Prognostic relevance of exercise pulmonary hypertension: results of the multicentre PEX-NET Clinical Research Collaboration.

Background: Exercise pulmonary hypertension (PH) was defined by a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP)/cardiac output (CO) slope >3 mmHg·min·L between rest and exercise in the 2022 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society PH guidelines. However, large, multicentre studies on the prognostic relevance of exercise haemodynamics and its added value to resting haemodynamics are missing.

Patients And Methods: The PEX-NET (Pulmonary Haemodynamics during Exercise Network) registry enrolled patients who underwent clinically indicated right heart catheterisations both at rest and ergometer exercise from 23 PH centres worldwide.

Inspiratory Muscle Dysfunction Mediates and Predicts a Disease Continuum of Hypercapnic Failure in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Introduction: Advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with chronic hypercapnic failure. The present work aimed to comprehensively investigate inspiratory muscle function as a potential key determinant of hypercapnic respiratory failure in patients with COPD.

Methods: Prospective patient recruitment encompassed 61 stable subjects with COPD across different stages of respiratory failure, ranging from normocapnia to isolated nighttime hypercapnia and daytime hypercapnia.

[Prognostic factors in an individualised approach to non-pharmacological therapy of COVID-19: from oxygen and mechanical ventilation to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation].

Background: Our centre followed a stepwise approach in the nonpharmacological treatment of respiratory failure in COVID-19 in accordance with German national guidelines, escalating non-invasive measures before invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The aim of this study was to analyse this individualized approach to non-pharmacologic therapy in terms of patient characteristics and clinical features that may help predict more severe disease, particularly the need for intensive care.

Method: This retrospective single-centre study of COVID-19 inpatients between March 2020 and December 2021 analysed anthropometric data, non-pharmacological maximum therapy and survival status via a manual medical file review.

Interaction of panic and episodic breathlessness among patients with life-limiting diseases: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Episodic breathlessness is often accompanied by panic. A vicious cycle of breathlessness-panic-breathlessness leads to emergencies with severe breathlessness and/or fear of dying. However, the interaction between episodic breathlessness and panic is poorly understood.

Analysis of an Individualised Stepwise Approach to Non-Pharmacological Therapy in COVID-19.

Background: Early intubation versus use of conventional or high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (COT/HFNC), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been debated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our centre followed a stepwise approach, in concordance with German national guidelines, escalating non-invasive modalities prior to invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), rather than early or late intubation.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to investigate the real-life usage of these modalities and analyse patient characteristics and survival.