Neurophysiological mechanisms of exertional dyspnea in post-pulmonary embolism syndrome.

Following pulmonary embolism (PE), a third of patients develop persistent dyspnea, which is commonly termed the post-PE syndrome. The neurophysiological underpinnings of exertional dyspnea in patients with post-PE syndrome without pulmonary hypertension (PH) are unclear. Thus, the current study determined if abnormally high inspiratory neural drive (IND) due, in part, to residual pulmonary gas-exchange abnormalities, was linked to heightened exertional dyspnea and exercise limitation, in such patients.

The Role of Myositis-Specific Autoantibodies and the Management of Interstitial Lung Disease in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To evaluate the role of myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs) in interstitial lung disease (ILD), management of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) associated ILD, and if there is a role for MSA specific management of ILD.

Methods: A systematic review was performed examining how MSAs relate to ILD manifestations in IIM patients and comparing treatment outcomes with varying immunosuppressive regimens.

Results: 112 papers were included in this analysis.

Kidney function and the use of nitrofurantoin to treat urinary tract infections in older women.

Background: The antibiotic nitrofurantoin is commonly used to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections. However, when this drug is used by patients with reduced kidney function, its urine concentration may be subtherapeutic.

Methods: We conducted a population-based study of older women (mean age 79 years) in Ontario, Canada, whose estimated glomerular filtration rate was relatively low (median 38 mL/min per 1.