Identification of symptom clusters and change trajectories in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Aim and objectives: This study aimed to identify symptom cluster (SC) patterns and change trajectories in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), the correlation of the SCs with laboratory and imaging indicators, and the intrinsic association of the SCs with prognostic outcomes and disease burden. Method: Symptom information was collected using a digital evaluation scoring system at the time of admission, on the third day after admission, and upon discharge. Laboratory and imaging examination data were compiled simultaneously. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the AECOPD SCs. The number of factors (clusters) was determined by examining factors with eigenvalues ≥1.0, using 0.50 for factor loadings as the minimum cut-off value. Spearman's correlation analysis was used to explore the link between the SCs and laboratory and imaging indicators, as well as the relationship between the severity of the symptoms in different clusters, prognostic outcomes, and disease burden. Results: This study included 148 patients. Three SCs were identified: activity-nutrition SC, breath-sleep SC and respiratory SC. Correlation analysis indicated a connection between the activity-nutrition SC and the white blood cell count, and serum sodium and potassium levels, whereas the breath-sleep SC was correlated with white blood cells and eosinophil counts, serum potassium level, and pleural effusion. Additionally, the respiratory SC was associated with serum calcium and magnesium levels, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide, and C-reactive protein (CRP) level. There was a positive correlation between the activity-nutrition SC and hospitalization cost, as well as between the breath-sleep SC and both the hospitalization length and cost. Conclusion: Patients with AECOPD presented three SCs that affected the length and cost of hospitalization. Concurrently, the severity of the symptoms in the clusters was related to white blood cell and eosinophil counts; serum sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels; CRP level; the partial pressure of carbon dioxide; and pleural effusion, indicating that the symptoms in each clusters may share related physiological mechanisms. An in-depth exploration of the pathogenesis and intervention paths of health problems is of great significance for promoting precision nursing.

An investigation of the risk factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in natural population-based cohorts in China - a nested case-control study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become one of the most significant chronic diseases in China. According to conventional wisdom, smoking is the pathogenic factor. However, current research indicates that the pathophysiology of COPD may be associated with prior respiratory system events (e.g., childhood hospitalization for pneumonia, chronic bronchitis) and environmental exposure (e.g., dust from workplace, indoor combustion particles). Dyspnea, persistent wheezing, and other respiratory symptoms further point to the need for pulmonary function tests in this population. Reducing the burden of chronic diseases in China requires a thorough understanding of the various factors that influence the occurrence of COPD. Methods: Using a cohort from the natural population, this study used nested case-control analysis. We carried out a number of researches, including questionnaire surveys and pulmonary function testing, in the Northwest and Southeast cohorts of China between 2014 and 2021. After removing any variations in the baseline data between patients and control subjects using propensity score matching analysis, the risk factors were examined using univariate or multivariate regression. Result: It was discovered that prior history of chronic bronchitis, long-term wheezing symptoms, and environmental exposure-including smoking and biofuel combustion-were risk factors for COPD. Dyspnea, symptoms of mobility limitation, organic matter, and a history of hospitalization for pneumonia at an early age were not significant in the clinical model but their incidence in COPD group is higher than that in healthy population. Discussion: COPD screening effectiveness can be increased by looking for individuals with chronic respiratory symptoms. Smokers should give up as soon as they can, and families that have been exposed to biofuels for a long time should convert to clean energy or upgrade their ventilation. Individuals who have previously been diagnosed with emphysema and chronic bronchitis ought to be extra mindful of the prevention or advancement of COPD.

Isolation, identification and drug sensitivity analysis of Mycobacteroides abscessus in a hospital in Hainan Province from 2014 to 2021 / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To identify the species of Mycobacteroides abscessus complex (MABC) in patients with pulmonary infection from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, and to investigate the species types, drug sensitivity and population distribution of MABC in pulmonary infection in Hainan. Methods　Respiratory tract specimens were collected from suspected tuberculosis patients who visited the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University from January 2014 to December 2021 and cultured for Mycobacterium isolation. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) strains were preliminarily identified by p-nitrobenzoic acid/thiophen-2-carbohydrazide (PNB/TCH) medium and DNA microarray chip, and then MABC and its subspecies were identified by hsp65 and rpoB gene sequencing. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed by broth microdilution method. Results　A total of 3 025 respiratory specimens from suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients were collected during the study period. Among the 123 patients with identified MABC isolates, 124 MABC strains were isolated and identified, including 74 strains of Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. abscessus, 38 strains of Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. massiliense and 12 strains of Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. bolletii. Among them, 118 patients had single MABC subspecies infection, one patient had mixed infection with two MABC subspecies, two patients had mixed infection with MABC and other NTM, and two cases had mixed infection with MABC and M.tuberculosis. There were more female patients than male patients with a ratio of 1:0.64, and those aged 50 and above amounted to 76.42% (94/123, 95%CI: 67.93%-83.61%). There was no significant difference in age distribution between male and female patients (Z=-0.944, P=0.347). The drug susceptibility results showed that all MABC strains were sensitive to Tigecycline (TGC), with a resistance rate of 0.81% (1/124) to Amikacin (AK), and resistance rates of 6.45% (8/124), 32.26% (40/124), and 74.19% (92/124) to Cefoxitin (FOX), Linezolid (LZD), and Imipenem (IPM), respectively. For Clarithromycin (CLR), MABC showed induced resistance , and there was a statistically significant difference in the CLR (14D) resistance rates among the three subspecies (χ2=66.335, P<0.001). The resistance rates to Tobramycin (TOB), Doxycycline (DOX), Moxifloxacin (MFX), Ciprofoxacin (CIP), Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), and Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid (AMC) were high, all >80%. Conclusion　 In Hainan Province, pulmonary infections with MABC are mainly caused by Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. Abscessus, which show high rates of inducible resistance to CLR. Timely and accurate identification of MABC to subspecies and drug susceptibility testing are of significant important for clinical decision-making.