Should Peptest be routinely used in a cough clinic? The answer is yes, but only as part of more intricate workup in which discovering the nature of the reflux is as important as identifying its presence. https://bit.ly/3QkbChb.
Should Peptest be routinely used in a cough clinic? The answer is yes, but only as part of more intricate workup in which discovering the nature of the reflux is as important as identifying its presence. https://bit.ly/3QkbChb.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00821-2023.].
The implementation of exhaled nitric oxide fraction (F ENO) as a biomarker in patients with chronic cough requires sex-stratified F ENO reference values in general and sex-stratified cut-off levels in the management of unexplained chronic cough https://bit.ly/3JHi0vb.
A study extended the "can do, do do" concept in people with obstructive airways disease to demonstrate different clinical and movement behaviour characteristics based on quadrant classification, and proposed a treatable traits approach to management https://bit.ly/4cOGlN5.
Athletes with longer time to negative conversion for COVID-19 do not present reduction of exercise capacity. However, respiratory and ventilatory parameters are modified. https://bit.ly/3TMdrFL.
Introduction: Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are endogenous danger signals that alert and activate the immune system upon cellular damage or death. It has previously been shown that DAMP release is increased in patients with COPD, leading to higher levels in extracellular fluids such as serum. In the current study we investigated whether the serum levels of DAMPs were associated with survival rates in COPD patients.
Methods: A panel of seven DAMPs, consisting of HMGB1, fibrinogen, α-defensin, heat shock protein 70, S100A8, galectin-9 and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), was measured in serum of 949 severe COPD patients. Maximally selected rank statistics was used to define cut-off values and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the effect of high or low DAMP levels on 4-year survival. For DAMPs that were found to affect survival significantly, baseline characteristics were compared between the two DAMP groups.
Results: Out of the seven DAMPs, only dsDNA was significantly associated with 4-year survival. Patients with elevated serum level of dsDNA had higher 4-year mortality rates, lower FEV1 % predicted values and higher emphysema scores.
Discussion: In conclusion, in a clinical cohort of 949 patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, elevated serum levels of dsDNA were associated with a higher risk of death. This study further illustrates the potential role of circulating DAMPs, such as dsDNA, in the progression of COPD. Together, the results of this study suggest that levels of circulating dsDNA might serve as an additional prognostic biomarker for survival in COPD patients.
The first study to describe the harmful effects of snus on the unborn infant provides evidence to help clinicians and mothers collectively to make an informed choice about quitting the use of snus before planning pregnancies https://bit.ly/3vJnBxW.
Oscillometry presents four distinct advantages over spirometry https://bit.ly/49LNPyh.
Age, sex and BMI, as well as height, should be used in IOS reference equations https://bit.ly/3VMUMLz.
A rapid, quantitative serum S100A8/A9 (calprotectin) lateral flow test in combination with clinical status predicted outcomes in people hospitalised with COVID-19 and associated with a patient cluster driven by markers of neutrophil activation https://bit.ly/48e1BIv.