Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Lung Cancer: Future Directions and Challenges

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease of pulmonary scarring. New treatments slow disease progression and allow pulmonary fibrosis patients to live longer. Persistent pulmonary fibrosis increases a patient’s risk of developing lung cancer. Lung cancer in patients with IPF differs from cancers that develop in the non-fibrotic lung. Peripherally located adenocarcinoma is the most frequent cell type in smokers who develop lung cancer, while squamous cell carcinoma is the most frequent in pulmonary fibrosis. Increased fibroblast foci in IPF are associated with more aggressive cancer behaviour and shorter doubling times. Treatment of lung cancer in fibrosis is challenging because of the risk of inducing an exacerbation of fibrosis. In order to improve patient outcomes, modifications of current lung cancer screening guidelines in patients with pulmonary fibrosis will be necessary to avoid delays in treatment. 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) computed tomography (CT) imaging can help identify cancer earlier and more reliably than CT alone. Increased use of wedge resections, proton therapy and immunotherapy may increase survival by decreasing the risk of exacerbation, but further research will be necessary

Rare Occurrence of Prosthetic Knee Septic Arthritis Due to Streptococcus viridans in the Background of a Dental Procedure

The American Academy of Oral Medicine, American Dental Association (ADA), in conjunction with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, advises against the universal use of antimicrobial prophylaxis prior to dental procedures for the prevention of prosthetic joint infection (PJI). Here, we discuss the case of a patient with PJI in the background of periodontal scaling, which was done a week prior to presentation to the hospital. The PJI occurred with Streptococcus (S.) viridans, a rare organism for PJI but a common oral commensal. As the number of prosthetic joint surgeries are increasing and more data become available, prophylactic antibiotics might be considered to prevent PJI, especially in high-risk patients

Heart Failure and Cognitive Impairment: Clinical Relevance and Therapeutic Considerations

Heart failure (HF) is a devastating condition characterized by poor quality of life, numerous complications, high rate of readmission and increased mortality. HF is the most common cause of hospitalization in the United States especially among people over the age of 64 years. The number of people grappling with the ill effects of HF is on the rise as the number of people living to an old age is also on the increase. Several factors have been attributed to these high readmission and mortality rates among which are; poor adherence with therapy, inability to keep up with clinic appointments and even failure to recognize early symptoms of HF deterioration which may be a result of cognitive impairment. Therefore, this review seeks to compile the most recent information about the links between HF and dementia or cognitive impairment. We also assessed the prognostic consequences of cognitive impairment complicating HF, therapeutic strategies among patients with HF and focus on future areas of research that would reduce the prevalence of cognitive impairment, reduce its severity and also ameliorate the effect of cognitive impairment coexisting with HF