Interventional Pulmonology: Extending the Breadth of Thoracic Care.

Interventional pulmonary medicine has developed as a subspecialty focused on the management of patients with complex thoracic disease. Leveraging minimally invasive techniques, interventional pulmonologists diagnose and treat pathologies that previously required more invasive options such as surgery. By mitigating procedural risk, interventional pulmonologists have extended the reach of care to a wider pool of vulnerable patients who require therapy. Endoscopic innovations, including endobronchial ultrasound and robotic and electromagnetic bronchoscopy, have enhanced the ability to perform diagnostic procedures on an ambulatory basis. Therapeutic procedures for patients with symptomatic airway disease, pleural disease, and severe emphysema have provided the ability to palliate symptoms. The combination of medical and procedural expertise has made interventional pulmonologists an integral part of comprehensive care teams for patients with oncologic, airway, and pleural needs. This review surveys key areas in which interventional pulmonologists have impacted the care of thoracic disease through bronchoscopic intervention.

Application of Metabolomics across the Spectrum of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

In recent years, metabolomics, the systematic study of small-molecule metabolites in biological samples, has yielded fresh insights into the molecular determinants of pulmonary diseases and critical illness. The purpose of this article is to orient the reader to this emerging field by discussing the fundamental tenets underlying metabolomics research, the tools and techniques that serve as foundational methodologies, and the various statistical approaches to analysis of metabolomics datasets. We present several examples of metabolomics applied to pulmonary and critical care medicine to illustrate the potential of this avenue of research to deepen our understanding of pathophysiology. We conclude by reviewing recent advances in the field and future research directions that stand to further the goal of personalizing medicine to improve patient care.

Anesthetic considerations in interventional pulmonology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this review, we highlight the important anesthetic consideration that relate to interventional bronchoscopic procedures for the management of central airway obstruction due to anterior mediastinal masses, endoluminal endobronchial obstruction, peripheral bronchoscopy for diagnosis and treatment of lung nodules, bronchoscopic lung volume reduction and medical pleuroscopy for diagnosis and management of pleural diseases. RECENT FINDINGS: The advent of the field of Interventional Pulmonology has allowed for minimally invasive options for patients with a wide range of lung diseases which at times have replaced more invasive surgical procedures. Ongoing research has shed light on advancement in anesthetic techniques and management strategies that have increased the safety during peri-operative management during these complex procedures. Current evidence focusing on the anesthetic techniques is presented here. SUMMARY: The field of Interventional Pulmonology requires a tailored anesthetic approach. Recent advancements and ongoing research have focused on expanding the partnership between the anesthesiologist and interventional pulmonologists which has led to improved outcomes for patients undergoing these procedures.

Joint Statement of the German Respiratory Society and German Society of Thoracic Surgery in Cooperation with the German Radiological Society: Structural Prerequisites of Centres for Interventional Treatment of Emphysema.

Interventional treatment of emphysema offers a wide range of surgical and endoscopic options for patients with advanced disease. Multidisciplinary collaboration of pulmonology, thoracic surgery, and imaging disciplines in patient selection, therapy, and follow-up ensures treatment quality. The present joint statement describes the required structural and quality prerequisites of treatment centres. This is a translation of the German article "Positionspapier der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pneumologie und Beatmungsmedizin und der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Thoraxchirurgie in Kooperation mit der Deutschen Röntgengesellschaft: Strukturvoraussetzungen von Zentren für die interventionelle Emphysemtherapie" Pneumologie. 2020;74:17-23.

Preventive use of respiratory support after scheduled extubation in critically ill medical patients-a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory support has been increasingly used after extubation for the prevention of re-intubation and improvement of prognosis in critically ill medical patients. However, the optimal respiratory support method is still under debate. This network meta-analysis (NMA) aims to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of various respiratory support methods used for preventive purposes after scheduled extubation in critically ill medical patients. METHODS: A systematic database search was performed from inception to December 19, 2019, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a preventive use of different respiratory support methods, including conventional oxygen therapy (COT), noninvasive ventilation (NIV), high-flow oxygen therapy (HFOT), and combinational use of HFOT and NIV (HFOT+NIV), after planned extubation in adult critically ill medical patients. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessments were performed in duplicate. The primary outcomes included re-intubation rate and short-term mortality. RESULTS: Seventeen RCTs comprising 3341 participants with 4 comparisons were included. Compared with COT, NIV significantly reduced the re-intubation rate [risk ratio (RR) 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39 to 0.77; moderate quality of evidence] and short-term mortality (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.91; moderate quality of evidence). Compared to COT, HFOT had a beneficial effect on the re-intubation rate (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.86; moderate quality of evidence) but no effect on short-term mortality (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.12; low quality of evidence). No significant difference in the re-intubation rate or short-term mortality was found among NIV, HFOT, and HFOT+NIV. The treatment rankings based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) from best to worst for re-intubation rate were HFOT+NIV (95.1%), NIV (53.4%), HFOT (51.2%), and COT (0.3%), and the rankings for short-term mortality were NIV (91.0%), HFOT (54.3%), HFOT+NIV (43.7%), and COT (11.1%). Sensitivity analyses of trials with a high risk of extubation failure for the primary outcomes indicated that the SUCRA rankings were comparable to those of the primary analysis. CONCLUSIONS: After scheduled extubation, the preventive use of NIV is probably the most effective respiratory support method for comprehensively preventing re-intubation and short-term death in critically ill medical patients, especially those with a high risk of extubation failure.

Transition of patients with neuromuscular disease and chronic ventilator-dependent respiratory failure from pediatric to adult pulmonary care.

Improvements in medical care have allowed many children with neuromuscular disease and chronic respiratory failure to survive into adulthood. There are currently no published guidelines to facilitate transition from pediatric to adult respiratory care in this population. The transition process in neuromuscular disease and chronic respiratory failure is uniquely challenging in that the patients are often declining in health and losing independence as they approach adulthood. Barriers to transition include lack of access to adult providers, incompatible health insurance, loss of resources within patients' medical structures, absence of transition preparation, and patient and family insecurity with a new healthcare system. The six core elements and optimal time frame of transition should be applied, with special consideration of the psychosocial aspects associated with neuromuscular disease. Successful transition revolves around information, open communication between young adults and their medical care team, and individualized planning to ensure optimal health and quality of life.

[Cryobiopsy]. / Durchführung der transbronchialen Kryobiopsie.

Cryosurgery has been successfully in bronchoscopy for several years. In addition to the local therapy of tumors and stenoses, cryo extraction enables the endobronchial and transbronchial extraction of large, high-quality biopsies. This is with regard to the diagnosis of diffuse lung diseases and the molecular analysis of malignant lung tumors of outstanding importance. This article explains the method and implementation of transbronchial cryobiopsy.

Safety and diagnostic performance of pulmonologists performing electromagnetic guided percutaneous lung biopsy (SPiNperc).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous lung biopsy for diagnostic sampling of peripheral lung nodules has been widely performed by interventional radiologists under computed tomography (CT) guidance. New technology allows pulmonologists to perform percutaneous lung biopsies using electromagnetic (EM) guided technology. With the adoption of this new technique, the safety, feasibility and diagnostic yield need to be explored. The goal of this study was to determine the safety, feasibility and diagnostic yield of EM-guided percutaneous lung biopsy performed by pulmonologists. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicentre study of 129 EM-guided percutaneous lung biopsies that occurred between November 2013 and March 2017. The study consisted of seven academic and three community medical centres. RESULTS: The average age of participants was 65.6 years, BMI was 26.3 and 50.4% were females. The majority of lesions were in the right upper lobe (37.2%) and left upper lobe (31.8%). The mean size of the lesions was 27.31 mm and the average distance from the pleura was 13.2 mm. Practitioners averaged two fine-needle aspirates and five core biopsies per procedure. There were 23 (17.8%) pneumothoraces, of which 16 (12.4%) received small-bore chest tube placement. The diagnostic yield of percutaneous lung biopsy was 73.7%. When EM-guided bronchoscopic sampling was also performed during the same procedural encounter, the overall diagnostic yield increased to 81.1%. CONCLUSION: In this large multicentred series, the use of EM guidance for percutaneous lung biopsies was safe and feasible, with acceptable diagnostic yield in the hands of pulmonologists. A prospective multicentre trial to validate these findings is currently underway (NCT03338049).

Scope and new horizons for implementation of m-Health/e-Health services in pulmonology in 2019.

The reason for this review based on the results of many meta- analyses is the great assessed difference in the methods of most studies in e-Health, telemedicine and tele-rehabilitation. It consists of different understanding of new terms, using different hard- and software, including criteria, different methodology of patient's treatment and its evaluation. This status suggests that first of all m-Health/e-Health requires a unique ontology of terms using and methodology of studies comparing. In this review we try to describe shortly the most significant points of modern e-Health field of medicine. The basic parts include methodology of review formation, tele-communication implementation results, tele-education, interactive questioning, tele-consultation, telemedicine diagnosis, tele-monitoring, rehabilitation and tele-rehabilitation, gamification, acceptability of mobile electronic devices and software in e-Health and planning studies. At the end of the review the new ontological structure of digital medicine is presented.

[A systematic review as a method of gathering scientific evidence into clinical guidelines: CHEST-2019 guideline for the therapy pulmonary arterial hypertension in adults].

The updated fourth version of the CHEST guideline presents the evidence base and treatment algorithm for pulmonary arterial hypertension in adults. The CHEST approach to creating clinical guidelines differs from the European one (ESC/ERS) and, in fact, consists in a systematic review of clinical trials and a sammary of their postulates.

The impact of digital health technologies on tuberculosis treatment: a systematic review.

Digital technologies are increasingly harnessed to support treatment of persons with tuberculosis (TB). Since in-person directly observed treatment (DOT) can be resource intensive and challenging to implement, these technologies may have the potential to improve adherence and clinical outcomes. We reviewed the effect of these technologies on TB treatment adherence and patient outcomes.We searched several bibliographical databases for studies reporting the effect of digital interventions, including short message service (SMS), video-observed therapy (VOT) and medication monitors (MMs), to support treatment for active TB. Only studies with a control group and which reported effect estimates were included.Four trials showed no statistically significant effect on treatment completion when SMS was added to standard care. Two observational studies of VOT reported comparable treatment completion rates when compared with in-person DOT. MMs increased the probability of cure (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.6-3.4) in one observational study, and one trial reported a statistically significant reduction in missed treatment doses relative to standard care (adjusted means ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.42-0.79).Evidence of the effect of digital technologies to improve TB care remains limited. More studies of better quality are needed to determine how such technologies can enhance programme performance.

Comparison of different staging methods for COPD in predicting outcomes.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly staged according to the percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 % pred), but other methods have been proposed. In this study we compared the performance of seven staging methods in predicting outcomes.We retrospectively studied 296 COPD outpatients. For each patient the disease severity was staged by separately applying the following methods: the criteria proposed by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), quartiles of FEV1 % pred and z-score of FEV1, quartiles and specified cut-off points of the ratio of FEV1 over height squared ((FEV1·Ht-2)A and (FEV1·Ht-2)B, respectively), and quartiles of the ratio of FEV1 over height cubed (FEV1·Ht-3) and of FEV1 quotient (FEV1Q). We evaluated the performance of these methods in predicting the risks of severe acute exacerbation and all-cause mortality.Overall, staging based on the reference-independent FEV1Q performed best in predicting the risks of severe acute exacerbation (including frequent exacerbation) and mortality, followed by (FEV1·Ht-2)B The performance of staging methods could also be influenced by the choice of cut-off values. Future work using large and ethnically diverse populations to refine and validate the cut-off values would enhance the prediction of outcomes.

Predictors of accelerated decline in lung function in adult-onset asthma.

Little is known about the prognosis of adults with new-onset asthma. Cross-sectional studies suggest that these patients may exhibit accelerated decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). However, risk factors for accelerated decline in lung function have not yet been identified.We aimed to identify these risk factors in a prospective 5-year follow-up study in 200 adults with newly diagnosed asthma. In the current study, clinical, functional and inflammatory parameters were assessed annually for 5 years. Linear mixed-effects models were used to identify predictors.Evaluable lung function sets of 141 patients were available. Median (interquartile range) change in post-bronchodilator FEV1 was -17.5 (-54.2 to +22.4) mL per year. Accelerated decline in FEV1 was defined by the lower quartile of decline (>54.2 mL per year). Nasal polyps, number of blood and sputum eosinophils, body mass index, and level of exhaled nitric oxide were univariably associated with decline in lung function. Only the latter two were independently associated. Using cut-off values to identify patients at highest risk showed accelerated decline in FEV1 in all patients with combined exhaled nitric oxide fraction (FeNO) ≥57 ppb and body mass index (BMI) ≤23 kg·m-2We conclude that adults with new-onset asthma with both high levels of exhaled nitric oxide and low BMI are at risk of accelerated decline in lung function.

Cost-effectiveness of KRAS, EGFR and ALK testing for decision making in advanced nonsmall cell lung carcinoma: the French IFCT-PREDICT.amm study.

ALK rearrangement and EGFR/KRAS mutations constitute the primary biomarkers tested to provide targeted or nontargeted therapies in advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Our objective was to assess the cost-effectiveness of biomarker testing for NSCLC.Between 2013 and 2014, 843 treatment-naive patients were prospectively recruited at 19 French hospitals into a longitudinal observational cohort study. Two testing strategies were compared, i.e. with "at least one biomarker status known" and "at least KRAS status known", in addition to "no biomarker testing" as the reference strategy. The Kaplan-Meier approach was employed to assess restricted mean survival time. Direct medical costs incurred by hospitals were estimated with regard to treatment, inpatient care and biomarker testing.Compared with "no biomarker testing", the "at least one biomarker status known" strategy yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of EUR13 230 per life-year saved, which decreased to EUR7444 per life-year saved with the "at least KRAS status known" testing strategy. In sensitivity analyses, biomarker testing strategies were less costly and more effective in 41% of iterations.In summary, molecular testing prior to treatment initiation proves to be cost-effective in advanced NSCLC management and may assist decision makers in defining conditions for further implementation of these innovations in general practice.

Interventional Pulmonology: The Role of Simulation Training and Competency-Based Evaluation.

Medical education and training are becoming more complex endeavors as technological and research advancements lead to new tools and methods to care for patients. In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in medical education to competency-based assessments. Another important recent development in medical education has been the increasing use of simulation-based learning for procedural training. Interventional pulmonology (IP) is a relatively young and rapidly evolving procedural-based subspecialty. There are several well-validated competency-based assessment tools available to measure training adequacy in many of the most commonly performed procedures in IP. These tools have been shown to improve learning curves and training outcomes. The extent of how widely these tools are being used in clinical and educational spheres, however, remains unclear. Moreover, several commonly performed procedures in IP have no or limited validation tools currently available. Standardized training using simulation has also been shown to lead to positive training outcomes as compared with more traditional training models. However, widespread adoption of simulators has been limited due to the cost and availability.

Current Practice of Airway Stenting in the Adult Population in Europe: A Survey of the European Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (EABIP).

BACKGROUND: Airway stenting (AS) commenced in Europe circa 1987 with the first placement of a dedicated silicone airway stent. Subsequently, over the last 3 decades, AS was spread throughout Europe, using different insertion techniques and different types of stents. OBJECTIVES: This study is an international survey conducted by the European Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (EABIP) focusing on AS practice within 26 European countries. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all EABIP National Delegates in February 2015. National delegates were responsible for obtaining precise and objective data regarding the current AS practice in their country. The deadline for data collection was February 2016. RESULTS: France, Germany, and the UK are the 3 leading countries in terms of number of centres performing AS. These 3 nations represent the highest ranked nations within Europe in terms of gross national income. Overall, pulmonologists perform AS exclusively in 5 countries and predominately in 12. AS is performed almost exclusively in public hospitals. AS performed under general anaesthesia is the rule for the majority of institutions, and local anaesthesia is an alternative in 9 countries. Rigid bronchoscopy techniques are predominant in 20 countries. Amongst commercially available stents, both Dumon and Ultraflex are by far the most commonly deployed. Finally, 11 countries reported that AS is an economically viable activity, while 10 claimed that it is not. CONCLUSION: This EABIP survey demonstrates that there is significant heterogeneity in AS practice within Europe. Therapeutic bronchoscopy training and economic issues/reimbursement for procedures are likely to be the primary reasons explaining these findings.

A Comparative Analysis of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Guideline Development Methodologies.

RATIONALE: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards for guideline development have had unintended negative consequences. A more efficient approach is desirable. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a modified Delphi process early during guideline development discriminates recommendations that should be informed by a systematic review from those that can be based upon expert consensus. METHODS: The same questions addressed by IOM-compliant pulmonary or critical care guidelines were addressed by expert panels using a modified Delphi process, termed the Convergence of Opinion on Recommendations and Evidence (CORE) process. The resulting recommendations were compared. Concordance of the course of action, strength of recommendation, and quality of evidence, as well as the duration of recommendation development, were measured. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: When 50% agreement was required to make a recommendation, all questions yielded recommendations, and the recommended courses of action were 89.6% concordant. When 70% agreement was required, 17.9% of questions did not yield recommendations, but for those that did, the recommended courses of action were 98.2% concordant. The time to completion was shorter for the CORE process (median, 19.3 vs. 1,309.0 d; P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: We propose the CORE process as an early step in guideline creation. Questions for which 70% agreement on a recommendation cannot be achieved should go through an IOM-compliant process; however, questions for which 70% agreement on a recommendation can be achieved can be accepted, avoiding a lengthy systematic review.

Degree of control of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Spain: SINCON study.

BACKGROUND: Disease control is an important objective of COPD management. The SINCON study evaluated the level of control in terms of respiratory symptoms and exacerbations in Spanish patients with COPD for ≥2 years. METHODS: SINCON was a descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter study that assessed degree of control using a combined index comprising COPD assessment test (CAT), modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC), and number of moderate/severe exacerbations in the last year. Based on this score, patients were categorized as "well controlled" or "poorly controlled". Degree of control was also assessed relative to patient phenotype, setting (primary care [PC] vs respiratory care [RC]), and impact of treatment on morning symptoms. RESULTS: Of the 481 patients (PC: 307, RC: 174) analyzed, COPD was poorly controlled in 63.2%. Some differences were found between clinical settings: PC patients were more poorly controlled (PC: 66.4% vs RC: 57.5%; P = 0.06) and had higher CAT score (PC: 17.9 vs RC: 15.5; P < 0.05), and higher rate of moderate/severe exacerbations during previous year (PC: 1.5 vs RC: 1.1; P < 0.05), while dyspnea degree was similar in both settings. Regarding phenotypes, non-exacerbators demonstrated better control vs exacerbators. Morning symptoms score improved between waking and 3 h after bronchodilator treatment (P < 0.05), with greater improvements in PC patients (PC: - 6.5 vs RC: - 5.0 points; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Most COPD patients were poorly controlled with some differences observed between PC and RC settings and between patient phenotypes. Our index may be easily used in PC settings to optimize COPD treatment.