Causes and Risk Factors for Absenteeism among Medical Staff in German Specialized Lung Clinics during the COVID Pandemic.

Background: Staff shortages pose a major challenge to the health system.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to clarify the role of different causative factors we investigated on staff absenteeism during the COVID pandemic.

Methods: The prospective multicentre cohort study assessed the private and professional impact of the pandemic on health care workers (HCWs) using a specially developed questionnaire.

Pulmonary fibrosis: from pathogenesis to clinical decision-making.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) encompasses a spectrum of chronic lung diseases that progressively impact the interstitium, resulting in compromised gas exchange, breathlessness, diminished quality of life (QoL), and ultimately respiratory failure and mortality. Various diseases can cause PF, with their underlying causes primarily affecting the lung interstitium, leading to their referral as interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). The current understanding is that PF arises from abnormal wound healing processes triggered by various factors specific to each disease, leading to excessive inflammation and fibrosis.

Krebs von den Lungen-6 as a Potential Predictive Biomarker in Fibrosing Interstitial Lung Diseases.

Background: As fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (fILDs) are associated with high mortality, monitoring of disease activity under treatment is highly relevant. Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is associated with the presence and severity of different fILDs, mainly in Asian patient populations.

Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate KL-6 as a predictive biomarker in fILDs in Caucasian patients.

Impact of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease With and Without Pulmonary Hypertension on Survival: A Large Cohort Study of the German Network for Systemic Sclerosis.

Background: Pulmonary involvement is the leading cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and may manifest as interstitial lung disease (ILD), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), or in combination of both (ILD with pulmonary hypertension [ILD-PH]). The aim of this analysis was to determine prevalence, clinical characteristics, and survival of these different forms within the registry of the German Network for Systemic Sclerosis.

Research Question: Does SSc-associated ILD-PH or ILD without PH affect survival differently, and are there any risk factors that have an additional impact?

Study Design And Methods: Clinical data of 5,831 patients with SSc were collected in the German Network for Systemic Sclerosis registry.

Is the internet a sufficient source of information on sarcoidosis?

Introduction: Many patients use the internet as a source of health information. Sarcoidosis is a complex disease, and internet resources have not yet been analyzed for reliability and content on sarcoidosis.

Aims: Our study aimed to investigate the content and the quality of information on sarcoidosis provided by internet resources.

Early Detection of Lung Cancer Using Small RNAs.

Introduction: Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer in the world, and lung cancer survival is heavily dependent on tumor stage at the time of detection. Low-dose computed tomography screening can reduce mortality; however, annual screening is limited by low adherence in the United States of America and still not broadly implemented in Europe. As a result, less than 10% of lung cancers are detected through existing programs.

Clinical trial simulations in pulmonary fibrosis: patient-focused insights and adaptations.

Background: Patient recruitment and retention are a challenge when conducting clinical trials in patients with pulmonary fibrosis, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial lung diseases. This study aimed to understand and address the barriers associated with trial participation for these populations.

Methods: Nine patients, nine caregivers and three healthcare professionals participated in virtual simulations of planned phase III trials.

Ziritaxestat, a Novel Autotaxin Inhibitor, and Lung Function in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: The ISABELA 1 and 2 Randomized Clinical Trials.

Importance: There is a major need for effective, well-tolerated treatments for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of the autotaxin inhibitor ziritaxestat in patients with IPF.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The 2 identically designed, phase 3, randomized clinical trials, ISABELA 1 and ISABELA 2, were conducted in Africa, Asia-Pacific region, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America (26 countries).

Identification of Adult Patients With Classical Dyskeratosis Congenita or Cryptic Telomere Biology Disorder by Telomere Length Screening Using Age-modified Criteria.

Telomere biology disorders (TBD) result from premature telomere shortening due to pathogenic germline variants in telomere maintenance-associated genes. In adults, TBD are characterized by mono/oligosymptomatic clinical manifestations (cryptic TBD) contributing to severe underdiagnosis. We present a prospective multi-institutional cohort study where telomere length (TL) screening was performed in either newly diagnosed patients with aplastic anemia (AA) or if TBD was clinically suspected by the treating physician.

Weight loss and outcomes in subjects with progressive pulmonary fibrosis: data from the INBUILD trial.

Background: Lower body mass index (BMI) and weight loss have been associated with worse outcomes in some studies in patients with pulmonary fibrosis. We analyzed outcomes in subgroups by BMI at baseline and associations between weight change and outcomes in subjects with progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) in the INBUILD trial.

Methods: Subjects with PPF other than idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis were randomized to receive nintedanib or placebo.