BACKGROUND The routine use of computed tomography and lung cancer screening has increased the incidence of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). Sampling may be needed for some nodules. Many new technologies are available to improve the diagnostic performance of bronchoscopy for the sampling of PPLs, but few comparative trials exist. The objective of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance

BACKGROUND Functional status and frailty are important considerations in lung transplant (LT) candidacy due to the potential impact on post LT outcomes. Once listed, waitlist duration can be unpredictable, and preservation of functional capacity is thus critical to prevent deterioration in conditioning. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has been deemed to be a cornerstone of management of chronic lung

BACKGROUND Becoming a clinician requires not only the accumulation of medical knowledge but also the development of a professional identity. The humanities may illuminate how professional and personal experiences shape identity, support meaning-making, and foster resilience through reflection and creative expression. RESEARCH QUESTION What transformative experiences disrupt the professional identity

Challenges facing health care professionals (HCPs) in selecting an inhaled medication-delivery system for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) include: 1. numerous maintenance medications and combinations; 2. at least 22 different handheld inhaler devices; 3. management recommendations focusing mainly on classes of medications; 4. lack of knowledge about available medications/combinations

BACKGROUND Airway inflammation is a hallmark feature of asthma characterized by elevated eosinophils and/or neutrophils. Eosinophils in sputum can contribute to ventilation defects. The functional consequence of other types of cellularity on ventilation is unknown. RESEARCH QUESTION What is the effect of different sputum cellular phenotypes on abnormal ventilation evaluated by 129Xe magnetic resonance

TOPIC IMPORTANCE Pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths in high-income countries. Maternal mortality from PE has been attributed to delayed recognition and investigations. The diagnosis of PE may be challenging, as its early signs and symptoms may overlap with physiologic changes of pregnancy. As such, promptly ruling out suspected PE using diagnostic testing

BACKGROUND Accurate risk prediction of exacerbations is pivotal in severe asthma management. Multiple risk factors are at play, but the pathway of risk prediction remains unclear. RESEARCH QUESTION How do the interplays of clinically relevant predictors lead to severe exacerbations in patients with severe asthma? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Severe asthma patients (N=6814, ≥18 years), biologic naïve, were

Right heart catheterization (RHC) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH). There are variations in practice and several pitfalls introducing errors in diagnosis that can significantly impact treatment. Errors in assessing the correct pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) can significantly affect accurate classification of patients with pulmonary hypertension, and lead

BACKGROUND Limited real-world data exist on the health impacts of the Philips Respironics recall for positive airway pressure (PAP) devices. RESEARCH QUESTION What is the relationship between PAP device manufacturer and obstructive lung disease (OLD) development and progression? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study using Ontario health administrative databases (Canada)

BACKGROUND Low spirometry testing rate for screening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is partly attributed to complex procedures, stringent quality control requirements, and long examination times. Simplifying the spirometry protocol may increase the feasibility of COPD screening in community settings. RESEARCH QUESTION Does the simplified spirometry protocol have high diagnostic accuracy

BACKGROUND Despite the significant health and economic burden associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among civilians, little is known about this burden among active-duty military personnel. RESEARCH QUESTION What is the health and utilization burden of OSA among active-duty service members in the United States? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Data were derived from the Military Data Repository (2016-2021)

BACKGROUND The high incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) continues to be a problem among extremely low-gestational-age neonates (ELGANs). Recent improvements in next-generation proteomics have provided opportunities to obtain new perspectives on the early detection of BPD. In this study, our main objectives were to study the proteomes of patients by collecting nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA)

BACKGROUND PRISm is regarded as a COPD precursor, but whether this varies by smoking status remains unclear. RESEARCH QUESTION Are annual lung function decline and the risk of developing airflow limitation different among PRISm subtypes by smoking status? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS 2850 participants from a 15-year population-based prospective cohort were included in this analysis. Participants were categorized

From screening to treatment, the continuum of lung cancer care suffers from unequal access and delivery, with more vulnerable patients less able to receive high-quality care. Despite great advances in lung cancer care (e.g., screening and nodule programs to identify early-stage disease and immune-mediated and targeted therapies for advanced-stage disease), disparities persist both in the United States

BACKGROUND Limited data exists to inform and appropriately counsel female lung transplant (LuT) recipients regarding post-transplant pregnancy. QUESTION What are the modifiable factors that impact pregnancy outcomes in female LuT recipients? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Retrospective observational analysis was performed on female LuT recipients who reported post-transplant pregnancies to the Transplant

BACKGROUND Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) often receive care from general pulmonologists, as geographic and financial barriers limit access to specialized care centers. However, graduating pulmonary fellows lack confidence in managing patients with ILD. Refining ILD education in pulmonary fellowship could address this gap, but what trainees must learn is not currently defined. RESEARCH

BACKGROUND With growing interest in a centralized approach to lung cancer screening (LCS), pooling current evidence to estimate its impact on annual adherence is essential for aligning practice with guideline recommendations. RESEARCH QUESTION Is participation in a centralized screening program associated with higher adherence rates compared to decentralized programs among individuals with negative

A 7-year-old girl was referred to our vascular anomaly center for further evaluation of multiple lung nodules. These nodules were incidentally detected on a CT scan during hospitalization for treatment of mycoplasma pneumonia at another hospital. The biopsy results suggested the possibility of vascular tumors. Physical examination revealed clear breath sounds without rales. Furthermore, no skin lesions

A 4-year-old girl with ring chromosome 14, epilepsy, global developmental delay, and failure to thrive presented for a preoperative assessment for gastrostomy tube (G-tube) insertion and was incidentally found to be hypoxemic, with saturations of 81% in room air. There was no history of fever or upper respiratory tract infection symptoms; however, her parents described a progressive history of choking

BACKGROUND It remains challenging to safely and reliably biopsy peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) is gaining adoption for navigation to PPLs. However, evidence from large studies remains limited. RESEARCH QUESTION What is the clinical safety, navigational success, and diagnostic yield of RAB for biopsy of PPLs in a broad range of patients in a real-world setting

Lung transplantation (LTx) remains the ultimate treatment for many patients with advanced lung disease. Although the age cutoffs for LTx have been debated due to variable outcomes, the number of LTx procedures performed on patients aged ≥ 65 years has significantly increased in recent decades, reflecting the realities of an aging demographic. This trend underscores the unique management challenges

BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent inflammation that is responsible for remodeling the bronchovascular bundles, which may lead to poor quality of life. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) textures of the lung can capture local disease patterns of inflammation and related respiratory morbidity. RESEARCH QUESTION Are bronchovascular bundle textures

Between 2020 and 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health and education. Many training institutions modified trainees’ rotations, decreasing outpatient clinics while increasing inpatient and ICU time. Understanding the pandemic’s impact on medical trainees’ cognitive performance is essential for informing strategies and supporting trainee well-being during crises.

Long-term real-world data on clinical remission in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) receiving biologics are lacking. We describe clinical remission over 2 years in patients with SEA receiving benralizumab.

BACKGROUND The bidirectional relationship between frailty and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is documented. However, longitudinal studies examining the combined effects of genetic predisposition and preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) on frailty in COPD development are lacking. RESEARCH QUESTION What is the association between physical frailty and the incidence and mortality of

OSA is a prevalent chronic condition linked to obesity that is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular and kidney disease. Although weight loss can improve OSA outcomes, additional effective therapeutic options are needed. Tirzepatide, a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has shown promise in promoting significant weight loss and

TOPIC IMPORTANCE Coronary artery calcification (CAC) can be a significant incidental finding on low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans performed for lung cancer screening (LCS). CAC presence and grade hold important diagnostic, and preventive value, particularly in patients without previously recognized coronary artery disease. This scoping review describes the prevalence of CAC as an incidental finding

Studies have reported estimates of the economic and health burden of COPD. They have been limited largely to current-day estimates or relatively short-term future projections.

The impact of obesity on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains largely underexplored, with excess weight potentially masking symptoms and affecting the reliability of current risk stratification tools.

Echocardiographic metrics of right ventricular (RV) chamber size and function enhance prognostication, risk stratification, and measurement of therapeutic response in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The most effective metrics remain unclear, however.

Lung involvement occurs in > 95% of sarcoidosis cases. The World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Organ Assessment Instrument does not assign the likelihood of lung involvement based on pulmonary function test (PFT) results. Clinical characteristics linked to normal and abnormal physiological pattern on PFTs in sarcoidosis are incompletely understood.

Among 1 billion patients worldwide with OSA, 90% remain undiagnosed. The main barrier to diagnosis is the overnight polysomnogram, which requires specialized equipment, skilled technicians, and inpatient beds available only in tertiary sleep centers. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled OSA detection using breathing sound recordings.