Predictors of benefit following pulmonary rehabilitation for interstitial lung disease

SummaryBackgroundPulmonary rehabilitation improves functional capacity and symptoms in the interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), however there is marked variation in outcomes between individuals. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of the aetiology and severity of ILD on response to pulmonary rehabilitation.MethodsForty-four subjects with ILD, including 25 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), underwent eight weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation. Relationships between disease aetiology, markers of disease severity and response to pulmonary rehabilitation were assessed after eight weeks and six months, regardless of program completion.ResultsIn IPF, greater improvements in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) immediately following pulmonary rehabilitation were associated with larger forced vital capacity (r = 0.49, p = 0.01), less exercise-induced oxyhaemoglobin desaturation (rS = 0.43, p = 0.04) and lower right ventricular systolic pressure (r = −0.47, p = 0.1). In participants with other ILDs there was no relationship between change in 6MWD and baseline variables. Less exercise-induced oxyhaemoglobin desaturation at baseline independently predicted a larger improvement in 6MWD at six month follow-up. Fewer participants with IPF had clinically important reductions in dyspnoea at six months compared to those with other ILDs (25% vs 56%, p = 0.04). More severe dyspnoea at baseline and diagnosis other than IPF predicted greater improvement in dyspnoea at six months.ConclusionsPatients with IPF attain greater and more sustained benefits from pulmonary rehabilitation when disease is mild, whereas those with other ILDs achieve benefits regardless of disease severity. Early referral to pulmonary rehabilitation should be considered in IPF

Impaired chronotropic response to 6-min walk test and reduced survival in interstitial lung disease

SummaryBackgroundReduced chronotropic response to maximal exercise has been associated with poor survival in people without respiratory disease. The contribution of chronotropic response to exercise limitation and survival in interstitial lung disease (ILD) is not well defined. This study investigated the relationships between chronotropic response during 6-min walk test, exercise capacity and survival in ILD.MethodsEligible participants had ILD, were ambulant and free of heart failure and beta blocker therapy. Chronotropic response during the 6-min walk test was defined as peak heart rate (HR) minus resting HR. Survival was recorded at four years.ResultsSixty-two participants (40 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) were included, with mean (SD) TLCO 50(18)% predicted and 6-min walk distance (6MWD) 377 (127) metres. A smaller chronotropic response was associated with reduced 6MWD (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). Independent predictors of 6MWD were chronotropic response, peak oxygen uptake on cardiopulmonary exercise test; right ventricular systolic pressure on echocardiogram; and age. This model explained 83% of the variance in 6MWD, with 24% of the variance attributable to chronotropic response. A chronotropic response during 6-min walk test of less than 20 beats per minute was an independent predictor of death at four years (odds ratio 10.71, 95% confidence interval 2.67–42.94) in a model that also included oxygen desaturation and forced vital capacity.ConclusionsImpaired chronotropic response to 6-min walk test is associated with reduced 6MWD and reduced survival in ILD, independent of physical fitness and pulmonary hypertension. Investigation of the mechanisms underlying attenuated HR response to exercise in ILD is warranted

Feminism and a View of Conservative Gender Roles among Young Working Women in Malaysia

People are often influenced by norms and ideologies, including the concepts of feminism and conservative gender roles. With perceptions evolving constantly, we intend to investigate the subject of feminism and the view of young working women in Malaysia with regards to conservative gender roles. Studies on the subject have been scarce or minimal so far, hence understanding the general population’s perception will allow us to better measure public awareness on the topic of our research. The demographic of participants in this study specifically encompasses working women, between the ages of eighteen and forty years old. The participants were recruited through virtual mediums, namely WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram. They were then asked to participate in a semi-structured interview to aid in the collection of detailed data which was then analysed through the process of transcription and coding for recurring themes. The study suggests that young working women in Malaysia are more in tune with feminism than originally anticipated due to digital platforms. Among the inequalities faced in the workforce, the most cited are equal and fair pay. Family upbringing, tradition and culture were often cited as shaping the general evolution of gender roles. Research can be done on feminism, gender roles and their implications on the LGBT community as a whole

Evaluating residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer: diagnostic performance and outcomes using biparametric vs. multiparametric MRI

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) before radical cystectomy is standard of care in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Response assessment after NAC is important but suboptimal using CT. We assessed MRI without vs. with intravenous contrast (biparametric [BP] vs. multiparametric [MP]) for identifying residual disease on cystectomy and explored its prognostic role. METHODS Consecutive MIBC patients that underwent NAC, MRI, and cystectomy between January 2000-November 2022 were identified. Two radiologists reviewed BP-MRI (T2 + DWI) and MP-MRI (T2 + DWI + DCE) for residual tumor. Diagnostic performances were compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional-hazards models were used to evaluate association with disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS 61 patients (36 men and 25 women; median age 65 years, interquartile range 59-72) were included. After NAC, no residual disease was detected on pathology in 19 (31.1%) patients. BP-MRI was more accurate than MP-MRI for detecting residual disease after NAC: area under the curve = 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.62-0.85) vs. 0.58 (95% CI, 0.45-0.70; p = 0.043). Sensitivity were identical (65.1%; 95% CI, 49.1-79.0) but specificity was higher in BP-MRI compared with MP-MRI for determining residual disease: 77.8% (95% CI, 52.4-93.6) vs. 38.9% (95% CI, 17.3-64.3), respectively. Positive BP-MRI and residual disease on pathology were both associated with worse DFS: hazard ratio (HR) = 4.01 (95% CI, 1.70-9.46; p = 0.002) and HR = 5.13 (95% CI, 2.66-17.13; p = 0.008), respectively. Concordance between MRI and pathology results was significantly associated with DFS. Concordant positive (MRI+/pathology+) patients showed worse DFS than concordant negative (MRI-/pathology-) patients (HR = 8.75, 95% CI, 2.02-37.82; p = 0.004) and compared to the discordant group (MRI+/pathology- or MRI-/pathology+) with HR = 3.48 (95% CI, 1.39-8.71; p = 0.014). CONCLUSION BP-MRI was more accurate than MP-MRI for identifying residual disease after NAC. A negative BP-MRI was associated with better outcomes, providing complementary information to pathological assessment of cystectomy specimens

Giant Actinomyces brain abscess in an immunocompetent child: A management strategy

Background: Intraparenchymal brain abscess is a collection of microbes caused by inoculation through direct extension or hematogenous spread. Although rare, intraparenchymal abscesses are potentially fatal and can be detected when patients are symptomatic due to local mass effect on adjacent neural tissue. Brain abscess treatment includes medical management with appropriate antibiotics alone or medical management in combination with surgical debridement. Treatment strategies depend on the size and location of disease, as well as the virulence of the microorganism. Similar to medical management strategies, surgical strategies among providers are not uniform, with variation in approaches from complete extirpation of the abscess, including the abscess wall, to minimally invasive stereotactic needle aspiration. In particular, for children, there are no guidelines for therapy. Case description: We report a case of giant Actinomycosis right frontal brain abscess in an immunocompetent child without risk factors. A review of the literature for the treatment of brain abscess caused very rarely by Actinomyces in children is performed. Conclusion: Successful treatment of brain access depends on organism and location. The even more uncommon giant intraparenchymal abscesses can be managed with minimal access and prolonged antibiosis, especially when slow-growing organisms are identified. Long-term follow-up should be employed to mitigate missed late failures

Incidence and prognostic significance of hypoxemia in fibrotic interstitial lung disease: an international cohort study.

BACKGROUND Hypoxemia is a cardinal feature of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD). The incidence, progression, and prognostic significance of hypoxemia in patients with fibrotic ILD is currently unknown. RESEARCH QUESTION What are the epidemiology of hypoxemia and its additive prognostic value in current risk prediction model in fibrotic ILD? METHODS We identified 848 patients with fibrotic ILD (258 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)) in five prospective ILD registries from Australia, Canada, and Switzerland. Cumulative incidence of exertional and resting hypoxemia from the time of diagnosis was estimated at 1-year intervals in patients with baseline 6-minute walk tests, adjusted for competing risks of death and lung transplantation. Likelihood ratio tests were used to determine the prognostic significance of exertional and resting hypoxemia for 1-year mortality/transplantation when added to the ILD-GAP model. The cohort was divided into derivation and validation subsets to evaluate performance characteristics of the extended model (the "ILD-GAP-O2" model), which included oxygenation status as a predictor. RESULTS The 1-, 2-, and 5-year overall cumulative incidence was 6.1%, 17.3%, and 40.1% for exertional hypoxemia, and 2.4%, 5.6%, and 16.5% for resting hypoxemia, which were significantly higher in IPF patients compared to non-IPF patients (p<0.001 for both). Addition of exertional or resting hypoxemia to the ILD-GAP model improved 1-year mortality/transplantation prediction (p<0.001 for both). The ILD-GAP-O2 model had improved discrimination (C-index of 0.80 vs 0.75) and model fit (Akaike information criteria of 400 vs 422) in the validation cohort, with comparable calibration. INTERPRETATION IPF patients have higher cumulative incidence of exertional and resting hypoxemia than non-IPF patients. The extended ILD-GAP-O2 model provides additional risk stratification for 1-year prognosis in fibrotic ILD

Establishing a core outcome set for peritoneal dialysis : report of the SONG-PD (standardized outcomes in nephrology-peritoneal dialysis) consensus workshop

Outcomes reported in randomized controlled trials in peritoneal dialysis (PD) are diverse, are measured inconsistently, and may not be important to patients, families, and clinicians. The Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology-Peritoneal Dialysis (SONG-PD) initiative aims to establish a core outcome set for trials in PD based on the shared priorities of all stakeholders. We convened an international SONG-PD stakeholder consensus workshop in May 2018 in Vancouver, Canada. Nineteen patients/caregivers and 51 health professionals attended. Participants discussed core outcome domains and implementation in trials in PD. Four themes relating to the formation of core outcome domains were identified: life participation as a main goal of PD, impact of fatigue, empowerment for preparation and planning, and separation of contributing factors from core factors. Considerations for implementation were identified: standardizing patient-reported outcomes, requiring a validated and feasible measure, simplicity of binary outcomes, responsiveness to interventions, and using positive terminology. All stakeholders supported inclusion of PD-related infection, cardiovascular disease, mortality, technique survival, and life participation as the core outcome domains for PD