Clinical outcomes of difficult-to-wean patients with ventilator dependency at intensive care unit discharge.

Background: Ventilator-dependent patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who are difficult to wean from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) have been increasing in number. However, data on the clinical outcomes of difficult-to-wean patients are lacking. We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes in patients discharged from the ICU with tracheostomy and ventilator dependency.

Diagnosis and mortality prediction of sepsis via lysophosphatidylcholine 16:0 measured by MALDI-TOF MS.

Sepsis remains a critical problem with high mortality worldwide, but there is still a lack of reliable biomarkers. We aimed to evaluate the serum lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) 16:0 as a biomarker of sepsis using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Patients admitted to intensive care unit at Severance Hospital from March 2017 through June 2018 were prospectively enrolled.

Fixed-dose combination of three drugs, i.e. LABA/LAMA/ICS for COPD: Results of a real-world study from India.

Background: The use of triple therapy with inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta-agonist and long-acting antimuscarinics has been shown to be beneficial in COPD patients who continue to have symptoms and exacerbations, despite receiving dual bronchodilator combinations. This study assessed the real-world effectiveness and safety of once-daily, fixed-dose combination of Tiotropium/Formoterol/Ciclesonide (TFC) (18 mcg/12 mcg/400 mcg) via dry powder inhaler (DPI) or metered dose inhaler (MDI) in patients with COPD.

Patients And Methods: In this 24-week, open-label, prospective, non-comparative, multicentre, real-world study, COPD patients requiring triple therapy as judged by their physician, were enrolled.

A modified GAP model for East-Asian populations with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: The easy-to-calculate gender, age, and lung physiology (GAP) model shows good predictive and discriminative performance in the prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, the GAP model was not effective in predicting the prognosis accurately in previous Japanese and Korean IPF cohort studies. Therefore, we developed a modified GAP model for the East-Asian populations by weighing the GAP variables.

The high incidence of severe adverse events due to pyrazinamide in elderly patients with tuberculosis.

Background: Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a common drug that causes serious adverse events (SAEs). The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of and risk factors for SAEs due to PZA during first-line anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Methods: The medical records of patients with tuberculosis (TB) treated with PZA-containing regimens including first-line drugs-ethambutol, rifampicin, and isoniazid-from January 2003 to June 2016 were reviewed.

Impact of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on recurrence after surgical treatment for stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an independent risk factor for lung cancer (LC) development; however, its effect on recurrence after curative surgery remains unclear.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the impact of IPF on recurrence-free survival following curative surgical resection of stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and investigate the effects of patient and surgical factors on the risk of recurrence.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively collected data of patients with surgically resected stage I-III NSCLC from two tertiary care hospitals in South Korea.

Frequency of Blood Eosinophilia in newly diagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients.

Objective: To determine Blood Eosinophilia frequency in newly diagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients.

Methods: An observational cross-sectional research on newly diagnosed COPD patients with age ≥ 40 years was performed at Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi. COPD patients diagnosed in outpatient clinic or admitted in Chest Unit during six-month period from September 2018 to May 2019 were selected.

Predictors and outcomes of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy in critically ill patients.

Background: Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) occurs frequently in critically ill patients, but the clinical features and prognostic impact of SIC on sepsis outcome remain controversial. Here, we investigated the predictors and outcomes of SIC.

Methods: Patients admitted to a single medical intensive care unit from June 2016 to September 2017 were retrospectively reviewed.

Dissecting an Outbreak: A Clinico-epidemiological Study of Nipah Virus Infection in Kerala, India, 2018.

Background: An outbreak of Nipah virus infection was confirmed in Kerala, India in May 2018. Five out of 23 cases including the first laboratory-confirmed case were treated at Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH), Kozhikode. The study describes the clinical characteristics and epidemiology of the Nipah virus outbreak at Kozhikode during May 2018.

Methodology of Seasonal Waves of Respiratory Disorders survey conducted at respiratory outpatient clinics across India.

Background: Respiratory disorders are important contributors to disease burden across the world. The aim is to assess the proportionate burden of types of respiratory diseases and their seasonal patterns in India we are performing a field study. The present report describes methodological aspects of a respiratory disease point prevalence survey from India.

Effects of Multidrug-resistant Bacteria in Donor Lower Respiratory Tract on Early Posttransplant Pneumonia in Lung Transplant Recipients Without Pretransplant Infection.

Background: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in the lower respiratory tracts of allografts may be risk factors for early posttransplant pneumonia (PTP) that causes detrimental outcomes in lung transplant recipients (LTRs). We evaluated the effects of immediate changes in MDR bacteria in allografts on early PTP and mortality rates in LTRs.

Methods: We reviewed 90 adult bilateral LTRs without pretransplant infections who underwent lung transplantation between October 2012 and May 2018.

Relationship between smoking and spontaneously healed pulmonary TB on chest radiography in a South Korean population.

The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a national, population-based, cross-sectional surveillance programme. 1) To investigate the prevalence of spontaneously healed pulmonary tuberculosis (SHPTB) on chest radiographs (CXRs) in South Korea, as well as its demographic and clinical associations, and 2) to determine the relationship between SHPTB and smoking. People with normal findings on CXRs ( = 24 190) and those with SHPTB ( = 1863) were compared in univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses with respect to smoking and demographic and clinical factors.

Risk factors for mortality among inpatients with smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis.

Objective: To evaluate risk factors having significant effect on mortality of smear positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) inpatients.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Dow University Hospital Ojha Campus, Karachi. One hundred and seventy (170) inpatients of smear positive PTB confirmed by Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) smear, aged between 13-80 years were enrolled by using consecutive sampling technique while patients with drug resistant Tuberculosis (TB) and extra pulmonary TB were excluded from the study.

Prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

The risk of lung cancer is higher in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) because both conditions share common risk factors. However, no standard treatment modality for LC in IPF exists due to rare incidence, poor prognosis, and acute exacerbation (AE) of IPF during treatment. We aimed to determine the efficacy of LC treatments and the prognosis in LC patients with IPF according to the LC stage and GAP (gender [G], age [A], and two physiology variables [P]) stage.

Clinical features and prognosis of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) share common risk factors. They could therefore be expressed in a single patient. However, the prevalence, clinical characteristics and prognosis of individuals with comorbid IPF and COPD are not known.

Prognosis of Small Cell Lung Cancer with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Assessment according to GAP Stage.

Introduction: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an independent risk factor for lung cancer development, and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) comprises 15-20% of lung cancers with IPF. The objective of this study was to investigate survival outcomes and treatment-related complications according to GAP (gender, age, and physiology) stage in patients having SCLC with IPF (SCLC-IPF).

Materials And Methods: Retrospectively collected data of SCLC-IPF patients from two tertiary care university hospitals in South Korea were reviewed.

Korean Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Interstitial Lung Diseases: Part 5. Connective Tissue Disease Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Connective tissue disease (CTD) is a collection of disorders characterized by various signs and symptoms such as circulation of autoantibodies in the entire system causing damage to internal organs. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) which is associated with CTD is referred to as CTD-ILD. Patients diagnosed with ILD should be thoroughly examined for the co-occurrence of CTD, since the treatment procedures and prognosis of CTD-ILD are vary from those of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia.

Mycobacterial Growth Inhibition in South Korean Adults With Latent TB Infection.

It is important to understand the ability to inhibit mycobacterial growth in healthy adults who would have been Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccinated in childhood as this group will be the potential target population for novel booster TB vaccine trials. In this study we investigated not only the long-term immunity induced by childhood BCG vaccination but also protective immunity in terms of the ability to inhibit mycobacterial growth in those who were BCG vaccinated in childhood, with evidence of recent or remote TB infection. We measured the baseline immune response using a functional mycobacterial growth inhibition assay (MGIA) as a novel approach and an intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) assay as a reference approach in healthy adults, with different status of (Mtb) infection.

Non-specific impairment of Lung Function on Spirometery in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis-C.

Objectives: To document frequency of non-specific impairment of lung functions (NILF) in patients of HCV and to compare according to gender, genotype, liver fibrosis score and smoking status.

Methods: Patients of chronic hepatitis C were included after informed consent. Demographic data was recorded, and they underwent baseline investigations, fibroscan, abdominal ultrasound and PFT.

Multidrug-resistant infection in lung transplant recipients: risk factors and prognosis.

Infectious complication is an important cause of poor outcome of lung transplantation (LT). Infections with () are problematic, because of limited therapeutic option due to increasing resistance to antibiotics. However, there are few studies on infection in lung transplant recipients.

Long-Term Mortality and Prognostic Factors in Aspiration Pneumonia.

Objectives: Aspiration pneumonia is a leading cause of death among older patients; however, little is known about the long-term mortality in aspiration pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term mortality and its associated factors in patients with aspiration pneumonia.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Improved Fluoroquinolone-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes.

Background: Treatment outcomes of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) remain poor, particularly for fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) MDR TB. The aim of this study was to determine treatment outcomes and factors associated with failure of MDR TB treatment, focusing on FQ resistance.

Methods: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed of patients diagnosed and treated for MDR TB from January 2005 through December 2017 at Severance Hospital, South Korea.

Role of Bronchial Washing Gene Xpert in Sputum-Scarce Cases of Suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Objective: To determine the frequency of mycobacterium tuberculosis detection, in bronchial washing in sputum-scarce cases of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, during July 2016 to December 2017. Sputum-scarce patients with suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis were selected and underwent for bronchoscopy, detailed examination of bronchial tree was performed, and bronchial washing collected for testing of mycobacterium tuberculosis with Gene Xpert.