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Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2021 Jun 9;293:103714. Epub 2021 Jun 9.

International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada; Canadian Sport Institute - Pacific, Victoria, BC, V9E 2C5, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 1T3, Canada. Electronic address:

We compared cardiopulmonary responses to arm-ergometry in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (C-SCI) and able-bodied controls. We hypothesized that individuals with C-SCI would have higher respiratory frequency (f) but lower tidal volume (VT) at a given work rate and dynamically hyperinflate during exercise, whereas able-bodied individuals would not. Participants completed pulmonary function testing, an arm-ergometry test to exhaustion, and a sub-maximal exercise test consisting of four-minute stages at 20, 40, 60, and 80% peak work rate. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences Magee-Womens Research Institute University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Objective: Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe morbidity and mortality due to respiratory infections like SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) during pregnancy. Those with substance use disorders (SUD) may be especially vulnerable due to high rates of smoked tobacco, cannabis and methamphetamine use which adversely affect pulmonary function. However, little is known about differential effects of COVID-19 on pregnant women with and without SUD. Read More

Data Brief 2021 Aug 21;37:107168. Epub 2021 May 21.

Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, United States.

Therapeutic programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade enhances cell mediated anti-tumor immunity, but many patients do not respond, and a significant proportion develops inflammatory toxicities. To develop better therapeutics and to understand the signaling pathways downstream of PD-1 we performed phosphoproteomic interrogation of PD-1 to identify key mediators of PD-1 signaling. Hereby, supporting data of the research article "VRK2 inhibition synergizes with PD-1 blockade to improve cell responses" are presented. Read More

Eur Respir J 2021 Jun 10. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

Rationale: Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) experience impaired health related quality of life (HRQoL). Several tools have been developed to objectively assess HRQoL in this patient population, but none are in use in routine clinical practice.

Objectives: To develop a rapid, specific tool that can be used for patients with IPF during routine clinic visits. Read More

Thorax 2021 Jun 10. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Outcomes After Critical Illness and Surgery (OACIS) Group, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Background: Prior acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) trials have identified hypoinflammatory and hyperinflammatory subphenotypes, with distinct differences in short-term outcomes. It is unknown if such differences extend beyond 90 days or are associated with physical, mental health or cognitive outcomes.

Methods: 568 patients in the multicentre Statins for Acutely Injured Lungs from Sepsis trial of rosuvastatin versus placebo were included and assigned a subphenotype. Read More

J Asthma 2021 Jun 10:1-8. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Division of Allergy and Immunology, Albany Medical College, 176 Washington Avenue Extension, Suite 102, Albany, NY 12203.

. Standard spirograms are used in the respiratory disease management community to help diagnosis asthma and provide longitudinal information. Surprisingly, basic information obtained on the spirogram, beyond the FEV and change in FEV1 after bronchodilator is, however, underutilized. Read More

JCI Insight 2021 Jun 10. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States of America.

Introduction: Subjects recovering from COVID-19 frequently experience persistent respiratory ailments which are key elements of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC); however, little is known about the underlying biological factors that may direct lung recovery and the extent to which these are affected by COVID-19 severity.

Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of subjects with persistent symptoms after acute COVID-19, collecting clinical data, pulmonary function tests, and plasma samples used for multiplex profiling of inflammatory, metabolic, angiogenic, and fibrotic factors.

Results: Sixty-one subjects were enrolled across two academic medical centers at a median of 9 weeks (interquartile range 6-10) after COVID-19 illness: n=13 subjects (21%) mild/non-hospitalized, n=30 (49%) hospitalized/non-critical, and n=18 subjects (30%) hospitalized/intensive care ("ICU"). Read More

Pharm Biol 2021 Dec;59(1):696-703

Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

Context: COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that causes a severe infection in the respiratory system. L. (Ranunculaceae) is an annual flowering plant used traditionally as a natural food supplement and multipurpose medicinal agent. Read More

J Clin Immunol 2021 Jun 10. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Department of Respiratory and Intensive Care Medicine, Pulmonary Hypertension National Referral Center, Hôpital Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.

Purpose: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is known to cause infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune manifestations. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an unusual complication of CVID with largely unknown characteristics and mechanisms.

Methods: We report the clinical, functional, hemodynamics, radiologic and histologic characteristics, and outcomes of CVID-associated PH patients from the French PH Network. Read More

Clin Res Cardiol 2021 Jun 10. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Department of Cardiology, Kerckhoff-Klinik GmbH, Benekestr 2-8, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany.

Objective: We sought to explore whether classification of patients with heart failure and mid-range (HFmrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) according to their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) identifies differences in their exercise hemodynamic profile, and whether classification according to an index of right ventricular (RV) function improves differentiation.

Background: Patients with HFmrEF and HFpEF have hemodynamic compromise on exertion. The classification according to LVEF implies a key role of the left ventricle. Read More

Curr HIV Res 2021 Jun 6. Epub 2021 Jun 6.

Infectious Diseases Unit, General University Hospital of Alicante, Alicante, Spain.

Background: Although the association between HIV infection and airway obstruction is well known, its etiopathogenesis is not clear.

Objectives: Our aim was to analyze the association between biomarkers of systemic inflammation and bacterial translocation and pulmonary function tests in HIV-infected patients and compare the results between smokers and non-smokers.

Method: It was a cross-sectional, observational study. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2021 Jun 9;21(1):269. Epub 2021 Jun 9.

Department of Neonatology, Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 290 West Second Street, Shayan Road, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, China.

Background: To explore the clinical effect of early combined rehabilitation intervention on premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Methods: Premature infants with gestational ages less than 32 weeks or birth weights less than 1500 g were included in the present study.The participants were divided into the intervention group and control group. Read More

Endocrinol Metab (Seoul) 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.

Background: The occurrence of Graves' disease and Hashimoto thyroiditis after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) raised concerns that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may trigger thyroid autoimmunity. We aimed to address the current uncertainties regarding incident thyroid dysfunction and autoimmunity among COVID-19 survivors.

Methods: We included consecutive adult COVID-19 patients without known thyroid disorders, who were admitted to Queen Mary Hospital from July 21 to September 21, 2020 and had serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine (fT3), and anti-thyroid antibodies measured both on admission and at 3 months. Read More

Heart Lung 2021 Jun 6;50(5):714-719. Epub 2021 Jun 6.

Paulista Nursing School, Federal University of São Paulo. Electronic address:

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive, and disabling disease, however, there is little knowledge about impaired sexual function in this population.

Aim: To identify the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and the association between sexual dysfunction level and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with 71 women diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension without signs of clinical decompensation was carried out. Read More

J Spec Oper Med 2021 ;21(2):89-91

Fresh whole blood transfusion is advantageous when operating far-forward for both its availability and its physiological advantages over component therapy. However, the far-forward environment may place high physical performance demands on the donor immediately after donation. The aim of this paper was to briefly review the current literature on the effects of whole blood donation on a male donor's immediate physical performance after a standard donation volume of one unit (~450mL). Read More

Sci Rep 2021 06 8;11(1):12095. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

BioImaging Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.

The primary goal of this manuscript is to develop a computer assisted diagnostic (CAD) system to assess pulmonary function and risk of mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The CAD system processes chest X-ray data and provides accurate, objective imaging markers to assist in the determination of patients with a higher risk of death and thus are more likely to require mechanical ventilation and/or more intensive clinical care.To obtain an accurate stochastic model that has the ability to detect the severity of lung infection, we develop a second-order Markov-Gibbs random field (MGRF) invariant under rigid transformation (translation or rotation of the image) as well as scale (i. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021 Jun 5;220:112395. Epub 2021 Jun 5.

College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, Guangdong, PR China. Electronic address:

Copper (Cu), one of the heavy metals, is far beyond the carrying capacity of the environment with Cu mining, industrial wastewater discharging and the use of Cu-containing pesticides. Intaking excess Cu can cause toxic effects on liver, kidney, heart, but few studies report Cu toxicity on brain tissue. It is noteworthy that most toxicity tests are based on rodent models, but large mammals chosen as animal models has no reported. Read More

Front Pediatr 2021 19;9:674310. Epub 2021 May 19.

Department of Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is a rare respiratory disease. In recent years, the disease has been recognized and diagnosed increasingly in children. Pulmonary function is important for diagnosis, identifying the severity of the PIBO and monitoring progression. Read More

Front Pediatr 2021 21;9:673322. Epub 2021 May 21.

Pediatric Pulmonology Unit, 3rd Department of Pediatrics, Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

As the COVID-19 pandemic is still evolving, guidelines on pulmonary function testing that may dynamically adapt to sudden epidemiologic changes are required. This paper presents the recommendations of the Hellenic Pediatric Respiratory Society (HPRS) on pulmonary function testing in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 era. Following an extensive review of the relevant literature, we recommend that pulmonary function tests should be carried out after careful evaluation of the epidemiologic load, structured clinical screening of all candidates, and application of special protective measures to minimize the risk of viral cross infection. Read More

Cureus 2021 May 2;13(5):e14803. Epub 2021 May 2.

Laboratory of Cardio-Pulmonary Testing and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Respiratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, GRC.

Respiratory muscle strength (RMS) is associated with good functionality of the respiratory system. For the general population, it refers to the quality of life, and for the athletes, is related to greater performance. In this study, a comparison was made between two different portable devices, MicroRPM (CareFusion, Kent, United Kingdom) and AirOFit PRO™ (AirOFit, Copenhagen, Denmark), assessing the maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP). Read More

Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2021 28;16:1449-1459. Epub 2021 May 28.

Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.

Background And Objective: Luminal mucus plugging in small airways is associated with lung function decline and death of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, little attention has been paid to the possible role of mucus in large airways in acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between the luminal mucus score of large airways and other physiological parameters of severe AECOPD. Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2021 May;27(20):2576-2585

Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy.

Starting from December 2019 the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has extended in the entire world giving origin to a pandemic. Although the respiratory system is the main apparatus involved by the infection, several other organs may suffer coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related injuries. The human tissues expressing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are all possible targets of viral damage. Read More

J UOEH 2021 ;43(2):205-215

Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.

In this study, we compare the results of a cross-sectional survey and secular changes between toner-handling workers and non-toner-handling workers, focusing on blood tests, urinalysis, respiratory function tests, and chest imaging results as indices of health effects. Of 116 employees who participated in the survey conducted at an office equipment manufacturer in Japan, 65 male employees who could be followed up for 10 years were included in the analysis. Thirty-eight workers engaged in toner-handling operations were considered toner-handling workers, and 27 not engaged in these operations were considered non-toner-handling workers. Read More

Rev Mal Respir 2021 Jun 3. Epub 2021 Jun 3.

Service de pneumologie, faculté de médecine de Tunis, université Tunis El Manar, CHU la Rabta, rue Jbel Lakhdar La Rabta, LR18SP02, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.

Introduction: Undernutrition is a predictor of mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The objectives of our study were to assess nutritional intake in COPD and to study its relationship with disease severity.

Methods: A cross-sectional study that included 66 patients followed for COPD. Read More

J Echocardiogr 2021 Jun 5. Epub 2021 Jun 5.

Division of Laboratory Medicine, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.

Background: The 6-min walk test (6MWT) provides prognostic information for patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Parameter determined by Doppler echocardiography after the 6MWT (6 MW stress echocardiography) is shown to be a predictor of future development of pulmonary hypertension in patients with connective tissue disease. However, the clinical utility of 6 MW stress echocardiography in predicting cardiopulmonary events in patients with ILD remains unknown. Read More

Respiration 2021 Jun 4;100(8):826-841. Epub 2021 Jun 4.

Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Introduction: Emerging evidence suggests that long-term pulmonary symptoms and functional impairment occurs in a proportion of individuals following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although the proportion of affected patients remains to be determined, physicians are increasingly being confronted with patients reporting respiratory symptoms and impairment beyond the acute phase of COVID-19. In face of limited evidence, the Swiss Society for Pulmonology established a working group to address this area of unmet need and formulated diagnostic and treatment recommendations for the care of patients with pulmonary long COVID (LC). Read More

Clin Respir J 2021 Jun 4. Epub 2021 Jun 4.

Laboratorio de inmnunologia translacional, Departmento de Bioquimica Clinica e Inmunologia. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ranges from asymptomatic disease to respiratory failure and requires invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Data about the sequelae after infection are scarce. The study aims to describe the prevalence of symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and radiological changes after four months of follow-up. Read More

Cureus 2021 Apr 29;13(4):e14761. Epub 2021 Apr 29.

Internal Medicine, OMI Institute, Karachi, PAK.

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global threat to public health. The current study investigates alterations in the biological estimates concerning the severity, recovery, mortality, and assessment of treatment-based outcomes. Methods A case series of 165 COVID-19 patients admitted to OMI Institute (a tertiary care hospital) was conducted between May and August 2020. Read More

Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2021 Jun 1;292:103708. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie respiratoire expérimentale et clinique, Paris, France; APHP, Sorbonne Universié, Hôpitaux Pitié-Salpêtrière, Tenon et Saint-Antoine, Service d'Explorations Fonctionnelles de la Respiration, de l'Exercice et de la Dyspnée, France. Electronic address:

Clin Transl Sci 2021 Jun 3. Epub 2021 Jun 3.

Independent Advisor, present address Repertoire Immune Medicines, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Despite unprecedented achievements in vaccine development, COVID-19 is likely to continue to be a threat to humans. While our knowledge of the lung pathology continues to accumulate, the functional impact remains poorly understood. Cohort studies with longitudinal clinic and home-based monitoring of patients are needed. Read More