Impact of early initiation of renal replacement therapy in patients on venoarterial ECMO using target trial emulation with Japanese nationwide data.

While renal replacement therapy (RRT) allows for precise fluid management as well as addressing electrolyte imbalances and the removal of other necessary compounds, its early initiation has not shown benefit in the general critically ill population. Moreover, the effects of early RRT initiation specifically in patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) also remain unclear. This retrospective study investigated adult patients who underwent VA-ECMO between April 2018 and March 2022 and used the clone-censor-weight method to emulate a hypothetical target trial and compare two groups: patients who initiated RRT within 2 days of VA-ECMO initiation (Early) and those who did not (Late).

The Impact of Autoantibodies on Outcomes in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Post-Hoc Analyses of the Phase III ASCEND Trial.

Introduction: Clinical practice guidelines recommend autoimmune serological testing in patients newly diagnosed with interstitial lung disease of apparently unknown cause who may have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), in order to exclude connective tissue disease (CTD). Autoantibody positivity has been associated with unique patient profiles and prognosis in patients with IPF who otherwise lack a CTD diagnosis.

Methods: This post-hoc analysis of patients with IPF from the Phase III ASCEND trial (NCT01366209) evaluated the association of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) status with baseline disease characteristics, disease progression [percent predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC), forced vital capacity (FVC) volume and progression-free survival (PFS)], and treatment outcomes with pirfenidone and placebo (%FVC, FVC and PFS).

Design of the STRIVE-IPF trial- study of therapeutic plasma exchange, rituximab, and intravenous immunoglobulin for acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) affect a significant proportion of patients with IPF. There are limited data to inform therapeutic strategies for AE-IPF, despite its high mortality. We discuss the rationale and design of STRIVE-IPF, a randomized, multi-center, open-label Phase IIb clinical trial to determine the efficacy of combined therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), rituximab, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), in comparison to treatment as usual (TAU), among patients with acute IPF exacerbations.

Project EPIC (Empowering People to Independence in COPD): Study protocol for a hybrid effectiveness-implementation pilot randomized controlled trial of telephonic, geriatrics-palliative care nurse-coaching in older adults with COPD and their family caregivers.

Background: EPIC (Empowering People to Independence in COPD) is a geriatric-palliative care telephonic, nurse coach intervention informed by Baltes' Theory of Successful Aging and adapted from the ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends) intervention. EPIC, focused on improving independence, mobility, well-being, and COPD symptoms, has undergone formative and summative evaluation for adults with COPD.

Methods: The primary study aim is to assess the refined EPIC intervention's feasibility and acceptability via a pilot hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized control trial in community-dwelling older adults with moderate to severe COPD and their family caregivers.

Canine acquired pneumonia caused by .

Here, we present the case of a 55-year-old male with HIV and persistent lymphopenia who developed a paroxysmal severe cough for over three weeks. Microbiology studies were positive for abundant colonies of . He reports that his dog was also ill with a severe cough, suggesting a possible canine-to-human transmission.

Association between P-pulmonale and respiratory morbidity in COPD: a secondary analysis of the BLOCK-COPD trial.

Rationale: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in COPD confers increased risk of exacerbations (ECOPD). Electrocardiogram (ECG) indicators of PH are prognostic both in PH and COPD. In the Beta-Blockers for the Prevention of Acute Exacerbations of COPD (BLOCK-COPD) trial, metoprolol increased risk of severe ECOPD through unclear mechanisms.

Pulmonary Surface Irregularity Score as a New Quantitative CT Marker for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis-a Pilot Study.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy and inter-observer agreement of a quantitative pulmonary surface irregularity (PSI) score on high-resolution chest CT (HRCT) for predicting transplant-free survival in patients with IPF. For this IRB-approved HIPAA-compliant retrospective single-center study, adult patients with IPF and HRCT imaging (N = 50) and an age- and gender-matched negative control group with normal HRCT imaging (N = 50) were identified. Four independent readers measured the PSI score in the midlungs on HRCT images using dedicated software while blinded to clinical data.

Tetraspanin CD82 Associates with Trafficking Vesicle in Muscle Cells and Binds to Dysferlin and Myoferlin.

Tetraspanins organize protein complexes at the cell membrane and are responsible for assembling diverse binding partners in changing cellular states. Tetraspanin CD82 is a useful cell surface marker for prospective isolation of human myogenic progenitors and its expression is decreased in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) cell lines. The function of CD82 in skeletal muscle remains elusive, partly because the binding partners of this tetraspanin in muscle cells have not been identified.

Review of cardiovascular imaging in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology 2022: positron emission tomography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance.

In 2022, the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology® published many excellent original research articles and editorials focusing on imaging in patients with cardiovascular disease. In this review of 2022, we summarize a selection of articles to provide a concise recap of major advancements in the field. In the first part of this 2-part series, we addressed publications pertaining to single-photon emission computed tomography.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis secondary to Tropheryma whipplei in a patient with chronic polyarthritis.

Background: Whipple's disease is a chronic multisystemic infectious disease that rarely presents as culture-negative endocarditis. Most patients reported with Tropheryma whipplei endocarditis involve a native valve and few describe prosthetic valve disease.

Case Presentation: A patient with chronic polyarthritis and previous mitral valve replacement developed decompensated heart failure without fever.

Towards development of evidence to inform recommendations for the evaluation and management of bronchiectasis.

Bronchiectasis (BE) is a chronic condition characterized by airway dilation as a consequence of a variety of pathogenic processes. It is often associated with persistent airway infection and an inflammatory response resulting in cough productive of purulent sputum, which has an adverse impact on quality of life. The prevalence of BE is increasing worldwide.

Review of cardiovascular imaging in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology 2022: single photon emission computed tomography.

In this review, we will summarize a selection of articles on single-photon emission computed tomography published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology in 2022. The aim of this review is to concisely recap major advancements in the field to provide the reader a glimpse of the research published in the journal over the last year. This review will place emphasis on myocardial perfusion imaging using single-photon emission computed tomography summarizing advances in the field including in prognosis, non-perfusion variables, attenuation compensation, machine learning and camera design.

Differential Effects of Patient Navigation across Latent Profiles of Barriers to Care among People Living with HIV and Comorbid Conditions.

Engaging people living with HIV who report substance use (PLWH-SU) in care is essential to HIV medical management and prevention of new HIV infections. Factors associated with poor engagement in HIV care include a combination of syndemic psychosocial factors, mental and physical comorbidities, and structural barriers to healthcare utilization. Patient navigation (PN) is designed to reduce barriers to care, but its effectiveness among PLWH-SU remains unclear.

Leveraging Technology and Gamification to Engage Learners in a Microbiology Curriculum in Undergraduate Medical Education.

Background: Microbiology is a critical and expansive topic that many medical schools' curriculum must teach in a constrained time frame. We implemented a microbiology question bank smart phone app enhanced with game elements and clinical pearls during a microbiology course for first-year medical students. We hypothesized that these enhancements and clinical pearls would engage the students meaningfully and increase their knowledge base.

Patient and family experience of telehealth care delivery as part of the CF chronic care model early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, CF centers shifted to a telehealth delivery model. Our study aimed to determine how people with CF (PwCF) and their families experienced telehealth and assessed its quality and acceptability for future CF care.

Methods: The CF Patient and Family State of Care Survey (PFSoC) was fielded from August 31-October 30, 2020.

Effect of left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony assessed pre-renal transplantation on cardiovascular death post transplantation.

Background: SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) provides an assessment of LV mechanical dyssynchrony (LVMD) which correlates with CVD outcomes in diverse populations including those awaiting renal transplant (RT). The current study examines the association of LVMD on pre-transplant MPI with long-term CVD mortality post RT.

Methods: We identified consecutive patients who underwent RT at the University of Alabama at Birmingham between 2008 and 2012 from our prospectively collected database.