to the hospital.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A multicentre cohort across 10 Dutch hospitals including patients from 27 February to 8 June 2020.

Can predicting COVID-19 mortality in a European cohort using only demographic and comorbidity data surpass age-based prediction: An externally validated study.

Objective: To establish whether one can build a mortality prediction model for COVID-19 patients based solely on demographics and comorbidity data that outperforms age alone. Such a model could be a precursor to implementing smart lockdowns and vaccine distribution strategies.

Methods: The training cohort comprised 2337 COVID-19 inpatients from nine hospitals in The Netherlands.

Clinical impact of human metapneumovirus infections before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The first outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in March 2020 in Europe, which is normally the peak incidence period of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections, implying cocirculation and potentially causing competition between them.

Methods: We investigated differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes of HMPV infections in hospitalized patients before (January 2016-28 February, 2020) and HMPV and COVID-19 during part of the COVID-19 pandemic (28 February, 2020-1 April, 2020).

Results: A total of 239 HMPV patients and 303 COVID-19 patients were included.

Decreased Risk of COPD Exacerbations in Obese Patients.

Survival in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is enhanced in obese patients, which is called the obesity paradox. Despite some theories, the precise mechanism remains unclear. Since COPD exacerbations play a major role in COPD survival, this study aimed to stratify patients into BMI classes and investigate exacerbation frequency, time to readmission and survival in patients hospitalized with a COPD exacerbation.

Measurement of Dynamic Hyperinflation During the 6-Minute Walk Test Using a Mobile Device.

Background: Dynamic hyperinflation is a major cause of dyspnea in patients with COPD. Dynamic hyperinflation is usually measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing, but this test requires maximal effort from the patient, and inspiratory capacity (IC) measurements may influence test results. This study investigated another approach by measuring dynamic hyperinflation during the more natural and better-tolerated 6-min walk test (6MWT), using a mobile system for IC measurements.

Long term survival after admission for COPD exacerbation: A comparison with the general population.

Background And Objective: Life expectancy data of COPD patients in comparison to the general population are primarily based upon long-term population cohort studies. These studies are limited by a poor definition of clinically significant COPD. The key element in the course of COPD is a clinical exacerbation.

Potential importance of protease activated receptor (PAR)-1 expression in the tumor stroma of non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Protease activated receptor (PAR)-1 expression is increased in a variety of tumor cells. In preclinical models, tumor cell PAR-1 appeared to be involved in the regulation of lung tumor growth and metastasis; however the role of PAR-1 in the lung tumor microenvironment, which is emerging as a key compartment in driving cancer progression, remained to be explored.

Methods: In the present study, PAR-1 gene expression was determined in lung tissue from patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using a combination of publicly available RNA microarray datasets and in house-made tissue microarrays including tumor biopsies of 94 patients with NSCLC (40 cases of adenocarcinoma, 42 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 12 cases of other type of NSCLC at different stages).

Streptococcal lung abscesses from a dental focus following tocilizumab: a case report.

Patients suffering from dental infections and concurrently using immunosuppressive medication are at increased risk of developing systemic streptococcal infections. Tocilizumab is a novel therapeutic agent targeting interleukin-6. We describe a case of streptococcal lung abscesses from a dental focus after use of tocilizumab for treatment of Takayasu arteritis.

Prescription of physical activity is not sufficient to change sedentary behavior and improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients.

Objective: To assess the impact of personalized exercise prescription on habitual physical activity and glycemic control in sedentary, insulin treated type 2 diabetes patients during a 2-y intervention period.

Research Design And Methods: 74 patients were randomized to the intervention (n=38) or control (n=36) group. The intervention group was stimulated to increase daily physical activity through regular, structured, and personalized exercise prescription by a physical therapist over the 2-y intervention period.