The effect of light on critical illness. Castro R, Critical Care 2011; 15:218
Mar 102011
Mar 102011
Fernandez-Cerrano et al randomized 56 people with CAP in Spain (only 3 needed mechanical ventilation) to receive methylprednisolone bolus-and-taper or placebo, in addition to ceftriaxone and levofloxacin. The steroid-treated group had less hypoxemia (lower PaO2/FiO2). (n=56). Critical Care 2011;15:R96. FREE FULL TEXT MORE ON THIS: In AJRCCM 2005, Confalonieri found less septic shock and need [... read more]
Mar 092011
New treatments against gram-negative organisms. Bassetti M, Critical Care 2011;15:215. New antibiotics review.
Mar 092011
Accurso et al report phase 3 results from industry-funded TIGER-1, testing t.i.d. inhaled denufusol (an ion channel regulator that alters sodium/chloride transport to improve mucociliary clearance) vs. placebo in early cystic fibrosis (FEV1>74% predicted). After 24 weeks, FEV1 was 45 mL better in the treated group, most of whom were younger than age 19. There [... read more]
Mar 082011
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis. Harari S, Eur Resp Review 2011;20:34-44. LAM review.
Mar 082011
Warfarin is the best drug for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. In people with a-fib for whom warfarin was unsuitable (unstable INR, unlikely adherence, etc, but excluding those with prior bleeding on warfarin), twice daily oral direct Xa inhibitor apixaban had a hazard ratio of 0.45 over aspirin for the primary outcome of stroke (absolute [... read more]
Mar 072011
Normal sleep in African-Americans and Caucasians: Ruiter ME, Sleep Medicine 2011;12:209-214. Race & racial differences in sleep review.
Mar 072011
Valdyanathan et al gave prednisolone 25 mg (equivalent to prednisone) or placebo daily for 2 weeks to sufferers of chronic rhinosinusitis in the UK, followed by 8 months of nasal fluticasone (drops, then spray) for all. The orally-treated group had a 2.1-point fall in their polyp grade and could smell better, at 6 months. Ann [... read more]
Mar 062011
Occupational asthma – Assessment, treatment, compensation: Cowl TC, CHEST 2011;139:674-681.
Mar 062011
How “hard” should we “hit” our patients with Lasix? And does that hurt? Felker et al asked that (sort of) in a NHLBI-funded trial. They gave furosemide to 308 patients hospitalized for ADHF in an IV dose either equivalent to their home dose, or at 2.5 times their home dose, and either at q12-hour intervals [... read more]
Mar 052011
Pulmonary Sarcoidosis: Concise Clinical Review. Baughman RP, AJRCCM 2011;183:573-581.
Mar 042011
Treating NSCLC with tyrosine kinase / EGFR inhibitors erlotinib & gefitinib: Cataldo VD, NEJM 2011;364:947-955. Non small cell lung cancer chemotherapy treatment review.
Mar 032011
Radiation risks from imaging; pharmacy and lactation; critical illness; interventional chest procedures; asthma; smoking; cystic fibrosis; pneumonia; infiltrative lung diseases; pulmonary embolism; pulmonary hypertension, and sleep-disordered breathing in pregnancy. Coming in just under 200 pages. Clinics in Chest Medicine 2011;32:1-198.
Mar 022011
Imaging, airflow, rhinosinusitis, congestion, allergies, the sense of smell … more than a dozen articles on “the other airway” is nothing to sneeze at. Proc Am Thorac Soc 2011; 8: 1-140.
Mar 022011
In a rare encouraging positive study in the chronically critically ill, 71% of vent-dependent patients (~6 weeks on MV) who did multiple sets of daily inspirations backwards through a PEEP valve weaned from mechanical ventilation (defined as >72 hrs off the vent), vs. 47% receiving a sham treatment. MIP also improved by 10 cmH2O in [... read more]
Mar 012011
Pleural imaging; CHF pleural effusions; hepatic hydrothorax; parapneumonic effusions and empyema; malignant pleural effusions and disease; chylothorax; thoracoscopy; the chest tube size debate; pneumothorax — did they miss anything? In 130 pages, probably not much. Sem Resp Crit Care Med Dec 2010.
Mar 012011
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in people with heart and lung disease: Arena R, Circulation 2011;123:668-680.
Mar 012011
Tashkin et al randomized 504 patients at 27 centers with COPD and FEV1 > 49% to varenicline or placebo for 12 weeks, with 52 weeks follow up. Smoking cessation / abstinence rate (carbon monoxide-confirmed) was 42% vs 9% in weeks 9 – 12 (1′ endpoint), and 19% vs. 6% in weeks 9 – 52 (p<0.0001). [... read more]
Feb 282011
Point-of-care ultrasonography: Moore CL, NEJM 2011;364:749-757.
Feb 282011
Clinical Course & Prediction of Survival in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Ley B, AJRCCM 2011;183:431-440.