Inercia clínica o terapéutica en neumología: una reflexión sobre su definición y actores principales / Clinical or therapeutic inertia in pneumology: critical reflection on its definition and main actors

La inercia clínica se define como los fallos del médico en el inicio o la intensificación del tratamiento cuando están indicados. Nuestro objetivo es reflexionar sobre este concepto aplicado en enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y asma, y el papel del profesional sanitario y del sistema de salud como actores implicados. Dejamos aparte la inercia del paciente para otro ámbito de estudio e intervención. Proponemos definir la inercia clínica para procesos durante el diagnóstico y el tratamiento cuando no se inicia o modifica (intensifica o disminuye) una terapia. También se identifican los factores que contribuyen a la inercia clínica o terapéutica y se plantean estrategias de mejora. (AU)

Clinical inertia is defined as the physician’s failure to initiate or intensify treatment when it is indicated. Our objective is to reflect on this concept applied to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, and the role of health professional and health system as stakeholders. We leave patient inertia aside for another area of study and intervention. We propose to define clinical inertia for diagnosis and therapeutic processes when a treatment is not started or modified (intensifies or decreases). Factors that contribute to clinical and/or therapeutic inertia are also identified and improvement strategies are proposed. (AU)

Prediction Equations for Maximal Aerobic Capacity on Cycle Ergometer for the Spanish Adult Population / Ecuaciones de referencia de la capacidad aeróbica máxima ciclo-ergoespirometría para la población española adulta

Background: Frequently used reference values for clinical exercise testing have been derived from non-random samples and some with poorly defined maximal criteria.Our objective was to obtain population based reference values for peak oxygen uptake (V?O2) and work rate (WR) for cardiopulmonary exercise testing in a representative sample of Caucasian Spanish men and women. Methods: 182 men and women, 20–85 years old, were included and exercised on cycle-ergometer to exhaustion. (V?O2) and WR were measured. The equations obtained from this sample were validated in an independent cohort of 69 individuals, randomly sampled form the same population. Then a final equation merging the two cohorts (=251) was produced. Results: Height, sex and age resulted predictive of both V?O2 peak and WR. Weight and physical activity added very little to the accuracy to the equations. The formulas V?O2peak=0.017·height?(cm)-0.023·age?(years)+0.864·sex?(female=0/male=1)±179?l?min-1, and peak WR=1.345 · height (cm) - 2.074 · age (years)+76.54 · sex (female=0/male=1)±21.2W were the best compromise between accuracy and parsimony. Conclusions: This study provides new and accurate V?O2 peak and WR rate reference values for individuals of European Spanish descent. (AU)

Antecedentes: Los valores de referencia utilizados con frecuencia para las pruebas de esfuerzo clínicas derivan de muestras no aleatorias y los criterios máximos para algunos de ellos están mal definidos. Nuestro objetivo fue obtener valores de referencia basados en la población general para el consumo máximo de oxígeno (VO2) y la carga de trabajo (CT) para las pruebas de ejercicio cardiopulmonar a partir de una muestra representativa de varones y mujeres caucásicos españoles. Métodos: Se incluyeron 182 varones y mujeres, de entre 20 y 85 años, que realizaron ejercicio en el cicloergómetro hasta el agotamiento. Se midieron el VO2 y la CT. Las ecuaciones obtenidas de esta muestra se validaron en una cohorte independiente de 69 individuos, seleccionados aleatoriamente de la misma población. A continuación, se creó una ecuación final que fusionó las dos cohortes (n=251). Resultados: La altura, el sexo y la edad resultaron predictivos tanto del V?O2 máximo como de la CT. El peso y la actividad física contribuyeron muy poco a la precisión de las ecuaciones. Las fórmulas V?O2 máximo=0,017×altura (cm)-0,023×edad (años)+0,864×sexo (mujer=0/varón=1)±179 L×min-1; y CT máxima=1,345×altura (cm)-2,074×edad (años)+76,54×sexo (mujer=0/varón=1)±21,2W fueron el mejor equilibrio entre precisión y parsimonia. Conclusiones: Este estudio proporciona valores de referencia del V?O2 máximo y la CT nuevos y precisos para personas de ascendencia española europea. (AU)

[All Roads Lead to Rome: Results of Non-Invasive Respiratory Therapies Applied in a Tertiary-Care Hospital Without an Intermediate Care Unit During the COVID-19 Pandemic]. / Todos los caminos llevan a Roma: resultados de las terapias respiratorias no invasivas aplicadas en un centro terciario sin Unidad de Cuidados Intermedios durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

Introduction: Non-invasive respiratory therapies (NRT) were widely used in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in different settings, depending on availability. The objective of our study was to present 90-day survival and associated factors in patients treated with NRT in a tertiary hospital without an Intermediate Respiratory Care Unit. The secondary objective was to compare the outcomes of the different therapies. Methods: Observational study of patients treated with NRT outside of an intensive care or intermediate respiratory care unit setting, diagnosed with COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome by radiological criteria and SpO2/FiO2 ratio. A multivariate logistic regression model was developed to determine independently associated variables, and the outcomes of high flow nasal cannula and continuous positive airway pressure were compared. Results: In total, 107 patients were treated and 85 (79.4%) survived at 90 days. Before starting NRT, the mean SpO2/FiO2 ratio was 119.8 ± 59.4. A higher SOFA score was significantly associated with mortality (OR 2,09; 95% CI 1.34-3.27), while self-pronation was a protective factor (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.06-0.91). High flow nasal cannula was used in 63 subjects (58.9%), and continuous positive airway pressure in 41 (38.3%), with no differences between them. Conclusion: Approximately 4 out of 5 patients treated with NRT survived to 90 days, and no significant differences were found between high flow nasal cannula and continuous positive airway pressure.

COVID-19 y la neumología del siglo XXI: ¿Reto u oportunidad? / COVID-19 and xxi century pulmonology: challenge or opportunity?

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El futuro de las pruebas de esfuerzo / The Future of Exercise Tolerance Testing

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Effectiveness and Safety of Bronchial Thermoplasty in Severe Asthma in Clinical Practice in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a minimally invasive procedure consisting of application of thermal energy into the airways to produce ablation of the hypertrophic smooth muscle. It was approved for use in moderate-severe asthma in Spain in 2010. OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study are to analyze the effectiveness and the safety of BT in clinical practice in our center. METHODS: Participants had a confirmed diagnosis of severe asthma and poor control without therapeutic alternative. Effectiveness was measured by comparing exacerbations, admissions rates, asthma control, and medication 1 year prior and 1 year after BT was completed. All complications appearing during the procedure and in the first year were recorded. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 51 (SD 8) years and were predominantly female (17/23). The average number of activations per patient was 147 (16). The number of severe exacerbations was reduced by 75% (p < 0.001). A 38% reduction in admissions per year was also observed (p = 0.03). The Asthma Control Test improved by 7.1 (3.7) points (p = 0.018). Before BT, the dose of inhaled corticosteroids was 1,621 (1,015) µg of budesonide-equivalent and the dose of oral corticosteroids was 15 (13) mg of prednisone-equivalent. There was a reduction in 430 (731) µg of budesonide-equivalent (p = 0.02) and 4 (11) mg of prednisone (p = 0.094). No changes in lung function were observed. Complications were related mostly to exacerbation of asthma in the days following the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: BT is effective and safe for severe uncontrolled bronchial asthma in real clinical practice.

Las pruebas funcionales respiratorias en las decisiones clínicas / Lung Function Tests in Clinical Decision-Making

En este artículo revisamos primero por pruebas (espirometría, prueba de reversibilidad, flujo espiratorio pico, volúmenes pulmonares, presiones respiratorias máximas, transferencia de monóxido de carbono, gasometría arterial, prueba de marcha de 6 min y desaturación con ejercicio y ergoespirometría), y luego por patologías más frecuentes (disnea no aclarada, tos crónica, asma, EPOC, enfermedades neuromusculares, enfermedades intersticiales, enfermedades vasculares pulmonares, valoración preoperatoria y valoración de la discapacidad), la utilidad de las pruebas funcionales respiratorias más habituales desde la perspectiva de la toma de decisiones, de la interpretación clínica o de aspectos que el clínico debe tener en cuenta a la hora de utilizarlas. En consecuencia, no se incide en aspectos de calidad, de la técnica ni de los equipos, salvo referencia a los costos, porque pensamos que es un elemento importante en la toma de decisiones. El documento está ampliamente fundamentado con referencias a la literatura(AU)

In this article, we review the utility of the most common lung function tests (spirometry, reversibility test, peak expiratory flow, lung volumes, maximal respiratory pressure, carbon monoxide transference, arterial blood gas, 6-minute walk test and desaturation with exercise and ergospirometry) related to the most frequent pathologies (dyspnea of undetermined origin, chronic cough, asthma, COPD, neuromuscular diseases, interstitial diseases, pulmonary vascular diseases, pre-operative evaluation and disability evaluation). Our analysis has been developed from the perspective of decision-making, clinical interpretation or aspects that the physician should take into account with their use. Consequently, the paper does not deal with aspects of quality, technique or equipment, with the exception of when regarding costs as we believe that this is an important element in the decision-making process. The document is extensively supported by references from the literature(AU)

Lung function tests in clinical decision-making.

In this article, we review the utility of the most common lung function tests (spirometry, reversibility test, peak expiratory flow, lung volumes, maximal respiratory pressure, carbon monoxide transference, arterial blood gas, 6-minute walk test and desaturation with exercise and ergospirometry) related to the most frequent pathologies (dyspnea of undetermined origin, chronic cough, asthma, COPD, neuromuscular diseases, interstitial diseases, pulmonary vascular diseases, pre-operative evaluation and disability evaluation). Our analysis has been developed from the perspective of decision-making, clinical interpretation or aspects that the physician should take into account with their use. Consequently, the paper does not deal with aspects of quality, technique or equipment, with the exception of when regarding costs as we believe that this is an important element in the decision-making process. The document is extensively supported by references from the literature.

Dyspnea, ventilatory pattern, and changes in dynamic hyperinflation related to the intensity of constant work rate exercise in COPD.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We undertook the present study to investigate the perception of dyspnea (with respect to changes in end-inspiratory and end-expiratory lung volumes), during four different levels of high-intensity constant work rate exercise (CWRE) in patients with severe COPD. DESIGN: Crossover descriptive study with consecutively recruited subjects. SETTING: Tertiary university hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty-seven subjects with severe COPD (mean [+/- SD] age, 65 +/- 5 years of age; mean FEV1, 43 +/- 8% predicted; and mean inspiratory capacity [IC]; 74 +/- 14% predicted). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Subjects randomly performed four high-intensity CWRE tests (conducted at 65%, 75%, 85%, and 95% of their symptom-limited peak work rate). Dyspnea, leg fatigue, and IC were determined every 2 min during exercise with breath-by-breath gas exchange and ventilatory measurements. There was a good correlation between the resting IC percent predicted and the oxygen uptake (V(O2)) peak (r = 0.64 to 0.69 between the IC percent predicted and V(O2) peak at the four work rates). There were significant differences (p < 0.01) in mean respiratory rate (33 +/- 6, 35 +/- 6, 37 +/- 6, and 38 +/- 6 min), peak dyspnea score (5.9 +/- 1.3, 6.3 +/- 1.4, 6.8 +/- 1.2, and 6.9 +/- 1.6), minute ventilation (45.0 +/- 8.7, 43.8 +/- 7.7, 43.1 +/- 8.7, and 42.8 +/- 8.0 L/min), leg fatigue (4.8 +/- 1.3, 5.1 +/- 1.3, 5.7 +/- 1.4, and 5.8 +/- 1.4), and end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (4.41 +/- 0.36, 4.53 +/- 0.33, 4.66 +/- 0.31, and 4.76 +/- 0.24 kPa), respectively, for tests conducted at 65%, 75%, 85%, and 95% of their symptom-limited peak work rate, and in mean end-expiratory lung volume ([EELV] 4.55 +/- 0.44, 4.69 +/- 0.43, and 4.79 +/- 0.43 L), respectively, for tests conducted at 65%, 75%, and 85% of their symptom-limited peak work rate. In multivariable analysis, the factors that were independently correlated with dyspnea (p < 0.05) were EELV, peak inspiratory flow, and leg fatigue/discomfort. CONCLUSION: In COPD subjects with flow limitation at rest, the perception of dyspnea increased nonlinearly with the magnitude of high-intensity CWRE in association with a faster respiratory pattern and an increase in EELV. At the highest work rates, it appeared that a reduction in tidal volume and ventilation peak may have limited the tolerance to exercise.