Post-Operative Outcomes of Pre-Thoracic Surgery Respiratory Muscle Training vs Aerobic Exercise Training: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the postoperative outcomes of preoperative respiratory muscle training (RMT) with a device to preoperative aerobic exercise training (AET) in patients undergoing thoracic surgeries (cardiac and lung). DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science were comprehensively searched upon inception to 9/2020. STUDY SELECTION: All randomized control studies, including preoperative RMT and preoperative AET compared with a non-training control group, were included. DATA EXTRACTION: The meta-analysis was performed for outcomes including postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC), pneumonia, postoperative respiratory failure (PRF), hospital length of stay (HLOS), and mortality. We performed a network meta-analysis based on Bayesian random-effects regression models. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 25 studies, 2070 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled data for the patients who performed RMT with a device showed a reduction in PPCs, pneumonia, PRF with odds ratio (OR) of 0.35 (P value .006), 0.38 (P value .002), and 0.22 (P value .008), respectively. Pooled data for the patients who performed AET showed reduction in PPC, pneumonia with a OR of 0.33 (P value <.00001) and OR of 0.54 (P value .01), respectively. HLOS was decreased by 1.69 days (P value <.00001) by performing RMT and 1.79 days (P value .0008) by performing AET compared with the usual group. No significant difference in all-cause mortality compared with usual care in both RMT and AET intervention groups. No significant difference in the incidence of PRF compared with usual group in RMT + AET and AET alone intervention groups (OR 0.32; P=.21; OR 0.94; P=.87). Based on rank probability plots analysis, on network meta-analysis, RMT and AET ranked similarly on the primary outcome of PPC and secondary outcomes of pneumonia, PRF and HLOS. CONCLUSIONS: In thoracic surgeries, preoperative RMT is comparable with preoperative AET to prevent PPC, pneumonia, and PRF and reduce HLOS. It can be considered in patients in resource-limited settings.

Case of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis following Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare diagnosis that carries a high degree of mortality. We present this case of a previously healthy 22-year-old woman, who was admitted acutely ill to the hospital. One week prior, she had been seen by her primary care physician for fatigue and malaise. At that time, she was noted to have anterior and posterior cervical lymphadenopathy. She was referred to the emergency room and was diagnosed with acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) mononucleosis based on her clinical symptoms and positive heterophile antibody test. She was discharged after an uneventful 48-hour stay on the wards. She represented 7 days after discharge with cough, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, epigastric abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weight loss and subjective fevers. She had also reported haematemesis, epistaxis and melaena. Vital signs included temperature 36.9°C, blood pressure 90/50 mm Hg, heart rate 130 beats per minute and respiratory rate 32 breaths per minute. Physical examination was notable for an acutely ill appearing woman with scleral icterus, hepatosplenomegaly and palpable cervical and axillary lymphadenopathy. Complete blood count showed pancytopaenia with haemoglobin 59 g/L (normal 120-160 g/L), white blood cell count 2.7×109/L (normal 4-10.5×109/L) and platelet count 50×109/L (normal 150-450×109/L). The white blood cell count differential included 58% neutrophils (normal 38%-77%) with immature neutrophils in band form elevated at 45% (normal <14%), 16% lymphocytes (normal 20%-48%), 7% monocytes (normal <12%) and no eosinophils (normal <6%). Blood smear revealed anisocytosis, poikilocytosis and hypochromia. Coagulation panel showed elevated levels of d-dimer level at 1.39 µg/mL (normal <0.45 µg/mL), prolonged prothrombin time at 34.4 s (normal 11-15 s), prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time of 55.6 s (normal 25-34 s), prolonged international normalised ratio at 3.31 (normal <1.1) and low fibrinogen 60 mg/dL (normal >200 mg/dL). Lipid panel showed cholesterol at 114 mg/dL (normal 125-200 mg/dL), triglycerides 207 mg/dL (normal 30-150 mg/dL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 10 mg/dL (normal 40-60 mg/dL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 63 mg/dL (normal <100 mg/dL). Other lab abnormalities included elevated ferritin of 6513 ng/mL (normal 10-150 ng/mL) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase of 1071 unit/L (normal 95-240 unit/L). Soluble interleukin-2 receptor alpha level was elevated at 60 727 units/mL (normal 223-710 units/mL). Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan showed abnormal tracer localisation within the paratracheal, hilar, pelvic, abdominal and subcarinal lymph nodes, along with FDG-PET positive hepatosplenomegaly. A bone marrow biopsy showed hypercellular marrow (95% cellularity) with trilineage haematopoiesis, haemophagocytic cells, polytypic plasmacytosis and T-cell lymphocytosis, along with positive latent membrane protein-1 immunohistochemical staining for EBV. EBV quantitative DNA PCR showed >1 million copies. These findings were consistent with a diagnosis of HLH secondary to EBV infection. Despite intense therapy with the HLH-94 protocol, the patient expired from her illness after a prolonged hospital course.

Flip flop fungus sign: an FDG PET sign of benign pulmonary nodules.

A 71-year-old man was referred to pulmonary clinic for incidental findings of hypermetabolic lung nodule and mediastinal adenopathy on CT FDG PET performed for evaluation of cough. The patient underwent bronchoscopy with endobronchial ultrasound that was non-diagnostic. The patient was subsequently sent for video-assisted thoracoscopic lymph node biopsy notable for confluent caseating granulomas due to chronic infection by Histoplasma capsulatum Review of previous PDG PET was notable for the flip flop fungus sign-a PDG PET finding that could have altered the patients' clinical course by potentially avoiding the need for invasive surgical tissue diagnosis.

Pancreaticopleural fistula: an uncommon cause of amylase-rich pleural effusion.

Pancreaticopleural fistula (PPF) causing pleural effusion as a complication of chronic pancreatitis is a rare finding. We present this finding in a 52-year-old man with a medical history significant for alcohol abuse, acute on chronic pancreatitis and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who presented with worsening dyspnoea for 3 days. CT scan of the chest showed a new large right-sided pleural effusion. Thoracentesis was performed and pleural fluid analysis showed an amylase-rich, exudative pleural effusion. The effusion reaccumulated within 3 days necessitating repeat thoracentesis. Endoscopic retrograde chloangiopancreatography showed contrast leak through a single disruption in the dorsal pancreatic duct, suspicious for an underlying PPF. The patient underwent stenting of the pancreatic duct with subsequent resolution of right-sided pleural effusion.

Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis: radiologic resolution following cessation of second hand smoking.

We present a 65-year-old male former smoker with past medical history of renal cell carcinoma. Surveillance chest CT scan showed numerous progressive bilateral upper lobe predominant nodular cystic densities. A Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery lung biopsy was diagnostic of Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Further questioning of the patient revealed exposure to second hand smoke from his wife. A repeat chest CT scan 6 months following cessation of all smoking exposure showed near complete resolution of the nodular densities. Our case report highlights the importance of early identification of second hand smoke exposure. Timely elimination of the exposure led to near complete radiologic resolution.