Pulmonary Aspergillosis: Spectrum of Disease

Aspergillus species are ubiquitous in the environment. Aspergillosis is acquired by inhalation of Aspergillus spores. In normal hosts, spore inhalation rarely causes lung disease. Pulmonary Aspergillosis covers a wide spectrum of clinical syndromes depending on the interaction between Aspergillus and the host (immune-status, prior bronchopulmonary disease). It runs the gamut from invasive Aspergillosis to Aspergillus bronchitis. Invasive Aspergillosis usually occurs in severely immunocompromised patients, typically in neutropenic but also in non-neutropenic patients. Chronic pulmonary Aspergillosis affects patients with chronic structural lung disease such as COPD or previous mycobacterial lung disease, but without other significant immunocompromise. Aspergillus bronchitis affects patients with bronchial disease such as bronchiectasis. Allergic bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis affects patients with bronchial asthma or cystic fibrosis, and is due to an allergic response to Aspergillus.     

Association Between Serum Albumin Level and All-Cause Mortality in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BackgroundThe association between serum albumin and all-cause mortality (ACM) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is presently unclear.MethodsThe study subjects included 201 patients diagnosed with CKD, eliminating those with end-stage renal disease, who were admitted to our hospital from January 2014 to January 2015. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to serum albumin level (Q1: 1.60–3.88 g/dL; Q2: 3.89–4.13 g/dL; Q3: 4.14–4.43 g/dL, and Q4: 4.44–5.51 g/dL). The clinical outcome was ACM, and the difference was compared using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsAfter a median follow-up of 1480 days, 32 patients died (15.92%). The ACM was found to be 28.00%, 20.00%, 8.00%, and 7.84% in the 4 groups (P = 0.012). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive association between the serum albumin level and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (r = 0.22, P = 0.001). Once the potential confounding factors were adjusted, the results indicated that decreased serum albumin was a risk factor for ACM (Q2 vs Q1: OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.17–1.47; Q3 vs Q1: OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03–0.48; Q4 vs Q1: OR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.07–0.98). The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that the optimum threshold of serum albumin to predict ACM was 4 g/dL, and the area under the curve was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.60–0.79).ConclusionsDecreased serum albumin is a risk factor for ACM in patients with CKD, with the optimal threshold being 4 g/dL.     

FEV1/FEV6 is effective as a surrogate for FEV1/FVC in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background and objectiveChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) causes substantial morbidity and mortality across the globe. Diagnosis of COPD requires post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.70 as per GOLD Guidelines. FVC maneuver requires a minimum of 6 seconds of forceful expiration with no flow for 1 second for an accepted effort, which lacks any fixed cut-off point. This leads to discomfort, especially in advanced COPD and old aged population. We conducted this study to find the utility of FEV1/FEV6 as a surrogate for FEV1/FVC, the correlation between the two ratios, and the fixed cut-off value of FEV1/FEV6 for COPD diagnosis.MethodsThis was a prospective, cross-sectional study approved by the institutional ethics committee conducted from January 2017 to November 2018. Consented patients above 18 years suspected of COPD underwent Spirometry as per ATS guidelines. FEV1, FEV6, FEV1/FEV6 and FEV1/FVC ratios were recorded from the best acceptable maneuver.ResultsOut of 560 screened patients, 122 diagnosed as COPD. The correlation coefficient between the post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio and FEV1/FEV6 ratio was 0.972 (p < 0.01). The relationship between the post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio and FEV1/FEV6 ratio (linear regression analysis) was found out as: FEV1/FVC = ?1.845 + 1.009(FEV1/FEV6). Using this formula, the post-bronchodilator FEV1/FEV6 value of 71.845 was obtained corresponding to the post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC value of 70.00.ConclusionWe found a positive correlation coefficient (r = 0.972, p < 0.001) between the FEV1/FEV6 and FEV1/FVC ratios and the cut off value of 71.845 (p < 0.01) for the post-bronchodilator FEV1/FEV6 ratio for the diagnosis of COPD. Thus FEV1/FEV6 should be used as a surrogate for FEV1/FVC for the diagnosis of COPD.     

Microcatheters for antegrade recanalization of chronic total coronary occlusions: Feasibility and safety of the corsair - A retrospective registry-based single operator experience

BackgroundThe Corsair collateral channel dilator was designed for retrograde passage in cases of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). Its antegrade use is discouraged and the number of published studies regarding such use is limited. Our single-operator experience examines the feasibility and safety of the Corsair in antegrade recanalization of chronic CTOs in a large cohort.MethodsWe queried the European Registry of Chronic Total Occlusion (ERCTO) for all microcatheters used in antegrade recanalizations between 2008 and 2016. We also retrospectively assessed all 722 coronary interventions for CTOs (624 antegrade, 98 retrograde) between January 2008 and December 2016, performed by a single operator who primarily applied the Corsair as antegrade microcatheter. Patient, procedure, and outcome data was analyzed.ResultsIn 17,787 cases performed by 93 operators contributing to the ERCTO database, there were 3294 with information on microcatheter type. The FineCross MG (73.9 %) was the most commonly used microcatheter. The Corsair was used in only 1.2 % (excluding patients in the single-operator cohort). In the same period 45.7 % (n = 285) of all 624 antegrade cases handled by our single operator were performed using the Corsair, with no exclusions due to anatomical or morphological criteria. The procedural success rate was 93.7 %. There were 2 cases of cardiac tamponade, 5 cases of minor perforation, and one catheter tip fracture.ConclusionsThe Corsair is rarely used for antegrade recanalization. In this single-operator experience, the antegrade use of the Corsair was safe. The success rate was high, although causative conclusions cannot be drawn.     

Serum NSE and S100B protein levels for evaluating the impaired consciousness in patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B protein and coma duration, and evaluate the optimal cut-off values for prediction coma duration ≥ 72 hours in patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning (ACOP).A total of 60 patients with ACOP were divided into 3 following groups according to their status of consciousness and coma duration at admission: Awake group [Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS score) ≥ 13 points], Coma < 72 hours group (GCS score < 13 points and coma duration < 72 h), and Coma ≥ 72 hours group (GCS score < 13 points and coma duration ≥ 72 h). The levels of serum NSE and S100B protein were measured after admission.There were significant differences in GCS score, carbon monoxide (CO) exposure time, NSE, and S100B levels between the Coma ≥ 72 h group and the Awake group, and between the Coma < 72 h group and the Awake group. Significant differences in GCS score, NSE, and S100B levels were also found between Coma ≥ 72 h group and Coma < 72 h group. Correlation analysis showed that NSE and S100B were positively correlated (r_s = 0.590, P < .01); NSE and S100B were negatively correlated with GCS score (r_s = -0.583, r_s = -0.590, respectively, both P < .01). The areas under the curve (AUCs) of NSE, S100B, and GCS score to predict the coma duration ≥ 72 hours were 0.754, 0.791, and 0.785, respectively. Pairwise comparisons did not show differences among the 3 groups (all P > .05). The sensitivity and specificity of NSE prediction with a cut-off value of 13 μg/L were 80% and 64%, respectively, and those of S100B prediction with a cut-off value of 0.43 μg/L were 70% and 88%, respectively.The NSE and S100B protein levels were significantly correlated with the degree of impaired consciousness and had the same clinical value in predicting coma duration of ≥ 72 hours in patients with ACOP.     

Nuevo enfoque en el tratamiento nutricional de la enfermedad renal crónica avanzada

IntroductionPatients with advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD) have a high prevalence of malnutrition. The dietary restrictions that we usually apply in terms of macro and micronutrients force our patients to follow dietary guidelines that deviate from healthy patterns.ObjectivesTo determine if a personalized nutritional intervention program, minimizing the usual restrictions would be justified in case it improved the evolution of kidney disease compared to standard treatment.Secondary objectivesTo determine changes in nutrient intakes and in anthropometric and biochemical parameters, as well as quantify episodes of hyperkalemia.Material and methodsA single-center, randomized and controlled educational intervention clinical trial was conduct in patients from the ERCA outpatients clinic at the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete. 75 patients were included, assigning 35 to a Control group and 40 to the Intervention group with 1-year follow-up. The nutritional status was determined using anthropometric data, body composition by Bioimpedance, blood and urine biochemical parameters and a 24-h recall questionnaire. The nutritional intervention was carried out in three different ways: individual, collective and telephone recall.ResultsAt the beginning of the study, the BMI showed a situation of weight excess with a mean of 28.83 kg/m² (5.4) in men and 26.96 kg/m² (4.09) in women. 70% of our patients had overweight. The abdominal circumference was 105.3 cm (10.2) and 92.3 cm (13.7) for men and women respectively without significant changes throughout the study. The percentage of fat mass (FM) was high in both groups for men and women throughout the study. We did not find biochemical parameters of malnutrition and only significant differences were observed in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which increased in the intervention group. No patient presented any episodes of hyperkalemia during the study. The energy intake in both groups showed an inadequate distribution of macronutrients with a poor intake of carbohydrates (CH) that was supplemented with an excess of fat. In the case of micronutrients, we did observe an increase in potassium and fiber intakes with a decrease in sodium and phosphorus in the intervention group.ConclusionsMalnutrition is not exclusively an intake deficit and encompasses both the problems derived from a deficit and an excess of nutrients intake. Un to 70% of our patients showed weight excess and a fat mass higher than desirable. The implementation of an individualized nutritional education program, including a vegetables and fiber rich diet, less atherogenic, not only did not cause electrolyte alterations but also slowed the progression of kidney disease.     

[Translated article] Biological Biomarkers in Respiratory Diseases

In recent years, personalized or precision medicine has made effective inroads into the management of diseases, including respiratory diseases. The route to implementing this approach must invariably start with the identification and validation of biological biomarkers that are closely related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of respiratory patients. In this respect, biological biomarkers of greater or lesser reliability have been identified for most respiratory diseases and disease classes, and a large number of studies are being conducted in the search for new indicators. The aim of this review is to update the reader and to analyze the existing scientific literature on the existence and diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic validity of the most important biological biomarkers in the main respiratory diseases, and to identify future challenges in this area.