Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer care and patient health in a German lung cancer center: results from a cross-sectional questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global COVID-19 pandemic, leading to worldwide changes in public health measures. In addition to changes in the public sector (lockdowns, contact restrictions), hospitals modified care to minimize risk of infection and to mobilize resources for COVID-19 patients. Our study aimed to assess the impact of these measures on access to care and behaviour of patients with thoracic malignancies. METHODS: Thoracic oncology patients were surveyed in October 2020 using paper-based questionnaires to assess access to ambulatory care services and tumor-directed therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, behaviour regarding social distancing and wearing of face masks were assessed, as well as COVID-19 exposure, testing and vaccination. Results are presented as absolute and relative frequencies for categorical variables and means with standard deviation for numerical variables. We used t-test, and ANOVA to compare differences in metric variables and Chi2-test to compare proportions between groups. RESULTS: 93 of 245 (38%) patients surveyed completed the questionnaire. Respiration therapy and physical therapy were unavailable for 57% to 70% of patients during March/April. Appointments for tumor-directed therapy, tumor imaging, and follow-up care were postponed or cancelled for 18.9%, 13.6%, and 14.8% of patients, respectively. Patients reported their general health as mostly unaffected. The majority of patients surveyed did not report reducing their contacts with family. The majority reduced contact with friends. Most patients wore community masks, although a significant proportion reported respiratory difficulties during prolonged mask-wearing. 74 patients (80%) reported willingness to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: This survey provides insights into the patient experience during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Munich, Germany. Most patients reported no negative changes to cancer treatments or general health; however, allied health services were greatly impacted. Patients reported gaps in social distancing, but were prepared to wear community masks. The willingness to get vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 was high. This information is not only of high relevance to policy makers, but also to health care providers.

Respiratory and pharmacological management in severe acute bronchiolitis: Were clinical guidelines not written for critical care?

PURPOSE: The treatment applied for children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for severe acute bronchiolitis may differ from general recommendations. The first objective of our study was to describe the treatments offered to these children in a Spanish tertiary PICU. The second objective was to analyse the changes in management derived from the publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) bronchiolitis guideline in 2014. METHODS: This was a retrospective-prospective observational study conducted during two epidemic waves (2014-2015 and 2015-2016). The AAP guidelines were distributed and taught to PICU staff between both epidemic waves. RESULTS: A total of 138 children were enrolled (78 male). In the first period, 78 children were enrolled. The median age was 1.8 months (IQR 1.1-3.6). There were no differences between the management in the two periods, except for the use of high-flow oxygen therapy (HFOT); its use increased in the second period. Overall, 83% of patients received non-invasive ventilation or HFOT. Children older than 12 months received HFOT exclusively. In comparison, continuous positive airway pressure and bi-level positive airway pressure were used less during the period 2015-2016 (P=0.036). Regarding pharmacological therapy, 70% of patients received antibiotics, 23% steroids, 33% salbutamol, 31% adrenaline, and 7% hypertonic saline. The mortality rate was zero. CONCLUSIONS: Our PICU did not follow the AAP recommendations. There were no differences between the two periods, except in the use of HFOT. All children older than 12 months received HFOT exclusively. The rate of using invasive mechanical ventilation was also low.

How the COVID-19 infection tsunami revolutionized the work of respiratory physiotherapists: an experience from Northern Italy.

Due to COVID-19 outbreak, to lighten the burden of acute and critical care hospitals, some respiratory rehabilitation departments have been used to host patients with COVID-19 in the post-acute phase. This new and unexpected situation required a change of roles and scheduling of the rehabilitation teams. In this manuscript we describe the unexpected and urgent organizational change of the Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation (CPR) service during the COVID-19 emergency in a Northern Italian rehabilitation hospital, focusing on the Respiratory Physiotherapists' (RPTs) role. A quick three-days complete reorganization of the entire hospital was needed. A COVID-19 care team including a multidisciplinary panel of physicians, nurses, and RPTs was quickly performed to manage 90 beds for post acute patients with COVID-19. Within the team, the RPTs changed their shifts, so as to be available 16h per day, 7 days out of 7. Remodelled tasks in charge of RPTs were: oxygen therapy daily monitoring, non invasive ventilation (NIV) and continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) delivery, pronation and postural changes to improve oxygenation, reconditioning with leg/arm cranking and exercises, initial and final patients' functional assessment by short-physical performance battery (SPPB) and 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1-STS) to evaluate motor conditions and exercise-induced oxygen desaturation. Three "what-to-do" algorithms were developed to guide: i) oxygen de-escalation by reducing inhaled fraction of oxygen (FiO2); ii) oxygenation improvement through the use of Venturi mask; iii) reconditioning and physical activity. One-hundred seventy patients were treated in one month. As main topics, RPTs have been involved in oxygen therapy management in almost a third of the admitted patients, reconditioning exercises in 60% of the cases, and initial and final functional motor capacity assessment in all patients. Details of activities performed by the RPT in one typical working day are also shown. Our reorganization has exploited the professional skills and clinical expertise of the RPTs. This re-organization can provide practical insights to other facilities that are facing this crisis, and may be a starting point for implementing post-COVID-19 rehabilitation. Future studies will have to improve and review this organization.

Impact of the Revised NRP Meconium Aspiration Guidelines on Term Infant Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Seventh Edition changes on term infants born with meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF). STUDY DESIGN: We evaluated the effect of no longer routinely intubating nonvigorous term infants born with MSAF in 14 322 infants seen by the resuscitation team from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2017 in a large, urban, academic hospital. RESULTS: Delivery room intubations of term infants with MSAF fell from 19% to 3% after the change in guidelines (P = <.0001). The rate of all other delivery room intubations also decreased by 3%. After the implementation of the Seventh Edition guidelines, 1-minute Apgar scores were significantly more likely to be >3 (P = .009) and significantly less likely to be <7 (P = .011). The need for continued respiratory support after the first day of life also decreased. Admission rates to the NICU, length of stay, and the need for respiratory support on admission were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Seventh Edition recommendations against routine suctioning nonvigorous infants born with MSAF was temporally associated with an improvement in 1-minute Apgar scores and decreased the need for respiratory support after the first day of life. There was also a significant decrease in total intubations performed in the delivery room. This has long-term implications on intubation experience among frontline providers.

Antibioticoterapia en la Neumonía Adquirida en la Comunidad / Antibiotic therapy in community acquired pneumonia

Resumen La neumonía es una infección a nivel del parénquima pulmonar, que puede categorizarse según el lugar de contagio como adquirida en la comunidad (NAC) o nosocomial, lo cual resulta muy importante tener presente al momento de definir el manejo. Para fines del presente artículo, se hace énfasis en la NAC de etiología bacteriana, enfatizando aquellas infecciones producidas por microorganismos como: Sreptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae y Legionella sp También se hace referencia a la presentación clínica y pruebas de gabinete existentes para facilitar el diagnóstico y valorar de forma objetiva la evolución del cuadro. Se menciona la utilidad de escalas como la PSI, CURB65, SMART-COP, SCAP, entre otras, para determinar si el manejo más oportuno de la NAC es a nivel ambulatorio o intrahospitalario y, en caso de ser este último, identificar si lo más recomendado es el seguimiento en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) o en salones de medicina interna. Con respecto al tratamiento, se exponen diversos esquemas de antibioticoterapia recomendados para el manejo de NAC a nivel ambulatorio, intrahospitalario y en unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI), tales como el uso de penicilinas, inhibidores de betalactamasas, quinolonas, cefalosporinas, macrólidos, entre otros. A su vez, se mencionan los criterios que definen los tiempos de duración de los esquemas antibióticos y las recomendaciones del National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) para la educación del paciente con NAC por parte del médico tratante.

Abstract: Pneumonia is an infection located in lung parenchyma that can be classified according to the place of acquisition into Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) or Hospital and Healthcare-Acquired Pneumonia, which is of major importance to define the physician management. In this article the main idea to present the bacterial CAP giving special importance to those caused by Sreptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae y Legionella sp. In addition, the following article approaches the clinical presentation and diverse laboratory tests to complement an accurate diagnosis and the evolution of the disease. The scores PSI, CURB65, SMART-COP and SCAP can be a very useful tool to help the physician determine if the patient needs to be hospitalized in an internal medicine service, intensive care unit or if the case can be handled as an outpatient. The antibiotics are keystone to treat the pneumonia, and different therapies designed to manage CAP in outpatients and inpatients are explained, such as amoxicillin, amoxixillin/clavulanate, azithromycin, cefdinir, moxifloxacin among others; as well as the criteria to determine the optimal duration of the treatment. As an addition the recommendations given by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are provided to the physicians as a tool to improve patient's education and optimize the initial approach and management.

Triple inhaled therapy in COPD patients: determinants of prescription in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence and determinants of the triple inhaled therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) primary care patients. METHODS: Data derived from the Health Search Database (HSD) gathering information on 700 Italian general practitioners. A cohort of COPD patients, prescribed for the first time with inhaled treatments, was followed-up between January 2002 and December 2014. The outcome was the first incident prescription of a triple inhaled therapy, namely the combination of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), long-acting beta agonists (LABA), and long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA). Cox regressions were used to test the association (hazard ratios, HR) between candidate determinants and the outcome. RESULTS: Out of 17589 patients (mean age 71.1 ±â€¯11.3 years; 37.4% females), 3693 (21%) were prescribed with a triple inhaled therapy during follow-up. Older age (HR = 1.79 to 2.61), current and former smoking habit (HR = 1.72 and 1.66), higher GOLD stage (HR = 1.45 to 2.79), the number of moderate and severe COPD exacerbations (HR = 1.10 to 2.63), and heart failure (HR = 1.17) resulted statistically significantly associated with an increased incident prescription of the triple inhaled therapy. Female sex (HR = 0.80) and some comorbidities (HR = 0.21 to 0.87) resulted negatively associated with the outcome. Furthermore, patients initially treated with LAMA (HR = 1.5) and LABA/ICS (HR = 1.23) were more likely to escalate to the triple therapy, than those on LABA. Conversely, patients initially treated with ICS presented a negative hazard (HR = 0.72). CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of demographic and clinical determinants of the escalation to the triple inhaled therapy in real-world COPD patients may help clinicians to better personalize respiratory pharmacological treatments of their patients, and inform international societies that issue clinical guidelines.

Reassessing a Respiratory Therapy Consult Service After 20 Years.

BACKGROUND: A respiratory therapy consult service (RTCS) may reduce misallocation of treatments. Misallocation consists of over-ordering (ie, therapy not indicated but ordered) or under-ordering (ie, therapy indicated but not ordered). The rate of agreement with RTCS-based orders is defined as the percentage of patients with no misallocation. This study was undertaken to compare current misallocation and agreement with historical benchmark rates at a hospital with an RTCS (ie, the Main Campus, or "on-MC") and 2 hospitals that did not have an RTCS (ie, off-Main Campus, or "off-MC"). METHODS: After approval by the institutional review board, data were collected during normal rounds. A respiratory therapist (RT) determined if the patient had an order for RTCS, what their treatments were, and whether treatment indications were present. RTCS treatments included aerosol therapy, bronchopulmonary hygiene, re-inflation, supplemental oxygen, oxygen monitoring, and suctioning. Agreement and misallocation were compared with chi-square or z-tests with P < .05 indicating significance. RESULTS: The agreement rate for the RTCS on-MC was less than the benchmark rate established 20 years ago (63% vs 86%, P = .004), ascribed to misallocation of a single therapy, bronchopulmonary hygiene. The agreement rate with the RTCS on-MC was higher than that with off-MC RTCS (63% vs 33%, P < .001). Non-RTCS-based orders on-MC also had higher rates of agreement than orders with off-MC RTCS. CONCLUSIONS: While the overall rate of agreement was lower with the RTCS currently than in the past, the decline seems solely attributable to a decline in the appropriateness of orders for bronchopulmonary hygiene. In addition, the rate of agreement for non-RTCS-based orders on-MC (71%), where the RTCS has been available for over 20 years, was higher than agreement rate for non-RTCS-based therapies off-MC (20%), where the RTCS has not yet been available. These findings suggest continued efficacy of the RTCS with the need for ongoing vigilance to assure optimal RTCS performance.

Clinical research as foundation for the advancement of respiratory physiotherapy.

Associazione Riabilitatori dell'Insufficienza Respiratoria (ARIR) is pleased to announce a new editorial project by joining the Monaldi Archives of Chest Disease journal.

Clinical Characteristics and Emergent Therapeutic Interventions in Patients Evaluated through the In-hospital Stroke Alert Protocol.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Emergent evaluation of inpatients with suspected acute ischemic stroke faces difficulty of symptoms recognition, false alarms, and high rate of contraindications to reperfusion therapies. We aim to assess the clinical characteristics and therapeutic interventions implemented in patients evaluated though the in-hospital Stroke Alert Protocol. METHODS: We analyzed 4 years-worth of Stroke Alert cases at a university hospital. Demographics, clinical presentation, final diagnosis, and acute interventions were compared between inpatients and those presenting to the emergency department. FINDINGS: A total of 1965 Stroke Alert cases were included: 959 (48.8%) were acute cerebrovascular events and 1006 (51.2%) were noncerebrovascular. Hospitalized patients accounted for 489 (24.9%) of Stroke Alerts and patients in the emergency department for 1476 (75.1%). Inpatients were more likely to present with nonfocal neurological deficits (46.2% versus 32.4%, P < .0001) and be diagnosed with noncerebrovascular disorders (62.4% versus 47.5%, P < .0001). Acute interventions other than thrombolysis were delivered in 77.1% of in-hospital cases. Compared to the emergency department, inpatients were more commonly managed with rectification of metabolic abnormalities (21.5% versus 13.7%, P < .001), suspension or pharmacological reversal of drugs (11% versus 3.7%, P < .001), and initiation of respiratory support (13.5% versus 9.3%, P = .01). Inpatients with acute ischemic stroke received intravenous thrombolysis less frequently (4.9% versus 23.9%, P < .001), but the endovascular treatment rate was comparable (9.8% versus 10.3%) to the emergency department. CONCLUSION: Nonfocal neurological deficits and noncerebrovascular disorders are commonly encountered during in-hospital Stroke Alerts. In the inpatient setting, intravenous thrombolysis is rarely delivered while other time-sensitive therapeutic interventions are frequently implemented.

Best supportive care for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: current gaps and future directions.

Best supportive care (BSC) is generally defined as all the interventions and the multiprofessional approach aimed to improve and optimise quality of life (QoL) in patients affected by progressive diseases. In this sense, it excludes and might be complementary to other interventions directly targeting the disease. BSC improves survival in patients with different types of cancer. Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) experience a vast range of symptoms during the natural history of the disease and might have a beneficial effect of BSC interventions. This review highlights the current evidence on interventions targeting QoL and gaps for the clinical assessment of BSC in the treatment of IPF patients. Very few interventions to improve QoL or improve symptom control are currently supported by well-designed studies. Sound methodology is paramount in evaluating BSC in IPF, as well as the use of validated tools to measure QoL and symptom control in this specific group of patients.

ARDS: challenges in patient care and frontiers in research.

This review discusses the clinical challenges associated with ventilatory support and pharmacological interventions in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In addition, it discusses current scientific challenges facing researchers when planning and performing trials of ventilatory support or pharmacological interventions in these patients.Noninvasive mechanical ventilation is used in some patients with ARDS. When intubated and mechanically ventilated, ARDS patients should be ventilated with low tidal volumes. A plateau pressure <30 cmH2O is recommended in all patients. It is suggested that a plateau pressure <15 cmH2O should be considered safe. Patient with moderate and severe ARDS should receive higher levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Rescue therapies include prone position and neuromuscular blocking agents. Extracorporeal support for decapneisation and oxygenation should only be considered when lung-protective ventilation is no longer possible, or in cases of refractory hypoxaemia, respectively. Tracheotomy is only recommended when prolonged mechanical ventilation is expected.Of all tested pharmacological interventions for ARDS, only treatment with steroids is considered to have benefit.Proper identification of phenotypes, known to respond differently to specific interventions, is increasingly considered important for clinical trials of interventions for ARDS. Such phenotypes could be defined based on clinical parameters, such as the arterial oxygen tension/inspiratory oxygen fraction ratio, but biological marker profiles could be more promising.

[How to become a Respiratory Therapist in Germany - Status quo and Development Prospects]. / Der Weg zum Atmungstherapeuten in Deutschland ­ Status quo und Entwicklungsperspektiven.

The profession respiratory therapist is well established in Germany 10 years after the introduction. 600 participants have successfully graduated from the training facilities.Our goals are high quality interprofessional teamwork and medical assistance inclusive delegation of formerly physician activities. The duties are comparable to the work pattern of Technical Assistants in surgery. For this profession different ways of qualification are possible: primary training, advanced training and academic studies Physician Assistance. The Geman Medical Association worked up standards for a delegation model to physician assistants and relief and assictance for physicians. These standards were finalised in 2017 during the 120th german physician convention. After this decision we can estimate that the number of physician assistants will be growing up. The german respiratory society can imagine physician assistants with special knowledge in respiratory care. But we are not sure wether our previous educational courses will be completely substituted by academic studies. Temporary there will coexist different educational concepts on different levels. In one german country it is also possible for nurses to pass federal certified advanced training in respiratory care. This is why it will be hard to make a choice on this matter in the future.

Cystic Fibrosis 2017-The Year in Review.

It is always an exciting challenge to write a Year in Review artcicle identifying the best publications in the preceding year; in this case from October 2016 until the AARC meeting in October 2017. This is particularly true for cystic fibrosis (CF), where there has been an explosion of new data, new medications, and new understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. PubMed lists more than 2,500 papers published during those 12 months, many of them outstanding. I am indebted to many colleagues and friends who are leaders in the CF community, active readers of the pediatric pulmonary listserv, and scientists and clinicians engaged in the care of CF, for offering their suggestions regarding which articles should be included in this review. I believe that you will enjoy reading this curated selection of manuscripts that I have tried to organize by theme.

Evaluating the Value of the Respiratory Therapist: Where Is the Evidence? Focus on the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Experience.

Currently, >20 million people in the United States have asthma, and approximately 15 million adults have been diagnosed with COPD, with approximately the same number not yet having been diagnosed with this condition. Moreover, the overall burden of respiratory diseases is still increasing, in part due to environmental factors, such as air pollution. At the same time, the number of patients requiring hospitalization as well as the number of individuals admitted to ICUs from emergency departments has been on the rise over the last decade. Because of the cost to the health-care system, the burden of respiratory diseases, hospitalizations, and ICU admissions also falls on society; it is paid for with tax dollars, higher health insurance rates, and lost productivity. Respiratory therapists (RTs) are in a unique position to influence health-care delivery in a number of settings that include acutely ill hospitalized patients and those with chronic conditions in ambulatory settings. Clinical studies have demonstrated the value of RTs in specific areas, including the performance of medical procedures, the development and implementation of protocols aimed at weaning patients from mechanical ventilation and providing lung-protective ventilation, optimal delivery of in-patient respiratory treatments, the application of disease management programs for COPD, and as part of rapid response teams. However, due to increasing scrutiny of health-care expenditures and limited resources, there is a growing need to document the impact of health-care providers in terms of clinical outcomes. As a profession, RTs should continue to describe the impact they have on patient outcomes and the value they bring to our health-care system. Promoting such investigative outcomes research, along with enhancing the professional aspects of the field of respiratory care, will ensure that the value of RTs does not go unappreciated.

Long-term management of patients with end-stage lung diseases.

Long-term management of end-stage lung disease differs from interstitial lung disease to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to cystic fibrosis to pulmonary vascular disease. The management includes pharmacological therapy that is disease specific such as antibiotic therapy for cystic fibrosis, antifibrotic drugs in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; long-acting beta-agonists, long-acting muscarinic antagonist, and inhaled corticosteroids in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and vasodilators in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Moreover, non-pharmacological therapy is essential in the treatment of these diseases, in particular, rehabilitation and supportive therapy, which are necessary in all end-stage lung diseases and specific intervention such as non-invasive ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis, surgical therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and airway clearance in cystic fibrosis. The goal is not only to prolong survival, but it is fundamental to keep patients in good general conditions for transplantation. Transplantation, indeed, remains the only therapeutic option that could prolong survival in patients with terminal lung disease when medical or surgical therapies are not available or not effective anymore.

COPD: Health Care Utilisation Patterns with Different Disease Management Interventions.

PURPOSE: The management of COPD is a significant and costly issue worldwide, with acute healthcare utilisation consisting of admissions and outpatient attendances being a major contributor to the cost. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) and integrated disease management (IDM) are often offered. Whilst there is strong evidence of physical and quality of life outcomes following IDM and PR, few studies have looked into healthcare utilisation. The aims of this study were to confirm whether IDM and PR reduce acute healthcare utilisation and to identify factors which contribute to acute health care utilisation or increased mortality. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with COPD who were referred to IDM over a 10-year period. Patients were also offered an 8-week PR program. Data collected were matched with the hospital dataset to obtain information on inpatient, ED and outpatient attendances. RESULTS: 517 patients were enrolled to IDM. 315 (61%) also commenced PR and 220 (43%) completed PR. Patients who were referred to PR were younger and had less comorbidities (p < 0.001). Both groups (IDM only and IDM + PR referred) had reductions in healthcare utilisation but the IDM-only group had greater reductions. A survival benefit (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50-0.92) was seen in those who were PR completers compared to patients who received IDM only. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COPD who successfully complete PR in addition to participating in IDM have improved survival. IDM alone was effective in the reduction of healthcare utilisation; however, the addition of PR did not reduce healthcare usage further.