An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report 2015. Stem Cells and Cell Therapies in Lung Biology and Diseases

The University of Vermont College of Medicine, in collaboration with the NHLBI, Alpha-1 Foundation, American Thoracic Society, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, European Respiratory Society, International Society for Cellular Therapy, and the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, convened a workshop, "Stem Cells and Cell Therapies in Lung Biology and Lung Diseases," held July 27 to 30, 2015, at the University of Vermont. The conference objectives were to review the current understanding of the role of stem and progenitor cells in lung repair after injury and to review the current status of cell therapy and ex vivo bioengineering approaches for lung diseases. These are all rapidly expanding areas of study that both provide further insight into and challenge traditional views of mechanisms of lung repair after injury and pathogenesis of several lung diseases. The goals of the conference were to summarize the current state of the field, discuss and debate current controversies, and identify future research directions and opportunities for both basic and translational research in cell-based therapies for lung diseases. This 10th anniversary conference was a follow up to five previous biennial conferences held at the University of Vermont in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Each of those conferences, also sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, American Thoracic Society, and respiratory disease foundations, has been important in helping guide research and funding priorities. The major conference recommendations are summarized at the end of the report and highlight both the significant progress and major challenges in these rapidly progressing fields

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in elderly patients.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was performed on 28 elderly patients (mean age 82 years) who were dysphagic and intolerant of naso-gastric feeding. Twenty-six patients were recovering from a stroke; the interval between the onset of stroke and PEG averaged 63 days. The procedure was successful and well tolerated by all patients. Nineteen (68%) still had a functioning PEG a median of 14 weeks after placement. One patient whose swallowing recovered had the tube removed 6 months after its insertion. Seven patients (25%) subsequently died from their underlying disease, a mean of 92 days following PEG. There was one procedure-related death from peritonitis. PEG is a useful alternative to surgical gastrostomy in selected elderly patients with dysphagia who are intolerant of naso-gastric feeding