BAL Fluid Cellular Analysis and Radiologic Patterns in Patients With Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease.

Background: BAL cellular analysis is often recommended during the initial diagnostic evaluation of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD). Despite recommendation for its use, between-center heterogeneity exists and supportive data concerning the clinical utility and correlation of BAL findings with radiologic features or patterns remain sparse.

Research Question: In patients with fibrotic ILD, are BAL findings associated with radiologic features, patterns, and clinical diagnoses?

Study Design And Methods: Patients with fibrotic ILD who underwent BAL for diagnostic evaluation and who were enrolled in the prospective Canadian Registry for Pulmonary Fibrosis were re-reviewed in a standardized multidisciplinary discussion (MDD).

Multicenter evaluation of left ventricular assist device implantation with or without ECMO bridge in cardiogenic shock.

Background: The efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to left ventricular assist device (LVAD) remains unclear, and recipients of the more contemporary HeartMate 3 (HM3) LVAD are not well represented in previous studies. We therefore undertook a multicenter, retrospective study of this population.

Methods And Results: INTERMACS 1 LVAD recipients from five U.

Lung imaging patterns in connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease impact prognosis and immunosuppression response.

Objectives: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) in CTDs has highly variable morphology. We aimed to identify imaging features and their impact on ILD progression, mortality, and immunosuppression response.

Methods: Patients with CTD-ILD had high-resolution chest CT (HRCT) reviewed by expert radiologists blinded to clinical data for overall imaging pattern [usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP); non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP); organizing pneumonia (OP); fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP); and other].

Integration and Application of Radiologic Patterns From Clinical Practice Guidelines on Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines separately describe radiologic patterns of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP), without direction on whether or how to apply these approaches concurrently within a single patient.

Research Question: How can we integrate guideline-defined radiologic patterns to diagnose interstitial lung disease (ILD) and what are the pitfalls associated with described patterns that require reassessment in future guidelines?

Study Design And Methods: Patients from the Canadian Registry for Pulmonary Fibrosis underwent detailed reevaluation in standardized multidisciplinary discussion. CT scan features were quantified by chest radiologists masked to clinical data, and guideline-defined patterns were assigned.