Investigation and management of pulmonary embolism 2: specific clinical conditions.

Pulmonary embolism remains a common and potentially deadly disease, despite advances in diagnostic imaging, treatment and prevention. Managing pulmonary embolism requires a multifactorial approach involving risk stratification, determining appropriate diagnostics and selecting individualised therapy. The first part of this article reviewed the pathophysiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic management and early outpatient management of pulmonary embolism. This second part summarises pulmonary embolism in the setting of pregnancy, COVID-19, recurrent disease and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Investigation and management of pulmonary embolism 1: a probability-based approach.

Pulmonary embolism remains a common and potentially deadly disease, despite advances in diagnostic imaging, treatment and prevention. Managing pulmonary embolism requires a multifactorial approach involving risk stratification, determining appropriate diagnostics and selecting individualised therapy. This article reviews the pathophysiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic management and early outpatient management of pulmonary embolism. The second part summarises pulmonary embolism in the setting of pregnancy, COVID-19, recurrent disease and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary Sequelae at 4 Months After COVID-19 Infection: A Single-Centre Experience of a COVID Follow-Up Service.

INTRODUCTION: At the end of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 78 million known survivors were recorded. The long-term pulmonary sequelae of COVID-19 remain unknown. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of a post-COVID follow-up service to estimate the burden of persistent pulmonary morbidity in hospitalised COVID survivors. RESULTS: A total of 221 patients were followed-up: 44 intensive care unit (ICU) and 177 ward patients. Further investigations were planned as per British Thoracic Society Guidelines: For all ICU patients (n = 44) and for 38 of 177 (21%) ward-based patients who had persistent symptoms and/or persistent radiographic changes on CXR at their initial 8-week follow-up visit. In the ward-based cohort, statistically significant associations with persistent symptoms were being an ex- or current smoker, having pre-existing diabetes, and having a longer length of stay. In patients requiring further investigations, pulmonary function tests (PFTs; n = 67) at an average of 15 weeks post-discharge showed abnormalities in at least one PFT parameter in 79% (equating to 24% of the entire cohort). The most common abnormality was an abnormal diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (TLCO), highest in the ICU cohort (64% ICU vs. 38% non-ICU). TLCO correlated negatively with length of stay and with maximum inspired FiO2 in the patient group as a whole. In ICU patients, TLCO correlated negatively with maximum inspired positive airway pressure. Computed tomography scans (n = 72) at an average of 18 weeks post-discharge showed evidence of persistent ground glass opacities in 44% and fibrosis in 21% (equating to 7% of the entire cohort). CONCLUSION: Our data add to the growing evidence that there will be pulmonary sequelae in a proportion of COVID survivors, providing some insight into what may become a significant chronic global health problem.

Rapidly non-ipf progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease: a phenotype with an ipf-like behavior.

BACKGROUND: A subgroup of patients with fibrotic ILD experience progression and several risk factors for ILD progression have been reported, such as male sex, older age, lower baseline pulmonary function, and a radiological or pathological pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia. OBJECTIVE: To describe a possible new phenotype of rapidly non IPF progressive fibrosing with an IPF-like outcome. METHODS: Three previously fit and well patients who developed a rapidly progressive ILD and died within 6 to 7 months from the initial development of respiratory symptoms. RESULTS: Unlike what is currently known, our patients developed a severe fibrosing ILD with an IPF-like outcome despite a) being younger than the average patient with IPF, b) having received a non-IPF MDT diagnosis, c) having a non-UIP pattern on HRCT. Moreover and similarly to IPF, they failed to respond to immunosuppressive treatment which is the preferred treatment option in these cases. CONCLUSION: We believe that patients who present with similar characteristics should be considered as likely to develop a phenotype of rapidly progressive ILD and be treated with antifibrotic medications instead of immunosuppressive ones according to the favourable treatment response to antifibrotic therapy observed in clinical trials of patients with progressive fibrosing ILDs. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2020; 37 (2): 231-233).