Consensus palliative care referral criteria for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: People with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have substantial palliative care needs, but uncertainty exists around appropriate identification of patients for palliative care referral.We conducted a Delphi study of international experts to identify consensus referral criteria for specialist outpatient palliative care for people with COPD.

Methods: Clinicians in the fields of respiratory medicine, palliative and primary care from five continents with expertise in respiratory medicine and palliative care rated 81 criteria over three Delphi rounds.

A Research Agenda to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement.

Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are often at risk for or have comorbid cardiovascular disease and are likely to die of cardiovascular-related causes. To prioritize a list of research topics related to the diagnosis and management of patients with COPD and comorbid cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, atherosclerotic vascular disease, and atrial fibrillation) by summarizing existing evidence and using consensus-based methods. A literature search was performed.

Sustained Clinical Benefits of Spiration Valve System in Patients with Severe Emphysema: 24-Month Follow-Up of EMPROVE.

Follow-up of patients with emphysema treated with endobronchial valves is limited to 3-12 months after treatment in prior reports. To date, no comparative data exist between treatment and control subjects with a longer follow-up. To assess the durability of the Spiration Valve System (SVS) in patients with severe heterogeneous emphysema over a 24-month period.

A New Global Definition of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Since publication of the 2012 Berlin definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), several developments have supported the need for an expansion of the definition, including the use of high-flow nasal oxygen, the expansion of the use of pulse oximetry in place of arterial blood gases, the use of ultrasound for chest imaging, and the need for applicability in resource-limited settings. A consensus conference of 32 critical care ARDS experts was convened, had six virtual meetings (June 2021 to March 2022), and subsequently obtained input from members of several critical care societies. The goal was to develop a definition that would ) identify patients with the currently accepted conceptual framework for ARDS, ) facilitate rapid ARDS diagnosis for clinical care and research, ) be applicable in resource-limited settings, ) be useful for testing specific therapies, and ) be practical for communication to patients and caregivers.