SPLF/SMFU/SRLF/SFAR/SFCTCV Guidelines for the management of patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax: Endorsed by the French Speaking Society of Respiratory Diseases (SPLF), the French Society of Emergency Medicine (SFMU), the French Intensive Care Society (SRLF), the French Society of Anesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine (SFAR) and the French Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (SFCTCV)

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is the presence of air in the pleural space, occurring in the absence of trauma and known lung disease. Standardized expert guidelines on PSP are needed due to the variety of diagnostic methods, therapeutic strategies and medical and surgical disciplines involved in its management. Literature review, analysis of literature according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology; proposals for guidelines rated by experts, patients, and organizers to reach a consensus. Only expert opinions with strong agreement were selected. A large PSP is defined as presence of a visible rim along the entire axillary line between the lung margin and the chest wall and ≥2 cm at the hilum level on frontal chest x-ray. The therapeutic strategy depends on the clinical presentation: emergency needle aspiration for tension PSP; in the absence of signs of severity: conservative management (small PSP), needle aspiration or chest tube drainage (large PSP). Outpatient treatment is possible if a dedicated outpatient care system is previously organized. Indications, surgical procedures and perioperative analgesia are detailed. Associated measures, including smoking cessation, are described. These guidelines are a step towards PSP treatment and follow-up strategy optimization in France.

Implementation Science Perspectives on Implementing Telemedicine Interventions for Hypertension or Diabetes Management: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension and diabetes are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. Telemedicine is an accessible and cost-effective means of supporting hypertension and diabetes management, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technological solutions for care. However, to date, no review has examined the contextual factors that influence the implementation of telemedicine interventions for hypertension or diabetes worldwide. OBJECTIVE: We adopted a comprehensive implementation research perspective to synthesize the barriers to and facilitators of implementing telemedicine interventions for the management of hypertension, diabetes, or both. METHODS: We performed a scoping review involving searches in Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify studies published in English from 2017 to 2022 describing barriers and facilitators related to the implementation of telemedicine interventions for hypertension and diabetes management. The coding and synthesis of barriers and facilitators were guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. RESULTS: Of the 17,687 records identified, 35 (0.2%) studies were included in our scoping review. We found that facilitators of and barriers to implementation were dispersed across the constructs of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Barriers related to cost, patient needs and resources (eg, lack of consideration of language needs, culture, and rural residency), and personal attributes of patients (eg, demographics and priorities) were the most common. Facilitators related to the design and packaging of the intervention (eg, user-friendliness), patient needs and resources (eg, personalized information that leveraged existing strengths), implementation climate (eg, intervention embedded into existing infrastructure), knowledge of and beliefs about the intervention (eg, convenience of telemedicine), and other personal attributes (eg, technical literacy) were the most common. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the successful implementation of telemedicine interventions for hypertension and diabetes requires comprehensive efforts at the planning, execution, engagement, and reflection and evaluation stages of intervention implementation to address challenges at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and environmental levels.

Manejo del paciente anticoagulado en una cirugía dental / Management of the anticoagulated patient in dental surgery / Gerenciamento do paciente anticoagulado em cirurgia odontológica

Introducción: una adecuada hemostasia es crucial para el éxito del tratamiento odontológico invasivo, ya que los problemas de sangrado pueden dar lugar a complicaciones asociadas a una importante morbimortalidad. El tratamiento odontológico de pacientes que tienden a un mayor riesgo de sangrado debido al uso de fármacos anticoagulantes plantea un desafío en la práctica diaria de los profesionales de la odontología. El conocimiento adecuado de los mecanismos subyacentes a la hemostasia y el manejo optimizado de estos pacientes son, por lo tanto, cuestiones muy importantes. Se realiza un estudio de los fármacos anticoagulantes actualmente disponibles en el mercado, evaluando los riesgos y beneficios de suspender dicho fármaco previo a un tratamiento odontológico invasivo. Además, se hace una revisión de los protocolos de manejo actuales que se utilizan en estos pacientes. Material y métodos: se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos Epistemonikos y Medline/PubMed; en el portal Timbó y en la biblioteca virtual Scielo. Abarcando todos los estudios publicados en los últimos 15 años en inglés y español. Se encontraron 30 artículos, se seleccionaron 15 en primera instancia para finalizar con 11 artículos. En dicha selección el filtro fue que los demás artículos se referían a otros anticoagulantes que no eran parte de este trabajo. Resultados: se han desarrollado múltiples protocolos de manejo, aunque en todos los casos se requiere una historia clínica completa, junto con pruebas hemostáticas complementarias para minimizar los riesgos derivados del tratamiento odontológico. Discusión: muchos autores consideran que la medicación de los pacientes indicada para el tratamiento de una enfermedad de base no debe ser alterada o suspendida a menos que así lo indique el médico prescriptor. Se ha demostrado que las medidas hemostáticas locales son suficientes para controlar los posibles problemas de sangrado derivados del tratamiento dental.

Introduction: Adequate hemostasis is crucial for the success of invasive dental treatment, since bleeding problems can lead to complications associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The dental treatment of patients who are prone to an increased risk of bleeding due to the use of anticoagulant drugs poses a challenge in the daily practice of dental professionals. Adequate knowledge of the mechanisms underlying hemostasis and optimized management of these patients are therefore very important issues. A review is made of the anticoagulant drugs currently available on the market, evaluating the risks and benefits of suspending such a drug prior to invasive dental treatment. In addition, a review is made of the current management protocols used in these patients. Material and methods: A bibliographic search was carried out in the Epistemonikos and Medline/PubMed databases; in the Timbo portal and in the Scielo virtual library. All the studies published in the last 15 years in English and Spanish were included. Thirty articles were found, 15 were selected in the first instance to end up with 11 articles. In this selection, the filter was that the other articles referred to other anticoagulants that were not part of this work. Results: multiple management protocols have been developed, although in all cases a complete clinical history is required, together with complementary hemostatic tests to minimize the risks derived from dental treatment. Discussion: many authors consider that the patient's medication indicated for the treatment of an underlying disease should not be altered or suspended unless so indicated by the prescribing physician. It has been shown that local hemostatic measures are sufficient to control possible bleeding problems derived from dental treatment.

Introdução: A hemostasia adequada é crucial para o sucesso do tratamento dentário invasivo, pois problemas de sangramento podem levar a complicações associadas a uma morbidade e mortalidade significativas. O tratamento odontológico de pacientes que são propensos a um risco maior de sangramento devido ao uso de drogas anticoagulantes representa um desafio na prática diária dos profissionais da odontologia. O conhecimento adequado dos mecanismos subjacentes à hemostasia e o gerenciamento otimizado desses pacientes são, portanto, questões muito importantes. É realizada uma revisão dos anticoagulantes atualmente disponíveis no mercado, avaliando os riscos e benefícios de descontinuar tal medicamento antes do tratamento dentário invasivo. Além disso, é feita uma revisão dos protocolos de gerenciamento atuais usados nesses pacientes. Material e métodos: Foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica nas bases de dados Epistemonikos e Medline/PubMed; no portal Timbo e na biblioteca virtual Scielo. Todos os estudos publicados nos últimos 15 anos, em inglês e espanhol, foram incluídos. Trinta artigos foram encontrados, 15 foram selecionados em primeira instância para acabar com 11 artigos. Nesta seleção, o filtro foi que os outros artigos se referiam a outros anticoagulantes que não faziam parte deste trabalho. Resultados: foram desenvolvidos múltiplos protocolos de gerenciamento, embora em todos os casos seja necessário um histórico clínico completo, juntamente com testes hemostáticos complementares para minimizar os riscos derivados do tratamento odontológico. Discussão: muitos autores consideram que a medicação os pacientes indicada para o tratamento de uma doença subjacente não deve ser alterada ou descontinuada, a menos que o médico que a prescreve dê instruções nesse sentido. Medidas hemostáticas locais demonstraram ser suficientes para controlar potenciais problemas de sangramento resultantes do tratamento odontológico.

Prise en charge des ménorragies : recommandations pour la pratique clinique du Collège National des Gynécologues et Obstétriciens Français (CNGOF) [Pré-print] / Management of women with abnormal uterine bleeding: clinical practice guidelines of the French National College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF) [Pré-print]

Émettre des recommandations pour la prise en charge des femmes ayant des ménorragies. Un comité de 26 experts a été constitué. Une politique de déclaration et de suivi des liens d'intérêts a été appliquée et respectée durant tout le processus de réalisation du référentiel. De même, celui-ci n'a bénéficié d'aucun financement provenant d'une entreprise commercialisant un produit de santé (médicament ou dispositif médical). Le comité devait respecter et suivre la méthode GRADE® (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) pour évaluer la qualité des données factuelles sur lesquelles étaient fondées les recommandations. Les dernières recommandations du Collège National des Gynécologues et Obstétriciens Français (CNGOF) sur la prise en charge des femmes ayant des ménorragies ont été publiées en 2008. Nous avons souhaité réactualiser ces recommandations selon la méthodologie GRADE® en identifiant 7 champs différents (diagnostic ; adolescente ; ménorragies idiopathiques ; hyperplasie et polype de l'endomètre ; myomes de type 0 à 2 ; myomes de type 3 et plus ; adénomyose). Chaque question a été formulée selon le format PICO (Patients, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome). L'analyse de la littérature et les recommandations ont été formulées selon la méthodologie GRADE. Le travail de synthèse des experts et l'application de la méthode GRADE ont abouti à 36 recommandations. Parmi les recommandations, 19 ont été établies avec un accord fort et 17 avec un accord faible. Il n'a pas été possible de statuer pour 14 questions pour lesquelles nous avons préféré nous abstenir plutôt que de fournir des avis d'experts.Les 36 recommandations ont permis de préciser les stratégies diagnostiques et thérapeutiques des différentes situations cliniques des plus simples au plus complexes rencontrées par le praticien.

To provide French guidelines for the management of women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). A consensus committee of 26 experts was formed. A formal conflict-of-interest (COI) policy was developed at the beginning of the process and enforced throughout. The entire guidelines process was conducted independently of any industrial funding (i.e. pharmaceutical, or medical devices). The authors were advised to follow the rules of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE®) system to guide assessment of quality of evidence. The potential drawbacks of making strong recommendations in the presence of low-quality evidence were emphasized. The last guidelines from the Collège National des Gynécologues et Obstétriciens Français (CNGOF) on the management of women with AUB was published in 2008. The literature seems now sufficient for an update. The committee studied questions within 7 fields (diagnosis; adolescent; idiopathic AUB; endometrial hyperplasia and polyps; fibroids type 0 to 2; fibroids type 3 and more; adenomyosis). Each question was formulated in a PICO (Patients, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) format and the evidence profiles were produced. The literature review and recommendations were made according to the GRADE® methodology. The experts' synthesis work and the application of the GRADE method resulted in 36 recommendations. Among the formalized recommendations, 19 present a strong agreement and 17 a weak agreement. Fourteen questions did not find any response in the literature. We preferred to abstain from recommending instead of providing expert advice. The 36 recommendations made it possible to specify the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of various clinical situations managed by the practitioner, from the simplest to the most complex.

Evidence review for additional benefit of imaging in the diagnosis of osteoarthritis

In the absence of red flag signs or symptoms, the diagnosis of osteoarthritis can be achieved through clinical assessment (history taking and examination). Imaging findings do not always correlate well with the patient's symptoms, particularly in the early stages of osteoarthritis, and management is not dictated by imaging results alone. There is no gold standard for the clinical diagnosis of osteoarthritis and multiple clinical and research focussed definitions of the condition have been developed and some patients expect imaging to confirm a diagnosis. Imaging continues to be frequently used despite uncertainties about the benefit this adds to the diagnosis, the resource implications and potential for delays in commencing management. X-ray is the most common imaging used for knee osteoarthritis, however magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now being used more commonly to examining soft tissues and to pick up more subtle bony changes. Some healthcare professionals may use ultrasound for more superficial joints (for example: finger, toe). In some parts of the country, primary care has direct access to MRI and ultrasound scans. The aim of this review is to establish if there is additional benefit in using any imaging as an adjunct to clinical examination to diagnose osteoarthritis. This review does not seek to define when imaging is indicated in the natural history of osteoarthritis.

Management of DOAC in Patients Undergoing Planned Surgery or Invasive Procedure: Italian Federation of Centers for the Diagnosis of Thrombotic Disorders and the Surveillance of the Antithrombotic Therapies (FCSA) Position Paper.

Patients on anticoagulant treatment are constantly increasing, with an estimated prevalence in Italy of 2% of the total population. About a quarter of the anticoagulated patients require temporary cessation of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) or vitamin K antagonists for a planned intervention within 2 years from anticoagulation inception. Several clinical issues about DOAC interruption remain unanswered: many questions are tentatively addressed daily by thousands of physicians worldwide through an experience-based balancing of thrombotic and bleeding risks. Among possible valuable answers, the Italian Federation of Centers for the diagnosis of thrombotic disorders and the Surveillance of the Antithrombotic therapies (FCSA) proposes some experience-based suggestions and expert opinions. In particular, FCSA provides practical guidance on the following issues: (1) multiparametric assessment of thrombotic and bleeding risks based on patients' individual and surgical risk factor, (2) testing of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and DOAC plasma levels before surgery or invasive procedure, (3) use of heparin, (4) restarting of full-dose DOAC after high risk bleeding surgery, (5) practical nonpharmacological suggestions to manage patients perioperatively. Finally, FCSA suggests creating a multidisciplinary "anticoagulation team" with the aim to define the optimal perioperative management of anticoagulation.

Evidence review for the clinical and cost effectiveness of imaging during the management of osteoarthritis

People with osteoarthritis may have ongoing issues that are not completely managed by the interventions prescribed. While there are times where imaging is clearly indicated (e.g. with a history or worsening symptoms triggered by trauma) it is not apparent whether it provides any benefit using it more widely as management plans are made predominantly on the basis of symptoms and function. There is concern about the resource impact for the NHS if imaging is widely used without leading to a change in the person's management.

Guía de práctica clínica enfermedad renal crónica estadios 1 al 3A para la atención de la población mayor de 18 años en establecimientos de salud del primer nivel de atención / Clinical practice guidelines for chronic kidney disease stages 1 to 3A for the care of the population over 18 years of age in primary care health facilities

El presente trabajo se ha enfocado en documentar la variabilidad de la práctica clínica, analizar sus causas y proponer estrategias orientadas a mejorarla; esto fomenta la toma de decisiones efectivas y seguras, centradas en los pacientes, por parte de los profesionales de la salud. Entre dichas estrategias destaca la elaboración de Guías de Práctica Clínica (GPC), "conjunto de recomendaciones basadas en una revisión sistemática de la evidencia y en la evaluación de los riesgos y beneficios de las diferentes alternativas, con el objetivo de optimizar la atención a los pacientes". En este contexto se enmarca la presente Guía de Práctica Clínica "Enfermedad Renal Crónica Estadios 1 al 3A, para la Atención de la Población mayor de 18 años en Establecimientos de Salud del Primer Nivel de Atención en Paraguay". Esta GPC sobre Enfermedad Renal Crónica (ERC) responde a preguntas clínicas concernientes a su detección precoz, derivación a atención especializada y manejo, tanto mediante tratamiento farmacológico como con medidas higiénico dietéticas, estilos de vida e intervenciones educativas. Se dirige, principalmente, a los profesionales implicados en la asistencia sanitaria de pacientes con ERC con el objetivo de dotarles de las herramientas apropiadas para su detección y manejo, así como de facilitarles la coordinación entre el ámbito de Atención Primaria y Hospitalar. Esta guía es el resultado del gran esfuerzo realizado por un grupo de profesionales de la salud pertenecientes a distintas especialidades y representantes de varias Sociedades Científicas implicadas en este problema de salud. Desde la Dirección de Vigilancia de Enfermedades No Trasmisibles (DVENT) agradecemos a todas estas personas el trabajo realizado y esperamos que pueda ayudar a profesionales en la toma de decisiones, mejorando la adecuación de los tratamientos y la calidad de vida de la población afectada.

Effect of electronic medication reconciliation at the time of hospital discharge on inappropriate medication use in the community: an interrupted time-series analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear if enhanced electronic medication reconciliation systems can reduce inappropriate medication use and improve patient care. We evaluated trends in potentially inappropriate medication use after hospital discharge before and after adoption of an electronic medication reconciliation system. METHODS: We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis in 3 tertiary care hospitals in London, Ontario, using linked health care data (2011-2019). We included patients aged 66 years and older who were discharged from hospital. Starting between Apr. 13 and May 21, 2014, physicians were required to complete an electronic medication reconciliation module for each discharged patient. As a process outcome, we evaluated the proportion of patients who continued to receive a benzodiazepine, antipsychotic or gastric acid suppressant as an outpatient when these medications were first started during the hospital stay. The clinical outcome was a return to hospital within 90 days of discharge with a fall or fracture among patients who received a new benzodiazepine or antipsychotic during their hospital stay. We used segmented linear regression for the analysis. RESULTS: We identified 15 932 patients with a total of 18 405 hospital discharge episodes. Before the implementation of the electronic medication reconciliation system, 16.3% of patients received a prescription for a benzodiazepine, antipsychotic or gastric acid suppressant after their hospital stay. After implementation, there was a significant and immediate 7.0% absolute decline in this proportion (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.5% to 9.5%). Before implementation, 4.1% of discharged patients who newly received a benzodiazepine or antipsychotic returned to hospital with a fracture or fall within 90 days. After implementation, there was a significant and immediate 2.3% absolute decline in this outcome (95% CI 0.3% to 4.3%). INTERPRETATION: Implementation of an electronic medication reconciliation system in 3 tertiary care hospitals reduced potentially inappropriate medication use and associated adverse events when patients transitioned back to the community. Enhanced electronic medication reconciliation systems may allow other hospitals to improve patient safety.

AHA/ACC vs ESC Guidelines for Management of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: JACC Guideline Comparison.

The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology published practice guidelines for the management of adult congenital heart disease in 2018 and the European Society of Cardiology published analogous guidelines in 2020. Although there are broad areas of consensus between the 2 documents, there are important differences that impact patient management. This review discusses key areas of agreement and disagreement between the 2 guidelines, with discussion of possible reasons for disagreement and potential implications.

Targeting Higher Intraoperative Blood Pressures Does Not Reduce Adverse Cardiovascular Events Following Noncardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative arterial hypotension is strongly associated with postoperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE); however, whether targeting higher intraoperative mean arterial blood pressures (MAPs) may prevent adverse events remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether targeting higher intraoperative MAP lowers the incidence of postoperative MACE. METHODS: This single-center randomized controlled trial assigned adult patients at cardiovascular risk undergoing major noncardiac surgery to an intraoperative MAP target of ≥60 mm Hg (control) or ≥75 mm Hg (MAP ≥75). The primary outcome was acute myocardial injury on postoperative days 0-3 and/or 30-day MACE/acute kidney injury (AKI) (acute coronary syndrome, congestive heart failure, coronary revascularization, stroke, AKI, and all-cause mortality). The secondary outcome was 1-year MACE. RESULTS: In total, 458 patients were randomized (intention-to-treat population: 451). The cumulative intraoperative duration with MAP <65 mm Hg was significantly shorter in the MAP ≥75 group (median 9 minutes [interquartile range: 3 to 24 minutes] vs 23 minutes [interquartile range: 8-49 minutes]; P < 0.001). The primary outcome incidence was 48% for MAP ≥75 and 52% for control (risk difference -4.2%; 95% CI: -13% to +5%), the primary contributor being AKI (incidence 44%). Acute myocardial injury occurred in 15% (MAP ≥75) and 19% (control) of patients. The secondary outcome incidence was 17% for MAP ≥75 and 15% for control (risk difference +2.7; 95% CI: -4% to +9.5%). CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not support universally targeting higher intraoperative blood pressures to reduce postoperative complications. Despite a 60% reduction in hypotensive time with MAP <65 mm Hg, no significant reductions in acute myocardial injury or 30-day MACE/AKI could be found. (Biomarkers, Blood Pressure, BIS: Risk Stratification/Management of Patients at Cardiac Risk in Major Noncardiac Surgery [BBB]; NCT02533128).

Care management in a French cohort with Down syndrome from the AnDDI-Rares/CNSA study.

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder. In individuals with DS, a multidisciplinary approach to care is required to prevent multiple medical complications. The aim of this study was to describe the rehabilitation, medical care, and educational and social support provided to school-aged French DS patients with varying neuropsychological profiles. A mixed study was conducted. Quantitative data were obtained from a French multicentre study that included patients aged 4-20 years with diverse genetic syndromes. Qualitative data were collected by semi-structured face-to-face interviews and focus groups. Ninety-five DS subjects with a mean age of 10.9 years were included. Sixty-six per cent had a moderate intellectual disability (ID) and 18.9% had a severe ID. Medical supervision was generally multidisciplinary but access to medical specialists was often difficult. In terms of education, 94% of children under the age of six were in typical classes. After the age of 15, 75% were in medico-social institutions. Analysis of multidisciplinary rehabilitation conducted in the public and private sectors revealed failure to access physiotherapy, psychomotor therapy and occupational therapy, but not speech therapy. The main barrier encountered by patients was the difficulty accessing appropriate facilities due to a lack of space and long waiting lists. In conclusion, children and adolescents with DS generally received appropriate care. Though the management of children with DS has been improved considerably, access to health facilities remains inadequate.

Improving clinical documentation of evaluation and management care and patient acuity improves reimbursement as well as quality metrics.

OBJECTIVE: Accurate documentation of patient care and acuity is essential to determine appropriate reimbursement as well as accuracy of key publicly reported quality metrics. We sought to investigate the impact of standardized note templates by inpatient advanced practice providers (APPs) on evaluation and management (E/M) charge capture, including outside of the global surgical package (GSP), and quality metrics including case mix index (CMI) and mortality index (MI). We hypothesized this clinical documentation initiative as well as improved coding of E/M services would result in increased reimbursement and quality metrics. METHODS: A documentation and coding initiative on the heart and vascular service line was initiated in 2016 with focus on improving inpatient E/M capture by APPs outside the GSP. Comprehensive training sessions and standardized documentation templates were created and implemented in the electronic medical record. Subsequent hospital care E/M (current procedural terminology codes 99231, 99232, 99233) from the years 2015 to 2017 were audited and analyzed for charge capture rates, collections, work relative value units (wRVUs), and billing complexity. Data were compared over time by standardizing CMS values and reimbursement rates. In addition, overall CMI and MI were calculated each year. RESULTS: One year following the documentation initiative, E/M charges on the vascular surgery service line increased by 78.5% with a corresponding increase in APP charges from 0.4% of billable E/M services to 70.4% when compared with pre-initiative data. The charge capture of E/M services among all inpatients rose from 21.4% to 37.9%. Additionally, reimbursement from CMS increased by 65% as total work relative value units generated from E/M services rose by 78.4% (797 to 1422). The MI decreased over the study period by 25.4%. Additionally, there was a corresponding 5.6% increase in the cohort CMI. Distribution of E/M encounter charges did not vary significantly. Meanwhile, the prevalence of 14 clinical comorbidities in our cohort as well as length of stay (P = .88) remained non-statistically different throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate clinical documentation of E/M care and ultimately inpatient acuity is critical in determining quality metrics that serve as important measures of overall hospital quality for CMS value-based payments and rankings. A system-based documentation initiative and expanded role of inpatient APPs on vascular surgery teams significantly improved charge capture and reimbursement outside the GSP as well as CMI and MI in a consistently complex patient population.

Executive summary diagnosis and evaluation of hypersensitivity pneumonitis: CHEST guideline and expert panel report [Pré-print]

The purpose of this analysis is to provide evidence-based and consensus-derived guidance for clinicians to improve individual diagnostic decision-making for hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and decrease diagnostic practice variability. Approved panelists developed key questions regarding the diagnosis of HP using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome) format. MEDLINE (via PubMed) and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for relevant literature, which was supplemented by manual searches. References were screened for inclusion and vetted evaluation tools were used to assess the quality of included studies, to extract data, and to grade the level of evidence supporting each recommendation or statement. The quality of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach. Graded recommendations and ungraded consensus-based statements were drafted and voted on using a modified Delphi technique to achieve consensus. The systematic review of the literature based on 14 PICO questions resulted in 14 key action statements: 12 evidence-based, graded recommendations, and 2 ungraded consensus-based statements. All evidence was of very low quality. Diagnosis of HP should employ a patient-centered approach and include a multidisciplinary assessment that incorporates the environmental and occupational exposure history and CT pattern to establish diagnostic confidence prior to considering BAL and/or lung biopsy. Additional research is needed on the performance characteristics and generalizability of exposure assessment tools and traditional and new diagnostic tests in modifying clinical decision-making for HP, particularly among those with a provisional diagnosis.

Management of the major complications of cirrhosis: Beyond guidelines.

Along with a growing understanding of the pathophysiology of cirrhosis and its complications, new therapies and management strategies have emerged in recent years. Many of these advances have helped inform the current EASL clinical practice guidelines1 on the management of some of the key complications of cirrhosis, such as ascites, variceal bleeding and infection. However, there are still some aspects of management where the evidence base is less clear, and/or where opinions amongst practitioners remain divided. Some of these more controversial areas are explored in this section, wherein we present evidence culminating in a suggested management approach based on expert opinion and extending beyond the current guidelines.