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Ugeskrift For Laeger Jan 2024Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) are incidentally observed specific CT findings in patients without clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD). ILA with... (Review)
Review
Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) are incidentally observed specific CT findings in patients without clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD). ILA with basal and peripheral predominance and features suggestive of fibrosis in more than 5% of any part of the lung should be referred for pulmonologist review. The strategy for monitoring as described in this review is based on clinical and radiological risk factors. ILA are associated with risk of progression to ILD and increased mortality. Early identification and assessment of risk factors for progression are essential to improve outcome.
Topics: Humans; Disease Progression; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Lung; Risk Factors; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 38235774
DOI: 10.61409/V06230395 -
Annals of the American Thoracic Society Mar 2022Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common condition affecting approximately 1% of the general population. RA is a multisystem disorder that causes progressive articular... (Review)
Review
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common condition affecting approximately 1% of the general population. RA is a multisystem disorder that causes progressive articular destruction through synovial inflammation. One of the most common extraarticular manifestations of RA is pulmonary involvement, where all compartments of the pulmonary system can be impacted (e.g., pulmonary vasculature, pleura, parenchyma, and the airways). Although it has been known for decades that a portion of patients with RA develop interstitial lung disease, and recent advancements in understanding the genetic risk and treatment for RA-interstitial lung disease have drawn attention, more recent data have begun to highlight the significance of airway disease in patients with RA. Yet, little is known about the underlying pathogenesis, clinical impact, or optimal treatment strategies for airway disease in RA. This review will focus on airway disease involvement in patients with RA by highlighting areas of clinical inquiry for pulmonologists and rheumatologists and discuss areas for future research. Finally, we discuss a potential screening algorithm for providers when approaching patients with RA with respiratory complaints.
Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Humans; Inflammation; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Respiration Disorders; Risk Factors
PubMed: 34929135
DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202107-876CME -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Jan 2024Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in the gastrointestinal tract is a rare, but yet an essential differential diagnosis to patients with complex fistula disease, since the...
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in the gastrointestinal tract is a rare, but yet an essential differential diagnosis to patients with complex fistula disease, since the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy for presumed Crohn's disease can lead to a fulminant course of TB. This case report presents a young Danish woman with a progressive complex fistula disease, where cause and treatment were uncovered by interprofessional collaboration between pulmonologists, gastroenterologists and surgeons including a screening test for TB as well as multiple biopsies from the anal fistula tissue.
Topics: Female; Humans; Crohn Disease; Rectal Fistula; Tuberculosis, Extrapulmonary; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal; Biopsy
PubMed: 38305264
DOI: 10.61409/V09230551 -
Cancers Feb 2023A lot has happened in the field of lung cancer screening in recent months. The ongoing discussion and documentation published by the scientific community and... (Review)
Review
A lot has happened in the field of lung cancer screening in recent months. The ongoing discussion and documentation published by the scientific community and policymakers are of great importance to the entire European community and perhaps beyond. Lung cancer is the main worldwide killer. Low-dose computed tomography-based screening, together with smoking cessation, is the only tool to fight lung cancer, as it has already been proven in the United States of America but also European randomized controlled trials. Screening requires a lot of well-organized specialized work, but it can be supported by artificial intelligence (AI). Here we discuss whether and how to use AI for patients, radiologists, pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, and all hospital staff supporting screening process benefits.
PubMed: 36831662
DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041321 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2021The increase in incidental discovery of pulmonary nodules has led to more urgent requirement of tissue diagnosis. The peripheral pulmonary nodules are especially... (Review)
Review
The increase in incidental discovery of pulmonary nodules has led to more urgent requirement of tissue diagnosis. The peripheral pulmonary nodules are especially challenging for clinicians. There are various modalities for diagnosis and tissue sampling of pulmonary lesions, but most of these modalities have their own limitations. This has led to the development of many advanced technical modalities, which have empowered pulmonologists to reach the periphery of the lung safely and effectively. These techniques include thin/ultrathin bronchoscopes, radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS), and navigation bronchoscopy-including virtual navigation bronchoscopy (VNB) and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB). Recently, newer technologies-including robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB), cone-beam CT (CBCT), and augmented fluoroscopy (AF)-have been introduced to aid in the navigation to peripheral pulmonary nodules. Technological advances will also enable more precise tissue sampling of smaller peripheral lung nodules for local ablative and other therapies of peripheral lung cancers in the future. However, we still need to overcome the CT-to-body divergence, among other limitations. In this review, our aim is to summarize the recent advances in diagnostic bronchoscopy technology.
PubMed: 34829331
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11111984 -
Panminerva Medica Sep 2019Over the last decade transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) has proven to be an "innovative application" of an "old procedure" for the histologic diagnosis of diffuse... (Review)
Review
Over the last decade transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) has proven to be an "innovative application" of an "old procedure" for the histologic diagnosis of diffuse interstitial lung diseases (DILDs). Thus, the technique of TBL cryobiopsy is now adopted for diagnostic purposes, transbronchially in peripheral airways to sample lung parenchyma, whereas this same technique was traditionally employed in the past for therapeutic purposes, essentially for the management of malignant obstruction of central airways. When patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) need histopathological data in their diagnostic pathway, this bioptic approach could be a valid alternative to surgical lung biopsy, that is still the gold standard at the moment. TBL cryobiopsy has a good safety profile, its sensitivity and specificity appear good overall in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In the last ten years, many papers have been published about this procedure defining modalities by which cryobiopsy should be performed. These studies have shown that TBL cryobiopsy is feasible, it allows to obtain larger lung parenchymal specimens (3 times larger than "classic" transbronchial biopsies), characterized by unaltered and artefact-free morphology, and it represents a safe and poorly invasive diagnostic tool for the histologic diagnosis of ILDs. The technical aspects are really important, and they still need a complete standardization. TBL cryobiopsy should be part of an equipment of the modern interventional pulmonologist, who should know indications and contraindications of this methodic and the technical aspects of the procedure. This is a complex procedure requiring to be performed by endoscopists working in specialized centers with specific knowledge of DILDs, and a multidisciplinary approach, which represent pre-requisites for admission to training in this procedure.
Topics: Biopsy; Bronchi; Bronchoscopy; Clinical Competence; Cold Temperature; Cryosurgery; Endoscopy; Humans; Lung; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Pulmonary Medicine; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 30394714
DOI: 10.23736/S0031-0808.18.03567-X -
Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) Sep 2022Since the publication of a sham-controlled, randomized trial (AIR2) and subsequent marketing approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, we have significantly... (Review)
Review
Since the publication of a sham-controlled, randomized trial (AIR2) and subsequent marketing approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, we have significantly advanced our understanding of bronchial thermoplasty (BT)'s scientific basis, long-term safety, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness. In particular, the last 2 years have witnessed multiple research publications on several of these counts. In this review, we critically appraise our evolving understanding of BT's biologic underpinnings and clinical impact, offer an evidence-based patient workflow guide for the busy pulmonologist and highlight both current challenges as well as potential solutions for the researcher and the clinician.
Topics: Asthma; Bronchi; Bronchial Thermoplasty; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35692074
DOI: 10.1111/resp.14312