Pulmonary Hypertension in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis: Prevalence and Hemodynamic Differences in Lung Transplant Recipients at Transplant Center's Referral Time.

INTRODUCTION: Single or bilateral lung transplantation is a therapeutic procedure for end-stage lung diseases. In particular, in cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis, patients can be referred to the transplant center late and with important comorbilities. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with lung diseases not only is an index of poor outcome but also is an indication for bilateral procedure. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study. We analyzed right heart catheterization in a consecutive series of patients who underwent lung transplantation from 2006 to 2014 for end-stage COPD and pulmonary fibrosis. RESULTS: We included in the study 73 patients (35 with fibrosis and 38 with COPD); prevalence of PH was higher in the COPD group (84.3% vs 31.4%), and with worse hemodynamic parameters (mean pulmonary artery pressure [30.3 mm Hg vs 24.1 mm Hg]). The majority of COPD patients presented mild or moderate PH, and fibrosis patients showed normal pulmonary arterial pressures. CONCLUSIONS: COPD patients are referred to the Transplant Center with a higher prevalence of PH because of an echocardiographic screening or a late referral, but many patients survive on the waiting list and undergo the procedure. On the other hand, patients transplanted with interstitial diseases have a lower prevalence of PH; this can be explained by an earlier referral or a higher mortality on the waiting list and a more aggressive and rapidly progressing disease.

Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy and rapid on site evaluation added to fluoroscopy-guided assisted bronchoscopy and rapid on site evaluation: improved yield in pulmonary nodules.

AIM: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) was reported to increase diagnostic yield in pulmonary nodules (PNs). The aim of this study was to assess if rapid on site evaluation (ROSE) associated with ENB could improve diagnostic accuracy in PNs after non-diagnostic fluoroscopy-guided bronchoscopy added to ROSE. METHODS: Forty patients with PNs suspected for lung cancer underwent to ENB + ROSE after non-diagnostic Fluoroscopy-guided Bronchoscopy + ROSE. Each lesion was studied with reference to size, location, presence of bronchus sign on CT. All lesions were sampled by needle and brush; if negative, by forceps and bronchoalveolar lavage. All patients were followed-up until achievement of definitive diagnosis. RESULTS: Twenty-nine out of 41 lesions (70.7%) had a definitive diagnosis. ENB sensitivity for malignancy was 76.5%, with higher rate in presence of bronchus sign on CT (86.2%) and in case of lesions located in the upper and middle lobes (87.5%). CONCLUSION: ENB is a useful tool in the evaluation of PNs. High diagnostic accuracy may be related to sampling (transbronchial needle aspiration), ROSE, location and presence of bronchus sign.