Clinical Features and Outcomes of Patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myositis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease in Rural Appalachia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of autoimmune disorders often complicated by interstitial lung disease (ILD). The clinical characteristics and outcomes of IIM-associated ILD have been reported variably, but the literature on rural populations is scarce. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at a rural tertiary academic medical center. Twenty-nine patients met the final inclusion criteria. The primary outcome was to assess the disease state and immunological and radiographic features of IIM-associated ILD. Secondary outcomes included disease progression, ILD exacerbation, mortality rate, and factors associated with poor outcome. RESULTS: Dermatomyositis (n = 15, 51.72%) followed by polymyositis (n = 8, 27.58%) were predominant myopathies. The most common autoantibodies were anti-Jo1 antibodies (n = 11, 37.93%). Indeterminate usual interstitial pneumonitis (41.30%, n = 12) was the most common radiographic pattern followed by non-specific interstitial pneumonia (n = 5, 17.24%). ILD exacerbation (n = 14, 66.66%) and mortality rate (n = 6, 20.69%) were high. Albumin levels were significantly lower in patients who died. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical characteristics of patients with IIM-associated ILD in rural Appalachia exhibit notable distinctions, and outcomes are worse compared to other populations. Larger studies are needed to investigate other prognostics factors and longitudinal trends of clinical characteristics and outcomes of IIM-associated ILD in rural populations.

Climate Change for the Pulmonologist: A Focused Review.

Climate change adversely impacts global health. Increasingly, temperature variability, inclement weather, declining air quality, and growing food and clean water supply insecurities threaten human health. Earth's temperature is projected to increase up to 6.4 °C by the end of the 21st century, exacerbating the threat. Public and health care professionals, including pulmonologists, perceive the detrimental effects of climate change and air pollution and support efforts to mitigate its effects. In fact, evidence is strong that premature cardiopulmonary death is associated with air pollution exposure via inhalation through the respiratory system, which functions as a portal of entry. However, little guidance is available for pulmonologists in recognizing the effects of climate change and air pollution on the diverse range of pulmonary disorders. To educate and mitigate risk for patients competently, pulmonologists must be armed with evidence-based findings of the impact of climate change and air pollution on specific pulmonary diseases. Our goal is to provide pulmonologists with the background and tools to improve patients' health and to prevent adverse outcomes despite climate change-imposed threats. In this review, we detail current evidence of climate change and air pollution impact on a diverse range of pulmonary disorders. Knowledge enables a proactive and individualized approach toward prevention strategies for patients, rather than merely treating ailments reactively.

Effects of COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Intensive Care Unit Survivor Telemedicine Clinic on Patient Readmission, Pain Perception, and Self-Assessed Health Scores: Randomized, Prospective, Single-Center, Exploratory Study.

BACKGROUND: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) affects up to 50% of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, leading to long-term neurocognitive, psychosocial, and physical impairments. Approximately 80% of COVID-19 pneumonia ICU patients are at elevated risk for developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Survivors of COVID-19 ARDS are at high risk of unanticipated health care utilization postdischarge. This patient group commonly has increased readmission rates, long-term decreased mobility, and poorer outcomes. Most multidisciplinary post-ICU clinics for ICU survivors are in large urban academic medical centers providing in-person consultation. Data are lacking on the feasibility of providing telemedicine post-ICU care for COVID-19 ARDS survivors. OBJECTIVE: We explored the feasibility of instituting a COVID-19 ARDS ICU survivor telemedicine clinic and examined its effect on health care utilization post-hospital discharge. METHODS: This randomized, unblinded, single-center, parallel-group, exploratory study was conducted at a rural, academic medical center. Study group (SG) participants underwent a telemedicine visit within 14 days of discharge, during which a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), EuroQoL 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire, and vital signs logs were reviewed by an intensivist. Additional appointments were arranged as needed based on the outcome of this review and tests. The control group (CG) underwent a telemedicine visit within 6 weeks of discharge and completed the EQ-5D questionnaire; additional care was provided as needed based on findings in this telemedicine visit. RESULTS: Both SG (n=20) and CG (n=20) participants had similar baseline characteristics and dropout rate (10%). Among SG participants, 72% (13/18) agreed to pulmonary clinic follow-up, compared with 50% (9/18) of CG participants (P=.31). Unanticipated visits to the emergency department occurred for 11% (2/18) of the SG compared with 6% (1/18) of the CG (>.99). The rate of pain or discomfort was 67% (12/18) in the SG compared with 61% (11/18) in the CG (P=.72). The anxiety or depression rate was 72% (13/18) in the SG versus 61% (11/18; P=.59) in the CG. Participants' mean self-assessed health rating scores were 73.9 (SD 16.1) in the SG compared with 70.6 (SD 20.9) in the CG (P=.59). Both primary care physicians (PCPs) and participants in the SG perceived the telemedicine clinic as a favorable model for postdischarge critical illness follow-up in an open-ended questionnaire regarding care. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study found no statistically significant results in reducing health care utilization postdischarge and health-related quality of life. However, PCPs and patients perceived telemedicine as a feasible and favorable model for postdischarge care among COVID-19 ICU survivors to facilitate expedited subspecialty assessment, decrease unanticipated postdischarge health care utilization, and reduce PICS. Further investigation is warranted to determine the feasibility of incorporating telemedicine-based post-hospitalization follow-up for all medical ICU survivors that may show improvement in health care utilization in a larger population.

A Systematic Review of Echocardiographic Parameters for the Screening of Pulmonary Hypertension: What Are the Odds?

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an insidious disease that often presents in late stages due to nonspecific signs and symptoms. Right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold standard diagnostic test, and echocardiogram (ECHO) is the best screening tool. However, the strength of evidence and diagnostic utility of various echocardiographic parameters to screen for is not well elucidated. This systematic review (SR) is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Literature searches was performed for the period of January 1, 2016, to June 1, 2021, on seven databases. We included full-text studies with adult patients that used RHC for comparison and provided sensitivity and specificity results. Likelihood ratios (LRs) and diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) were calculated. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for the Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. We identified 102 studies, but only 14 satisfied our inclusion criteria. The most significant parameters identified for PH screening based on LRs are, in descending order, tricuspid regurgitation gradient peak >36mmHg, systolic pulmonary artery pressure >41mmHg, and tricuspid regurgitation velocity >2.9 m/s. There is strong correlation between LR and DOR for these parameters. This SR indicates the superiority of some ECHO parameters over others to aid in the screening and severity assessment of PH. Variables with low LR (-) ratios may help to prevent unnecessary invasive assessment for PH. Clinicians should utilize a multi-parameter approach when interpreting echocardiograms for PH assessment.

Correction: Physical examination in dyspnea.

On page 949 of the article, "Diagnostic value of the physical examination in patients with dyspnea" (Shellenberger RA, Balakrishnan B, Avula S, Ebel A, Shaik S. Cleve Clin J Med 2017; 84[12]:943-950), the terms "abdominojugular reflex" and "hepatojugular reflex" should have been "abdominojugular reflux" and "hepatojugular reflux." This error also occurred in Table 5 on that page.

Diagnostic value of the physical examination in patients with dyspnea.

We reviewed the evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of the physical examination in diagnosing pneumonia, pleural effusion, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and congestive heart failure in patients with dyspnea and found that the physical examination has reliable diagnostic accuracy for these common conditions.

Missed opportunity for anticoagulation in a patient with AL cardiac amyloidosis and rapidly progressive heart failure.

A previously healthy 65-year-old woman presented with progressive symptoms of heart failure. Low-voltage ECG and findings on echocardiography were concerning for infiltrative cardiomyopathy. Cardiac MRI showed biventricular late gadolinium enhancement, and endomyocardial biopsy confirmed monoclonal immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Bortezomib-based chemotherapy was initiated, but the patient continued to clinically deteriorate. She required hospital readmission after resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest attributed to progressive conduction disease, and a permanent pacemaker was implanted. Chest CT angiography showed a small subsegmental pulmonary embolism (PE), but anticoagulation was withheld as her lower extremity Doppler was negative. One month later, another pulseless electrical arrest occurred, due to massive PE. Thereafter, she had refractory class IV congestive heart failure with severe right ventricular dysfunction, and was deemed unsuitable for stem-cell or heart transplantation. This case highlights the predilection for thromboembolism in AL cardiac amyloidosis.

An Unusual Clinical Presentation of Gastrointestinal Metastasis From Invasive Lobular Carcinoma of Breast.

Introduction. We present an unusual case of metastatic lobular breast carcinoma. Typical areas of metastasis include bone, gynecological organs, peritoneum, retroperitoneum, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract, in order of frequency. With regard to GI metastasis, extrahepatic represents a rare site. Case. Two years after being diagnosed with invasive lobular breast carcinoma, a 61-year-old female complained of 3 months of nonspecific abdominal pain and diarrhea. A colonoscopy revealed 5 tubular adenomatous polyps in the ascending and transverse colon. Contrast computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis was done 7 months after the colonoscopy to further evaluate persistent diarrhea. The CT results were consistent with infectious or inflammatory enterocolitis. Despite conservative management, symptoms failed to improve and a repeat diagnostic colonoscopy was obtained. Random colonic biopsies revealed metastatic high-grade adenocarcinoma of the colon. Discussion. Metastatic lobular breast carcinoma to the GI tract can distort initial interpretation of endoscopic evaluation with lesions mimicking inflammation. The interval between discovery of GI metastasis and diagnosis of lobular breast cancer can vary widely from synchronous to 30 years; however, progression is most often much sooner. Nonspecific symptoms and subtle appearance of metastatic lesions may confound the diagnosis. A high index of suspicion is needed for possible metastatic spread to the GI tract in patients with a history of invasive lobular breast carcinoma. Perhaps, patients with nonspecific GI symptoms should have an endoscopic examination with multiple random biopsies as invasive lobular carcinoma typically mimics macroscopic changes consistent with colitis.