NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Lung Cancer Screening, Version 1.2022.

The NCCN Guidelines for Lung Cancer Screening recommend criteria for selecting individuals for screening and provide recommendations for evaluation and follow-up of lung nodules found during initial and subsequent screening. These NCCN Guidelines Insights focus on recent updates to the NCCN Guidelines for Lung Cancer Screening.

Outcomes of critically ill solid organ transplant patients with COVID-19 in the United States.

National data on patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) solid organ transplant (SOT) patients are limited. We analyzed data from a multicenter cohort study of adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) at 68 hospitals across the United States from March 4 to May 8, 2020. From 4153 patients, we created a propensity score matched cohort of 386 patients, including 98 SOT patients and 288 non-SOT patients. We used a binomial generalized linear model (log-binomial model) to examine the association of SOT status with death and other clinical outcomes. Among the 386 patients, the median age was 60 years, 72% were male, and 41% were black. Death within 28 days of ICU admission was similar in SOT and non-SOT patients (40% and 43%, respectively; relative risk [RR] 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70-1.22). Other outcomes and requirement for organ support including receipt of mechanical ventilation, development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and receipt of vasopressors were also similar between groups. There was a trend toward higher risk of acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy in SOT vs. non-SOT patients (37% vs. 27%; RR [95% CI]: 1.34 [0.97-1.85]). Death and organ support requirement were similar between SOT and non-SOT critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Endobronchial Lesions in Patients Presenting with Hemoptysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of endobronchial lesions in patients presenting with hemoptysis. We also aimed to characterize features that would predict whether bronchoscopy would be useful. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 185 consecutive patients who presented with hemoptysis from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2015 at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare-affiliated hospitals in Memphis, Tennessee. Data collection included demographic information, description of hemoptysis, imaging results, bronchoscopy results, and the final diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 185 patients presented with hemoptysis during our study period. Of these, 14 patients were excluded because of age (younger than 18 years) and incomplete data (inadequate information about the procedure performed, lack of imaging studies, incorrect International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision coding). The final analysis was performed in 171 patients; 87 underwent bronchoscopy either to determine etiology or to aid in management. Most patients (73%) had mild hemoptysis, with approximately half of the patients having hemoptysis for ≤1 day. Of 87 people who underwent bronchoscopy, 12 (13.8%) were found to have endobronchial lesions, and 35 (51.7%) patients were found to have either active bleeding or had fresh blood in their airway during bronchoscopy. Final diagnoses included pneumonia/bronchitis in 30 (18.9%) patients, malignancy in 24 (15.1 %), and anticoagulation toxicity in 23 (14.5%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchoscopy should be strongly considered in patients presenting with hemoptysis, especially if it is frank blood, of >1 week's duration, or both, because the information obtained can be vital for management. This appears to hold true even for patients who have no abnormalities seen on computed tomography chest imaging upon initial workup.

Role of Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (Conventional and EBUS Guided) in the Diagnosis of Histoplasmosis in Patients Presenting with Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy.

OBJECTIVES: The superior performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the diagnosis and staging of malignancy has been demonstrated, with some investigators suggesting the same for sarcoidosis. The role of EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of histoplasmosis is not clear, however. In this study we estimate the diagnostic yield of conventional TBNA (cTBNA) and EBUS-TBNA for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis in patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was conducted on 452 consecutive patients who underwent cTBNA or EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal lymphadenopathy from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2014 at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare-affiliated hospitals in Memphis, Tennessee. Data collection included demographic information, reason for the procedure, size of the lymph nodes, procedures performed, and the final diagnosis. RESULTS: Among 452 cases reviewed, 146 underwent cTBNA and 306 underwent EBUS-TBNA. Final diagnoses include malignancy (41.5%), sarcoidosis (11.2%), and histoplasmosis (8.1%). Among 146 patients who underwent cTBNA, a final diagnosis was obtained by this modality in 58 patients (39.7%). The diagnostic rate for cTBNA for malignancy was 68% (40/59), 30% (4/13) for sarcoidosis, and 43% (6/14) for histoplasmosis. In 306 patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA, 188 had a final diagnosis (61.4%) obtained by this modality. For EBUS-TBNA, the diagnostic rates were 79.5% (101/127) for malignancy, 74% (28/38) for sarcoidosis, and 78% (18/23) for histoplasmosis. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA had a higher yield than cTBNA for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis. Clinicians practicing in areas with a high prevalence of histoplasmosis and sarcoidosis should use EBUS-TBNA, whenever available, for this reason.

Intravenous gammaglobulin as rescue therapy in a patient with sickle cell and septic shock.

INTRODUCTION: We present a case involving a patient with sickle cell and hyposplenism, in which refractory septic shock quickly responded after the infusion of intravenous gammaglobulin (IV-GG) given as an adjuvant-rescue therapy CASE DESCRIPTION: A 30-year-old African-American female with history of Sickle Cell disease was admitted for acute chest syndrome, septic shock and respiratory failure. Despite aggressive therapy the patient remained on two vasopressors and with persistent bacteremia. Within one day of starting IV-GG, both vasopressors (norepinephrine and vasopressin) were able to be discontinued. DISCUSSION: Patients with hyposplenism have functional opsonization failure. Infusion of IV-GG has been shown to improve such function in patients with hyposplenism. We were able to document a temporal association between IV-GG rescue therapy and septic shock improvement. CONCLUSION: The utilization of intravenous gammaglobulin should be considered in patients with sickle cell disease and hyposplenism as an adjuvant therapy for refractory septic shock.

A case of acute agitation with a negative urine drug screen: a new wave of "legal" drugs of abuse.

Substance abuse is reportedly the most common cause of patients presenting with severe agitation in the emergency department. With increased access to information, people are now trying different substances for recreational use. Clinicians dealing with these patients have an increased responsibility to be aware of these new substances being abused and their management. We report a case of a 36-year-old male who was brought to the ED with severe agitation. His laboratory results, including urine drug screen, failed to suggest any substance abuse, infection or encephalopathy. Later he was found to have ingested "bath salts," which are available for purchase in gas stations and convenience stores. The patient was treated and discharged home in stable condition. We aim to raise awareness among public and medical personnel, especially physicians, about this new substance of abuse as it is not illegal yet in many states.

Unusual presentations of disseminated histoplasmosis.

Histoplasmosis is considered to be the most prevalent endemic mycosis in United States that can present as a disseminated infection. The initial presentation of Disseminated Histoplasmosis (DH) can be atypical. We report three cases with such atypical presentation. Our first patient presented with bowel perforation, the second with left-sided pleural effusion and the third with submandibular abscess. Blood cultures as well as biopsy of perforation site, culture of pleural fluid and submandibular abscess were positive for Histoplasma Capsulatum (HC). We encourage clinicians to look for HC even in uncommon sites as dictated by the presenting symptoms and signs, especially in immunocompromised patients in endemic areas.

Surgical biopsy prevented with PET/CT scan in a young female with intrathoracic lymphadenopathy.

Intrathoracic lymphadenopathy is a common clinical problem encountered in Histoplasma endemic zones. It is challenging for clinicians to distinguish the infectious lesions from the neoplastic ones. Bronchoscopy with or without lung sampling and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is commonly the first diagnostic procedure employed. If non-diagnostic, the next step is usually surgical biopsy. In our experience, a significant number of patients who go for surgical biopsy are diagnosed with histoplasmosis. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan with dual-time imaging may help us distinguish benign from malignant lesions, thus obviating the need for surgical sampling. We report a case of a young female who presented with progressively increasing intrathoracic lymphadenopathy and was treated successfully based on dual-time PET scan results, without proceeding to surgical lung biopsy.

Midodrine in Liver Cirrhosis With Ascites: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Ascites is the most common complication of liver cirrhosis. Midodrine is a vasoconstrictor that improves splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics, reduces ascites, and improves clinical outcomes. Here, we aimed to examine the role of midodrine in cirrhosis-related ascites. Scopus, Embase, PubMed, and PubMed Central databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials comparing midodrine with other interventions in patients with cirrhotic ascites on November 25, 2020, using appropriate keywords like "midodrine", "ascitic cirrhosis", "peritoneal paracentesis" and suitable Boolean operators. Odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) were used to analyze pool data as appropriate with a 95% confident interval (CI). A total of 14 studies were included in our analysis including 1199 patients. The addition of midodrine resulted in statistically significant improvement in mean arterial pressure (MAP) (MD, 3.95 mmHg; 95% CI, 1.53-6.36) and MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score (MD, -1.27; 95% CI, -2.49 to -0.04) compared to standard medical treatment (SMT). There was also a significant improvement in plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration. However, there was no significant improvement in mortality or serum creatinine compared to SMT. In addition, there was no statistically significant improvement in MAP, plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone concentration, MELD score, overall mortality, and paracentesis-induced circulatory dysfunction comparing midodrine with albumin. Midodrine alone leads to significant improvement in various clinical parameters in patients with cirrhotic ascites compared to standard medical care. At the same time, it was found to be non-inferior to albumin. Therefore, further well-designed studies need to be carried out on midodrine in addition to albumin for optimal clinical benefits among patients with ascites due to cirrhosis.

Diabetic ketoacidosis presenting with acute pancreatitis and visceral vein thrombosis.

Abdominal pain is a frequent manifestation in patients presenting with Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Usually it is attributed to severe metabolic acidosis but it can be due to underlying abdominal pathologies (i.e., pancreatitis, appendicitis). We report a case of a 19-year-old female who presented with DKA and severe abdominal pain and was found on further examination to have underlying pancreatitis and visceral vein thrombosis. The patient improved with treatment for the mentioned co-morbidities, including anticoagulation.

eARDS: A multi-center validation of an interpretable machine learning algorithm of early onset Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) among critically ill adults with COVID-19.

We present an interpretable machine learning algorithm called 'eARDS' for predicting ARDS in an ICU population comprising COVID-19 patients, up to 12-hours before satisfying the Berlin clinical criteria. The analysis was conducted on data collected from the Intensive care units (ICU) at Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA and University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN and the Cerner® Health Facts Deidentified Database, a multi-site COVID-19 EMR database. The participants in the analysis consisted of adults over 18 years of age. Clinical data from 35,804 patients who developed ARDS and controls were used to generate predictive models that identify risk for ARDS onset up to 12-hours before satisfying the Berlin criteria. We identified salient features from the electronic medical record that predicted respiratory failure among this population. The machine learning algorithm which provided the best performance exhibited AUROC of 0.89 (95% CI = 0.88-0.90), sensitivity of 0.77 (95% CI = 0.75-0.78), specificity 0.85 (95% CI = 085-0.86). Validation performance across two separate health systems (comprising 899 COVID-19 patients) exhibited AUROC of 0.82 (0.81-0.83) and 0.89 (0.87, 0.90). Important features for prediction of ARDS included minimum oxygen saturation (SpO2), standard deviation of the systolic blood pressure (SBP), O2 flow, and maximum respiratory rate over an observational window of 16-hours. Analyzing the performance of the model across various cohorts indicates that the model performed best among a younger age group (18-40) (AUROC = 0.93 [0.92-0.94]), compared to an older age group (80+) (AUROC = 0.81 [0.81-0.82]). The model performance was comparable on both male and female groups, but performed significantly better on the severe ARDS group compared to the mild and moderate groups. The eARDS system demonstrated robust performance for predicting COVID19 patients who developed ARDS at least 12-hours before the Berlin clinical criteria, across two independent health systems.

Obstructive sleep apnea and immunity: relationship of lymphocyte count and apnea hypopnea index.

OBJECTIVES: The impact of chronic poor quality sleep on immunity as seen in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has not been evaluated. We aim to explore the relationship between lymphocytes, neutrophil, and total leukocyte counts with severity stratified apnea hypopnea index (AHI) in patients with OSA. METHODS: A retrospective review of 119 patients' medical records diagnosed with OSA from October 2005 to July 2006 was performed. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, total leukocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte count, body mass index (BMI), AHI, and Epworth sleepiness scores (ESS). Three AHI strata were constructed: mild (5-14), moderate (15-29), and severe (>30). Data were fitted in a linear regression model on which lymphocyte counts were the dependent variable against age, BMI, and AHI. An interaction product was also explored (age*BMI). All tests were two-sided; a P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. We used Statview Version 5.01 (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC) for the analysis. RESULTS: Our study showed a linear association among AHI and BMI (P = 0.0017), but did not show association between lymphocyte count with either BMI (P = 0.33) or AHI (P = 0.90). A negative association between lymphocytes and age (P = 0.02) that persisted after adjustments for BMI and AHI was found. An interaction product (age*AHI) was not associated with lymphocyte count (P = 0.87). No correlation was found between peripheral blood count (P = 0.29) or neutrophil counts (P = 0.38) and AHI. CONCLUSION: We found OSA-induced sleep interruption not associated with lymphocyte, neutrophil, or peripheral blood cell count alterations. This information is useful for researchers evaluating the influence of sleep disruption on immunity.

Difficult to Diagnose: An Unusual Cause of Cavitary Lung Lesion.

BACKGROUND Cavitary lung lesions are commonly identified on thoracic imaging, but typically require further workup for definitive diagnosis. CASE REPORT Here, we present the case of a 40-year-old Middle Eastern male who presented with an unusual cause of cavitary lung lesion with associated pleural mass and pleural thickening. He underwent bronchoscopic biopsy and computer tomography (CT)-guided core needle biopsy, both of which were non-diagnostic. Surgical biopsy subsequently revealed hyalinized necrotizing granulomatous tissue, consistent with histoplasmosis, and the patient was treated with itraconazole, which he responded well to. CONCLUSIONS This case demonstrates the importance of identifying unusual causes of cavitary lung lesions and emphasizes the role of using proper tissue sampling for diagnosis.

Medical Thoracoscopy for Undiagnosed Exudative Pleural Effusion: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Medical thoracoscopy has recently gained renewed interest due to its minimal invasive nature and high yield diagnostic outcome. This study aims to observe diagnostic yield and safety of medical thoracoscopy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in two tertiary care hospitals in Chitwan from March 2018 to May 2018. Ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board was obtained. Convenient sampling was done that included all the patients who met criteria for undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion after diagnostic thoracocentesis. Patients having contraindication to procedure and who refused consent were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 and data are presented as mean±SD and frequency (percentage). RESULTS: A total of 14 patients underwent rigid medical thoracoscopy. All 14 patients had unilateral pleural effusion. The overall diagnostic yield was 100%. Malignancy was the most frequent histopathology diagnosis seen in 11 (78.57%) patients, the commonest being metastatic adenocarcinoma in 8 (57.1%). Pleural tuberculosis and acute-on-chronic pleuritis were seen in 2 (14.3%) and 1 (7.1%) patients, respectively. Pleural deposits and hemorrhagic pleural fluid were the two commonest findings, seen in 10 (70.1%) and 9 (64.3%) patients, respectively. Two (14.3%) patients clinically treated as tuberculous pleural effusion was re-diagnosed to have metastatic adenocarcinoma.  Common procedure-related minor complications observed were mild to moderate pain and mild bleeding, observed in 3 (21.4%) and 2 (14.3%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Medical thoracoscopy is a safe, well-tolerated and high yield procedure in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. This art of medicine should be promoted in daily medical practice.

Medical Thoracoscopy for Undiagnosed Exudative Pleural Effusion: Experience from Two Tertiary Care Hospitals of Nepal.

INTRODUCTION: Medical thoracoscopy has recently gained renewed interest due to its minimal invasive nature and high yield diagnostic outcome. This study aims to observe diagnostic yield and safety of medical thoracoscopy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in two tertiary care hospitals in Chitwan from March 2018 to May 2018. Ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board was obtained. Convenient sampling was done that included all the patients who met criteria for undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion after diagnostic thoracocentesis. Patients having contraindication to procedure and who refused consent were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 and data are presented as mean ±SD and frequency (percentage). RESULTS: A total of 14 patients underwent rigid medical thoracoscopy. All 14 patients had unilateral pleural effusion. The overall diagnostic yield was 100%. Malignancy was the most frequent histopathology diagnosis seen in 11 (78.57%) patients, the commonest being metastatic adenocarcinoma in 8 (57.1%). Pleural tuberculosis and acute-on-chronic pleuritis were seen in 2 (14.3%) and 1 (7.1%) patients, respectively. Pleural deposits and hemorrhagic pleural fluid were the two commonest findings, seen in 10 (70.1%) and 9 (64.3%) patients, respectively. Two (14.3%) patients clinically treated as tuberculous pleural effusion was re-diagnosed to have metastatic adenocarcinoma. Procedure related mortality and major complications were nil. Common procedure-related minor complications observed were mild to moderate pain and mild bleeding, observed in 3 (21.4%) and 2 (14.3%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Medical thoracoscopy is a safe, well-tolerated and high yield procedure in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. This art of medicine should be promoted in daily medical practice.

Prognostication via early computed tomography head in patients treated with targeted temperature management after cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated computed tomography head (CTH) imaging obtained prior to targeted temperature management (TTM) in patients after cardiac arrest, and its role in prognostication. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study in a tertiary-care hospital, 341 adults presenting with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest received a CTH prior to TTM. Associations between outcomes and neuroimaging variables were evaluated with Chi-square analysis for significant associations that yielded a composite neuroimaging score-Tennessee Early Neuroimaging Score (TENS). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis including TENS as an independent variable and the four outcome dependent variables were analyzed. RESULTS: Four of the neuroimaging variables-sulcal effacement, partial gray-white matter effacement, total gray-white matter effacement, deep nuclei effacement-had significant associations with each of the four outcome variables and yielded TENS. In multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders, TENS was associated with poor discharge CPC (OR 2.15, 95%CI 1.16-3.98, p = .015), poor disposition (OR 2.62, 95%CI 1.37-5.02, p = .004), in-hospital mortality (OR 1.99, 95%CI 1.09-3.62, p = .024), and ICU mortality (OR 1.89, 95%CI 1.12-3.20, p = .018). CONCLUSION: Imaging prior to TTM may help identify post-cardiac arrest patients with severe anoxic brain injury and poor outcomes.

Cerebral edema among adults with diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome: Incidence, characteristics, and outcomes.

Ischemic stroke is an uncommon complication among adults with DKA, that confers a worse prognosis. Traditional risk factors for stroke including older age, stroke history, hypertension and hyperlipidemia appear to predict the risk of IS in these patients. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome patients, with and without cerebral edema.

Therapeutic plasmapheresis for hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis: case series and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is the third leading cause of acute pancreatitis (AP) in the United States. The current standard of care includes management of HTG using pharmacological therapy. More recently, plasmapheresis has been proposed as a therapeutic tool for decreasing triglyceride (TG) levels, especially in critically ill patients. Few studies are available to ascertain overall benefits of plasmapheresis over traditional management. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the outcomes of patients treated with plasmapheresis for severe HTG-associated pancreatitis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of three patients with severe HTG- associated (TGs greater than 1000 mg/dl; 11.29 mmol/l) AP at the Methodist University Hospital. All the patients underwent plasmapheresis as part of their treatment. RESULTS: The average TG level before plasmapheresis was 3532 mg/dl (range: 2524-4562 mg/dl; 39.9 mmol/l; range: 28.5-51.6 mmol/l). All patients made a full recovery, with a significant improvement in TG levels after plasmapheresis. The mean number of sessions was 1.3 (range 1-2), and mean TG level after plasmapheresis was 1051 mg/dl (range: 509-1771 mg/dl; 11.9 mmol/l; range: 5.8-20 mmol/l). After the first session, the average reduction of TG level was 2481 mg/dl (range 753-3750 mg/dl; 28 mmol/l; range: 8.5-42.4 mmol/l) or approximately 70%. None of the patients developed complications related to plasmapheresis. CONCLUSIONS: Plasmapheresis can be an effective and rapid treatment option in patients with severe HTG and complications. However, further research, including randomized controlled studies, is necessary.