Efficacy of Anti - IL-5 (mepolizumab) Treatment of Nasal Symptoms in Patients with Severe Eosinophilic Asthma - Study design

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory condition that affects the nose and paranasal sinuses, characterised by nasal purulent discharge, nasal blockage and hyposmia, in combination with facial pain/pressure for at least 12 weeks. CRS can be classified as chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP). Asthma is a complex chronic inflammatory disorder that presents a lot of different phenotypes and endotypes. Eosinophilic asthma is a specific phenotype characterised by thickening of the basement membrane and good response to corticosteroid. IL-5 is the most important interleukin responsible for eosinophilic airway inflammation. Material and methods: Patients with severe eosinophilic asthma were enrolled into a study group for the administration of anti-IL-5 (Mepolizumab) for severe eosinophilic asthma in a single specialised pulmonary tertiary institution. All patients were evaluated of their nasal status by a rhinologist for nasal symptoms regarding EPOS criteria, comorbidities (smoking, family history of CRS, allergies, VAS scale of asthma state, gastroesophageal reflux disease) and completed the validated SNOT-22 questionnaire on the same day before the administration of the anti-IL-5. Two separate biopsies were taken from the uncinate process or middle concha or nasal polyps, one for histopathology, the other for immunology. All patients had computer tomography scan of the paranasal sinuses and blood specimens taken for eosinophilia in the peripheral blood. The histopathological disease was characterised by counting of the eosinophils in high power field (HPF). Positive results were regarded when the count was higher than 10 per HFP. The immunologic study was performed by the RNA-sequencing. Hypereosinophilia was defined by a percentage count higher than 4% with a corresponding count higher than 500 per cubic mm. Results: The study is still in progress, currently including 9 patients, 6 with CRS and 3 without. Preliminary results show no statistically significant differences between the groups. Unfortunately, the data about the postinterventional results of our patients is not available yet. Conclusion: Literature shows improvement in radiologic findings and quality of life markers with Mepolizumab use

Non-invasive ventilation in patients with an altered level of consciousness : a clinical review and practical insights

Non-invasive ventilation has gained an increasingly pivotal role in the treatment of acute hypoxemic and/or hypercapnic respiratory failure and offers multiple advantages over invasive mechanical ventilation. Some of these advantages include the preservation of airway defense mechanisms, a reduced need for sedation, and an avoidance of complications related to endotracheal intubation. Despite its advantages, non-invasive ventilation has some contraindications that include, among them, severe encephalopathy. In this review article, the rationale, evidence, and drawbacks of the use of noninvasive ventilation in the context of hypercapnic and non-hypercapnic patients with an altered level of consciousness are analyzed

Mnenje za spremljanje bolnikov po preboleli covidni pljučnici

Pljučnica je najpogostejši vzrok za težji potek okužbe z virusom SARS-CoV-2 in s hospitalizacijo. Potek covidne pljučnice je lahko različen; infiltrati, vidni na rentgenski sliki, se lahko resorbirajo spontano, včasih pa je potrebno zdravljenje s sistemskimi glukokortikoidi. Ob odpustu iz bolnišnice zdravljenje običajno še ni končano, zato je Združenje pulmologov Slovenije v želji po enotnem obravnavanju bolnikov s covidno pljučnico izdelalo mnenje za obravnavo in sledenje bolnikov po odpustu iz bolnišnice. Zavedamo se, da ob novi bolezni ne gre za dokončno mnenje, saj bodo nova spoznanja o covidni pljučnici zanesljivo zahtevala obnavljanje mnenj

Predlog za obravnavo bolnika z astmo na primarni in pulmološki specialistični ravni v Sloveniji

Z dokumentom želimo smernice, ki jih predlaga GINA, vključiti v slovenski prostor. Želimo, da bi dokument služil enotnemu in dogovorjenemu pristopu k obravnavi bolnikov z astmo na primarni in specialistični pulmološki ravni

Terminologija klinične prehrane: Prehranska obravnava – presejanje prehranske ogroženosti in prehranski pregled

Izhodišča: Pomembno vlogo pri prehranski obravnavi imata tako presejanje prehranske ogroženosti kot prehranski pregled, na podlagi katerega lahko postavimo diagnozo motnje prehranjenosti ali s prehranjenostjo povezane motnje. Ocena posameznikovega prehranskega stanja, ki jo pridobimo s prehransko obravnavo, je namreč ključna za načrtovanje učinkovite prehranske oskrbe. Za razvoj področja je pomembno, da so vsi termini, ki se uporabljajo pri kliničnem delu, usklajeni. Taki terminološki dokumenti v mednarodnem prostoru že obstajajo, smiselni pa so tudi za slovenščino in naše okolje. Metode: Prispevek temelji na eksplicitnem terminološkem dogovoru skupine 42 relevantnih slovenskih strokovnjakov iz 19 slovenskih ustanov. Osnova oblikovanja terminoloških smernic je terminološki dokument Evropskega združenja za klinično prehrano in presnovo, pri čemer so bili upoštevani tudi novejši izsledki klinične prehrane. Rezultati: Predstavljeni so slovenski termini in terminološke definicije s področja klinične prehrane. Opredeljeni so osnovni pojmi s področja prehranske obravnave, ki je praviloma del medicinske obravnave. Predstavljena sta pojma prehranska ogroženost in presejanje prehranske ogroženosti, ob čemer so navedeni tudi različni presejalni testi za presejanje prehranskih motenj in s prehranjenostjo povezanih stanj. Podrobno so opredeljeni tudi prehranski pregled in njegovi sestavni deli. Zaključki: Tako presejanje prehranske ogroženosti kot prehranski pregled sta bistvena za diagnostično obravnavo v okviru klinične prehrane, poenoteno razumevanje terminologije pa omogoča primerno prepoznavo patoloških stanj pri bolnikih in pripravo ustreznega načrta prehranskih ukrepov

Terminologija klinične prehrane: Motnje prehranjenosti in s prehranjenostjo povezana stanja

Izhodišča: Prehransko stanje posameznika uvrščamo med ključne dejavnike njegovega zdravja. Za učinkovito individualno in multidisciplinarno obravnavo stanj, povezanih s prehranskim stanjem posameznika, moramo dobro poznati terminologijo klinične prehrane. Ker je klinična prehrana kot medicinska stroka razvita tudi pri nas, v tujini pa so tovrstni terminološki dokumenti že na voljo, želimo tudi v Sloveniji na podlagi konsenza oblikovati enotno terminologijo. Metode: Prispevek je osnovan na podlagi eksplicitnega terminološkega dogovora. K sodelovanju smo povabili obsežno skupino relevantnih slovenskih strokovnjakov s kliničnih, predkliničnih in drugih področij, ki so povezana z dejavnostjo klinične prehrane v medicini, pri oblikovanju pa je sodeloval tudi terminolog s področja medicine. Kot izhodišče smo izbrali terminološke smernice Evropskega združenja za klinično prehrano in presnovo ter ob njih upoštevali najnovejša strokovna priporočila za posamezne pojme. Avtorji so bili v stiku prek osebnih srečanj in elektronske pošte. Pri končnem oblikovanju konsenza je sodelovalo 42 avtorjev iz 19 slovenskih ustanov. Rezultati: Predstavljamo temeljne pojme, terminološke definicije in pripadajoče slovenske termine s področja klinične prehrane. Opredelili smo osnovne motnje prehranjenosti – podhranjenost, prekomerno hranjenost, neravnovesje mikrohranil in sindrom ponovnega hranjenja. Poleg tega smo opredelili tudi s prehranjenostjo povezana stanja – sarkopenijo in krhkost. Osnovne pojme smo podprli s kliničnim kontekstom, v katerem nastopajo. Zaključki: Poenoteno razumevanje osnovnih patoloških stanj, ki jih obravnava klinična prehrana, je izhodišče za nadaljnji razvoj stroke, poleg tega pa je podlaga tudi za prehransko obravnavo in učinkovito prehransko oskrbo

Noninvasive ventilation : education and training. A narrative analysis and an international consensus document

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is an increasingly used method of respiratory support. The use of NIV is expanding over the time and if properly applied, it can save patients’ lives and improve long-term prognosis. However, both knowledge and skills of its proper use as life support are paramount. This systematic review aimed to assess the importance of NIV education and training. Literature search was conducted (MEDLINE: 1990 to June, 2018) to identify randomized controlled studies and systematic reviews with the results analyzed by a team of experts across the world through e-mail based communications. Clinical trials examining the impact of education and training in NIV as the primary objective was not found. A few studies with indirect evidence, a simulation-based training study, and narrative reviews were identified. Currently organized training in NIV is implemented only in a few developed countries. Due to a lack of high-grade experimental evidence, an international consensus on NIV education and training based on opinions from 64 experts across the twenty-one different countries of the world was formulated. Education and training have the potential to increase knowledge and skills of the clinical staff who deliver medical care using NIV. There is a genuine need to develop structured, organized NIV education and training programs, especially for the developing countries

Mortality, seasonal variation, and susceptibility to acute exacerbation of COPD in the pandemic year : a nationwide population study

Background: Previous studies have suggested that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was associated with a decreased rate of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced mortality, seasonality of, and susceptibility to AECOPD in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) population is scarce. Methods: We conducted a national population-based retrospective study using data from the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia from 2015 to February 2021, with 2015–2019 as the reference. We extracted patient and healthcare data for AECOPD, dividing AECOPD into severe, resulting in hospitalisation, and moderate, requiring outpatient care. The national COPD population was generated based on dispensed prescriptions of inhalation therapies, and moderate AECOPD events were analysed based on dispensed AECOPD medications. We extracted data on all-cause and non-COVID mortality. Results: The numbers of severe and moderate AECOPD were reduced by 48% and 34%, respectively, in 2020. In the pandemic year, the seasonality of AECOPD was reversed, with a 1.5-fold higher number of severe AECOPD in summer compared to winter. The proportion of frequent exacerbators (2 AECOPD hospitalisations per year) was reduced by 9% in 2020, with a 30% reduction in repeated severe AECOPD in frequent exacerbators and a 34% reduction in persistent frequent exacerbators (2 AECOPD hospitalisations per year for 2 consecutive years) from 2019. The risk of two or more moderate AECOPD decreased by 43% in 2020. In the multivariate model, pandemic year follow-up was the only independent factor associated with a decreased risk for severe AECOPD (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.7195% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61–0.84p < 0.0001). In 2020, non-COVID mortality decreased (−15%) and no excessive mortality was observed in the COPD population. Conclusion: In the pandemic year, we found decreased susceptibility to AECOPD across severity spectrum of COPD, reversed seasonal distribution of severe AECOPD and decreased non-COVID mortality in the COPD population