Echocardiographic Measurement of Pulmonary Arterial Pressure in Patients with Sarcoidosis

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a significant complication and is poor prognostic factor for sarcoidosis. We evaluated various tests of diagnosis and treatment as well as the associations between PH and value of six-minute walk test (6 MWT) in sarcoidosis patients. Methods: This study was conducted with fifty patients with sarcoidosis. We grouped patients according to echocardiography. Results: PH prevalence in sarcoidosis was found to be 10%. In cases with likely PH, FEV1%, FVC%, MMF% was found to be lower. Although DLCO was less than 80% in the group of likely PH and over 80% in the other, there were no statistical differences between two groups. Mean value of FVC/DLCO ratio was 1.1 ± 0.38 in group of likely PH. There was no significant difference between groups. Mean distance of 6 MWT was 464 ± 105 m in all cases. There were no statistical differences between two groups in 6 MWT. Significant desaturation with exercise was observed in cases with PH (p = 0.007). Conclusion: In all stages, patients who have longer disease duration and abnormal pulmonary function tests, should be examined about PH. Patients should undergo 6 MWT and presence of desaturation after 6 MWT, even without hypoxemia, should be looked after and dealt with accordingly.

Research Progress of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine

Objective:To summarize the current treatments of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine and to explore ideas for clinical treatments,rational use of traditional Chinese medicine,avoid medication errors,and make full use of the respective advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine to achieve good results.Methods:We selected recent articles on pulmonary sarcoidosis and clinical observation at home and abroad,and summarized relevant traditional Chinese medicine books.Results:At present,hormone therapy is preferred in western medicine,followed by antimetabolic drugs,Anti-TNF,and also potential drug therapeutic strategies,such as"CLEAR"regimen and new target therapy.Traditional Chinese medicine through syndrome differentiation,from the whole,flexible use of dispel evil,phlegm,blood circulation,dredging collaterals,qi and other methods to achieve the effect of dissolution.Conclusion:The treatment research results of pulmonary sarcoidosis are considerable,but there are still many risk factors in Western medicine,and the benefits and treatment indications of individual drugs are still under study.Traditional Chinese medicine has certain safety and efficacy in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary sarcoidosis,but it needs modern medical technology examination.Therefore,the advantages of traditional Chinese and Western medicine should be fully combined to achieve the maximum treatment effects.

Pulmonary artery stent thrombosis and symptomatic pulmonary hypertension following COVID-19 infection in Alagille patient:A case report

BACKGROUND Alagille syndrome is a multisystem disease that results in various vascular anomalies,commonly involving the cardiac and pulmonary systems.To the best of our knowledge,there is no literature regarding the cardiovascular outcomes of these patients in association with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).CASE SUMMARY A 34-year-old woman with a history of Alagille syndrome who underwent successful atrial septal defect with partial anomalous pulmonary veins and patent ductus arteriosus repair,as well as left pulmonary artery catheterization and stenting in childhood due to pulmonary stenosis.The patient was without any respiratory symptoms and was a dancer prior to contracting COVID-19.Several weeks after her COVID-19 infection,she developed left pulmonary artery stent thrombosis and subsequent symptomatic pulmonary hypertension.A treatment strategy of anticoagulation alongside pharmacological agents for pulmonary hypertension for 3 months followed by balloon pulmonary artery angioplasty to reopen the stenosis was unsuccessful.CONCLUSION In the era of COVID-19,patients with pulmonary vascular malformations and endovascular stents are at an increased risk for chronic thromboembolic disease.Patients may benefit from prophylactic antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy.Stent thrombosis is a devastating phenomenon and should be treated urgently and aggressively with balloon pulmonary angioplasty,and/or a thrombolytic agent.

Treatment and Clinical Management of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension:An Update of Literature Review

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension(CTEPH)is a chronic,progressive,debilitating,and life-threa-tening complication of pulmonary embolism(PE).Recent technological advances have permitted various treat-ment options for the treatment of CTEPH,including surgery,angioplasty,and medical treatment,depending on the location and characteristics of lesions.Pulmonary endarterectomy(PEA)is the treatment of choice for CTEPH,as it offers excellent long-term outcomes and a high probability of recovery.Moreover,various medical and interventional therapies are currently being developed for patients with inoperable CTEPH.This review mainly summarizes the current treatment approaches of CTEPH,offering more options for specialist physicians to,thus,better manage chronic thromboembolic syndromes.

Primary pulmonary meningioma and minute pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules: Rare pulmonary nodular lesions requiring more awareness in clinical practice

In this editorial,we comment on an article by Ruan et al published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Case.Pulmonary meningothelial proliferative lesions,including primary pulmonary meningiomas,minute pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules,and metastatic pulmonary meningiomas are rare pulmonary lesions.These lesions are difficult to differentiate from lung cancers based on clinical and imaging manifestations.Herein,we briefly introduce the clinical,imaging,and pathological characteristics of these lesions and discuss their pathogenesis to strengthen the current understanding of pulmonary meningothelial proliferative lesions in clinical diagnosis and therapy.

Thrombolysis and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for cardiac arrest due to pulmonary embolism:A case report

BACKGROUND Cardiac arrest caused by acute pulmonary embolism(PE)is the most serious clinical circumstance,necessitating rapid identification,immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR),and systemic thrombolytic therapy.Extracorporeal CPR(ECPR)is typically employed as a rescue therapy for selected patients when conventional CPR is failing in settings where it can be implemented.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of a 69-year-old male who experienced a prolonged cardiac arrest in an ambulance with pulseless electrical activity.Upon arrival at the emergency department with ongoing manual chest compressions,bedside pointof-care ultrasound revealed an enlarged right ventricle without contractility.Acute PE was suspected as the cause of cardiac arrest,and intravenous thrombolytic therapy with 50 mg tissue plasminogen activator was administered during mechanical chest compressions.Despite 31 minutes of CPR,return of spontaneous circulation was not achieved until 8 minutes after initiation of Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)support.Under ECMO support,the hemodynamic status and myocardial contractility significantly improved.However,the patient ultimately did not survive due to intracerebral hemorrhagic complications,leading to death a few days later in the hospital.CONCLUSION This case illustrates the potential of combining systemic thrombolysis with ECPR for refractory cardiac arrest caused by acute PE,but it also highlights the increased risk of significant bleeding complications,including fatal intracranial hemorrhage.

Pulmonary sarcoidosis:A novel sequelae of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms:A case report

BACKGROUND Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms(DRESS)syndrome is an uncommon yet serious adverse drug hypersensitivity reaction with the presentations including rash,fever,lymphadenopathy,and internal organ involvement.Sarcoidosis is a systematic granulomatous disease with unknown etiology.We herein report a case of pulmonary sarcoidosis secondary to allopurinol-induced DRESS.CASE SUMMARY A 37-year-old man with a history of hyperuricemia was treated with allopurinol for three weeks at a total dose of 7000 milligrams before developing symptoms including anorexia,fever,erythematous rash,and elevated transaminase.The patient was diagnosed with DRESS and was treated with prednisone for 6 mo until all the symptoms completely resolved.Three months later,the patient presented again because of a progressively worsening dry cough.His chest computed tomography images showed bilateral lung parenchyma involvement with lymph node enlargement,which was confirmed to be nonnecrotizing granuloma by pathological examination.Based on radiologic and pathological findings,he was diagnosed with sarcoidosis and was restarted on treatment with prednisone,which was continued for another 6 mo.Reexamination of chest imaging revealed complete resolution of parenchymal lung lesions and a significant reduction in the size of the mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes.Following a 6-month follow-up of completion of treatment,the patient's clinical condition remained stable with no clinical evidence of relapse.CONCLUSION This is the first case in which pulmonary sarcoidosis developed as a late complication of allopurinol-induced DRESS.The case indicated that the autoimmune reaction of DRESS may play an important role in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Extrapulmonary sarcoidosis of liver and pancreas: A case report and review of literature

Sarcoidosis is a chronic multisystemic granulomatous disease of unknown origin, which can involve nearly all organs. In the case of an infrequent gastrointestinal tract involvement in systemic sarcoidosis, granulomas of the liver are most commonly described while isolated pancreatic sarcoid lesions are rarely seen. We report a case of systemic sarcoidosis with exclusive extrapulmonal involvement of the liver and the pancreas in a 71-year- old white man. The diagnosis of liver involvement was confirmed by biopsy. Pancreatic surgery was needed because preoperative evaluation could not exclude pancreatic cancer and for biliary decompression. An extensive literature review of systemic sarcoidosis, focusing on reported cases with unusual presentation of sarcoidosis in the liver and the pancreas, its diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis was made.

Study on the efficacy of early treatment with pirfenidone on the lung function of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF)is classified under fibrotic interstitial pneumonia,characterized by a chronic and progressive course.The predominant clinical features of IPF include dyspnea and pulmonary dysfunction.AIM To assess the effects of pirfenidone in the early treatment of IPF on lung function in patients.METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on 113 patients with IPF who were treated in our hospital from November 2017 to January 2023.These patients were divided into two groups:control group(n=53)and observation group(n=60).In the control group,patients received routine therapy in combination with methylprednisolone tablets,while those in the observation group received routine therapy together with pirfenidone.After applying these distinct treatment approaches to the two groups,we assessed several parameters,including the overall effectiveness of clinical therapy,the occurrence of adverse reactions(e.g.,nausea,vomiting,and anorexia),symptom severity scores,pulmonary function index levels,inflammatory marker levels,and the 6-min walk distance before and after treatment in both groups.RESULTS The observation group exhibited significantly higher rates than the control group after therapy,with a clear distinction(P<0.05).After treatment,the observation group experienced significantly fewer adverse reactions than the control group,with a noticeable difference(P<0.05).When analyzing the symptom severity scores between the two groups of patients after treatment,the observation group had significantly lower scores than the control group,with a distinct difference(P<0.05).When comparing the pulmonary function index levels between the two groups of patients after therapy,the observation group displayed significantly higher levels than the control group,with a noticeable difference(P<0.05).Evaluating the inflammatory marker data(C-reactive protein,interleukin-2[IL-2],and IL-8)between the two groups of patients after therapy,the observation group exhibited significantly lower levels than the control group,with significant disparities(P<0.05).Comparison of the 6-min walking distance data between the two groups of patients after treatment showed that the observation group achieved significantly greater distances than the control group,with a marked difference(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Prompt initiation of pirfenidone treatment in individuals diagnosed with IPF can enhance pulmonary function,elevate inflammatory factor levels,and increase the distance covered in the 6-min walk test.This intervention is conducive to effectively decreasing the occurrence of adverse reactions in patients.

Unusual isolated extrapulmonary sarcoidosis: Case report

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous condition with unidentified etiology. This disease should be considered in differential diagnosis if non-caseating granulomas is noted in biopsies, because numerous cases presented with no clinical symptoms. Although the lung is the most common organ involved in the disease, there also is an extra-pulmonary form (<10%). It should be noted that the presentation of sarcoidosis may be atypical. In this article, we report a systemic sarcoidosis case, with specific clinical findings: extrathoracic onset with lymph nodes.

Pulmonary <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>and <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>Co-Infection on an Underlying Sarcoidosis Condition: Report of a Rare Case

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatosis from an unknown etiology, particularly affecting the lungs and the lymphatic system. It is associated with an immune deficiency involving an excessive immune response mediated by TH1 lymphocytes. Its evolution can lead to serious complications such as pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, bronchial stenosis and opportunistic infections. Opportunistic infections rarely occur on an underlying sarcoidosis condition. We report a rare case of pulmonary aspergillary and cryptococcal co-infection, on a patient with sarcoidosis who was finally lost to follow up. It was about a 47 years old female patient, diagnosed in 2015 for mediastino-pulmonary and neurological sarcoidosis. She was in therapeutical rupture after a 3-month period of corticotherapy at a dosage of 20 mg daily. The patient has been lost of sight for 3 years and was seen again on November, 22nd, 2018 at the Internal Medicine/Rheumatology Department of DALAL JAMM Hospital. At his admission she presented: a low grade hemoptysia, a chronic cough, a shortness of breath on exertion CRD Stage 2. At the biological investigation, the CRP was at 71.9 mg/l. Calcium serum levels were at 102.6 mg/l. Sputum culture and AFBS were negative. The screening serology of aspergillary Ig G was positive at 12.4 UA/ml. Thoracic High Resonance CT pointed suggests a Stage 2 Sarcoidosis complicated with aspergillary graft. The bronchoscopy showed out a severe suppurated bronchopathy. Microscopic examination of the BAF found some Cryptococcus neoformans settlement. We concluded a diagnosis of pulmonary aspergilloma and cryptococcosis co-infection with an underlying condition of Stage 2 Sarcoidosis. We successfully treated our patient with an oral intake of Itraconazole at a dosage of 400 mg daily over a period of 10 days. This is a rare and life-threatening triple association. In our case, the patient was lost to follow up for a long period and this was considered as the first morbidity risk factor.

Study on the impact of comprehensive geriatric assessment on anxiety and depression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

BACKGROUND Psychological factors such as anxiety and depression will not only aggravate the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)patients and reduce the quality of life of patients,but also affect the treatment effect and long-term prognosis.Therefore,it is of great significance to explore the clinical application of senile comprehensive assessment in the treatment of COPD and its influence on psychological factors such as anxiety and depression.AIM To explore the clinical application of comprehensive geriatric assessment in COPD care and its impact on anxiety and depression in elderly patents.METHODS In this retrospective study,60 patients with COPD who were hospitalized in our hospital from 2019 to 2020 were randomly divided into two groups with 30 patients in each group.The control group was given routine nursing,and the observation group was given comprehensive assessment.Clinical symptoms,quality of life[COPD assessment test(CAT)score],anxiety and depression Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HAMA)and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HAMD)were compared between the two groups.RESULTS CAT scores in the observation group decreased from an average of 24.5 points at admission to an average of 18.3 points at discharge,and in the control group from an average of 24.7 points at admission to an average of 18.3 points at discharge.The average score was 22.1(P<0.05).In the observation group,HAMA scores decreased from 14.2 points at admission to 8.6 points at discharge,and HAMD scores decreased from 13.8 points at admission to 7.4 points at discharge.The mean HAMD scores in the control group decreased from an average of 14.5 at admission to an average of 12.3 at discharge,and from an average of 14.1 at admission to an average of 11.8 at discharge.CONCLUSION The application of comprehensive geriatric assessment in COPD care has a significant effect on improving patients'clinical symptoms and quality of life,and can effectively reduce patients'anxiety and depression.

Effects of acetylcysteine on micro-inflammation and pulmonary ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation

BACKGROUND Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)is a serious complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,often characterized by increased morbidity and mortality.In traditional Chinese medicine,AECOPD is linked to phlegm-heat and blood-stasis,presenting symptoms like thick sputum,fever,and chest pain.It has been shown that acetylcysteine inhalation in conjunction with conventional therapy significantly reduced inflammatory markers and improved lung function parameters in patients with AECOPD,suggesting that acetylcysteine may be an important adjunctive therapy for patients with phlegm-heat-blood stasis type AECOPD.AIM To investigate the effect of acetylcysteine on microinflammation and lung ventilation in patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis-type AECOPD.METHODS One hundred patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis-type AECOPD were randomly assigned to two groups.The treatment group received acetylcysteine inhalation(10%solution,5 mL,twice daily)along with conventional therapy,whereas the control group received only conventional therapy.The treatment duration was 14 d.Inflammatory markers(C-reactive protein,interleukin-6,and tumor necrosis factor-alpha)in the serum and sputum as well as lung function parameters(forced expiratory volume in one second,forced vital capacity,and peak expiratory flow)were assessed pre-and post-treatment.Acetylcysteine inhalation led to significant reductions in inflammatory markers and improvements in lung function parameters compared to those in the control group(P<0.05).This suggests that acetylcysteine could serve as an effective adjunct therapy for patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis-type AECOPD.RESULTS Acetylcysteine inhalation significantly reduced inflammatory markers in the serum and sputum and improved lung ventilation function parameters in patients with phlegm-heat and blood-stasis type AECOPD compared with the control group.These differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The study concluded that acetylcysteine inhalation had a positive effect on microinflammation and lung ventilation function in patients with this type of AECOPD,suggesting its potential as an adjuvant therapy for such cases.CONCLUSION Acetylcysteine inhalation demonstrated significant improvements in reducing inflammatory markers in the serum and sputum,as well as enhancing lung ventilation function parameters in patients with phlegm-heat and bloodstasis type AECOPD.These findings suggest that acetylcysteine could serve as a valuable adjuvant therapy for individuals with this specific type of AECOPD,offering benefits for managing microinflammation and optimizing lung function.

Predictive value of diaphragm ultrasound for mechanical ventilation outcome in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)is often combined with respiratory failure,which increases the patient's morbidity and mortality.Diaphragm ultrasound(DUS)has developed rapidly in the field of critical care in recent years.Studies with DUS monitoring diaphragm-related rapid shallow breathing index have demonstrated important results in guiding intensive care unit patients out of the ventilator.Early prediction of the indications for withdrawal of non-invasive ventilator and early evaluation of patients to avoid or reduce disease progression are very important.AIM To explore the predictive value of DUS indexes for non-invasive ventilation outcome in patients with AECOPD.METHODS Ninety-four patients with AECOPD who received mechanical ventilation in our hospital from January 2022 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed,and they were divided into a successful ventilation group(68 cases)and a failed ventilation group(26 cases)according to the outcome of ventilation.The clinical data of patients with successful and failed noninvasive ventilation were compared,and the independent predictors of noninvasive ventilation outcomes in AECOPD patients were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis.RESULTS There were no significant differences in gender,age,body mass index,complications,systolic pressure,heart rate,mean arterial pressure,respiratory rate,oxygen saturation,partial pressure of oxygen,oxygenation index,or time of inspiration between patients with successful and failed mechanical ventilation(P>0.05).The patients with successful noninvasive ventilation had shorter hospital stays and lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO_(2))than those with failed treatment,while potential of hydrogen(pH),diaphragm thickening fraction(DTF),diaphragm activity,and diaphragm movement time were significantly higher than those with failed treatment(P<0.05).pH[odds ratio(OR)=0.005,P<0.05],PaCO_(2)(OR=0.430,P<0.05),and DTF(OR=0.570,P<0.05)were identified to be independent factors influencing the outcome of mechanical ventilation in AECOPD patients.CONCLUSION The DUS index DTF can better predict the outcome of non-invasive ventilation in AECOPD patients.

The diagnostic yield for computed tomography pulmonary angiography in patients with anticoagulation

BACKGROUND:Patients who present to the emergency department(ED)for suspected pulmonary embolism(PE)are often on active oral anticoagulation(AC).However,the diagnostic yield of computed tomography pulmonary angiography(CTPA)in screening for PE in patients who present on AC has not been well characterized.We aim to investigate the diagnostic yield of CTPA in diagnosing PE depending on AC status.METHODS:We reviewed and analyzed the electronic medical records of patients who underwent CTPA for PE at a university hospital ED from June 1,2019,to March 25,2022.Primary outcome was the incidence of PE on CTPA depending on baseline AC status and indication for AC.RESULTS:Of 2,846 patients,242 were on AC for a history of venous thromboembolism(VTE),210 were on AC for other indications,and 2,394 were not on AC.The incidence of PE on CTPA was significantly lower in patients on AC for other indications(5.7%)when compared to patients on AC for prior VTE(24.3%)and patients not on AC at presentation(9.8%)(P<0.001).In multivariable analysis among the whole cohort,AC was associated with a positive CTPA(odds ratio[OR]0.26,95%confidence interval[CI]:0.15-0.45,P<0.001).CONCLUSION:The incidence of PE among patients undergoing CTPA in the ED is lower in patients previously on AC for indications other than VTE when compared to those not on AC or those on AC for history of VTE.AC status and indication for AC may affect pre-test probability of a positive CTPA,and AC status therefore warrants consideration as part of future diagnostic algorithms among patients with suspected PE.

Hypoxia in the pulmonary vein increases pulmonary vascular resistance independently of oxygen in the pulmonary artery

Introduction:Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction(HPV)can be a challenging clinical problem.It is not fully elucidated where in the circulation the regulation of resistance takes place.It is often referred to as if it is in the arteries,but we hypothesized that it is in the venous side of the pulmonary circulation.Methods:In an open thorax model,pigs were treated with a veno-venous extra corporeal membrane oxygenator to either oxygenate or deoxygenate blood passing through the pulmonary vessels.At the same time the lungs were ventilated with extreme variations of inspired air from 5%to 100%oxygen,making it possible to make combinations of high and low oxygen content through the pulmonary circulation.A flow probe was inserted around the main pulmonary artery and catheters in the pulmonary artery and in the left atrium were used for pressure monitoring and blood tests.Under different combinations of oxygenation,pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR)was calculated.Results:With unchanged level of oxygen in the pulmonary artery and reduced inspired oxygen fraction lowering oxygen tension from 29 to 6.7 kPa in the pulmonary vein,PVR was doubled.With more extreme hypoxia PVR suddenly decreased.Combinations with low oxygenation in the pulmonary artery did not systematic influence PVR if there was enough oxygen in the inspired air and in the pulmonary veins.Discussion:The impact of hypoxia occurs from the alveolar level and forward with the blood flow.The experiments indicated that the regulation of PVR is mediated from the venous side.

Effect of perioperative chemotherapy on resection of isolated pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer:A single center experience

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have assessed surgical resection as a standard treatment option for patients with colorectal cancer(CRC)and resectable pulmonary metastases(PM).However,the role of perioperative chemotherapy after complete resection of isolated PM from patients with CRC patients remains controversial.We hypothesize that perioperative chemotherapy does not provide significant survival benefits for patients undergoing resection of PM from CRC.AIM To determine whether perioperative chemotherapy affects survival after radical resection of isolated PM from CRC.METHODS We retrospectively collected demographic,clinical,and pathologic data on patients who underwent radical surgery for isolated PM from CRC.Cancerspecific survival(CSS)and disease-free survival were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Inter-group differences were compared using the log-rank test.For multivariate analysis,Cox regression was utilized when indicated.RESULTS This study included 120 patients with a median age of 61.6 years.The 5-year CSS rate was 78.2%,with 36.7% experiencing recurrence.Surgical resection for isolated PM resulted in a 5-year CSS rate of 50.0% for second metastases.Perioperative chemotherapy(P=0.079)did not enhance survival post-resection.Factors associated with improved survival included fewer metastatic lesions[hazard ratio(HR):2.51,P=0.045],longer disease-free intervals(HR:0.35,P=0.016),and wedge lung resections(HR:0.42,P=0.035).Multiple PM predicted higher recurrence risk(HR:2.22,P=0.022).The log-rank test showed no significant difference in CSS between single and repeated metastasectomy(P=0.92).CONCLUSION Perioperative chemotherapy shows no survival benefit post-PM resection in CRC.Disease-free intervals and fewer metastatic lesions predict better survival.Repeated metastasectomy is warranted for eligible patients.

Early pirfenidone treatment enhances lung function in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients

This editorial comments on the study by Lei et al investigating the efficacy of early treatment with pirfenidone on the lung function of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF)published.This study evaluates the efficacy of early treatment with pirfenidone on lung function in patients with IPF.The early and advanced stages of IPF are defined,highlighting the drug's benefits.While prior research indicates pirfenidone's effectiveness in advanced IPF,this study focuses on its advantages in early stages.The study emphasizes the importance of computed tomography imaging alongside biochemical data and lung function tests for a comprehensive analysis of symptom relief.Results show that early intervention with pirfenidone significantly reduces disease progression and preserves lung function,underscoring its potential as a critical treatment strategy in early IPF.

Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Implantation:A State of the Art Review

Congenital heart disease(CHD)affects about 1%of live births.Among them,about 20%will undergo one or more surgical or percutaneous maneuvers on the right ventricle outflow tract or pulmonary valve.Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation is a recently available less invasive alternative to surgery for treatment of right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction.Thus,residual dysfunction can be treated early and with a lower risk profile.This narrative review aimed to describe the state of the art of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation.

The effect of traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation exercise(pulmonary Daoyin)in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:Previous research has demonstrated that pulmonary Daoyin could be an efficacious way to ameliorate the physical and psychological state of sufferers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)and bolster the quality of life.However,the results are not consistent.Thus,the objective of this research is to assess the impacts of pulmonary Daoyin in individuals with COPD.Methods:Relevant articles were searched in Web of Science,Cochrane Library,PubMed,EMBASE,SinoMed,CNKI,Wanfang,and VIP from database inception to January 2024.Results:There were a total of 15 randomized controlled trials(RCTs)included in this meta-analysis involving 1732 patients,of which 864 participated in the intervention group and 868 in the control group.When comparing with the control group,the COPD patients practicing pulmonary Daoyin demonstrated a significant improvement in 6 min walking distance(mean difference[MD]=24.53,95%confidence interval[CI][18.55,30.52],P<0.00001),forced expiratory volume in the 1 s(FEV_(1))(MD=0.39,95%CI[0.18,0.59],P=0.0002),percentage of FEV_(1)to the predicted value(FEV_(1)%)(MD=5.35,95%CI[3.22,7.48],P<0.0001),the forced vital capacity(FVC)(MD=0.39,95%CI[0.06,0.73],P=0.02),percentage of FVC to the predicted value(FVC%)(MD=7.52,95%CI[4.91,10.13],P<0.00001),the ratio of FEV_(1)/FVC(MD=4.95,95%CI[0.91,8.99],P=0.02),peak expiratory flow rate(standardized MD=0.98,95%CI[0.74,1.22],P<0.00001),modified Medical Research Council(mMRC)scale(MD=-0.47,95%CI[-0.89,-0.04],P=0.03),and Borg scale(MD=-0.65,95%CI[-0.75,-0.55],P<0.00001).Conclusions:Our findings may illuminate the influence of pulmonary Daoyin on exercise ability,breathlessness,and pulmonary function in COPD patients.More rigorous RCTs with larger samples and longer-term interventions will be required moving forward.