Feasibility of a home-designed respiratory rehabilitation program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: According to international guidelines, respiratory rehabilitation (RR) for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a cornerstone of standard non-pharmacological treatment. AIMS: To evaluate feasibility of a home-designed RR program and analyze its medium-term impact on respiratory parameters and quality of life. METHODS: This was a prospective study involving 74 COPD patients enrolled in January 2019 and put on inhaled bronchodilator treatment associated with RR at home following a written protocol, for 16 weeks. The comparative statistical analysis highlights the difference before and after RR in terms of clinical and functional respiratory parameters as well as in terms of quality of life (assessed on the short form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire). The comparison involves RR-adherent patients versus non-adherent patients. RESULTS: Mean age was 66.7 ± 8.3 years with a median of 67 years. All patients were smokers, out of which 42 patients (57%) did not quit yet. Forty-one percent of patients were frequent exacerbators. The average COPD assessment test (CAT) score in our patients was 23. The average 6-minutes walk distance (MWD) was 304 m. The BODE index in our patients was 4.11 on average. The RR program was followed by 36 patients (48%). Thirty patients (40%) applied it at least twice a week. RR-adherent patients had an average CAT score decreasing from 23 to 14.5 (P = 0.011). Their average 6-MWD was 444.6 m by the end of the study, which would be 64.2% of the calculated theoretical value. The average FEV1 increase after RR was 283 mL. The majority (69%) of RR-adherent patients were ranked as quartile 1; BODE index ≤2. The average scores of physical, psycho-social, and general dimensions assessed on the SF-36 questionnaire improved in RR-adherent patients. CONCLUSIONS: RR is a key non-pharmacological treatment for COPD. Its interest originates from its multidisciplinary nature, hence its effectiveness in several respiratory parameters. Our study reflects the feasibility of home-designed protocols in the absence of contraindications. We highlight also the positive impact on quality of life after RR at home.

[Bronchiectasis associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: clinical and evolutionary profile]. / Dilatations des bronches associées à la broncho pneumopathie chronique obstructive: profil clinique et évolutif.

INTRODUCTION: in recent years, the combination of bronchiectases (BRs) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been described as a potential new phenotype of COPD due to its clinical features and different prognosis. The purpose of this study was to analyse the clinical profile and paraclinical features of COPD in patients with BRs and to determine the impact of BRs on disease progression. METHODS: we conducted a retrospective study of 100 patients diagnosed with COPD and treated in the Department of Pneumology 4 at the Abderrahmane Mami Hospital between 2014 and 2018. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1: patients with COPD associated with BRs (n=50) and group 2: patients with COPD without BRs (n=50). Both groups were matched based on their epidemiological characteristics. RESULTS: all patients were male, with an average age of 65,9 years. Patients with COPD associated with BRs had a higher rate of ischemic heart disease (p=0.037), more severe breathlessness assessed using the modified Medical Resaerch Council (mMRC≥2) (p=0.02), more severe bronchial obstruction (p=0.005) and a higher prevalence of acute exacerbations (p<0.001) and hospitalizations (p=0.004). In a multivariate study, independent factors associated with BRs were severe bronchial obstruction (OR=9.16), frequent exacerbator phenotype (≥2 exacerbations per year) (OR=1.91) and isolation of germs by cytobacteriological examination of sputum (OR=4.99). CONCLUSION: COPD associated with BRs could thus be a phenotype distinct from COPD and correlated with a more reserved prognosis.

About thymic carcinomas: challenges in diagnosis and management.

BACKGROUND: Thymic carcinomas are rare tumors with a challenging diagnosis. Our aim was to report our 17-year experience of these tumors and to highlight the challenges encountered and the main differential diagnoses ruled out. METHODS: We studied 12 (92%) men and 1 (7.7%) woman with a mean age of 37 years (range 15-60 years). All patients were symptomatic, with chest pain representing the most frequent symptom. Radiology revealed anterior mediastinal masses in all cases, with either infiltration of the adjacent organs or pulmonary parenchymal metastases. RESULTS: The diagnosis was made on surgical biopsies in 12 cases and a lymph node biopsy in one. Microscopic examination revealed squamous carcinoma in 3 cases, synovial sarcoma in 1, mucinous adenocarcinoma in 1, undifferentiated carcinoma in 2, clear cell carcinoma in 1, lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma in 2, atypical carcinoid tumor in 2, and sarcomatoid carcinoma in 1. Total surgical resection was possible in one patient after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Follow-up was possible in only 6 patients, and the mean survival reached 13 months. CONCLUSION: In spite of the lack of follow-up information, this study demonstrates the poor outcome associated with these tumors and the need for standardized treatment.

Vertebral tuberculosis revealed by thoracic manifestations. A study of five cases.

BACKGROUND: Spine is the most frequent location of bone tuberculosis, which can seldom be revealed by thoracic manifestations. METHODS: In a seven-years retrospective study, we reported radioclinical manifestations revealing Pott's disease, methods of diagnosis and the treatment outcome. RESULTS: Five non immunocompromised female patients were hospitalized between 1997 and 2003 in Clinical Department of Pulmonary Diseases in Abderrahmane Mami Hospital Ariana Tunisia, for thoracic manifestations that led to the diagnosis of Pott's disease, which represents 4.2% of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and 1.3% of all cases of tuberculosis cared for in the same period. The median age was 48.6 years. The disease was revealed by a paramediastinal radiographic shadow infiltrating the contiguous left lung in one case, abscesses of chest wall in two cases. Another patient was hospitalized for a tuberculous empyema. The last case had a diffuse miliary shadow in both lungs. All patients complained from thoracic or respiratory problems and constitutional symptoms, that evolved for an average of 5.6 months. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine identified monolevel spondylitis in two cases and multilevel disease in three cases. Diagnosis of tuberculous infection was confirmed in only one case by CT-guided biopsy of a perivertebral abscess, it was retained in three cases by bacteriological and or histopathological exams obtained from extra-vertebral lesions, and presumed in the fifth on a favorable treatment outcome. All patients had at least one extra-vertebral location of tuberculosis. Four patients were treated successfully with antituberculosis chemotherapy, prescribed for 18 to 22 months. Relapse occurred only in one patient, who received 12 months of treatment. CONCLUSION: Pott's disease can be observed in non immunocompromised patients. In the Lung Diseases Department, it is often revealed by thoracic manifestations and associated to pulmonary lesions, which makes the formal diagnosis easy. Here, vertebral tuberculosis does not have anatomical specificities; nevertheless, the multilevel forms are relatively frequent. It constitutes an index of bacillus dissemination, requiring the search for other extra-vertebral locations.