[Preliminary Short-term Results of an All-day Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in an Acute Hospital on Patients with Mild to Very Severe COPD]. / Erste Kurzzeitergebnisse eines ganztägigen ambulanten pneumologischen Rehabilitationsprogramms an einer Akutklinik bei Patienten mit leicht- bis schwerstgradiger COPD.

INTRODUCTION: Positive effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are well known, and inpatient rehabilitation programs are the preferred modality in Germany. In this paper, we report on the recent results of a daily outpatient rehabilitation program offered at an acute hospital, the first of this kind in Germany. It is not known whether this kind of rehabilitation is an effective approach. METHODS: 32 consecutive COPD patients GOLD-stage II-IV, phenotype B-D (mean 64.5±21.9 years; 18 male, 14 female) completed a rehabilitation program of 19 (15-21) days conducted according to the recommendations of the National Accociation for Rehabilitation. In this prospective observational study, data (walking distance in the 6-MWD, BODE-Index, HADS-, BDI/TDI-, CAT-questionnaire) were collected at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of the program and the results are presented in a pre- vs. post-analysis. RESULTS: We found significant positive effects for most of the measured parameters, except for body plethysmography, diffusion capacity and blood gas. Especially the increase in the 6 min walking distance (6-MWD) was remarkable (T1: 485.78±158.24, T2: 527.97±146.75 m, p=0.0212). There were no adverse events or complications. All participants were able to complete the program properly. CONCLUSION: Most of the measured parameters in COPD patients with stage II or worse disease improved significantly during the comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program. A limitation of this study is the small number of cases, and further conclusions can only be made after examining a larger sample. The setting of this rehabilitation program in an acute hospital seems to be meaningful in an organisational and structural sense.

["Nutritional risk screening 2002"--in clinical pneumology]. / "Nutritional Risk Screening 2002" in der Hand des Pneumologen.

Malnutrition is a frequent problem for hospitalized patients. It is a relevant risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to detect undernutrition and the risk of malnutrition (RM) in patients admitted to a university-affiliated respiratory care clinic. Undernutrition was assessed by body mass index (BMI<18.5 kg/m²) and RM by using the "Nutritional Risk Screening 2002" (NRS 2002) in 705 consecutive patients (BMI: measured in 689 patients/NRS: 680 patients assessed). Data was analysed with regard to age, sex, length of hospital stay as well as underlying pneumological disorders. In 14.3% of 680 patients, RM was detected by NRS. In 2.5% out of 689 patients, undernutrition was identified by BMI. In patients older than 65 years (n=365), these numbers were 19.6% (NRS) and 1.5% (BMI<18.5 kg/m²). Age was a significant risk factor for RM (OR 1.054 per year). Gender, however, was not associated with undernutrition or RM. In a sub-analysis, RM was more frequent in patients with pneumonia and chronic obstructive lung disease (23% and 16%, respectively). Patients with cancer were more frequently at RM as compared to patients with sleep-disordered breathing (OR: 2.33 in cancer, OR: 0.04 in sleep-disordered breathing). RM was associated with a significant increase in length of hospital stay (10.2 ± 9.5 vs. 5.4 ± 6.0 days). Besides the BMI, the NRS provides a valid tool for screening patients at RM.

Life-threatening events in respiratory medicine: misconnections of invasive and non-invasive ventilators and interfaces.

PURPOSE: Both the parallel use of intensive care unit (ICU)-ventilators and ventilators dedicated to non-invasive ventilation (NIV), as well as the construction of some expiratory valves in single circuit breathing tubes may lead to misconnections which are potentially fatal for the patient. METHODS: We demonstrate first a case of a misconnected expiratory valve in a patient with invasive home ventilation. In a second case, the mistaken connection of a non-invasive ventilator to an endotracheal tube leading to carbon dioxide (CO2)-rebreathing is demonstrated. A third case describes a patient with home non-invasive ventilation who had been delivered a non-vented mask out-of-hospital, likewise leading to CO2-rebreathing. CONCLUSION: Human error is the main reason for critical incidents in medicine and the most serious unintended events often involve mechanical ventilation. A regular instruction of medical staff and patients is necessary. The demonstrated misconnections are examples of latent errors "waiting to happen". To prevent these errors from being made in the future, technological solutions similar to the aviation effort to improve safety are needed.

["Common variable immunodeficiency"--first diagnosis of a rare pneumological disease]. / "Common variable Immunodeficiency" - Eine seltene pneumologische Differenzialdiagnose.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is generally used synonymously with "late onset hypogammaglobulinaemia", which is already indicative of the central pathological finding. Patients with CVID produce specifically less immunoglobulins, thus reducing their immunological competence. Our patient showed the typical medical history of undetected CVID. After excluding differential pneumological diseases, the suspected diagnosis was confirmed. This case report examines the complex of CVID as a cause for recurrent pneumological infections. It is the most prevalent form of severe antibody deficiency in children and adults and occurs with a probability of 1:25,000 in the population.