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Chest Jul 2019Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) encompasses any lung toxicity induced by radiation therapy (RT) and manifests acutely as radiation pneumonitis and chronically as... (Review)
Review
Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) encompasses any lung toxicity induced by radiation therapy (RT) and manifests acutely as radiation pneumonitis and chronically as radiation pulmonary fibrosis. Because most patients with thoracic and breast malignancies are expected to undergo RT in their lifetime, many with curative intent, the population at risk is significant. Furthermore, indications for thoracic RT are expanding given the advent of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) or stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for early-stage lung cancer in nonsurgical candidates as well as oligometastatic pulmonary disease from any solid tumor. Fortunately, the incidence of serious pulmonary complications from RT has decreased secondary to advances in radiation delivery techniques. Understanding the temporal relationship between RT and injury as well as the patient, disease, and radiation factors that help distinguish RILI from other etiologies is necessary to prevent misdiagnosis. Although treatment of acute pneumonitis is dependent on clinical severity and typically responds completely to corticosteroids, accurately diagnosing and identifying patients who may progress to fibrosis is challenging. Current research advances include high-precision radiation techniques, an improved understanding of the molecular basis of RILI, the development of small and large animal models, and the identification of candidate drugs for prevention and treatment.
Topics: Humans; Lung Injury; Neoplasms; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Radiation Injuries; Radiation Pneumonitis
PubMed: 30998908
DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2019.03.033 -
Chinese Journal of Traumatology =... Jun 2020Physical traumas are tragic and multifaceted injuries that suddenly threaten life. Although it is the third most common cause of death in all age groups, one out of four... (Review)
Review
Physical traumas are tragic and multifaceted injuries that suddenly threaten life. Although it is the third most common cause of death in all age groups, one out of four trauma patients die due to thoracic injury or its complications. Blunt injuries constitute the majority of chest trauma. This indicates the importance of chest trauma among all traumas. Blunt chest trauma is usually caused by motor vehicle accident, falling from height, blunt instrument injury and physical assault. As a result of chest trauma, many injuries may occur, such as pulmonary injuries, and these require urgent intervention. Chest wall and pulmonary injuries range from rib fractures to flail chest, pneumothorax to hemothorax and pulmonary contusion to tracheobronchial injuries. Following these injuries, patients may present with a simple dyspnea or even respiratory arrest. For such patient, it is important to understand the treatment logic and to take a multidisciplinary approach to treat the pulmonary and chest wall injuries. This is because only 10% of thoracic trauma patients require surgical operation and the remaining 90% can be treated with simple methods such as appropriate airway, oxygen support, maneuvers, volume support and tube thoracostomy. Adequate pain control in chest trauma is sometimes the most basic and best treatment. With definite diagnosis, the morbidity and mortality can be significantly reduced by simple treatment methods.
Topics: Flail Chest; Hemothorax; Humans; Lung Injury; Pain Management; Pneumothorax; Rib Fractures; Thoracic Injuries; Thoracic Wall; Wounds, Nonpenetrating
PubMed: 32417043
DOI: 10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.04.003 -
Anaesthesia Feb 2023Managing major thoracic trauma begins with identifying and anticipating injuries associated with the mechanism of injury. The key aims are to reduce early mortality and... (Review)
Review
Managing major thoracic trauma begins with identifying and anticipating injuries associated with the mechanism of injury. The key aims are to reduce early mortality and the impact of associated complications to expedite recovery and restore the patient to their pre-injury state. While imaging is imperative to identify the extent of thoracic trauma, some pathology may require immediate treatment. The majority can be managed with adequate pleural drainage, but respiratory failure and poor gas exchange may require either non-invasive or invasive ventilation. Ventilation strategies to protect from complications such as barotrauma, volutrauma and ventilator-induced lung injury are important to consider. The management of pain is vital in reducing respiratory complications. A multimodal strategy using local, regional and systemic analgesia may mitigate respiratory side effects of opioid use. With optimal pain management, physiotherapy can be fully utilised to reduce respiratory complications and enhance early recovery. Thoracic surgeons should be consulted early for consideration of surgical management of specific injuries. With a greater understanding of the mechanisms of injury and the appropriate use of available resources, favourable outcomes can be reached in this cohort of patients. Overall, a multidisciplinary and holistic approach results in the best patient outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Thoracic Injuries; Pain; Pain Management; Analgesia; Lung
PubMed: 36572548
DOI: 10.1111/anae.15934 -
BMC Pulmonary Medicine Jan 2021Chemo-radiotherapy and systemic therapies have proven satisfactory outcomes as standard treatments for various thoracic malignancies; however, adverse pulmonary effects,... (Review)
Review
Chemo-radiotherapy and systemic therapies have proven satisfactory outcomes as standard treatments for various thoracic malignancies; however, adverse pulmonary effects, like pneumonitis, can be life-threatening. Pneumonitis is caused by direct cytotoxic effect, oxidative stress, and immune-mediated injury. Radiotherapy Induced Lung Injury (RILI) encompasses two phases: an early phase known as Radiation Pneumonitis (RP), characterized by acute lung tissue inflammation as a result of exposure to radiation; and a late phase called Radiation Fibrosis (RF), a clinical syndrome that results from chronic pulmonary tissue damage. Currently, diagnoses are made by exclusion using clinical assessment and radiological findings. Pulmonary function tests have constituted a significant step in evaluating lung function status during radiotherapy and useful predictive tools to avoid complications or limit toxicity. Systemic corticosteroids are widely used to treat pneumonitis complications, but its use must be standardized, and consider in the prophylaxis setting given the fatal outcome of this adverse event. This review aims to discuss the clinicopathological features of pneumonitis and provide practical clinical recommendations for prevention, diagnosis, and management.
Topics: Humans; Lung Injury; Neoplasms; Radiation Injuries; Radiation Pneumonitis; Respiratory Function Tests
PubMed: 33407290
DOI: 10.1186/s12890-020-01376-4 -
JAMA Surgery Nov 2022Unstable chest wall injuries have high rates of mortality and morbidity. In the last decade, multiple studies have reported improved outcomes with operative compared...
IMPORTANCE
Unstable chest wall injuries have high rates of mortality and morbidity. In the last decade, multiple studies have reported improved outcomes with operative compared with nonoperative treatment. However, to date, an adequately powered, randomized clinical trial to support operative treatment has been lacking.
OBJECTIVE
To compare outcomes of surgical treatment of acute unstable chest wall injuries with nonsurgical management.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This was a multicenter, prospective, randomized clinical trial conducted from October 10, 2011, to October 2, 2019, across 15 sites in Canada and the US. Inclusion criteria were patients between the ages of 16 to 85 years with displaced rib fractures with a flail chest or non-flail chest injuries with severe chest wall deformity. Exclusion criteria included patients with significant other injuries that would otherwise require prolonged mechanical ventilation, those medically unfit for surgery, or those who were randomly assigned to study groups after 72 hours of injury. Data were analyzed from March 20, 2019, to March 5, 2021.
INTERVENTIONS
Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive operative treatment with plate and screws or nonoperative treatment.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was ventilator-free days (VFDs) in the first 28 days after injury. Secondary outcomes included mortality, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit stay, and rates of complications (pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia, sepsis, tracheostomy).
RESULTS
A total of 207 patients were included in the analysis (operative group: 108 patients [52.2%]; mean [SD] age, 52.9 [13.5] years; 81 male [75%]; nonoperative group: 99 patients [47.8%]; mean [SD] age, 53.2 [14.3] years; 75 male [76%]). Mean (SD) VFDs were 22.7 (7.5) days for the operative group and 20.6 (9.7) days for the nonoperative group (mean difference, 2.1 days; 95% CI, -0.3 to 4.5 days; P = .09). Mortality was significantly higher in the nonoperative group (6 [6%]) than in the operative group (0%; P = .01). Rates of complications and length of stay were similar between groups. Subgroup analysis of patients who were mechanically ventilated at the time of randomization demonstrated a mean difference of 2.8 (95% CI, 0.1-5.5) VFDs in favor of operative treatment.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The findings of this randomized clinical trial suggest that operative treatment of patients with unstable chest wall injuries has modest benefit compared with nonoperative treatment. However, the potential advantage was primarily noted in the subgroup of patients who were ventilated at the time of randomization. No benefit to operative treatment was found in patients who were not ventilated.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01367951.
Topics: Humans; Male; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Rib Fractures; Prospective Studies; Thoracic Wall; Treatment Outcome; Thoracic Injuries; Length of Stay; Respiration, Artificial
PubMed: 36129720
DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.4299 -
Resuscitation Dec 2021Summarise the evidence regarding the safety of mechanical and manual chest compressions for cardiac arrest patients. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
AIM
Summarise the evidence regarding the safety of mechanical and manual chest compressions for cardiac arrest patients.
METHODS
Two investigators separately screened the articles of EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Central databases. Cohort studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the safety of mechanical (LUCAS or AutoPulse) and manual chest compressions in cardiac arrest patients were included. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to calculate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The primary outcome was the rate of overall compression-induced injuries. The secondary outcomes included the incidence of life-threatening injuries, skeletal fractures, visceral injuries, and other soft tissue injuries.
RESULTS
The meta-analysis included 11 trials involving 2,818 patients. A significantly higher rate of overall compression-induced injuries was found for mechanical compressions than manual compressions (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.19-1.41), while there was no significant difference between the two groups in respect of the rate of life-threatening injuries. Furthermore, both modalities shared similar incidences of sternal fractures, vertebral fractures, lung, spleen, and kidney injuries. However, compared to mechanical compressions, manual compressions were shown to present a reduced risk of posterior rib fractures, and heart and liver lesions.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggested that manual compressions could decrease the risk of compression-induced injuries compared to mechanical compressions in cardiac arrest patients. Interestingly, mechanical compressions have not increased the risk of life-threatening injuries, whereas additional high-quality RCTs are needed to further verify the safety of mechanical chest devices.
TRIAL REGISTRY
INPLASY; Registration number: INPLASY2020110111; URL: https://inplasy.com/.
Topics: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Heart Arrest; Heart Massage; Humans; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest; Pressure; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Thoracic Injuries; Thorax
PubMed: 34699924
DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2021.10.028 -
Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery Feb 2023Blunt cardiac injury (BCI) encompasses a spectrum of pathologies ranging from clinically silent, transient arrhythmias to deadly cardiac wall rupture. Of diagnosed BCIs,... (Review)
Review
Blunt cardiac injury (BCI) encompasses a spectrum of pathologies ranging from clinically silent, transient arrhythmias to deadly cardiac wall rupture. Of diagnosed BCIs, cardiac contusion is most common. Suggestive symptoms may be unrelated to BCI, while some injuries may be clinically asymptomatic. Cardiac rupture is the most devastating complication of BCI. Most patients who sustain rupture of a heart chamber do not reach the emergency department alive. The incidence of BCI following blunt thoracic trauma remains variable and no gold standard exists to either diagnose cardiac injury or provide management. Diagnostic tests should be limited to identifying those patients who are at risk of developing cardiac complications as a result of cardiac in jury. Therapeutic interventions should be directed to treat the complications of cardiac injury. Prompt, appropriate and well-orchestrated surgical treatment is invaluable in the management of the unstable patients.
Topics: Humans; Heart Injuries; Heart; Myocardial Contusions; Heart Rupture; Wounds, Nonpenetrating; Rupture; Thoracic Injuries
PubMed: 36765392
DOI: 10.1186/s13019-023-02146-z -
World Journal of Emergency Surgery :... May 2023The diagnosis of cardiac contusion, caused by blunt chest trauma, remains a challenge due to the non-specific symptoms it causes and the lack of ideal tests to diagnose... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
The diagnosis of cardiac contusion, caused by blunt chest trauma, remains a challenge due to the non-specific symptoms it causes and the lack of ideal tests to diagnose myocardial damage. A cardiac contusion can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Several diagnostic tests have been used to evaluate the risk of cardiac complications, but the challenge of identifying patients with contusions nevertheless remains.
AIM OF THE STUDY
To evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests for detecting blunt cardiac injury (BCI) and its complications, in patients with severe chest injuries, who are assessed in an emergency department or by any front-line emergency physician.
METHODS
A targeted search strategy was performed using Ovid MEDLINE and Embase databases from 1993 up to October 2022. Data on at least one of the following diagnostic tests: electrocardiogram (ECG), serum creatinine phosphokinase-MB level (CPK-MB), echocardiography (Echo), Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) or Cardiac troponin T (cTnT). Diagnostic tests for cardiac contusion were evaluated for their accuracy in meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I and the QUADAS-2 tool was used to assess bias of the studies.
RESULTS
This systematic review yielded 51 studies (n = 5,359). The weighted mean incidence of myocardial injuries after sustaining a blunt force trauma stood at 18.3% of cases. Overall weighted mean mortality among patients with blunt cardiac injury was 7.6% (1.4-36.4%). Initial ECG, cTnI, cTnT and transthoracic echocardiography TTE all showed high specificity (> 80%), but lower sensitivity (< 70%). TEE had a specificity of 72.1% (range 35.8-98.2%) and sensitivity of 86.7% (range 40-99.2%) in diagnosing cardiac contusion. CK-MB had the lowest diagnostic odds ratio of 3.598 (95% CI: 1.832-7.068). Normal ECG accompanied by normal cTnI showed a high sensitivity of 85% in ruling out cardiac injuries.
CONCLUSION
Emergency physicians face great challenges in diagnosing cardiac injuries in patients following blunt trauma. In the majority of cases, joint use of ECG and cTnI was a pragmatic and cost-effective approach to rule out cardiac injuries. In addition, TEE may be highly accurate in identifying cardiac injuries in suspected cases.
Topics: Humans; Thoracic Injuries; Wounds, Nonpenetrating; Heart Injuries; Myocardial Contusions; Troponin I; Troponin T; Diagnostic Tests, Routine
PubMed: 37245048
DOI: 10.1186/s13017-023-00504-9 -
Annals of the American Thoracic Society Jan 2023E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) is a severe pulmonary illness associated with the use of e-cigarettes or vaping products that was...
The E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury Epidemic: Pathogenesis, Management, and Future Directions: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.
E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) is a severe pulmonary illness associated with the use of e-cigarettes or vaping products that was officially identified and named in 2019. This American Thoracic Society workshop was convened in 2021 to identify and prioritize research and regulatory needs to adequately respond to the EVALI outbreak and to prevent similar instances of disease associated with e-cigarette or vaping product use. An interdisciplinary group of 26 experts in adult and pediatric clinical care, public health, regulatory oversight, and toxicology were convened for the workshop. Four major topics were examined: ) the public health and regulatory response to EVALI; ) EVALI clinical care; ) mechanisms contributing to EVALI; and ) needed actions to address the health effects of EVALI. Oral presentations and group discussion were the primary modes used to identify top priorities for addressing EVALI. Initiatives including a national EVALI case registry and biorepository, integrated electronic medical record coding system, U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation and enforcement of nicotine e-cigarette standards, regulatory authority over nontobacco-derived e-cigarettes, training in evaluating exogenous exposures, prospective clinical studies, standardized clinical follow-up assessments, ability to more readily study effects of cannabinoid e-cigarettes, and research to identify biomarkers of exposure and disease were identified as critical needs. These initiatives will require substantial federal investment as well as changes to regulatory policy. Overall, the workshop identified the need to address the root causes of EVALI to prevent future outbreaks. An integrated approach from multiple perspectives is required, including public health; clinical, basic, and translational research; regulators; and users of e-cigarettes. Improving the public health response to reduce the risk of another substantial disease-inducing event depends on coordinated actions to better understand the inhalational toxicity of these products, informing the public of the risks, and developing and enforcing regulatory standards for all e-cigarettes.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; United States; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Lung Injury; Prospective Studies; Disease Outbreaks; Nicotine; Vaping
PubMed: 36584985
DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202209-796ST -
Ulusal Travma Ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi =... May 2022The objective of the study is to investigate diagnostic and clinical processes performed for cardiac contusion in patients with blunt thoracic trauma.
BACKGROUND
The objective of the study is to investigate diagnostic and clinical processes performed for cardiac contusion in patients with blunt thoracic trauma.
METHODS
This study was conducted retrospectively on 65 patients admitted with isolated blunt thoracic trauma to the Emergency Medicine Department. The CT images, the cardiac enzyme levels, the periodic 4-h follow-up electrocardiography (ECGs) in the emer-gency department, and the results of echocardiography, performed at admission and when required according to the clinical status, were investigated. The 1-h and 4-h high-sensitivity troponin I levels were studied, and values above 0.04 ng/ml were considered as positive.
RESULTS
Sixty-five patients with isolated thoracic trauma were included in the study, 23 (35.38%) had pulmonary and cardiac contu-sions both. In 23 (35.38%) patients, pulmonary contusion had been present, and cardiac contusion had not been identified at the initial evaluation. However, during clinical follow-up, troponin became positive, dysrhythmia developed, and the trauma affected the heart in four of these patients. In six (9.24%) patients, cardiac contusion was identified without pulmonary contusion. In 13 (20%) patients, no cardiac or pulmonary contusion was identified. troponin elevation was detected in 10 patients without a diagnosis of cardiac contusion who had a pulmonary contusion, hemothorax, and/or pneumothorax at the time of hospital admission and then with normal troponin levels at 4-h control. We found that there was a statistical agreement between cardiac contusion and troponin-ECG results at 4th h.
CONCLUSION
We advise that all blunt thoracic trauma patients should be screened for cardiac contusion by continuous ECG monitoring and troponin levels.
Topics: Attention; Contusions; Humans; Lung Injury; Myocardial Contusions; Retrospective Studies; Thoracic Injuries; Troponin I; Wounds, Nonpenetrating
PubMed: 35485460
DOI: 10.14744/tjtes.2021.11290