Management of lung nodules in Brazil-assessment of realities, beliefs and attitudes: a study by the Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery (SBCT), the Brazilian Thoracic Society (SBPT) and the Brazilian College of Radiology (CBR).

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary nodules are common; some are inconsequential while others are malignant. Management of solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) in Brazil appears to be highly variable, potentially leading to suboptimal outcomes. Assessment of the variability and the association with the degree of availability of resources can provide a foundation for development of clinical guidelines for management of SPN specific for the Brazilian setting. METHODS: A web-based survey was developed by thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists and radiologists to evaluate SPN perception and management. This survey was sent to their respective national societies members and answers collected between August and December 2016. That included multiple choice questions regarding age, specialty, SPN management, accessibility to exams and interventional procedures characterizing public (SUS) and supplementary private working settings. RESULTS: A total of 461 questionnaires were answered. More than half of participants live in cities with over one million people. Specialties were reasonable equilibrated with 43.5% radiologists, 33.5% thoracic surgeons, 20.3% pulmonologists and 2.6% others. Most of the respondents work in both public and private sector (72.7%). Private has a similar reality compared to well-developed nations regarding exams accessibility and interventions. SUS setting has a significant variability access according to the participants. CT is only easily available in 31.9% of cases, PET-CT is easily available in 24.4%, bronchoscopy is easily available for 42.8%, transthoracic needle biopsy is only easily available in 13.9% and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) biopsy is not available in 19.5%. When there is a probability of malignancy of 50% or higher, 46.5% of participants would be comfortable recommending surgical biopsy. When the probability is higher than 10%, only 36.9% would be comfortable following up radiologically. CONCLUSIONS: Brazil has a very different setting for public and private patients regarding exams accessibility and management options. That might explain why participants have a higher tendency to choose interventional diagnosis and explains why current guidelines may not be applicable to developing countries reality.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery yields better outcomes than thoracotomy for anatomical lung resection in Brazil: a propensity score-matching analysis using the Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery database.

OBJECTIVES: The use of video-assisted anatomical lung resection is increasingly widespread for lung cancer and non-neoplastic diseases, showing excellent results. Nonetheless, a comparative analysis of the benefits of this technique has yet to be conducted in Latin America, a region with a completely different case mix from the USA or Europe. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open thoracotomy (OT) for anatomical lung resection in patients included on the Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery (BSTS) database. METHODS: Using propensity score matching, we conducted an analysis of 1355 patients who underwent anatomical lung resection (704 OT and 651 VATS) registered in the BSTS database between August 2015 and December 2016. Propensity score matching was performed using the following baseline characteristics: age at surgery, gender, comorbidities, pulmonary lung function, type of resection and cancer and non-cancer diagnosis. The propensity score-matched sample comprised a well-matched group of 890 patients. The main outcomes tested were mortality, complications and major cardiopulmonary complications based on the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) database definitions and terminology. RESULTS: Standardized differences of means and proportions suggested that an adequate balance had been achieved. Major cardiopulmonary complications were shown to be more frequent in patients who underwent OT (16.0% compared with 9.2% in VATS patients; odds ratio = 1.87, 95% confidence interval 1.25-2.80) and the overall complications rate was higher among patients who underwent OT (30.1% compared with 21.8% in VATS patients; odds ratio = 1.55, 95% confidence interval 1.17-2.05). No statistically significant difference in mortality rate was observed between OT (2.5%) and VATS (1.8%) (odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval 0.54-3.50). CONCLUSIONS: In Brazil, the rate of complications associated with minimally invasive surgery (VATS) for anatomical lung resection is significantly lower than that of conventional OT.

Recovery of pulmonary structure and exercise capacity by treatment with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in a mouse model of emphysema.

Emphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease characterized abnormal dilatation of alveolar spaces, which impairs alveolar gas exchange, compromising the physical capacity of a patient due to airflow limitations. Here we tested the effects of G-CSF administration in pulmonary tissue and exercise capacity in emphysematous mice. C57Bl/6 female mice were treated with elastase intratracheally to induce emphysema. Their exercise capacities were evaluated in a treadmill. Lung histological sections were prepared to evaluate mean linear intercept measurement. Emphysematous mice were treated with G-CSF (3 cycles of 200 µg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days, with 7-day intervals) or saline and submitted to a third evaluation 8 weeks after treatment. Values of run distance and linear intercept measurement were expressed as mean ± SD and compared applying a paired t-test. Effects of treatment on these parameters were analyzed applying a Repeated Measures ANOVA, followed by Tukey's post hoc analysis. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Twenty eight days later, animals ran significantly less in a treadmill compared to normal mice (549.7 ± 181.2 m and 821.7 ± 131.3 m, respectively; p < 0.01). Treatment with G-CSF significantly increased the exercise capacity of emphysematous mice (719.6 ± 200.5 m), whereas saline treatment had no effect on distance run (595.8 ± 178.5 m). The PCR cytokines genes analysis did not detect difference between experimental groups. Morphometric analyses in the lung showed that saline-treated mice had a mean linear intercept significantly higher (p < 0.01) when compared to mice treated with G-CSF, which did not significantly differ from that of normal mice. Treatment with G-CSF promoted the recovery of exercise capacity and regeneration of alveolar structural alterations in emphysematous mice.

Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux in lung transplant candidates with advanced lung disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the esophageal function profile and the prevalence of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) in lung transplant candidates. METHODS: From July of 2005 to November of 2006, a prospective study was conducted involving 55 candidates for lung transplantation at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Prior to transplantation, patients underwent outpatient stationary esophageal manometry and 24-h esophageal pH-metry using one and two electrodes. RESULTS: Abnormal esophageal manometry was documented in 80% of the patients, and 24% of the patients presented pathological acid reflux. Digestive symptoms presented sensitivity and specificity for GER of 50% and 61%, respectively. Of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 94% presented abnormal esophageal manometry, and 80% presented lower esophageal sphincter hypotonia, making it the most common finding. Patients with bronchiectasis presented the highest prevalence of GER (50%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced lung disease, GER is highly prevalent. In the population studied, digestive symptoms of GER were not predictive of pathological acid reflux. The role that GER plays in chronic rejection should be examined and clarified in future studies.

Prevalência de refluxo gastroesofágico em pacientes com doença pulmonar avançada candidatos a transplante pulmonar / Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux in lung transplant candidates with advanced lung disease

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o perfil funcional do esôfago e a prevalência de refluxo gastroesofágico (RGE) em pacientes candidatos a transplante pulmonar. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados prospectivamente, entre junho de 2005 e novembro de 2006, 55 pacientes candidatos a transplante pulmonar da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre. Os pacientes foram submetidos a esofagomanometria estacionária e pHmetria esofágica ambulatorial de 24 h de um e dois eletrodos antes de serem submetidos ao transplante pulmonar. RESULTADOS: A esofagomanometria foi anormal em 80 por cento dos pacientes e a pHmetria revelou RGE ácido patológico em 24 por cento. Os sintomas digestivos apresentaram sensibilidade de 50 por cento e especificidade de 61 por cento para RGE. Dos pacientes com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica, 94 por cento apresentaram alteração à manometria, e 80 por cento apresentaram hipotonia do esfíncter inferior, que foi o achado mais freqüente. Pacientes com bronquiectasias apresentaram a maior prevalência de RGE (50 por cento). CONCLUSÕES: O achado freqüente em pacientes com doença pulmonar avançada é RGE. Na população examinada, a presença de sintomas digestivos de RGE não foi preditiva de refluxo ácido patológico. A contribuição do RGE na rejeição crônica deve ser considerada e requer estudos posteriores para seu esclarecimento.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the esophageal function profile and the prevalence of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) in lung transplant candidates. METHODS: From July of 2005 to November of 2006, a prospective study was conducted involving 55 candidates for lung transplantation at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Prior to transplantation, patients underwent outpatient stationary esophageal manometry and 24-h esophageal pH-metry using one and two electrodes. RESULTS: Abnormal esophageal manometry was documented in 80 percent of the patients, and 24 percent of the patients presented pathological acid reflux. Digestive symptoms presented sensitivity and specificity for GER of 50 percent and 61 percent, respectively. Of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 94 percent presented abnormal esophageal manometry, and 80 percent presented lower esophageal sphincter hypotonia, making it the most common finding. Patients with bronchiectasis presented the highest prevalence of GER (50 percent). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced lung disease, GER is highly prevalent. In the population studied, digestive symptoms of GER were not predictive of pathological acid reflux. The role that GER plays in chronic rejection should be examined and clarified in future studies.