Anna Kitabjian

Strong relationships were observed between health-related quality-of-life scores and factors such as breathlessness, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and sleep in pulmonary hypertension.

The inclusion of residual volume-to-total lung capacity ratio may add another dimension to COPD not routinely captured by standard airflow indices that could be predictive of lower maximum exercise capacity.

Women with a diagnosis of asthma may have a higher risk for preterm birth, and their infants may have an increased risk for perinatal mortality, low birth weight, fetal growth restriction, and asphyxia.

A history of chronic inflammatory lung disease appears to increase the risk of developing non-small cell lung cancer.

Budesonide-formoterol as needed was not inferior compared with budesonide maintenance therapy in terms of severe asthma exacerbation rates, but may be inferior for controlling symptoms.

There was a 60% lower rate of severe asthma exacerbations in individuals treated with budesonide-formoterol compared with individuals treated with terbutaline as needed.

The pattern of laryngeal motor dysfunction and the prevalence and severity of laryngeal hypersensitivity in individuals with chronic cough were similar to that observed in individuals with vocal cord dysfunction and muscle tension dysphonia.

Poor subpleural perfusion in patients with nonoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension may predict balloon pulmonary angioplasty failure.

Nasal beclomethasone dipropionate was more effective in improving nasal patency and cytology as well as quality of life compared with cetirizine in children with perennial allergic rhinitis.

It may be more lung protective to use the lower of either measured or predicted body weight when targeting tidal volume for mechanically ventilated children.

The positive association between type 2 biomarkers and severe exacerbations in severe refractory asthma may not extend to mild to moderate asthma.

An indwelling pleural catheter and administration of talc may have a higher odds of achieving pleurodesis compared with an indwelling pleural catheter alone in individuals with malignant pleural effusions.

D-dimer test adjustment based on pretest probability results may be a safe option to reduce the need for imaging during evaluation for pulmonary embolism.

Copeptin may be useful for identifying normotensive patients with pulmonary embolism who have a higher risk for an adverse outcome.

Low-dose computed tomography may assist clinicians in modifying diagnosis of elderly patients who are admitted with suspected pneumonia.

Physician asthma care education Plus training resulted in improvements in provider confidence, perceived skill in communicating cross culturally, and short-term asthma-specific outcomes.

An asthma care program improved implementation of guidelines as well as provider documentation in 65 community centers in 4 states that serve patients with asthma.

Ischemic heart disease and kidney dysfunction were identified as 2 comorbidities that may affect outcomes in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

There were no observable differences in the incidence of any cardiovascular events across the smoking cessation treatment groups.

Readmission rates were highest during the first 72 hours after admission for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A childhood measles infection may increase the risk for post-bronchodilator airflow obstruction in middle-age adults via its interaction with asthma and smoking.

Researchers developed an algorithmic approach to diagnosing lung cavitary diseases.

Preterm-born children had significantly more frequent preschool wheeze compared with children born at term.

Large cavitary lung disease may increase cough frequency that lasts for a longer duration in individuals with tuberculosis.

In patients with persistent asthma, single maintenance and reliever therapy was associated with a lower risk for exacerbations compared with inhaled corticosteroids as controller therapy and short-acting beta-agonists as relief therapy.

The risk for death in patients with community-acquired pneumonia who were given mechanical ventilation does not seem to be affected by the presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Disease management added to recommended care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was not superior to recommended care alone.

Four different doses of glycopyrronium delivered via metered dose inhaler were compared for safety and efficacy in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Differences in serum inflammatory markers may exist between patients with community-acquired pneumonia who present within the first 48 hours of symptom onset vs those who present later.

Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension may be better identified through a claims-based algorithm that includes ICD-9-CM codes, specific pulmonary arterial hypertension medications, echocardiography, and right heart catheterization.