Teleconsultation in respiratory medicine - A position paper of the Portuguese Pulmonology Society.

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis, among so many social, economic and health problems, also brought new opportunities. The potential of telemedicine to improve health outcomes had already been recognised in the last decades, but the pandemic crisis has accelerated the digital revolution. In 2020, a rapid increase in the use of remote consultations occurred due to the need to reduce attendance and overcrowding in outpatient clinics. However, the benefit of their use extends beyond the pandemic crisis, as an important tool to improve both the efficiency and capacity of future healthcare systems. This article reviews the literature regarding telemedicine and teleconsultation standards and recommendations, collects opinions of Portuguese experts in respiratory medicine and provides guidance in teleconsultation practices for Pulmonologists.

Pre- and post-COVID practice of interventional pulmonology in adults in Portugal.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of information regarding bronchoscopy practice in adults in Portugal. Our objective was to obtain an overview of the characteristics, resources, techniques and behaviors in national interventional pulmonology (IP) units, before and after SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey was developed by an expert panel with a total of 46 questions comprising the specifications of each unit, namely physical space, equipment, staff, procedure planning, monitoring, technical differentiation, and numbers pre- and post-COVID-19. Forty-one interventional pulmonology centers were invited to participate between April and May 2021. RESULTS: 37 units (90.2%) responded to the survey. The majority (64.9%) have a fully dedicated space with a weekly presence of ≥3 chest physicians (82.1%) and support of an anesthesiologist on specific days (48.6%). There is marked heterogeneity in the IP unit's equipment, and 56.8% acquired disposable bronchoscopes after COVID-19 pandemics. Pre-bronchoscopy hemogram, platelet count and coagulation tests are regularly asked by more than 90% of the units, even when deep sedation or biopsies are not planned. In 97.3% of cases, topical anesthesia and midazolam are utilized. Propofol (21.6%) and fentanyl (29.7%) are occasionally employed in some institutions. Most units use ancillary sampling techniques to diagnose central or peripheral lesions, with radial EBUS being used for guidance of distal procedures in 37.8% of centers, linear EBUS and EUS-B-FNA for mediastinal diagnosis and/or staging in 45.9% and 27.0% of units, respectively. Cryobiopsies are used by 21.6% of respondents to diagnose diffuse lung diseases. Rigid bronchoscopy is performed in 37.8% of centers. There was a decrease in the number of flexible (p < 0.001) and rigid (p = 0.005) bronchoscopies and an upscale of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: IP units have variable bronchoscopic practices, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they complied with most international recommendations, as elective procedures were postponed and PPE levels increased.

Recommendations for interventional pulmonology during COVID-19 outbreak: a consensus statement from the Portuguese Pulmonology Society.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. Its capacity for human-to-human transmission through respiratory droplets, coupled with a high-level of population mobility, has resulted in a rapid dissemination worldwide. Healthcare workers have been particularly exposed to the risk of infection and represent a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases in the worst affected regions of Europe. Like other open airway procedures or aerosol-generating procedures, bronchoscopy poses a significant risk of spreading contaminated droplets, and medical workers must adapt the procedures to ensure safety of both patients and staff. Several recommendation documents were published at the beginning of the pandemic, but as the situation evolves, our thoughts should not only focus on the present, but should also reflect on how we are going to deal with the presence of the virus in the community until there is a vaccine or specific treatment available. It is in this sense that this document aims to guide interventional pulmonology throughout this period, providing a set of recommendations on how to perform bronchoscopy or pleural procedures safely and efficiently.

Trans-esophageal endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration (EUS-B-NA): A road map for the chest physician.

The endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) scope has been increasingly used in the gastrointestinal tract (EUS-B). Scientific data proves its efficacy and safety to provide a complete lung cancer staging, when combined with EBUS-TBNA, and in the diagnosis of para-esophageal lesions. There are multiple barriers to start performing EUS-B but probably the most important ones are related to knowledge and training, so new operators should follow a structured training curriculum. This review aims to reflect the best current knowledge regarding EUS-B and provide a road map to assist those who are incorporating the technique into their clinical practice.

Identification and assessment of COPD exacerbations.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbations play a central role in the disease natural history of the disease, affecting its overall severity, decreasing pulmonary function, worsening underlying co-morbidities, impairing quality of life (QoL) and leading to severe morbidity and mortality. Therefore, identification and correct assessment of COPD exacerbations is paramount, given it will strongly influence therapy success. For the identification of exacerbations, several questionnaires exist, with varying degrees of complexity. However, most questionnaires remain of limited clinical utility, and symptom scales seem to be more useful in clinical practice. In the assessment of exacerbations, the type and degree of severity should be ascertained in order to define the management setting and optimize treatment options. Still, a consensual and universal classification system to assess the severity and type of an exacerbation is lacking, and there are no established criteria for less severely ill patients not requiring hospital assessment. This might lead to under-reporting of minor to moderate exacerbations, which has an impact on patients' health status. There is a clear unmet need to develop clinically useful questionnaires and a comprehensive system to evaluate the severity of exacerbations that can be used in all settings, from primary health care to general hospitals.

COPD control: Can a consensus be found?

There are currently no reliable instruments for assessing the onset and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or predicting its prognosis. Currently, a comprehensive assessment of COPD including several objective and subjective parameters is recommended. However, the lack of biomarkers precludes a correct assessment of COPD severity, which consequently hampers adequate therapeutic approaches and COPD control. In the absence of a definition of "well-controlled disease", a consensus regarding COPD control will be difficult to reach. However, COPD patient assessment should be multidimensional, and anchored in five points: control of symptoms, decline of pulmonary function, levels of physical activity, exacerbations, and Quality of Life. Several non-pharmacological and pharmacological measures are currently available to achieve disease control. Smoking cessation, vaccination, exercise training programs and pulmonary rehabilitation are recognized as important non-pharmacological measures but bronchodilators are the pivotal therapy in the control of COPD. This paper discusses several objective and subjective parameters that may bridge the gap between disease assessment and disease control. The authors conclude that, at present, it is not possible to reach a consensus regarding COPD control, essentially due to the lack of objective instruments to measure it. Some recommendations are set forth, but true COPD control awaits further objective assessments.

[Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration for lung cancer diagnosis and staging in 179 patients]. / Punção aspirativa transbrônquica guiada por ecoendoscopia brônquica no diagnóstico e estadiamento de cancro do pulmão em 179 doentes.

BACKGROUND: Linear endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is an important minimally invasive procedure for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) staging. It is also a valid method for diagnosing extraluminal lesions adjacent to the tracheobronchial tree. AIM: To evaluate our EBUS-TBNA performance regarding diagnostic yield, safety and learning curve for lung cancer diagnosis and staging. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA for lung cancer diagnosis or staging were included. They were divided into three different groups: paratracheal and parabronchial masses sent for diagnosis (Group 1); peripheral lung lesions with abnormal mediastinal lymph nodes sent for diagnosis and staging (Group 2); NSCLC patients sent for mediastinal staging (Group 3). The learning curve was assessed for yield, accuracy, procedure time, size and number of lesions punctured per patient. RESULTS: A total of 179 patients were included and 372 lesions were punctured. The overall yield and accuracy were 88% and 92.7%, respectively. In Group 1, EBUS-TBNA was performed in 48 patients and sensitivity was 86.1% and accuracy was 87.5%. For the 87 patients included in Group 2, yield was 86.7%, accuracy was 93.1% and cancer prevalence was 51.7%. The diagnostic yield and accuracy in Group 3 was 95% and 97.7% respectively. EBUS-TBNA practice led to an increase number of sites punctured per patient in a shorter time, without complications. CONCLUSION: EBUS-TBNA is an effective method for diagnosing and staging lung cancer patients. The procedure is clearly safe. Handling and performance improves with the number of procedures executed.

Argon-plasma treatment in benign metastasizing leiomyoma of the lung: a case report.

Benign metastasizing leiomyomas of the lung are rare smooth muscle cells tumours. We report the case of a 48 year-old female who was evaluated due to persistent cough, progressive dyspnoea and constitutional symptoms. Chest computed tomography revealed a left endobronchial mass, multiple parenchyma nodules and a pleural effusion. Bronchial biopsy histological features were consistent with benign metastasizing leiomyoma. The patient was successfully treated with argon-plasma and mechanical debulking. There was no disease relapse in the last four years.

[Video-assisted thoracic surgery in the diagnosis of interstitial diffuse pulmonary diseases]. / A cirurgia torácica vídeo-assistida no diagnóstico das doenças difusas do interstício pulmonar.

Interstitial lung diseases are best diagnosed by surgical lung biopsy. Videoassisted thoracoscopy (VATS) is less aggressive than open lung thoracotomy and its development is associated with an increased number of lung biopsies. Between July 1994 and July 2004 we performed 70 VATS biopsies for interstitial lung disease patients. Only one biopsy was considered inconclusive (1.4%). The remainder 69 (98.6%) established a final diagnosis. The results in our series show that VATS lung biopsy is a safe method with low mortality and morbidity and an excellent rentability.

Misoprostol for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of 400 microg rectal misoprostol in 5 cm(3) of saline with oxytocin 10 IU, i.m., in reducing bleeding during the third stage of labor. DESIGN: A double blind, randomized, clinical trial including 663 women with uncomplicated vaginal delivery who received misoprostol (n=324) or oxytocin (n=339). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in hemoglobin and hematocrit from before to 72 h postpartum; blood loss during the third stage; duration of the third stage of labor; need for additional oxytocic drug; frequency of requisition and of administration of blood; changes in blood pressure; and occurrence of side effects. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between groups, before and 72 h postpartum, in mean hemoglobin and hematocrit, on volume of blood loss and duration of third stage of labor. The incidence of shivering and mean temperature (P<0.01) was significantly greater among women receiving misoprostol than oxytocin. CONCLUSIONS: Misoprostol administered as a micro-enema, 400 microg in 5 ml of saline during the third stage of labor, appears to be as effective as oxytocin 10 IU, i.m., but misoprostol produced more side effects than oxytocin.

Risk factors in Mozambican women with eclampsia: a case-referent study.

In Maputo 133 consecutive eclamptic patients were compared with 393 non-eclamptic referent women. Significant risk factors for eclampsia were age < or = 18 years, household size < or = 3 individuals, unwanted pregnancy, walking to antenatal clinics and, in the thrid trimester, headache, foot oedema, hand or face oedema, epigastric pain, visual disturbance, ear buzzing and dizziness. Significantly more cases than referents reported no blood pressure measurements in antenatal clinics. It is concluded that the quality of antenatal clinics can be improved by enhanced community awareness of danger signs, by early recognition of risk factors and by better management of prodromal symptoms of eclampsia.

Termination of pregnancies of <6 weeks gestation with a single dose of 800 microg of vaginal misoprostol.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a single dose of the abortifacient effect of vaginal misoprostol followed by prolonged observation. Women with < or =42 days of amenorrhea, pregnancy confirmed by ultrasound, and approved request for termination received 800 microg of vaginal misoprostol once and were observed for 1 week. The gestational sac was measured before misoprostol administration, and 24 h and 7 days afterward. Women reported bleeding, expulsion of sac, and other complaints. After 1 week, those who had not aborted received a second dose of 800 microg. Those who had not aborted by 24 h later were treated by vacuum aspiration of the endometrial cavity. Twenty-four hours after treatment, 71.8% had aborted, and 87.1% aborted 3 days after treatment. After the second dose, 7 days later, the cumulative abortion rate reached 92.1%. None of the subjects who aborted required curettage or vacuum aspiration. The main complaints were pain (84.5%), nausea (21.4%), and headache (17.5%). No clinical differences between responders and nonresponders was found. Vaginal misoprostol, 800 microg, is effective in inducing early termination of pregnancy, and there is no need for an additional dose within 72 h after the first administration of misoprostol.

Training medical assistants for surgery.

A successful programme is reported from Mozambique for training middle-level health workers to perform fairly advanced surgical procedures in remote areas where the services of consultants are virtually unobtainable. Manpower and financial constraints obliged Mozambique to train medical assistants to perform surgical work in rural areas, where three broad priorities were identified: pregnancy-related complications, trauma-related complications, and emergency inflammatory conditions. Since 1984, 20 health workers have emerged from three-year courses to become técnicos de cirurgía (assistant medical officers), and it is expected that there will be 46 by 1999. The training comprises two years of lectures and practical sessions in the Maputo Central Hospital, and a practical internship lasting a year at a provincial hospital. Three workshops organized since 1989 suggest that the upgraded personnel are performing well. More detailed evaluation and follow-up are in progress. Throughout 1995 a follow-up was conducted on 14 assistant medical officers. They performed 10,258 surgical operations, some 70% of which were emergency interventions. Low rates of complication occurred and postoperative mortality amounted to 0.4% and 0.1% in emergency and elective interventions respectively.

Labor induction by vaginal misoprostol in grand multiparous women.

BACKGROUND: Grand multiparous women in poor and under-privileged settings run a high risk of uterine rupture at labor induction. The purpose was to elucidate whether vaginal misoprostol medication is a safe and cost-effective alternative induction method in grand multiparous women, in whom, under prevailing circumstances, induction by oxytocin is associated with high risk of adverse maternal outcome of pregnancy. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-five grand multiparous parturient women with five or more previous deliveries were divided into two groups. The first group (n=134) had the fetus alive and the second (n=31) had late intrauterine fetal death. Both groups were subject to induction of labor by use of vaginal misoprostol in a dose of 50 microg (live fetus) and 100 microg (intrauterine fetal death). No additional oxytocin was utilised. RESULTS: Labor induction by vaginal misoprostol was successful in grand multiparous women. The proportion of women requiring a Cesarean section was 6.0%, which is less than one third of the average Cesarean section rate in the setting studied. Women with fetus alive had significantly shorter application-to-expulsion interval (AEI) than women with fetal death (10.1 versus 15.4 hours; p=0.039). Significantly shorter AEI was recorded in women with prelabor rupture of membranes (9.1 hours) than in women with intact membranes (12.9 hours) (p=0.01). With Bishop's score > or = 5 and < 5 AEI was 8.7 hours and 14.4 hours, respectively (p=0.001). No significantly adverse neonatal or maternal outcomes of pregnancy were registered and it was specifically noted that no uterine rupture occurred among the 165 grand multiparous women induced. CONCLUSIONS: Induction of under-privileged grand multiparous women with live fetus or with fetal death can be performed safely and cost-effectively by vaginal misoprostol.