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Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine 2023Real-time thoracic ultrasound-guided pleural biopsy (TUSPB) is an important diagnostic method for pleural diseases. Traditional two-dimensional thoracic ultrasound, as... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Real-time thoracic ultrasound-guided pleural biopsy (TUSPB) is an important diagnostic method for pleural diseases. Traditional two-dimensional thoracic ultrasound, as well as newly developed contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and ultrasound elastography (UE), are all used as guidance tools for pleural biopsies. Herein, we aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of real-time TUSPB for pleural diseases to better inform the decision-making process.
METHODS
A literature search of the MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed up to June 2023. A binary random-effects model was applied to determine the pooled diagnostic yield.
RESULTS
Fifteen studies comprising 1553 patients with pleural diseases were included and analyzed. The overall diagnostic yield of TUSPB for pleural diseases was 85.58% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 81.57-89.58%). The sensitivity was 77.56% for pleural malignancy and 80.13% for tuberculous pleurisy. The sub-analysis result revealed that CEUS-guided pleural biopsy provided a pooled diagnostic yield of 98.24%, which was higher than that of conventional TUSPB (78.97%; < 0.01). The overall proportion of adverse events for TUSPB was 6.68% (95% CI: 5.31-8.04%).
CONCLUSION
Conventional TUSPB has good pooled diagnostic yields and high safety. CEUS and UE are promising guidance tools for pleural biopsy with the potential to increase diagnostic yield.
Topics: Humans; Pleura; Ultrasonography; Image-Guided Biopsy; Tuberculosis, Pleural; Ultrasonography, Interventional
PubMed: 37787485
DOI: 10.1080/17476348.2023.2266377 -
Chest Nov 2023The optimal treatment for community-acquired childhood pneumonia complicated by empyema remains unclear.
BACKGROUND
The optimal treatment for community-acquired childhood pneumonia complicated by empyema remains unclear.
RESEARCH QUESTION
In children with parapneumonic effusion or empyema, do hospital length of stay and other key clinical outcomes differ according to the treatment modality used?
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS
A living systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted by searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science Core Collection databases. Eligible RCTs included patients aged < 18 years and compared two of the following treatment modalities: antibiotics alone, chest tube insertion with or without fibrinolytics, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and decortication via thoracotomy. A network meta-analysis was performed to evaluate treatment effects on hospital length of stay (LOS), the primary outcome.
RESULTS
Eleven trials including a total of 590 patients were selected for the network meta-analysis. Compared with a chest tube alone, a chest tube with fibrinolytics, thoracotomy, and VATS were all associated with shorter LOS, with a mean difference of 5.05 days (95% CI, 2.46-7.64), 6.33 days (95% CI, 3.17-9.50), and 5.86 days (95% CI, 3.38-8.35), respectively. No substantial differences in LOS were observed between the latter three interventions. None of the 11 RCTs compared antibiotics alone vs other types of treatment. Most trials reported peri-procedural complications and the need for reintervention, but the descriptions differed significantly between trials, preventing meta-analysis. In trials reporting health care-associated costs, fibrinolytics had cost advantages compared with VATS. Short- and long-term morbidity and mortality were very low, regardless of the treatment modality.
INTERPRETATION
The results of this network meta-analysis showed that a chest tube alone was associated with a longer LOS compared with other treatment modalities. The lower cost associated with a chest tube plus fibrinolytics warrants consideration when choosing between treatment options, given similar LOS and clinical outcomes compared with the other modalities.
Topics: Child; Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chest Tubes; Community-Acquired Infections; Drainage; Empyema, Pleural; Network Meta-Analysis; Pleural Effusion; Pneumonia; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted
PubMed: 37463660
DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.06.010 -
Academic Radiology Dec 2023This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the radiological predictors of post-coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pulmonary fibrosis and incomplete... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the radiological predictors of post-coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pulmonary fibrosis and incomplete absorption of pulmonary lesions.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science for studies reporting the predictive value of radiological findings in patients with post-COVID-19 lung residuals published through November 11, 2022. The pooled odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were assessed. The random-effects model was used due to the heterogeneity of the true effect sizes.
RESULTS
We included 11 studies. There were 1777 COVID-19-positive patients, and 1014 (57%) were male. All studies used chest computed tomography (CT) as a radiologic tool. Moreover, chest X-ray (CXR) and lung ultrasound were used in two studies, along with a CT scan. CT severity score (CTSS), Radiographic Assessment of Lung Edema score (RALE), interstitial score, lung ultrasound score (LUS), patchy opacities, abnormal CXR, pleural traction, and subpleural abnormalities were found to be predictors of post-COVID-19 sequels. CTSS and consolidations were the most common predictors among included studies. Pooled analysis revealed that pulmonary residuals in patients with initial consolidation are about four times more likely than in patients without this finding (odds ratio: 3.830; 95% CI: 1.811-8.102, I2: 4.640).
CONCLUSION
Radiological findings can predict the long-term pulmonary sequelae of COVID-19 patients. CTSS is an important predictor of lung fibrosis and COVID-19 mortality. Lung fibrosis can be diagnosed and tracked using the LUS. Changes in RALE score during hospitalization can be used as an independent predictor of mortality.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Respiratory Sounds; Lung; Disease Progression
PubMed: 37491177
DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2023.06.002 -
Clinical Infectious Diseases : An... Jan 2024Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, is endemic throughout the Northern Hemisphere and requires as few as 10 organisms to cause disease, making this...
BACKGROUND
Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, is endemic throughout the Northern Hemisphere and requires as few as 10 organisms to cause disease, making this potential bioterrorism agent one of the most infectious bacterial pathogens known. Aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and, more recently, fluoroquinolones are used for treatment of tularemia; however, data on the relative effectiveness of these and other antimicrobial classes are limited.
METHODS
Nine databases, including Medline, Global Health, and Embase, were systematically searched for articles containing terms related to tularemia. Articles with case-level data on tularemia diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment, and patient outcome were included. Patient demographics, clinical findings, antimicrobial administration, and outcome (eg, intubation, fatality) were abstracted using a standardized form.
RESULTS
Of the 8878 publications identified and screened, 410 articles describing 870 cases from 1993 to 2023 met inclusion criteria. Cases were reported from 35 countries; more than half were from the United States, Turkey, or Spain. The most common clinical forms were ulceroglandular, oropharyngeal, glandular, and pneumonic disease. Among patients treated with aminoglycosides (n = 452 [52%]), fluoroquinolones (n = 339 [39%]), or tetracyclines (n = 419 [48%]), the fatality rate was 0.7%, 0.9%, and 1.2%, respectively. Patients with pneumonic disease who received ciprofloxacin had no fatalities and the lowest rates of thoracentesis/pleural effusion drainage and intubation compared to those who received aminoglycosides and tetracyclines.
CONCLUSIONS
Aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and tetracyclines are effective antimicrobials for treatment of tularemia, regardless of clinical manifestation. For pneumonic disease specifically, ciprofloxacin may have slight advantages compared to other antimicrobials.
Topics: Humans; Tularemia; Francisella tularensis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ciprofloxacin; Aminoglycosides; Tetracyclines
PubMed: 38294108
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad736 -
Clinical Medicine Insights. Oncology 2023Pulmonary toxicities caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors are a prominent concern for clinicians. Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are critical for managing these... (Review)
Review
A Systematic Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Managing Pulmonary Toxicities Caused by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Quality of Treatment Recommendations and Differences in Management Strategies Between Guidelines.
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary toxicities caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors are a prominent concern for clinicians. Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are critical for managing these toxicities.
METHODS
A systematic search of CPGs on checkpoint-associated pulmonary toxicities (ca-PT) was conducted in October 2022. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched. AGREE II and AGREE-REX were used to appraise CPGs and recommendations quality, respectively. Descriptive statistics, intraclass correlation coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis (H) test, and Spearman's correlation were used for analyses. P-values < .05 were considered statistically significant. Matrices were used to determine recommendation differences between CPGs. The study's design was based on the PRISMA 2020 checklist for systematic reviews. Protocol registration number: CRD42022358435.
RESULTS
Eight CPGs (two high-quality, three moderate-quality, and three low-quality) were identified. All CPGs covered pneumonitis. One CPG covered pleural effusions and pneumonitis/SARs-CoV-2-infection. Three CPGs covered sarcoidosis-like-reactions. CPGs for pulmonary fibrosis, airway disease, bronchiolitis, and diffuse alveolar damage, were unavailable. No CPG recommendation was based on a prospective study, and none were appraised as high-quality. Also, recommendations were not specific to histopathologic subtypes. AGREE II's "rigor of development," the domain that evaluates a guideline's methodological approach and strategies in gathering scientific evidence, correlated strongly with AGREE-REX's "overall quality" pneumonitis recommendations, r = .952; P < .01. Approximately 73% of recommendations on pneumonitis were similar between high-quality CPGs. About 16% to 74% of low-quality CPGs were similar to those recommended by high-quality CPGs.
CONCLUSION
Prospectively designed research projects focusing on all types of ca-PT and their histopathologic subtypes are urgently needed. Due to the lack of high-quality recommendations in available CPGs, the disparities in treatment recommendations between high-quality CPGs, and the similarities in recommendations that exists between high-quality and low-quality CPGs, clinicians should thoroughly assess and responsibly appraise all available CPG recommendations in formulating treatment strategies for ca-PT.
PubMed: 38033741
DOI: 10.1177/11795549231203153 -
World Journal of Surgical Oncology Feb 2024Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung (IMA) is a unique and rare subtype of lung adenocarcinoma with poorly defined prognostic factors and highly controversial... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung (IMA) is a unique and rare subtype of lung adenocarcinoma with poorly defined prognostic factors and highly controversial studies. Hence, this study aimed to comprehensively identify and summarize the prognostic factors associated with IMA.
METHODS
A comprehensive search of relevant literature was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases from their inception until June 2023. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of overall survival (OS) and/or disease-free survival (DFS) were obtained to evaluate potential prognostic factors.
RESULTS
A total of 1062 patients from 11 studies were included. In univariate analysis, we found that gender, age, TNM stage, smoking history, lymph node metastasis, pleural metastasis, spread through air spaces (STAS), tumor size, pathological grade, computed tomography (CT) findings of consolidative-type morphology, pneumonia type, and well-defined heterogeneous ground-glass opacity (GGO) were risk factors for IMA, and spiculated margin sign was a protective factor. In multivariate analysis, smoking history, lymph node metastasis, pathological grade, STAS, tumor size, and pneumonia type sign were found to be risk factors. There was not enough evidence that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations, CT signs of lobulated margin, and air bronchogram were related to the prognosis for IMA.
CONCLUSION
In this study, we comprehensively analyzed prognostic factors for invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung in univariate and multivariate analyses of OS and/or DFS. Finally, 12 risk factors and 1 protective factor were identified. These findings may help guide the clinical management of patients with invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung.
Topics: Humans; Adenocarcinoma of Lung; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous; Lung; Lung Neoplasms; Lymphatic Metastasis; Neoplasm Staging; Pneumonia; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Male; Female
PubMed: 38303008
DOI: 10.1186/s12957-024-03326-4 -
Archivos de Bronconeumologia Sep 2023To compare the efficacy and safety of indwelling pleural catheters (IPC) in relation with the timing of systemic cancer therapy (SCT) (i.e., before, during, or after...
INTRODUCTION
To compare the efficacy and safety of indwelling pleural catheters (IPC) in relation with the timing of systemic cancer therapy (SCT) (i.e., before, during, or after SCT) in patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE).
METHODS
Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCT), quasi-controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohorts, and case series of over 20 patients, in which the timing of IPC insertion in relation to that of SCT was provided. Medline (via PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched from inception to January 2023. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) tool for RCTs and the ROB in non-randomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) for non-randomized designs.
RESULTS
Ten studies (n=2907 patients; 3066 IPCs) were included. Using SCT while the IPC was in situ decreased overall mortality, increased survival time, and improved quality-adjusted survival. Timing of SCT had no effect on the risk of IPC-related infections (2.85% overall), even in immunocompromised patients with moderate or severe neutropenia (relative risk 0.98 [95%CI: 0.93-1.03] for patients treated with the combination of IPC and SCT). The inconsistency of the results or the lack of analysis of all outcome measures in relation to the SCT/IPC timing precluded drawing solid conclusions about time to IPC removal or need of re-interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on observational evidence, the efficacy and safety of IPC for MPE does not seem to vary depending on the IPC insertion timing (before, during, or after SCT). The data most likely support early IPC insertion.
Topics: Humans; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Catheters, Indwelling; Retrospective Studies; Pleurodesis; Catheter-Related Infections
PubMed: 37429748
DOI: 10.1016/j.arbres.2023.06.007 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Feb 2024To evaluate the efficacy of urokinase (UK) treatment for tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of urokinase (UK) treatment for tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE).
METHODS
We searched Chinese biomedical literature database, WanFang data, CNKI, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library for the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of urokinase treatment for tuberculous pleurisy from January 2000 to February 2023. Pleural tuberculosis, urokinase and randomized controlled trial were used as keywords. The eligible studies were meta-analyzed by using Revman 5.4.1: risk of bias was assessed, mean difference (MD) and 95% CI were used for continuous variables, pooled studies were conducted using random-effects or fixed-effects models, forest plots were drawn to analyze efficacy, and funnel plots were drawn to discuss publication bias.
RESULTS
Twenty-nine RCTs were included. The meta-analyzed results showed that, on the basis of routine anti-tuberculosis, comparison between the treatment group treated with urokinase and the control group treated with antituberculosis alone, the time of pleural effusion absorption [MD-5.82, 95%CI (- 7.77, - 3.87); P<0.00001] and the residual pleural thickness [MD-1.31, 95%CI (- 1.70, - 0.91); P<0.00001], pleural effusion drainage volume [MD 822.81, 95%CI (666.46,977.96); P<0.00001], FVC%pred [MD 7.95, 95%CI (4.51,11.40); P<0.00001], FEV1%pred [MD 12.67, 95%CI (10.09,15.24); P<0.00001] were significantly different.
CONCLUSION
The clinical effect of urokinase is better than that of antituberculous therapy alone: it can increase total pleural effusion, decrease residual pleural thickness, improve the pulmonary function, and shorten the time of pleural effusion absorption.
Topics: Humans; Tuberculosis, Pleural; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; Pleural Effusion; Exudates and Transudates; Drainage
PubMed: 38402168
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-08975-0 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a bacterial infection that affects the lung. PTB remains one of the infectious diseases with the highest global mortalities. Chest... (Review)
Review
Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a bacterial infection that affects the lung. PTB remains one of the infectious diseases with the highest global mortalities. Chest radiography is a technique that is often employed in the diagnosis of PTB. Radiologists identify the severity and stage of PTB by inspecting radiographic features in the patient's chest X-ray (CXR). The most common radiographic features seen on CXRs include cavitation, consolidation, masses, pleural effusion, calcification, and nodules. Identifying these CXR features will help physicians in diagnosing a patient. However, identifying these radiographic features for intricate disorders is challenging, and the accuracy depends on the radiologist's experience and level of expertise. So, researchers have proposed deep learning (DL) techniques to detect and mark areas of tuberculosis infection in CXRs. DL models have been proposed in the literature because of their inherent capacity to detect diseases and segment the manifestation regions from medical images. However, fully supervised semantic segmentation requires several pixel-by-pixel labeled images. The annotation of such a large amount of data by trained physicians has some challenges. First, the annotation requires a significant amount of time. Second, the cost of hiring trained physicians is expensive. In addition, the subjectivity of medical data poses a difficulty in having standardized annotation. As a result, there is increasing interest in weak localization techniques. Therefore, in this review, we identify methods employed in the weakly supervised segmentation and localization of radiographic manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis from chest X-rays. First, we identify the most commonly used public chest X-ray datasets for tuberculosis identification. Following that, we discuss the approaches for weakly localizing tuberculosis radiographic manifestations in chest X-rays. The weakly supervised localization of PTB can highlight the region of the chest X-ray image that contributed the most to the DL model's classification output and help pinpoint the diseased area. Finally, we discuss the limitations and challenges of weakly supervised techniques in localizing TB manifestations regions in chest X-ray images.
Topics: Humans; X-Rays; Radiography, Thoracic; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary; Radiography; Tuberculosis
PubMed: 37571564
DOI: 10.3390/s23156781 -
The Ulster Medical Journal Jan 2024Sternal wound infection (SWI) has always been a significant risk in patients who undergo sternotomies as part of their cardiac surgical procedures. Computed tomography...
BACKGROUND
Sternal wound infection (SWI) has always been a significant risk in patients who undergo sternotomies as part of their cardiac surgical procedures. Computed tomography (CT) imaging is often used to diagnose and assess sternal wound infections. Its purpose includes identifying and locating infection and any sternal dehiscence.
METHODS
A systematic literature review across PubMed, Embase, and Ovid was performed according to PRISMA guidelines to identify relevant articles that discussed the utility of CT scanning for SWI, common features identified, patient outcomes and sensitivity/specificity (Figure 1).
RESULTS
25 papers were included. 100% (n=25) of the papers were published in peer-reviewed journals. CT scans in SWIs can be seen as a beneficial aid in diagnosing as well as determining the components of infection. Commonalities were identified such as fluid collection in the mediastinum, free gas, pleural effusions, and sternal dehiscence which point towards the presence of sternal wound infection.
CONCLUSION
CT scanning is a novel and emerging methodology for imaging in SWI and post-sternotomy complications, hence increased research is required to expand the literature on this area as well as the creation of guidelines and cut-offs or signs for radiology professionals to identify and determine the extent of infection.
Topics: Humans; Surgical Wound Infection; Retrospective Studies; Sternum; Sternotomy; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 38292500
DOI: No ID Found