The Biological Role of Pleural Fluid PAI-1 and Sonographic Septations in Pleural Infection: Analysis of a Prospectively Collected Clinical Outcome Study.

Rationale: Sonographic septations are assumed to be important clinical predictors of outcome in pleural infection, but the evidence for this is sparse. The inflammatory and fibrinolysis-associated intrapleural pathway(s) leading to septation formation have not been studied in a large cohort of pleural fluid (PF) samples with confirmed pleural infection matched with ultrasound and clinical outcome data. Objectives: To assess the presence and severity of septations against baseline PF PAI-1 (Plasminogen-Activator Inhibitor-1) and other inflammatory and fibrinolysis-associated proteins as well as to correlate these with clinically important outcomes. Methods: We analyzed 214 pleural fluid samples from PILOT (Pleural Infection Longitudinal Outcome Study), a prospective observational pleural infection study, for inflammatory and fibrinolysis-associated proteins using the Luminex platform. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the association of pleural biological markers with septation presence and severity (on ultrasound) and clinical outcomes. Measurements and Main Results: PF PAI-1 was the only protein independently associated with septation presence (P < 0.001) and septation severity (P = 0.003). PF PAI-1 concentrations were associated with increased length of stay (P = 0.048) and increased 12-month mortality (P = 0.003). Sonographic septations alone had no relation to clinical outcomes. Conclusions: In a large and well-characterized cohort, this is the first study to associate pleural biological parameters with a validated sonographic septation outcome in pleural infection. PF PAI-1 is the first biomarker to demonstrate an independent association with mortality. Although PF PAI-1 plays an integral role in driving septation formation, septations themselves are not associated with clinically important outcomes. These novel findings now require prospective validation.

Early Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery or Intrapleural Enzyme Therapy in Pleural Infection: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial. The Third Multicenter Intrapleural Sepsis Trial-MIST-3.

Rationale: Assessing the early use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or intrapleural enzyme therapy (IET) in pleural infection requires a phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT). Objectives: To establish the feasibility of randomization in a surgery-versus-nonsurgery trial as well as the key outcome measures that are important to identify relevant patient-centered outcomes in a subsequent RCT. Methods: The MIST-3 (third Multicenter Intrapleural Sepsis Trial) was a prospective multicenter RCT involving eight U.K. centers combining on-site and off-site surgical services. The study enrolled all patients with a confirmed diagnosis of pleural infection and randomized those with ongoing pleural sepsis after an initial period (as long as 24 h) of standard care to one of three treatment arms: continued standard care, early IET, or a surgical opinion with regard to early VATS. The primary outcome was feasibility based on >50% of eligible patients being successfully randomized, >95% of randomized participants retained to discharge, and >80% of randomized participants retained to 2 weeks of follow-up. The analysis was performed per intention to treat. Measurements and Main Results: Of 97 eligible patients, 60 (62%) were randomized, with 100% retained to discharge and 84% retained to 2 weeks. Baseline demographic, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of the patients were similar across groups. Median times to intervention were 1.0 and 3.5 days in the IET and surgery groups, respectively (P = 0.02). Despite the difference in time to intervention, length of stay (from randomization to discharge) was similar in both intervention arms (7 d) compared with standard care (10 d) (P = 0.70). There were no significant intergroup differences in 2-month readmission and further intervention, although the study was not adequately powered for this outcome. Compared with VATS, IET demonstrated a larger improvement in mean EuroQol five-dimension health utility index (five-level edition) from baseline (0.35) to 2 months (0.83) (P = 0.023). One serious adverse event was reported in the VATS arm. Conclusions: This is the first multicenter RCT of early IET versus early surgery in pleural infection. Despite the logistical challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the study met its predefined feasibility criteria, demonstrated potential shortening of length of stay with early surgery, and signals toward earlier resolution of pain and a shortened recovery with IET. The study findings suggest that a definitive phase III study is feasible but highlights important considerations and significant modifications to the design that would be required to adequately assess optimal initial management in pleural infection.The trial was registered on ISRCTN (number 18,192,121).

ERS/ESTS statement on the management of pleural infection in adults.

Pleural infection is a common condition encountered by respiratory physicians and thoracic surgeons alike. The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) established a multidisciplinary collaboration of clinicians with expertise in managing pleural infection with the aim of producing a comprehensive review of the scientific literature. Six areas of interest were identified: 1) epidemiology of pleural infection, 2) optimal antibiotic strategy, 3) diagnostic parameters for chest tube drainage, 4) status of intrapleural therapies, 5) role of surgery and 6) current place of outcome prediction in management. The literature revealed that recently updated epidemiological data continue to show an overall upwards trend in incidence, but there is an urgent need for a more comprehensive characterisation of the burden of pleural infection in specific populations such as immunocompromised hosts. There is a sparsity of regular analyses and documentation of microbiological patterns at a local level to inform geographical variation, and ongoing research efforts are needed to improve antibiotic stewardship. The evidence remains in favour of a small-bore chest tube optimally placed under image guidance as an appropriate initial intervention for most cases of pleural infection. With a growing body of data suggesting delays to treatment are key contributors to poor outcomes, this suggests that earlier consideration of combination intrapleural enzyme therapy (IET) with concurrent surgical consultation should remain a priority. Since publication of the MIST-2 study, there has been considerable data supporting safety and efficacy of IET, but further studies are needed to optimise dosing using individualised biomarkers of treatment failure. Pending further prospective evaluation, the MIST-2 regimen remains the most evidence based. Several studies have externally validated the RAPID score, but it requires incorporating into prospective intervention studies prior to adopting into clinical practice.

European Respiratory Society statement on thoracic ultrasound.

Thoracic ultrasound is increasingly considered to be an essential tool for the pulmonologist. It is used in diverse clinical scenarios, including as an adjunct to clinical decision making for diagnosis, a real-time guide to procedures and a predictor or measurement of treatment response. The aim of this European Respiratory Society task force was to produce a statement on thoracic ultrasound for pulmonologists using thoracic ultrasound within the field of respiratory medicine. The multidisciplinary panel performed a review of the literature, addressing major areas of thoracic ultrasound practice and application. The selected major areas include equipment and technique, assessment of the chest wall, parietal pleura, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, interstitial syndrome, lung consolidation, diaphragm assessment, intervention guidance, training and the patient perspective. Despite the growing evidence supporting the use of thoracic ultrasound, the published literature still contains a paucity of data in some important fields. Key research questions for each of the major areas were identified, which serve to facilitate future multicentre collaborations and research to further consolidate an evidence-based use of thoracic ultrasound, for the benefit of the many patients being exposed to clinicians using thoracic ultrasound.

Intrapleural Fibrinolytics and Deoxyribonuclease for Treatment of Indwelling Pleural Catheter-Related Pleural Infection: A Multi-Center Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Indwelling pleural catheters (IPC) are increasingly used for management of recurrent (especially malignant) effusions. Pleural infection associated with IPC use remains a concern. Intrapleural therapy with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and deoxyribonuclease (DNase) significantly reduces surgical referrals in non-IPC pleural infection, but data on its use in IPC-related pleural infection are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of intrapleural tPA and DNase in IPC-related pleural infection. METHODS: Patients with IPC-related pleural infection who received intrapleural tPA/DNase in five Australian and UK centers were identified from prospective databases. Outcomes on feasibility of intrapleural tPA/DNase delivery, its efficacy and safety were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-nine IPC-related pleural infections (predominantly Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative organisms) were treated in 38 patients; 87% had malignant effusions. In total, 195 doses (median 6 [IQR = 3-6]/patient) of tPA (2.5 mg-10 mg) and DNase (5 mg) were instilled. Most (94%) doses were delivered via IPCs using local protocols for non-IPC pleural infections. The mean volume of pleural fluid drained during the first 72 h of treatment was 3,073 (SD = 1,685) mL. Most (82%) patients were successfully treated and survived to hospital discharge without surgery; 7 required additional chest tubes or therapeutic aspiration. Three patients required thoracoscopic surgery. Pleurodesis developed post-infection in 23/32 of successfully treated patients. No major morbidity/mortality was associated with tPA/DNase. Four patients received blood transfusions; none had systemic or significant pleural bleeding. CONCLUSION: Treatment of IPC-related pleural infection with intrapleural tPA/DNase instillations via the IPC appears feasible and safe, usually without additional drainage procedures or surgery. Pleurodesis post-infection is common.

Patient-derived malignant pleural mesothelioma cell cultures: a tool to advance biomarker-driven treatments.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer, associated with poor prognosis. We assessed the feasibility of patient-derived cell cultures to serve as an ex vivo model of MPM. Patient-derived MPM cell cultures (n=16) exhibited stemness features and reflected intratumour and interpatient heterogeneity. A subset of the cells were subjected to high-throughput drug screening and coculture assays with cancer-specific cytotoxic T cells and showed diverse responses. Some of the biphasic MPM cells were capable of processing and presenting the neoantigen SSX-2 endogenously. In conclusion, patient-derived MPM cell cultures are a promising and faithful ex vivo model of MPM.

Intercostal vessel screening prior to pleural interventions by the respiratory physician: a prospective study of real world practice.

INTRODUCTION: The rising incidence of pleural disease is seeing an international growth of pleural services, with physicians performing an ever-increasing volume of pleural interventions. These are frequently conducted at sites without immediate access to thoracic surgery or interventional radiology and serious complications such as pleural bleeding are likely to be under-reported. AIM: To assess whether intercostal vessel screening can be performed by respiratory physicians at the time of pleural intervention, as an additional step that could potentially enhance safe practice. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study of 596 ultrasound-guided pleural procedures conducted by respiratory physicians and trainees in a tertiary centre. Operators did not have additional formal radiology training. Intercostal vessel screening was performed using a low frequency probe and the colour Doppler feature. RESULTS: The intercostal vessels were screened in 95% of procedures and the intercostal artery (ICA) was successfully identified in 53% of cases. Screening resulted in an overall site alteration rate of 16% in all procedures, which increased to 30% when the ICA was successfully identified. This resulted in procedure abandonment in 2% of cases due to absence of a suitable entry site. Intercostal vessel screening was shown to be of particular value in the context of image-guided pleural biopsy. CONCLUSION: Intercostal vessel screening is a simple and potentially important additional step that can be performed by respiratory physicians at the time of pleural intervention without advanced ultrasound expertise. Whether the widespread use of this technique can improve safety requires further evaluation in a multi-centre setting with a robust prospective study.

Clinically important associations of pleurodesis success in malignant pleural effusion: Analysis of the TIME1 data set.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Chemical pleurodesis is performed for patients with MPE with a published success rate of around 80%. It has been postulated that inflammation is key in achieving successful pleural symphysis, as evidenced by higher amounts of pain or detected inflammatory response. Patients with mesothelioma are postulated to have a lower rate of successful pleurodesis due to lack of normal pleural tissue enabling an inflammatory response. METHODS: The TIME1 trial data set, in which pleurodesis success and pain were co-primary outcome measures, was used to address a number of these assumptions. Pain score, systemic inflammatory parameters as a marker of pleural inflammation and cancer type were analysed in relation to pleurodesis success. RESULTS: In total, 285 patients were included with an overall success rate of 81.4%. There was a significantly higher rise in CRP in the Pleurodesis Success group compared with the Pleurodesis Failure group (mean difference: 19.2, 95% CI of the difference: 6.2-32.0, P = 0.004) but no significant change in WCC. There was no significant difference in pain scores or analgesia requirements between the groups. Patients with mesothelioma had a lower rate of pleurodesis success than non-mesothelioma patients (73.3% vs 84.9%, χ2 = 5.1, P = 0.023). CONCLUSION: Change in CRP during pleurodesis is associated with successful pleurodesis but higher levels of pain are not associated. Patients with mesothelioma appear less likely to undergo successful pleurodesis than patients with other malignancies, but there is still a significant rise in systemic inflammatory markers. The mechanisms of these findings are unclear but warrant further investigation.

A systematic review of comorbidities and outcomes of adult patients with pleural infection.

BACKGROUND: Pleural infection remains an important cause of mortality. This study aimed to investigate worldwide patterns of pre-existing comorbidities and clinical outcomes of patients with pleural infection. METHODS: Studies reporting on adults with pleural infection between 2000 and 2017 were identified from a search of Embase and MEDLINE. Articles reporting exclusively on tuberculous, fungal or post-pneumonectomy infection were excluded. Two reviewers assessed 20 980 records for eligibility. RESULTS: 211 studies met the inclusion criteria. 134 articles (227 898 patients, mean age 52.8 years) reported comorbidity and/or outcome data. The majority of studies were retrospective observational cohorts (n=104, 78%) and the most common region of reporting was East Asia (n=33, 24%) followed by North America (n=27, 20%). 85 articles (50 756 patients) reported comorbidity. The median (interquartile range (IQR)) percentage prevalence of any comorbidity was 72% (58-83%), with respiratory illness (20%, 16-32%) and cardiac illness (19%, 15-27%) most commonly reported. 125 papers (192 298 patients) reported outcome data. The median (IQR) length of stay was 19 days (13-27 days) and median in-hospital or 30-day mortality was 4% (IQR 1-11%). In regions with high-income economies (n=100, 74%) patients were older (mean 56.5 versus 42.5 years, p<0.0001), but there were no significant differences in prevalence of pre-existing comorbidity nor in length of hospital stay or mortality. CONCLUSION: Patients with pleural infection have high levels of comorbidity and long hospital stays. Most reported data are from high-income economy settings. Data from lower-income regions is needed to better understand regional trends and enable optimal resource provision going forward.

The microbiology of pleural infection in adults: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pleural infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among adults. Identification of the offending organism is key to appropriate antimicrobial therapy. It is not known whether the microbiological pattern of pleural infection is variable temporally or geographically. This systematic review aimed to investigate available literature to understand the worldwide pattern of microbiology and the factors that might affect such pattern. DATA SOURCES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Ovid MEDLINE and Embase were searched between 2000 and 2018 for publications that reported on the microbiology of pleural infection in adults. Both observational and interventional studies were included. Studies were excluded if the main focus of the report was paediatric population, tuberculous empyema or post-operative empyema. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Studies of ≥20 patients with clear reporting of microbial isolates were included. The numbers of isolates of each specific organism/group were collated from the included studies. Besides the overall presentation of data, subgroup analyses by geographical distribution, infection setting (community versus hospital) and time of the report were performed. RESULTS: From 20 980 reports returned by the initial search, 75 articles reporting on 10 241 patients were included in the data synthesis. The most common organism reported worldwide was Staphylococcus aureus. Geographically, pneumococci and viridans streptococci were the most commonly reported isolates from tropical and temperate regions, respectively. The microbiological pattern was considerably different between community- and hospital-acquired infections, where more Gram-negative and drug-resistant isolates were reported in the hospital-acquired infections. The main limitations of this systematic review were the heterogeneity in the method of reporting of certain bacteria and the predominance of reports from Europe and South East Asia. CONCLUSIONS: In pleural infection, the geographical location and the setting of infection have considerable bearing on the expected causative organisms. This should be reflected in the choice of empirical antimicrobial treatment.

Prospective Analysis of the Predictive Value of Sonographic Pleural Fluid Echogenicity for the Diagnosis of Exudative Effusion.

BACKGROUND: Pleural effusion echogenicity on ultrasound has previously been suggested to allow identification of exudates. A case series suggested that homogenously echogenic effusions are always exudates. With modern imaging techniques and more advanced ultrasound technology, this may no longer be true. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to prospectively assess the predictive value of echogenicity in the identification of exudates. METHOD: Patients undergoing thoracic ultrasound before pleural fluid sampling were analysed prospectively (n = 140). Pleural fluid was classified as an exudate if both fluid total protein (TP) > 29 g/L and fluid lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > 2/3 upper limit of normal serum LDH (which is 255 IU/L in females and 235 IU/L in males) were present. If only one of these criteria was met, the effusion was considered to have discordant biochemistry. RESULTS: Fifty-five (39%) patients had non-echogenic and 85 (61%) had echogenic effusions. Six (7.1%) patients with echogenic effusions had transudates; the median fluid TP for this group was 18.5 g/L (IQR 9.75) and median LDH 63.0 IU/L (IQR 40.3). The specificity of echogenicity identifying exudates from transudates, excluding patients with discordant biochemistry, was 57.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) 90.3%, sensitivity 65.1%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 21.0%. The specificity of echogenicity identifying exudates (including discordant biochemistry) from transudates was 57.1%, PPV 92.9%, sensitivity 62.7%, and NPV 14.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Echogenicity of a pleural effusion has a low specificity for identifying an underlying exudate, and the echogenic qualities of the fluid should not influence clinical decision-making.

The Hospital and Patient Burden of Indwelling Pleural Catheters: A Retrospective Case Series of 210 Indwelling Pleural Catheter Insertions.

BACKGROUND: Indwelling pleural catheters (IPC) offer an alternative to talc pleurodesis in recurrent effusion, especially in patients wishing to avoid hospitalization. Two randomized trials have demonstrated reduced time in hospital using IPCs versus talc pleurodesis in malignant pleural effusion (MPE). However, the impact of IPCs on hospital services and patients has not been well studied. OBJECTIVES: To analyze long-term outcomes of IPCs and understand the hospital burden in terms of requirement for hospital visits and contacts with healthcare, while the IPC was in situ. METHODS: IPC insertions in a tertiary pleural center were analyzed retrospectively. Reviews of patients with IPCs in situ considered "additional" to routine clinical follow-up were defined pre-hoc. RESULTS: A total of 202 cases were analyzed: 89.6% MPE group (n = 181) and 10.4% non-MPE group (n = 21). There were a median 3.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 3) and 2.0 (IQR 2) ipsilateral pleural procedures prior to each IPC insertion in non-MPE and MPE groups, respectively (p = 0.26), and a mean 1.3 (SD 1.7) planned IPC-related outpatient follow-up visits per patient. There were 2 (9.5%) and 14 (7.7%) IPC-related infections in non-MPE and MPE groups, respectively. Four (19.0%) and 44 (24.3%) patients required additional IPC-related reviews in non-MPE and MPE groups, respectively (p = 0.6), and these occurred within 250 days post IPC insertion. CONCLUSIONS: Although IPCs decrease initial length of hospital stay compared to talc pleurodesis via chest drain, IPCs are associated with significant hospital-visit burden, in addition to planned visits and regular home IPC drainages. IPC-using services need to be prepared for this additional work to run an IPC service effectively.

Development and validation of response markers to predict survival and pleurodesis success in patients with malignant pleural effusion (PROMISE): a multicohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of malignant pleural effusion is increasing worldwide, but prognostic biomarkers to plan treatment and to understand the underlying mechanisms of disease progression remain unidentified. The PROMISE study was designed with the objectives to discover, validate, and prospectively assess biomarkers of survival and pleurodesis response in malignant pleural effusion and build a score that predicts survival. METHODS: In this multicohort study, we used five separate and independent datasets from randomised controlled trials to investigate potential biomarkers of survival and pleurodesis. Mass spectrometry-based discovery was used to investigate pleural fluid samples for differential protein expression in patients from the discovery group with different survival and pleurodesis outcomes. Clinical, radiological, and biological variables were entered into least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to build a model that predicts 3-month mortality. We evaluated the model using internal and external validation. FINDINGS: 17 biomarker candidates of survival and seven of pleurodesis were identified in the discovery dataset. Three independent datasets (n=502) were used for biomarker validation. All pleurodesis biomarkers failed, and gelsolin, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, versican, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP1) emerged as accurate predictors of survival. Eight variables (haemoglobin, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, cancer type, pleural fluid TIMP1 concentrations, and previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy) were validated and used to develop a survival score. Internal validation with bootstrap resampling and external validation with 162 patients from two independent datasets showed good discrimination (C statistic values of 0·78 [95% CI 0·72-0·83] for internal validation and 0·89 [0·84-0·93] for external validation of the clinical PROMISE score). INTERPRETATION: To our knowledge, the PROMISE score is the first prospectively validated prognostic model for malignant pleural effusion that combines biological and clinical parameters to accurately estimate 3-month mortality. It is a robust, clinically relevant prognostic score that can be applied immediately, provide important information on patient prognosis, and guide the selection of appropriate management strategies. FUNDING: European Respiratory Society, Medical Research Funding-University of Oxford, Slater & Gordon Research Fund, and Oxfordshire Health Services Research Committee Research Grants.

Chest Drain Fall-Out Rate According to Suturing Practices: A Retrospective Direct Comparison.

BACKGROUND: Chest drains often become displaced and require replacement, adding unnecessary risks to patients. Simple measures such as suturing of the drain may reduce fall-out rates; however, there is no direct data to demonstrate this and no standardized recommended practice that is evidence based. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to analyze the rate of chest drain fall out according to suturing practice. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all chest drain insertions (radiology and pleural teams) in 2015-2016. Details of chest drain fall out were collected from patient electronic records. Drain "fall out" was pre-hoc defined as the drain tip becoming dislodged outside the pleural cavity unintentionally before a clinical decision was taken to remove the drain. RESULTS: A total of 369 chest drains were inserted: sutured (n = 106, 28.7%; 44 male [41.5%], median age 74 [interquartile range (IQR) 21] years), and unsutured (n = 263, 71.3%; 139 male [52.9%], median age 68 [IQR 21] years). Of the sutured drains, 7 (6.6%) fell out after a mean of 3.3 days (SD 2.6) compared to 39 (14.8%; p = 0.04) unsutured drains falling out after a mean of 2.7 days (SD 2.0; p = 0.8). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limits of this retrospective analysis, these results -suggest that suturing of drains is associated with lower fall-out rates.

Predictors of correct technique in patients using pressurized metered dose inhalers.

BACKGROUND: Corret inhaler technique is recommended by guidelines for optimum asthma care. The objective of the study is to determine real life predictors of correct pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) technique in Asthma and COPD patients. METHODS: Two hundred eight adult patients aged 18+ from respiratory outpatients (69.2%) and the community on regular pMDI for a diagnosis of Asthma (78.9%) or COPD, were recruited. A questionnaire containing 31 possible predictors was administered and pMDI technique with or without spacer was observed by trained researchers on 12 point steps, of which 4 were considered critical. RESULTS: 23.1% of patients had no errors in inhaler technique and 32.2% had no critical errors. Patients had a median of 10 correct steps (IQR9-11), and 3(IQR2-4) correct critical steps. Using binary logistic regression the predictors of 10 correct steps were, other healthcare professional (pharmacist, nurse, physiotherapist) explained OR 3.73(1.63-8.54, p = 0.001), male gender 2.70(1.35-5.39, p = 0.004), self-score 1-10 1.21(1.05-1.39, p = 0.007), spacer use 0.38(0.19-0.79, p = 0.007), inhaled steroid 3.71(1.34-10.25, p = 0.01), heart disease 0.31(0.13-0.77, p = 0.01), pneumococcal vaccine 2.48(1.0-6.15, p = 0.043), education level 1-4 1.44(1.00-2.06, p = 0.05) and respiratory physician explained 0-7 times, 1.11(0.99-1.26, p = 0.08). Using ordinal logistic regression, predictors for correct critical steps 0-4, were: technique self-score 1-10 1.2(1.05-1.42, p = 0.006), inhaled corticosteroid use 2.78(1.1-7.31, p = 0.03) and education level 1-4 1.41(1.02-1.95, p = 0.03 Times respiratory physician explained inhaler technique 0-7 1.1(0.98-1.24, p = 0.1), married status 1.55(0.85-2.82, p = 0.15), hypercholesterolaemia 0.52(0.25-1.01, p = 0.054) and male gender 1.76(0.97-3.18, p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Known predictors of correct pMDI use, such as gender and education level were confirmed, while age and concomitant use of dry powder inhaler were not. Pneumococcal vaccination and awareness of steroid side effects were possible novel positive predictors, while the use of a spacer and co-morbidity with heart disease were found to be negative predictors. Patients' self-assessment correlated well with actual performance. This information may be useful in defining approaches to optimize inhaler techniques which are so susceptible to human error.

Promising role for pleural vent in pneumothorax following CT-guided biopsy of lung lesions.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety, effectiveness and cost-benefit of ambulatory pleural vent compared to conventional chest drain for pneumothorax following CT-guided biopsy of lung lesions (CTGB). METHODS: We retrospectively analysed electronic hospital records of patients requiring intervention for pneumothorax following CTGB. All patients treated with pleural vent over a 2-year period (August 2017-July 2019) were included and compared to a control group of all patients treated with chest drain over a previous 2-year period (August 2014-July 2016). RESULTS: Patients managed with a pleural vent had a shorter length of hospital stay compared to the chest drain group (median 0 days vs 4.5 days, p < 0.01). The mean cost of follow-up in the pleural vent group was £530.36 per patient compared to a mean of £2699.38 per patient in the chest drain group (p-value < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Pleural vent can be a safe and effective alternative to conventional chest drain for the management of CTGB-related pneumothorax which allows patients to be managed on an outpatient basis with reduced hospital stays and lower associated healthcare costs. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of pleural vent for CTGB-related pneumothorax.