COPD as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease: A View from the SUMMIT

Although the importance of CVDs in COPD has been well established, COPD as a risk factor for CVDs is less well known. Not surprisingly, most major CVD consensus guidelines do not list COPD as an important risk factor for CVDs (5). Although some CVD risk prediction tools, such as QRISK (https://qrisk.org), include selected chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, COPD is not included (6). Although previous studies have shown that reduced lung function is associated with a future risk of CV events, including myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, and sudden death, even among lifetime nonsmokers, how (and why) this occurs is largely unknown (7). As described in this issue of the Journal, Kunisaki and colleagues (pp. 51–57) performed a secondary analysis of the SUMMIT (Study to Understand Mortality and Morbidity) trial to fill in some critical gaps in our knowledge regarding the relationship between COPD and CVDs (8). They showed that CVD events occurred mostly during periods of acute exacerbations (AECOPDs), with the highest risk occurring within the first 30 days after an AECOPD (relative risk, 3.8) and the risk returning to baseline levels at 1 year after the AECOPD. The risk was particularly notable when the presentation of the AECOPD event—a composite of the severity of the underlying COPD and the trigger—was severe enough to warrant a hospitalization. Remarkably, with these serious AECOPDs, the relative risk of a CV event was 10-fold higher in the first 30 days after hospitalization

COPD Exacerbations: A Patient and Physician's Perspective

This article, co-authored by a patient affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a respiratory specialist, discusses the patient’s experience of living with the disease and, in particular, the impact of COPD exacerbations on his life. The physician discusses the clinical approach to COPD exacerbations. Together, they provide a call to action to improve the management of COPD exacerbations

New developments in respiratory medicine: a primary immunodeficiency perspective

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To consider recent developments in respiratory medicine that are of relevance to clinicians caring for adults affected by primary immunodeficiency disorders. RECENT FINDINGS: We consider impulse oscillometry, new bronchoscopic techniques for sampling, MRI and PET, the concept of the human airway microbiome, and new treatment approaches for bronchiectasis and interstitial lung disease to better understand the future of respiratory care for people with PID. SUMMARY: New approaches to the diagnosis and management of respiratory manifestations of PID have been driven by better understanding of the lung in health and disease, progress in imaging and sampling modalities, and new therapeutics

Mapping Old St. Joseph, Its Railroads, and Environs

Many people have heard the story of the old city of St. Joseph, which existed between 1836 and 1844 in the area of the present city of Port St. Joe, on the Gulf of Mexico, a score of miles from the mouth of the Apalachicola River. The story of St. Joseph has been told in many places and in conflicting forms. Novels and scholarly articles have been written about the city and the story of the destruction by fever and flood of “the wickedest city in the South” has been told in many sermons. Much of this legend is false, belonging to folklore rather than history

Growth to early adulthood following extremely preterm birth: the EPICure study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate growth trajectories from age 2.5 to 19 years in individuals born before 26 weeks of gestation (extremely preterm; EP) compared with term-born controls. METHODS: Multilevel modelling of growth data from the EPICure study, a prospective 1995 birth cohort of 315 EP participants born in the UK and Ireland and 160 term-born controls recruited at school age. Height, weight, head circumference and body mass index (BMI) z-scores were derived from UK standards at ages 2.5, 6, 11 and 19 years. RESULTS: 129 (42%) EP children were assessed at 19 years. EP individuals were on average 4.0 cm shorter and 6.8 kg lighter with a 1.5 cm smaller head circumference relative to controls at 19 years. Relative to controls, EP participants grew faster in weight by 0.06 SD per year (95% CI 0.05 to 0.07), in head circumference by 0.04 SD (95% CI 0.03 to 0.05), but with no catch-up in height. For the EP group, because of weight catch-up between 6 and 19 years, BMI was significantly elevated at 19 years to +0.32 SD; 23.4% had BMI >25 kg/m2 and 6.3% >30 kg/m2 but these proportions were similar to those in control subjects. EP and control participants showed similar pubertal development in early adolescence, which was not associated with height at 19 years in either study group. Growth through childhood was related to birth characteristics and to neonatal feeding practices. CONCLUSIONS: EP participants remained shorter and lighter and had smaller head circumferences than reference data or controls in adulthood but had elevated BMI

Lung function, symptoms and inflammation during exacerbations of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: a prospective observational cohort study.

Exacerbations of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis cause significant morbidity but there are few detailed data on their clinical course and associated physiological changes. The biology of an exacerbation has not been previously described

Lung disease in primary antibody deficiency.

This Review summarises current knowledge on the pulmonary manifestations of primary antibody deficiency (PAD) syndromes in adults. We describe the major PAD syndromes, with a particular focus on common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Respiratory infection is a common presenting feature of PAD syndromes. Respiratory complications are frequent and responsible for much of the morbidity and mortality associated with these syndromes. Respiratory complications include acute infections, the sequelae of infection (eg, bronchiectasis), non-infectious immune-mediated manifestations (notably the development of granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease in CVID), and an increased risk of lymphoma. Although minor abnormalities are detectable in the lungs of most patients with CVID by CT scanning, not all patients develop lung complications. Mechanisms associated with the maintenance of lung health versus lung disease, and the development of bronchiectasis versus immune-mediated complications, are now being dissected. We review the investigation, treatment, and management strategies for PAD syndromes, and include key research questions relating to both infectious and non-infectious complications of PAD in the lung