Pulmonology
- Corticosteroids: Giving and taking away
Two articles this month highlight opposite ends of the treatment spectrum, one on introducing adjunctive corticosteroids when treating Pneumocystis pneumonia, and the other on syndromes associated with glucocorticoid withdrawal.
- When should I give corticosteroids to my patient with Pneumocystis pneumonia?
Patients with HIV infection who are hypoxemic should receive corticosteroids. Evidence for patients without HIV infection is limited.
- Why I, as a rheumatologist, am happy to make the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea
Why should a rheumatologist have special interest in this disorder? The answer lies in 2 major reasons patients are referred for a rheumatology consultation: fatigue and inflammation.
- Hey, Doc: Could the 2023–2024 cold and flu season finally be the calm after the storm?
The author answers questions patients may have about the currently available influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines.
- Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea: CPAP and beyond
Options include behavioral interventions, oral appliances, nasal expiratory positive airway pressure, negative pressure interventions, and surgical procedures. Certain drugs are also promising.
- COVID-19: A management update
The authors examine current guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the National Institutes of Health.
- Portopulmonary hypertension: A focused review for the internist
Key aspects of screening, diagnosis, and treatment, and a review of the various pulmonary hemodynamic patterns encountered in patients with liver disease.
- Unilateral green pleural effusion in a 22-year-old woman
Chills, night sweats, palpitations, and a 5-lb weight loss, preceded by 6 months of progressive dyspnea, fatigue, and reduced exercise tolerance. What is the diagnosis?
- Should urine antigen testing for Legionella pneumophila be ordered for all hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia?
Testing is recommended if the pneumonia is severe, if there has been recent travel, and if there is currently an outbreak of legionnaires disease.
- Measuring exhaled nitric oxide when diagnosing and managing asthma
The authors examine the role of this biomarker of airway inflammation and provide guidance for its appropriate use.