Evaluation and Diagnosis of HIV-Associated Lung Disease.

There are myriad pulmonary conditions associated with HIV, ranging from acute infections to chronic noncommunicable diseases. The epidemiology of these diseases has changed significantly in the era of widespread antiretroviral therapy. Evaluation of the HIV-infected patient involves assessment of the severity of illness and a thorough yet efficient pursuit of definitive diagnosis, which may involve multiple etiologies simultaneously. Important clues to a diagnosis include medical and social history, demographic details such as travel and geography of residence, substance use, sexual practices, and domiciliary and incarceration status. CD4 cell count is a tremendously useful measure of immune function and risk for HIV-related diseases, and helps narrow down the differential. Careful history of current symptoms and physical examination with particular attention to extrapulmonary signs are crucial early steps. Many adjunctive laboratory studies can suggest or rule out particular diagnoses. Pulmonary function testing (PFT) may aid in characterization of several chronic noninfectious illnesses accelerated by HIV. Chest radiograph and computed tomography (CT) scan allow for classification of diseases by pathognomonic imaging patterns, although many infectious conditions present atypically, particularly with lower CD4 counts. Ultimately, definitive diagnosis with sputum, bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, or lung tissue is often needed. It is of utmost importance to maintain a high degree of suspicion for HIV in otherwise undiagnosed patients, as the first presentation of HIV may be via an acute pulmonary illness.

How I Teach: Ultrasound-guided Peripheral Venous Access.

Ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous (IV) placement is often required for patients with difficult IV access and is associated with a reduction in central line placement. Despite the importance, there is no standardized technical approach, and there is limited ability to attain mastery through simulation. We describe our step-by-step approach for teaching ultrasound-guided IV placement at the bedside using short-axis dynamic guidance, with emphasis on advancing the needle and catheter device almost entirely into the vessel before threading the catheter. Our teaching approach allows the opportunity for trainees to maximize the learning potential of a single insertion experience, which includes focused preprocedure hands-on practice, instruction with real-time feedback at the bedside, and a post-procedure debrief with reinforcement of concepts.

Point of care ultrasound detection of thrombus straddling a patent foramen ovale in a patient with acute chest syndrome.

Patients with sickle cell disease can develop acute chest syndrome and are at high risk of developing pulmonary thrombosis. We report a case of a young woman with sickle cell disease who was hospitalized for vaso-occlusive crisis and subsequently developed worsening acute chest syndrome and stroke, discovered on point of care ultrasound to have right heart failure and a thrombus straddling a patent foramen oval. POCUS is highly specific for the detection of right heart dilation/dysfunction and should be a routine component of the assessment of acutely decompensating patients.

Pragmatic Recommendations for the Management of COVID-19 Patients with Shock in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

As some patients infected with the novel coronavirus progress to critical illness, a subset will eventually develop shock. High-quality data on management of these patients are scarce, and further investigation will provide valuable information in the context of the pandemic. A group of experts identify a set of pragmatic recommendations for the care of patients with SARS-CoV-2 and shock in resource-limited environments. We define shock as life-threatening circulatory failure that results in inadequate tissue perfusion and cellular dysoxia/hypoxia, and suggest that it can be operationalized via clinical observations. We suggest a thorough evaluation for other potential causes of shock and suggest against indiscriminate testing for coinfections. We suggest the use of the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) as a simple bedside prognostic score for COVID-19 patients and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to evaluate the etiology of shock. Regarding fluid therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 patients with shock in low-middle-income countries, we favor balanced crystalloids and recommend using a conservative fluid strategy for resuscitation. Where available and not prohibited by cost, we recommend using norepinephrine, given its safety profile. We favor avoiding the routine use of central venous or arterial catheters, where availability and costs are strong considerations. We also recommend using low-dose corticosteroids in patients with refractory shock. In addressing targets of resuscitation, we recommend the use of simple bedside parameters such as capillary refill time and suggest that POCUS be used to assess the need for further fluid resuscitation, if available.

Pragmatic Recommendations for Therapeutics of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

The therapeutic options for COVID-19 patients are currently limited, but numerous randomized controlled trials are being completed, and many are on the way. For COVID-19 patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), we recommend against using remdesivir outside of a clinical trial. We recommend against using hydroxychloroquine ± azithromycin or lopinavir-ritonavir. We suggest empiric antimicrobial treatment for likely coinfecting pathogens if an alternative infectious cause is likely. We suggest close monitoring without additional empiric antimicrobials if there are no clinical or laboratory signs of other infections. We recommend using oral or intravenous low-dose dexamethasone in adults with COVID-19 disease who require oxygen or mechanical ventilation. We recommend against using dexamethasone in patients with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen. We recommend using alternate equivalent doses of steroids in the event that dexamethasone is unavailable. We also recommend using low-dose corticosteroids in patients with refractory shock requiring vasopressor support. We recommend against the use of convalescent plasma and interleukin-6 inhibitors, such as tocilizumab, for the treatment of COVID-19 in LMICs outside of clinical trials.

ATS Core Curriculum 2020. Adult Critical Care Medicine.

The American Thoracic Society Core Curriculum updates clinicians annually in adult and pediatric pulmonary disease, medical critical care, and sleep medicine, in a 3- to 4-year recurring cycle of topics. These topics will be presented at the 2020 International Conference. Below is the adult critical care medicine core including complications of chemotherapy, acute-on-chronic liver failure, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, mechanical circulatory support, direct oral anticoagulants, upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and vasopressor selection.

Physician Versus Nonphysician Instruction: Evaluating an Expert Curriculum-Competent Facilitator Model for Simulation-Based Central Venous Catheter Training.

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare simulation supports educational opportunities while maintaining patient safety. To reduce costs and increase the availability of training, a randomized controlled study evaluated central venous catheter (CVC) insertion training in the simulation laboratory with nonphysician competent facilitators (NPCFs) as instructors. METHOD: A group of learners naive to central line placement participated in a blended curriculum consisting of interactive online materials and simulation-based training. Learners were randomized to training with NPCFs or attending physician faculty. The primary outcome was simulated CVC insertion task performance, graded with a validated checklist by blinded physician reviewers. Learner knowledge and satisfaction were also evaluated. Analysis was conducted using noninferiority testing. RESULTS: Eighty-five students, 11 attending physicians, and 7 NPCFs voluntarily participated. Noninferiority testing of the difference in CVC insertion performance between NPCF-trained learners versus physician-trained learners found no significant difference [rejecting the null hypothesis of inferiority using an 8% noninferiority margin (P < 0.01)]. In addition, there was no difference found between the 2 groups on pre/post knowledge scores, self-reported learner comfort, course satisfaction, or instructor satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: An introductory CVC curriculum can be taught to novice learners by carefully trained and supported NPCFs and achieve skill and knowledge outcomes similar to learners taught by physicians.