Muscle Wasting and Treatment of Dyslipidemia in COPD: Implications for Patient Management.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a multifactorial condition associated with significant systemic complications such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic disorders, muscle wasting, and sarcopenia. While Body Mass Index (BMI) is a well-established indicator of obesity and has prognostic value in COPD, its role in predicting disease outcomes is complex. Muscle wasting is prevalent in COPD patients and exacerbates disease severity, contributing to poor physical performance, reduced quality of life, and increased mortality.

The association between muscle strength and z scores of pulmonary function.

Z scores and percent predicted values of spirometry parameters are widely used for the evaluation of pulmonary function and detection of respiratory diseases. Decreased pulmonary function should correlate with reduction of muscle strength although it is unclear whether z scores of respiratory parameters are associated with muscle strength. In a cohort of 398 adults, pulmonary function assessment and muscle strength measurement by handgrip strength and physical activity level were evaluated.

Non-invasive ventilation in COVID-19-related acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a narrative review.

The high mortality rate and extended ventilator use associated with invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with severe COVID-19 have sparked a debate about the use of non-invasive respiratory support, such as high-flow nasal cannula, continuous positive airway pressure, and non-invasive ventilation (NIV), as treatment options. According to the European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society clinical practice guidelines, NIV is recommended to prevent intubation in hypoxemic acute respiratory failure in patients with community-acquired pneumonia or early acute respiratory distress syndrome without major organ dysfunction. Central to this debate is the role of NIV in managing acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Mechanisms of Lung Cancer Development in Cystic Fibrosis Patients: The Role of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Lung Microbiome Dysbiosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, leading to defective ion transport and impaired function of various organs. Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and microbial dysbiosis are key pathological features of CF patients, contributing to disease progression, lung damage, and an increased susceptibility to infections. Emerging evidence suggests that in CF patients these factors can promote cancer development, especially lung cancer.

SpO/FiO Correlates with PaO/FiO (P/F) and Radiological Biomarkers of Severity: A Retrospective Study on COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients.

In patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, the estimation of PaO represents the method of choice for monitoring a patient's oxygenation status and assessing disease severity. The aim of this study is, therefore, to investigate the correlation between SpO/FiO and PaO/FiO, as well as radiological and laboratory biomarkers of severity. In this monocentric observational, analytical, retrospective large cohort study, consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of pneumonia from SARS-CoV-2, hospitalized at the Cotugno Hospital-AORN dei Colli-of Naples, between 1 September 2020 and 28 February 2022 were considered for study inclusion.

Exploring the role of serum adiponectin and its holigomerization in fibrotic interstitial lung diseases: results from a cross-sectional study.

Intestitial lung diseases (ILDs) include a group of inflammatory and fibrotic pulmonary disorders with different etiologies which in several patients might lead to a progressive reduction of respiratory capacities and chronic respiratory failure. Nowadays, biomarkers for predicting the ILD progression and response to therapies are lacking. Adiponectin, the most abundant peptide secreted by adipocytes, has emerged as a potential response biomarker in fibrotic progressive ILDs.

Ketoprofen Lysine Salt Versus Corticosteroids in Early Outpatient Management of Mild and Moderate COVID-19: A Retrospective Study.

Accelerating recovery and preventing the progression to more severe outcomes for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is of paramount importance. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) have been widely adopted in the international recommendations for non-severe COVID-19 management. Among NSAIDs, evidence about the efficacy of ketoprofen lysin salt (KLS) in the treatment of non-severe COVID-19 has not been reported.

Case report: Selpercatinib in the treatment of fusion-positive advanced lung adenocarcinoma: a challenging clinical case.

Background: Rearranged during transfection () fusions represent a distinct molecular subset of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with targeted therapeutic potential. Selpercatinib, a highly selective inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in various solid tumors harboring alterations. Here, we present a case highlighting the use and clinical outcomes of selpercatinib in a patient diagnosed with advanced lung adenocarcinoma harboring a fusion.

Molecular Diagnostic Yield and Safety Profile of Ultrasound-Guided Lung Biopsies: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The recent advances in precision oncology for lung cancer treatment has focused attention on the importance of obtaining appropriate specimens for tissue diagnosis as well as comprehensive molecular profiling. CT scan-guided biopsies and bronchoscopy are currently the main procedures employed for tissue sampling. However, growing evidence suggests that ultrasound-guided biopsies may represent an effective as well as safe approach in this diagnostic area.

High-Flow Nasal Cannula System in Respiratory Failure Associated with Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.

: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy has emerged as a promising treatment modality for interstitial lung disease (ILD)-related respiratory failure. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HFNC therapy in patients with ILDs. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using major electronic databases to identify relevant studies investigating the use of HFNC therapy in ILD patients with respiratory failure.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound Guided Percutaneous Pleural Needle Biopsy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

: Ultrasound (US) has been progressively spreading as the most useful technique for guiding biopsies and fine-needle aspirations that are performed percutaneously. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) represents the most common malignant pleural tumour. Thoracoscopy represents the gold standard for diagnosis, although conditions hampering such diagnostic approach often coexist.

Sirtuins and Cellular Senescence in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Systemic Autoimmune Disorders.

The sirtuin family is a heterogeneous group of proteins that play a critical role in many cellular activities. Several degenerative diseases have recently been linked to aberrant sirtuin expression and activity because of the involvement of sirtuins in maintaining cell longevity and their putative antiaging function. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and progressive pulmonary fibrosis associated with systemic autoimmune disorders are severe diseases characterized by premature and accelerated exhaustion and failure of alveolar type II cells combined with aberrant activation of fibroblast proliferative pathways leading to dramatic destruction of lung architecture.

Comorbidities in COPD: Current and Future Treatment Challenges.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous lung condition, primarily characterized by the presence of a limited airflow, due to abnormalities of the airways and/or alveoli, that often coexists with other chronic diseases such as lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders. Comorbidities are known to pose a challenge in the assessment and effective management of COPD and are also acknowledged to have an important health and economic burden. Local and systemic inflammation have been proposed as having a potential role in explaining the association between COPD and these comorbidities.

Current challenges and perspectives in lung cancer care during COVID-19 waves.

Purpose Of Review: In the era of the SARS-Cov2 pandemic, the multidisciplinary care of patients with lung cancer is the main challenge for clinicians. The depiction of complex networking between SARS-CoV2 and cancer cells is crucial to understanding the downstream signalling pathways leading to more severe clinical behaviour of COVID-19 among lung cancer patients.

Recent Findings: The immunosuppressive status caused by both blunted immune response and active anticancer treatments (e.

Complete response to pembrolizumab as a single agent in a patient with stage III NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression: a case report.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 75-80% of all lung cancer cases. Stage III NSCLC represents a highly heterogenous stage characterized by different disease presentations and a wide range of treatment options. For patients with good performance status and unresectable-stage III NSCLC with programmed death-ligands 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥1%, durvalumab consolidation immunotherapy after a platinum-based chemo-radiotherapy is strongly recommended.