Deciphering the lung microbiota in COVID-19 patients: insights from culture analysis, FilmArray pneumonia panel, ventilation impact, and mortality trends.

Few studies have analyzed the role of the lung microbiome in the diagnosis of pulmonary coinfection in ventilated ICU COVID-19 patients. We characterized the lung microbiota in COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia on invasive mechanical ventilation using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing and established its relationship with coinfections, mortality, and the need for mechanical ventilation for more than 7 days. This study included 67 COVID-19 ICU patients.

Safety and efficacy of personalised versus standard dosing of linezolid in patients with sepsis (SePkLin): a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised, controlled and superiority clinical trial protocol.

Introduction: Linezolid is a broadly used antibiotic to treat complicated infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. Therapeutic drug monitoring of linezolid concentrations is recommended to maximise its efficacy and safety, mainly haematological toxicity. Different pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets have been proposed to improve linezolid exposure: the ratio of the area under the concentration-time curve during a 24-hour period to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) between 80 and 120; percentage of time that the drug concentration remains above the MIC during a dosing interval greater than 85% and the trough concentration between 2 and 7 mg/L.

Smoking-related interstitial lung disease: A narrative review.

Although smoking-related interstitial lung diseases (SR-ILD) are a relatively rare group of entities, they are a relevant public health problem of growing importance, both because they affect young adults and because of their increasing prevalence in recent years due to increased tobacco consumption. In patients who smoke and have non-specific respiratory symptoms, SR-ILD should be ruled out, a term that encompasses a group of different entities in which the basis for diagnosis is the smoking history together with compatible respiratory functional findings, radiology and/or histology. An association has been established between tobacco smoke and a group of diseases that include respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease (2%-3% of all ILD), desquamative interstitial pneumonia (<1%), Langerhans cell histiocytosis (3%-5%) and acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

Clinical overview of the physiology and pathophysiology of pleural fluid movement: a narrative review.

In physiological conditions, the pleural space couples the lung with the chest wall and contains a small amount of fluid in continuous turnover. The volume of pleural fluid is the result from the balance between the entry of fluid through the pleural capillaries and drainage by the lymphatics in the most dependent areas of the parietal pleura. Fluid filtration is governed by Starling forces, determined by the hydrostatic and oncotic pressures of the capillaries and the pleural space.

Use of mycophenolate mofetil for the treatment of fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Introduction: The optimal treatment of fibrosing hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP) is not well understood. The aim of the study was to obtain information about the usefulness of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in its treatment.

Material And Methods: Quasi-experimental analysis of patients diagnosed with fHP and treated with MMF for one year, in a single centre.

Non-specific pleuritis: long-term follow-up outcomes.

Background: The definitive etiology of nonspecific pleuritis (NSP), the influence of the type of pleural biopsy on clinical results and the minimum duration of follow-up is controversial.

Research Design And Methods: A retrospective, observational study of patients ≥ 18 years with NSP confirmed by closed pleural biopsy (CPB), local anesthesia pleuroscopy (LAP), or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Results: A total of 167 patients were included (mean follow-up, 14.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: application of a new diagnostic algorithm to a time series of the disease.

Background: The diagnostic criteria for Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) have changed over time. Our aim is to apply a recent diagnostic algorithm to a historical series of patients diagnosed with HP to assess its distribution according to current diagnostic criteria and the diagnostic confidence achieved.

Research Design And Methods: Application to each patient the algorithm criteria.

Relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: The association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and glucose metabolism remains controversial. This study investigates the relationship between OSA and incident type 2 diabetes (DM) and prediabetes (preDM), as well as the effect of long-term CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) treatment.

Methods: Follow-up study in a retrospective clinical cohort of patients with OSA and randomly selected controls.

Analysis of the quality of e-Consultations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Introduction: The quality of e-Consultations in the COPD is unknown. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the quality of referrals; (ii) to define the characteristics of patients referred from Primary Care (PC) to the Unit of Pulmonology; and (iii) to describe differences between accepted and rejected patients.

Methods: A retrospective, observational study of e-Consultations requested by PC for suspected COPD throughout 2022.

Usefulness of a predictive model to hospitalize patients with low-risk community-acquired pneumonia.

Introduction: A high proportion of patients with low-risk community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) (classes I-III of the Pneumonia Severity Index) are hospitalized. The purpose of this study was to determine whether validated severity scales are used in clinical practice to make admission decisions, identify the variables that influence this decision, and evaluate the potential predictive value of these variables.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, observational study of patients ≥ 18 years of age with a diagnosis of low-risk CAP hospitalized or referred from the Emergency Department to outpatient consultations.

Diabetes and obstructive sleep apnoea: A case-control study.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are very prevalent diseases frequently associated. Their coexistence is independently associated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities. As this association is underdiagnosed, it is necessary to optimise clinical suspicion by studying independent predictors of DM or prediabetes (preDM) in patients with OSA.

Characteristics of pleural effusion due to amyloidosis.

The characteristics of patients with pleural amyloidosis (PA) are poorly known. A systematic review was performed of studies reporting clinical findings, pleural fluid (PF) characteristics, and the most effective treatment of PA. Case descriptions and retrospective studies were included.

Pleural effusion due to nonmalignant gastrointestinal disease.

Although pleural effusion is a frequent finding in clinical practice, determining its aetiology may be challenging, and up to 20% of cases remain undiagnosed. Pleural effusion may occur secondary to a nonmalignant gastrointestinal disease. A gastrointestinal origin is confirmed based on a review of the medical history of the patient, thorough physical examination and abdominal ultrasonography.

Advances in inhaled antibiotics for management of respiratory tract infections.

Purpose Of Review: The incidence of bacterial respiratory tract infections is growing. In a context of increasing antibiotic resistance and lack of new classes of antibiotics, inhaled antibiotics emerge as a promising therapeutic strategy. Although they are generally used for cystic fibrosis, their use in other conditions is becoming more frequent, including no-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, pneumonia and mycobacterial infections.

Investigating Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis Vaccination During Pregnancy and Risk of Congenital Anomalies.

Introduction: This observational retrospective matched cohort study evaluated the safety of a prenatal tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination, Boostrix. We previously reported on the risk of maternal and neonatal outcomes; here we report on the risk of congenital anomalies in infants at birth through 6 months of age.

Methods: The study included pregnant Kaiser Permanente Southern California members.

Cost-Effectiveness of a New Outpatient Pulmonology Care Model Based on Physician-to-Physician Electronic Consultation.

Introduction: This study assesses the impact of an electronic physician-to-physician consultation program on the waiting list and the costs of a Pulmonology Unit.

Materials And Methods: A prepost intervention study was conducted after a new ambulatory pulmonary care protocol was implemented and the capacity of the unit was adopted. In the new model, physicians at all levels of healthcare send electronic consultations to specialists.

Response to inhaled ceftazidime in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and chronic bronchial infection unrelated to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Introduction: Inhaled antibiotics reduce the frequency of exacerbations. The objective was to assess the efficacy of inhaled ceftazidime in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) and concomitant chronic bronchial infection (CBI) caused by potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPM) other than Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA).

Material And Method: Quasi-experimental study in 21 patients with exacerbations who developed CBI by a PPM other than PA.

Nimotuzumab Increases the Recovery Rate of Severe and Critical COVID-19 Patients: Evaluation in the Real-World Scenario.

EGFR signaling is an important regulator of SARS-CoV induced lung damage, inflammation and fibrosis. Nimotuzumab is a humanized anti-EGFR antibody registered for several cancer indications. An expanded access study was conducted to evaluate the safety and recovery rate of severe and critical patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, treated with nimotuzumab in combination with the standard of care in the real-world scenario.

Anti-infliximab antibodies and clinical response in noninfectious uveitis and scleritis patients treated with infliximab: A retrospective review.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical response to infliximab in ocular inflammation patients who develop anti-infliximab antibodies (AIA) vs. those patients who do not develop AIA.

Observations: A retrospective review was performed of patients treated with infliximab for noninfectious uveitis (NIU) or scleritis.

Sarcoidosis. Disease progression based on radiological and functional course: Predictive factors.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a multiorgan granulomatous disease with a variable course.

Oobjectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the patients that are more likely to experience disease progression.

Methods: A retrospective study in patients ≥18 years.

Quality of life and persistent symptoms after hospitalization for COVID-19. A prospective observational study comparing ICU with non-ICU patients.

Background: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are prone to develop persistent symptoms and to show reduced quality of life following hospital admission.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients admitted to a hospital from March 1 to April 30, 2020. The primary outcome was to compare health related quality of life and persistent symptoms six months after hospital admission, of COVID-19 patients who required ICU admission with those who did not.

Safety of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination during pregnancy.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of prenatal tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination. This cohort study was conducted among pregnant members at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC). The exposed cohort consisted of women who received Tdap vaccine on or after the 27th week of pregnancy between January 2018 and January 2019.