{"title":"A 46-year-old woman presenting with anterior mediastinal mass and superior vena cava obstruction syndrome.","authors":"Soumi Chakraborty, Suranjan Mukherjee, Arighna Mukherjee, Mithun Chaudhuri","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0038-2024","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0038-2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Mucormycosis can rarely lead to an anterior mediastinal mass and a high index of suspicion is necessary so that intervention can be carried out at an early stage.</b> https://bit.ly/4aUuqvc.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11249840/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141626038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-07-16eCollection Date: 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0175-2023
Mark D J Neilly, Jennifer Pearson, Akari Win Thu, Carolyn MacRae, Kevin G Blyth
{"title":"Contemporary management of mesothelioma.","authors":"Mark D J Neilly, Jennifer Pearson, Akari Win Thu, Carolyn MacRae, Kevin G Blyth","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0175-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0175-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is an aggressive asbestos-associated thoracic malignancy with a median survival of 12-18 months. Due to continued asbestos use in many nations, global incidence is rising. Causes due to non-occupational, environmental exposure are also rising in many countries despite utilisation bans. For many years, platinum--pemetrexed chemotherapy was the solitary licensed therapy, but first-line combination immune checkpoint blockade has recently demonstrated improved outcomes, with both regimes tested in predominantly late-stage cohorts. In the second-line setting, single-agent nivolumab has been shown to extend survival and is now available for routine use in some regions, while second-line chemotherapy has no proven role and opportunities for clinical trials should be maximised in relapsed disease. Surgery for \"technically resectable\" disease has been offered for decades in many expert centres, but the recent results from the phase III MARS2 trial have challenged this approach. There remains no robustly proven standard of care for early-stage PM. The clinical trial landscape for PM is complex and increasingly diverse, making further development of specialist PM multidisciplinary teams an important priority in all countries. The observation of improving outcomes in centres that have adopted this service model emphasises the importance of high-quality diagnostics and equitable access to therapies and trials. Novel therapies targeting a range of aberrations are being evaluated; however, a better understanding of the molecular drivers and their associated vulnerabilities is required to identify and prioritise treatment targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11250169/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141626039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-07-16eCollection Date: 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0036-2024
Richard Eddery, Lucy Searle, Mubashar Iqbal, Victoria Athey
{"title":"Pleural effusion in a patient with previous alcohol excess.","authors":"Richard Eddery, Lucy Searle, Mubashar Iqbal, Victoria Athey","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0036-2024","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0036-2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Pleural amylase and/or lipase should be analysed in cases of pleural effusion in patients with pancreatic disease or a history of excess alcohol consumption.</b> https://bit.ly/3Rk5UfO.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11250176/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141629697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-06-11eCollection Date: 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0347-2023
Antarpreet Kaur, Jean Bourbeau, Lisa Brighton, Bartolome Celli, Rebecca Crouch, Heleen Demeyer, Daniel A Gerardi, Hideki Katsura, Paula Meek, Mike Morgan, Mara Paneroni, Sally Singh, Michael K Stickland
{"title":"Increasing exercise capacity and physical activity in the COPD patient.","authors":"Antarpreet Kaur, Jean Bourbeau, Lisa Brighton, Bartolome Celli, Rebecca Crouch, Heleen Demeyer, Daniel A Gerardi, Hideki Katsura, Paula Meek, Mike Morgan, Mara Paneroni, Sally Singh, Michael K Stickland","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0347-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0347-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Higher levels of exercise capacity and physical activity are desired outcomes in the comprehensive management of the COPD patient. In addition, improvements in exercise capacity and physical activity are instrumental to optimising other important therapeutic goals, such as improved health status, reduced healthcare utilisation and increased survival. Four general approaches towards increasing exercise capacity and physical activity in individuals with COPD will be discussed in this review: 1) pharmacological intervention, especially the administration of long-acting bronchodilators; 2) pulmonary rehabilitation, including exercise training and collaborative self-management; 3) behavioural interventions; and 4) web-based interventions. These are by no means the only approaches, nor are they mutually exclusive: indeed, combining them, as necessary, to meet the needs of the individual respiratory patient may promote optimal outcomes, although further research is necessary in this area.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11167654/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141316743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-06-11eCollection Date: 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0180-2023
Clarice Y Tang, Bruce Bernstein, Felicity Blackstock, Astrid Blondeel, Andrea Gershon, Elena Gimeno-Santos, Rainer Gloeckl, Alda Marques, Martijn A Spruit, Chris Garvey, Mike Morgan, Linda Nici, Sally J Singh, Thierry Troosters
{"title":"Unravelling the complex interplay of factors behind exercise limitations and physical inactivity in COPD.","authors":"Clarice Y Tang, Bruce Bernstein, Felicity Blackstock, Astrid Blondeel, Andrea Gershon, Elena Gimeno-Santos, Rainer Gloeckl, Alda Marques, Martijn A Spruit, Chris Garvey, Mike Morgan, Linda Nici, Sally J Singh, Thierry Troosters","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0180-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0180-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exercise limitation and physical inactivity are known treatable traits for people with COPD. Maximising exercise capacity and keeping people physically active improves health status and survival rates among people with COPD. However, managing these two treatable traits can be extremely challenging for clinicians due to the complex intersectionality of factors influencing an individual's capacity, opportunity and motivation to engage in physical activity. This review presents the complex factors influencing exercise capacity (\"can do\"), levels of physical activity (\"do do\") and sedentary behaviours amongst people with COPD and provides practical recommendations on how clinicians can address some of these factors in practice. Most importantly, it highlights the importance of referring to pulmonary rehabilitation as a way to improve exercise capacity among people with COPD.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11167652/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141316744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-06-11eCollection Date: 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0179-2023
Anouk W Vaes, Chris Burtin, Richard Casaburi, Bartolome R Celli, Rachael A Evans, Suzanne C Lareau, Linda Nici, Carolyn L Rochester, Thierry Troosters
{"title":"Prevalence and prognostic importance of exercise limitation and physical inactivity in COPD.","authors":"Anouk W Vaes, Chris Burtin, Richard Casaburi, Bartolome R Celli, Rachael A Evans, Suzanne C Lareau, Linda Nici, Carolyn L Rochester, Thierry Troosters","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0179-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0179-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exercise limitation and physical inactivity are separate, but related constructs. Both are commonly present in individuals with COPD, contribute to disease burden over and above the respiratory impairments, and are independently predictive of adverse outcomes. Because of this, clinicians should consider assessing these variables in their patients with COPD. Field tests of exercise performance such as the 6-min walk test and the incremental and endurance shuttle walk tests require limited additional resources, and results correlate with negative outcomes. Laboratory measures of exercise performance using a treadmill or cycle ergometer assess exercise capacity, provide prognostic information and have the advantage of explaining physiological mechanisms (and their interactions) underpinning exercise limitation. Limitations in exercise capacity (<i>i.e.</i> \"cannot do\") and physical inactivity (<i>i.e.</i> \"do not do\") are both associated with mortality; exercise limitation appears to be the more important driver of this outcome.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11167648/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141319525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-06-11eCollection Date: 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0174-2023
Avinash Aujayeb, Philippe Astoul
{"title":"Use of medical thoracoscopy in managing pleural malignancy.","authors":"Avinash Aujayeb, Philippe Astoul","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0174-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0174-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Local anaesthetic \"medical\" thoracoscopy is an important tool for the diagnosis and management of a unilateral pleural effusion. It is performed under conscious sedation and has a high diagnostic yield. Clinical experience has demonstrated that thoracoscopy is a safe procedure. This article is an expert review of various aspects of the procedures from two experienced practitioners and we suggest areas for potential future research.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11167625/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141316785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-06-11eCollection Date: 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0272-2023
Roger Goldstein, José R Jardim, Linda Nici, Jonathan Raskin, Martijn A Spruit, Richard ZuWallack
{"title":"The importance of addressing physical activity and exercise intolerance in our patients with COPD.","authors":"Roger Goldstein, José R Jardim, Linda Nici, Jonathan Raskin, Martijn A Spruit, Richard ZuWallack","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0272-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0272-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Both increased physical activity and increased exercise capacity are desired outcomes in the treatment of individuals with COPD</b> https://bit.ly/4apLYzm.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11167653/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141319526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-03-01Epub Date: 2024-03-12DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0172-2023
Maged Hassan, Abdelfattah A Touman, Elżbieta M Grabczak, Søren H Skaarup, Katarzyna Faber, Kevin G Blyth, Svitlana Pochepnia
{"title":"Imaging of pleural disease.","authors":"Maged Hassan, Abdelfattah A Touman, Elżbieta M Grabczak, Søren H Skaarup, Katarzyna Faber, Kevin G Blyth, Svitlana Pochepnia","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0172-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0172-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The pleural space is a \"potential\" anatomical space which is formed of two layers: visceral and parietal. It normally contains a trace of fluid (∼10 mL in each hemithorax). Diseases of the pleura can manifest with thickening of the pleural membranes or by abnormal accumulation of air or liquid. Chest radiographs are often the first imaging tests to point to a pleural pathology. With the exception of pneumothorax, and due to the inherent limitations of chest radiographs, ultrasound and/or computed tomography are usually required to further characterise the pleural pathology and guide management. This review summarises the utility of different imaging tools in the management of pleural disease and discusses new and evolving tools in imaging of the pleura.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10928554/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140118836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BreathePub Date : 2024-03-01Epub Date: 2024-03-12DOI: 10.1183/20734735.0130-2023
Emanuele Muscogiuri, Walter De Wever, Deepa Gopalan
{"title":"Multimodality imaging of acute and chronic pulmonary thromboembolic disease.","authors":"Emanuele Muscogiuri, Walter De Wever, Deepa Gopalan","doi":"10.1183/20734735.0130-2023","DOIUrl":"10.1183/20734735.0130-2023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a pathological entity characterised by venous thromboembolism in the pulmonary arteries. It is a common entity in daily clinical practice and is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death. Correct diagnostic work-up is pivotal to ensure timely institution of appropriate therapy. This requires recognition of the characteristic imaging findings and awareness of the role and peculiarities of the different imaging techniques involved in the diagnostic and therapeutic process. This review aims to showcase the most commonly encountered imaging findings associated with pulmonary thromboembolism for each imaging modality, outline their advantages and disadvantages, and define the specific role of these techniques in the clinical setting. The latest innovations concerning the diagnostic work-up of PE will be also briefly discussed, yielding a perspective on the future developments and challenges that the radiologist will have to face in the coming years.</p>","PeriodicalId":9292,"journal":{"name":"Breathe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10928553/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140118837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}