While prognostically valuable, physical activity monitoring is not routinely performed for patients with COPD. We aimed to determine the number of daily steps associated with severe physical inactivity (physical activity level <1.40) in this population. We found that a daily step value <4,580 is associated with severe physical inactivity.
Despite decades of research, no specific pharmacological therapy to treat acute lung injury (ALI) has been identified. At present, the only effective therapies act by limiting iatrogenic injury associated with positive fluid balance
Stem cells have the capacity for limitless self-renewal and differentiation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent adult stem cells with the capacity to differentiate into many different cell types, including alveolar cells. There are several mechanisms through which MSCs could potentially be used for attenuating lung injury and augmenting repair.
The distribution of pneumococcal serotypes implicated in non-invasive community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults is currently unknown.
A prospective observational cohort study was conducted over 2 years in a large UK teaching hospital trust. Urine samples, in addition to routine blood and sputum samples, were obtained from consecutive adults admitted to the hospital with CAP. Pneumococcal serotype was determined from urine samples using a validated multiplex immunoassay which detects 14 serotypes.
Of 920 patients with CAP, 366 had pneumococcal CAP; 242 had a serotype determined. Thirty-day mortality was 10% for all-cause CAP and 9.6% for pneumococcal CAP. Annual incidence of pneumococcal CAP was 36.5 per 100 000, increasing from 12.1 to 274.1 per 100 000 for ages 16–44 years and ≥85 years, respectively. The most prevalent serotypes were 14, 1, 8, 3 and 19A. Less invasive serotypes were significantly associated with increasing age (OR per increasing age group: 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.9, p<0.001) and co-morbidity (OR per increasing Charlson index group: 1.4, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.0, p=0.036), and with higher 30-day mortality (OR adjusted for age and co-morbidity: 5.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 25.3, p=0.028) compared with highly invasive serotypes. The proportion of patients in whom serotypes contained within the seven-valent childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was identified increased with age (15.6% for patients aged 16–44 years, 41.0% for patients aged ≥85 years; p<0.05).
In adult invasive and non-invasive pneumococcal CAP, the most common serotypes implicated were 14, 1, 8, 3 and 19A. Age and co-morbidity were associated with the distribution of serotypes identified.
OBJECTIVE. The utility of CT findings in predicting long-term mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is unknown. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively determine whether three CT findings—increased embolic burden, interventricular septal bowing toward the left ventricle, and right ventricle–to–left ventricle (RV/LV) diameter ratio greater than 1—are independent predictors of long-term all-cause mortality after acute PE.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 1105 patients (47% female; mean age, 63 ± 16 years) with CT scans positive for PE from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2002, were included. Scans were independently interpreted by two observers, with a third independent observer reviewing discrepant cases. CT findings and clinical information were compared with all-cause mortality using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.
RESULTS. The median duration of survival was 6.2 years following acute PE, with estimated 10-year survival of 37.4%. CT-derived embolic burden was associated with a very small decrease in long-term all-cause mortality in both univariate (hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; p < 0.001) and multivariate (HR, 0.97; p < 0.001) analyses. Interventricular septal bowing and RV/LV diameter ratio were not significantly associated with long-term all-cause mortality.
CONCLUSION. CT findings are not predictive of decreased long-term survival after acute PE.
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this review is to describe classification schemes and imaging findings in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension.
CONCLUSION. Pulmonary hypertension is a complex pathophysiologic condition in which several clinical entities increase pressure in the pulmonary circulation, progressively impairing cardiopulmonary function and, if untreated, causing right ventricular failure. Current classification schemes emphasize the necessity of an early, accurate etiologic diagnosis for a tailored therapeutic approach. Imaging plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and management of suspected pulmonary hypertension.