Premature, Opportune, and Delayed Weaning in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Call for Implementation of Weaning Protocols in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Objectives: Weaning protocols establish readiness-to-wean criteria to determine the opportune moment to conduct a spontaneous breathing trial. Weaning protocols have not been widely adopted or evaluated in ICUs in low- and middle-income countries. We sought to compare clinical outcomes between participants whose weaning trials were retrospectively determined to have been premature, opportune, or delayed based on when they met readiness-to-wean criteria.

Epidemiology and risk factors of asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap in low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO) represents the confluence of bronchial airway hyperreactivity and chronic airflow limitation and has been described as leading to worse lung function and quality of life than found with either singular disease process.

Objective: We aimed to describe the prevalence and risk factors for ACO among adults across 6 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: We compiled cross-sectional data for 11,923 participants aged 35 to 92 years from 4 population-based studies in 12 settings.

Validation of the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire in Uganda.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will soon be the third leading global cause of death and is increasing rapidly in low/middle-income countries. There is a need for local validation of the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), which can be used to identify those experiencing lifestyle impairment due to their breathing.

Methods: The SGRQ was professionally translated into Luganda and reviewed by our field staff and a local pulmonologist.

Asthma and Allergic Disorders in Uganda: A Population-Based Study Across Urban and Rural Settings.

Background: Allergic diseases are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, but few studies have characterized the burden among adults.

Objective: We conducted a study to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of allergic disorders in urban and rural Uganda.

Methods: We present a cross-sectional analysis of enrollment data from a population-based cohort study of adults aged ≥35 years in urban and rural Uganda.

Low cigarette smoking prevalence in peri-urban Peru: results from a population-based study of tobacco use by self-report and urine cotinine.

Background: A recent study found lower self-reported prevalence of tobacco smoking in a peri-urban area of Lima, Peru than previously reported in urban samples. These regions encompass substantial proportions of Peru's population - ones at greater risk of disease due to reduced healthcare access - but have been less often studied. We validate low smoking prevalence with urine cotinine and characterize chronic disease and lung function outcomes between non-, occasional, and daily smokers.