83. RFJC 13 – ARDS Series – DEXA-ARDS

In the penultimate episode in our ARDS Rapid Fire Journal Club Summer Series we are talking about the DEXA-ARDS trial (published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine in 2020). This trial evaluated the impact of dexamethasone in the treatment of ARDS.

 

Article and Reference

Today we’re discussing the DEXA-ARDS trial published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine in 2020. This trial evaluated the impact of dexamethasone on mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation for patients with ARDS.

Villar J, Ferrando C, Martínez D, Ambrós A, Muñoz T, Soler JA, Aguilar G, Alba F, González-Higueras E, Conesa LA, Martín-Rodríguez C, Díaz-Domínguez FJ, Serna-Grande P, Rivas R, Ferreres J, Belda J, Capilla L, Tallet A, Añón JM, Fernández RL, González-Martín JM; dexamethasone in ARDS network. Dexamethasone treatment for the acute respiratory distress syndrome: a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Mar;8(3):267-276. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30417-5. Epub 2020 Feb 7. PMID: 32043986.

 

Infographic

 

Article Notes

  • DEXA-ARDS; Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 2020
    • DOI:10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30417-5
    • Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/s2213-2600(19)30417-5
    • Background: ARDS is an intense inflammatory process without proven, specific pharmacotherapies. Previous work and a recent meta-analysis demonstrated improvements in inflammation, gas exchange, and ventilator and ICU liberation but did not adequately address mortality.
    • Study Design (design, primary outcome, participants, etc)
      • Design: investigator-initiated, multicenter, unblinded, randomized controlled trial in 17 academic ICUs in Spain, conducted from 3/2013 to 12/2018
      • Primary Outcome
        • VFD at 28d
        • Secondary:
          • 60d mortality
          • Actual duration of ventilation in ICU survivors
          • ICU acquired infections
      • Participants
        • Inclusion ARDS with P/F < 200 for < 24hr on LTVV
        • Exclusion:
          • Already receiving steroids or immunosuppression
          • CHF
          • Severe COPD
          • DNR
        • Summary: Middle aged, mostly male patients with < 24hr of moderate to severe ARDS receiving LPV without chronic heart or lung disease
          • Like many ARDS trials, just over 3/4 of patients’ ARDS was caused by PNA or sepsis. Mean P/F was ~140
    • Intervention/Limitations
      • N = 277, stratified by center and then randomized
      • Intervention: dexamethasone 20mg qd for 5d followed by 10mg qd for 5d
        • Stopped early for extubation before day 10
        • First dose given no more than 30 hours after P/F < 200
      • Control: no placebo, just SOC
      • All patients received LTVV
    • Outcomes/Safety
      • Power: with N = 314 (actual N = 277), 80% power to detect 2 additional VFD and 15% mortality reduction
        • As an aside, this seems to be a theme in ICU trials: massively ambitious proposed benefits during power calculations and then under-enrolling for that power calculation ultimately resulting with a point estimate that favors the intervention but is not statistically significant.
      • Efficacy:
        • 60d mortality: 21% vs 36%, P = 0.0047
          • NNT of just < 7!
        • VFD at 28d: 12.3 vs 7.5, P < 0.0001
        • Actual duration of ventilation in ICU survivors: 14.2d vs 19.5d (P = 0.0009)
      • Safety:
        • Hyperglycemia: 76% vs 70%, P = 0.33
          • Always interesting in steroid trials when no change in glucose control is seen. This isn’t the most EBM thing I’ll ever say, but frankly I disregard this and assume steroids will cause hyperglycemia regardless of the trial results.
        • ICU acquired infections: 24% vs 25%, P = 0.75
    • Takeaway
      • In a narrowly selected population of patients without chronic heart or severe lung disease and with early, moderate ARDS (mostly from sepsis or pneumonia), dexamethasone reduced mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation.
        • If time, insert soap-box about etiology of ARDS being very important (EG, flu, fungal, parasitic, mycobacterial infections)

 

82. Fellows’ Case Files: UMass Chan

We have another great case in our Fellows’ Case Files coming today from UMass Chan. Listen in for a great discussion about a fascinating case with interesting physical exam and radiographic findings.

Dr. Jen Kodela completed her residency training at UMass Memorial Medical Center and is currently a third year PCCM fellow at UMass Chan.

Dr. Ariel McKenna completed her residency training at Maine Medical Center and is also currently a third year PCCM fellow at UMass Chan.

Dr. Will Wong is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and is the Program Director of the PCCM fellowship at UMass Chan

A 75 y/o F presenting with acute on chronic SOB, cough, L sided chest pain and rash. She has had ~7 months of progressive dyspnea, now a/w 2 months of productive cough, and several weeks of L sided chest pain and rash. She has been seen multiple times in the past two months for these sxs. During that time she received multiple antibiotic courses (urgent care, outpatient providers), including augmentin, azithromycin and levaquin, and asthma directed therapy (no steroids). Imaging throughout that time (CXRs, CTPE) show progression from a LLL infiltrate to bibasilar infiltrates. Despite these interventions, sxs continue to worsen. One month prior she was admitted to an OSH w/ continued worsening, vitals stable, exam nonfocal, mild leukocytosis but infectious w/u bland. Received broad spectrum abx. Bronch w/ BAL offers negative cultures, cytology, cell count w/ 66% neutrophils, 14% eosinophils. Discharged w/ dx of PNA on a 10 day course of levaquin and new exertional oxygen requirement of 2L. She then presents to Umass ~1 month later w/ continued progression of sxs

1. Formulate a differential diagnosis for non-resolving pneumonia

2. Evaluate the utility of transbronchial biopsy in the workup of undifferentiated ILD

3. Describe the clinical manifestations of antisynthetase syndrome and identify the differences in presentation associated with PL-12 positivity

1. Kuru T, Lynch JP 3rd. Nonresolving or slowly resolving pneumonia. Clin Chest Med. 1999 Sep;20(3):623-51. doi: 10.1016/s0272-5231(05)70241-0. PMID: 10516909.

2. Troy LK, Grainge C, Corte TJ, Williamson JP, Vallely MP, Cooper WA, Mahar A, Myers JL, Lai S, Mulyadi E, Torzillo PJ, Phillips MJ, Jo HE, Webster SE, Lin QT, Rhodes JE, Salamonsen M, Wrobel JP, Harris B, Don G, Wu PJC, Ng BJ, Oldmeadow C, Raghu G, Lau EMT; Cryobiopsy versus Open Lung biopsy in the Diagnosis of Interstitial lung disease alliance (COLDICE) Investigators. Diagnostic accuracy of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy for interstitial lung disease diagnosis (COLDICE): a prospective, comparative study. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Feb;8(2):171-181. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30342-X. Epub 2019 Sep 29. PMID: 31578168.

3. Hallowell RW, Danoff SK. Diagnosis and Management of Myositis-Associated Lung Disease. Chest. 2023 Jun;163(6):1476-1491. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.01.031. Epub 2023 Feb 9. PMID: 36764512.

4. Hallowell RW, Paik JJ. Myositis-associated interstitial lung disease: a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and management. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2022 Feb;40(2):373-383. doi: 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/brvl1v. Epub 2021 Mar 25. PMID: 33769263; PMCID: PMC8855729.

5. Marie I, Josse S, Decaux O, Dominique S, Diot E, Landron C, Roblot P, Jouneau S, Hatron PY, Tiev KP, Vittecoq O, Noel D, Mouthon L, Menard JF, Jouen F. Comparison of long-term outcome between anti-Jo1- and anti-PL7/PL12 positive patients with antisynthetase syndrome. Autoimmun Rev. 2012 Aug;11(10):739-45. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2012.01.006. Epub 2012 Feb 3. PMID: 22326685.

79. RFJC 10 – ARDS Series – FACTT

In this podcast episode, we continue our summer series reviewing landmark ARDS studies. Today, Dave and Luke discuss the FACTT trial, which investigated fluid management strategies in ARDS. This was published in the NEJM in 2006.

Article and Reference

We’re talking about the FACTT trial today which was a “Comparison of Two Fluid-Management Strategies in Acute Lung Injury”

Reference: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Clinical Trials Network; Wiedemann HP, Wheeler AP, Bernard GR, Thompson BT, Hayden D, deBoisblanc B, Connors AF Jr, Hite RD, Harabin AL. Comparison of two fluid-management strategies in acute lung injury. N Engl J Med. 2006 Jun 15;354(24):2564-75. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa062200. Epub 2006 May 21. PMID: 16714767.

Infographic

Summary of discussion:

Background: The FACT trial aimed to address fluid balance in ARDS, given the complexity of managing pulmonary edema and systemic organ failure. The challenge has been finding the right balance between managing fluid to optimize cardiac function and avoiding exacerbation of pulmonary edema.

Study Design:

  • Randomized Controlled Trial: Conducted at 20 North American medical centers from 2000 to 2005.
  • Participants: Included intubated ARDS patients who required or were planned to receive a central venous catheter. Excluded patients with chronic diseases, recent MI, or irreversible conditions. Shock was not an exclusion criterion.
  • Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to either a liberal or conservative fluid management strategy, and also received either a PA catheter or a central line.

Fluid Management Protocol:

  • Liberal Strategy: Aimed for higher filling pressures (CVP of 10-14 or wedge pressure of 14-18).
  • Conservative Strategy: Aimed for lower filling pressures (CVP less than 4 or wedge pressure under 14).
  • Fluid Balance: The liberal group had a net positive fluid balance of around 7 liters, while the conservative group had a net negative balance of about 130 cc.

    Results:

    • Mortality: No statistically significant difference in 60-day mortality between the liberal and conservative groups (25.5% vs. 28.4%, respectively).
    • Ventilator and ICU-Free Days: The conservative strategy resulted in more ventilator-free and ICU-free days.
    • Shock and Dialysis: There was no difference in shock rates, but the conservative group had a trend toward fewer dialysis requirements (10% vs. 14%, p=0.06).

    Conclusion: The trial indicated that a conservative fluid management strategy in ARDS patients can reduce ventilator dependence and ICU length of stay without worsening shock or end-organ function. It underscores the benefit of managing fluid conservatively to protect lung function, even though it didn’t significantly reduce mortality.

      Overall, the FACT trial supports the practice of conservative fluid management in ARDS, advocating that “dry lungs are happy lungs” for improving patient outcomes.

      77. RFJC 9 – ARDS Series – ARMA

      This episode is launching our 2024 Rapid Fire Journal Club summer series on ARDS! This summer we will be talking about landmark ARDS trials that have defined the literature and shaped patient care. Journal clubs often focus on new trials, and so learners may have a less thorough understanding of the baseline literature that defines many of our ICU practices. The goal of this series is to provide a quick, but in-depth look at these papers so that learners understand the modern landscape of ARDS.

      Today, we’re kicking this initiative off by looking at the ARMA or ARDSNet Trial published in the NEJM in 2000. Enjoy!

      Article and Reference

      We’re talking about the ARMA trial today which examined “Ventilation with Lower Tidal Volumes as Compared with Traditional Tidal Volumes for Acute Lung Injury and the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.”

      Reference: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network; Brower RG, Matthay MA, Morris A, Schoenfeld D, Thompson BT, Wheeler A. Ventilation with lower tidal volumes as compared with traditional tidal volumes for acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2000 May 4;342(18):1301-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200005043421801. PMID: 10793162.

      Infographic

      Correction:

      We mention a step-wise titration of tidal volume in the control group to achieve Pplats of 45-50. To clarify, there was no adjustment of Vt in the traditional Vt group unless Pplat > 50. If Vt had been decreased in the traditional Vt group because Pplat was > 50, it would not be subsequently increased back to 12 unless Pplat < 45 (to avoid a cycle of corrections and re-adjustments). Similarly in the lower Vt group, there was no adjustment (“titration”) of Vt unless Pplat > 30, and there was a similar protocol in place not to increase the Vt again unless the Pplat was < 25.

      76. Fellows’ Case Files: University of Rochester

      Today we’re back with another stop on our Fellows’ Case Files journey and making our way to the University of Rochester. Tune in to hear about this fascinating case and learn some key teaching points along the way.

      Dr. Shiv Patel completed his IM residency and a Chief year at the California Pacific Medical Center- Van Ness Campus and is currently a second-year PCCM fellow at the University of Rochester.

      Dr. Mary Anne Morgan is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Fellowship Program Director for the PCCM Fellowship at the University of Rochester. Her clinical interests range from the care of critically ill patients in the ICU to the diagnosis and management of rare lung disease in her role as Director of the University of Rochester LAM Clinic. She loves unwrapping clinical reasoning with trainees, exploring issues around communication and teamwork in the ICU, and is excited about curriculum revitalization in the growing URMC PCCM fellowship program.

       A 75 y.o. female with a history of Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, and Type 2 Diabetes presented for evaluation of hypoglycemia and generalized fatigue. She had felt poorly for about a week with symptoms of back pain, generalized weakness, and dyspnea, all of which acutely worsened on the day of presentation. 

      She was found to be hypoglycemic with a blood glucose level in the to 40’s. Initial vital signs included a heart rate of 56, blood pressure of 70/40, respiratory rate of 30, and temperature of 28.5 degrees Celsius.

      Lactic Acidosis: Type A, Type B and Type D

      Type A: Typically secondary to conditions that impair oxygen delivery (respiratory failure, PE) to tissues or decrease tissue perfusion (severe anemia, shock). Patients typically present with hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, altered mental status, and signs of organ dysfunction.


      Type B: Typically secondary to conditions that directly affect cellular metabolism or lactate clearance and characterized by the presence of hyperlactatemia without evidence of tissue hypoperfusion or hypoxia. Conditions associated include liver dysfunction (e.g., liver failure, cirrhosis), malignancies (especially hematological malignancies), medications/toxins (e.g., metformin, cyanide poisoning), inborn errors of metabolism, and mitochondrial disorders.

      Type D: Less common presentation and can be seen in patients with short gut syndrome.

      1.Blough B, Moreland A, Mora A Jr. Metformin-induced lactic acidosis with emphasis on the anion gap. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2015 Jan;28(1):31-3. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2015.11929178. PMID: 25552792; PMCID: PMC4264704.

      2.Callelo et al. Extracorporeal Treatment for Metformin Poisoning: Systematic Review and Recommendations From the Extracorporeal Treatments in Poisoning Workgroup. DOI: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000001002

      3.Friesecke, S., Abel, P., Roser, M. et al. Outcome of severe lactic acidosis associated with metformin accumulation. Crit Care 14, R226 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1186/cc9376

      4.Madias NE. Lactic acidosis. Kidney Int. 1986 Mar;29(3):752-74. doi: 10.1038/ki.1986.62. PMID: 3702227.

      5. Stiller RH, Luks AM, Çoruh B. All That Raises Lactate Is Not Sepsis. ATS Sch. 2023 Jun 12;4(3):385-386. doi: 10.34197/ats-scholar.2023-0032OT.

      Radiology Rounds – 12/19/23

      As we approach the end of the year, we know that the hospital and clinic keep on rolling, so here is a CXR and pulmonary differential based #RadiologyRounds if you’re on for the holiday blocks A woman in her 50s has hypoxemia after being admitted with a femur fracture

      The CXR shows signs of a left upper lobe collapse. The upper lungs should be the most lucent, with increased opacity as you go down. LUL collapse can be subtle, but you can see increased haziness at the lung apex. There is also rib crowding and left hemidiaphragm elevation. You can also see a small luftsichel sign. Luftsichel sign is a thin strip of air that can be seen between the collapsed LUL and the superior mediastinum created by the still-aerated superior segment of the lower lobe. The collapse is better appreciated on CT.

      Bronchoscopy was performed to investigate the etiology of the lobar collapse. On the bronchoscopy there was an endobronchial lesion completely occluding the left upper lobe bronchus. The mass was biopsied and sent for histopathology

      Endobronchial lesions can be malignant or benign, and within malignancy then can be primary or secondary. This patient had no clinical signs of pneumonia and no clear reason to mucus plug so malignancy was top of the differential. Here are differential considerations:

      The pathology returned positive for a carcinoid tumor, which can typically arise as endbronchial lesions. PET/CT showed only local disease (femur fracture unrelated), and she is planned for rigid bronchoscopy with laser therapy and corecath ablation for definitive resection.

      35. The Future of ARDS Research Roundtable

      We are extremely excited for another PulmPEEPs Roundtable table discussion today. We have spent multiple episodes talking about different aspects of ARDS and respiratory failure. Today, multiple expert guests return, as well as a new guest to the show, to discuss the future of ARDS research. This is a can’t miss discussion that is so jam-packed with pearls you’ll have to listen twice!

      Meet Our Guests

      Carolyn Calfee is a Professor of Medicine and Anesthesia at the University of California, San Francisco. She is a world-renowned ARDS researcher and has authored multiple landmark studies in the field. She previously joined us for a discussion on ARDS precision medicine and phenotypes.

      Ewan Goligher is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and University Health Network. He has published many practice-changing papers in ARDS. These have included prospective studies and some fantastic retrospective analyses that have fundamentally shaped our interpretation of trial results.  He previously came on the show discussing lung and diaphragm protection.

      Sarina Sahetya is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins. She is a funded researcher in ARDS and respiratory physiology and has published multiple studies on lung protection and ARDS. She last helped us understand how to titrate PEEP in ARDS.

      Matthew Semler is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he is also the Associate MICU Director and the co-director of the Inpatient Division of the Learning Healthcare System at Vanderbilt. Through his role as Chair of the Steering Committee for the Pragmatic Critical Care Research Group, he has helped lead more than two dozen randomized trials leading to multiple high-impact publications.

      33. Lung and Diaphragm Protective Ventilation Roundtable

      Today the PulmPEEPs are discussing Lung and Diaphragm Protective Ventilation with two experts in the field. We are joined by Dr. Jose Dianti and Dr. Ewan Goligher.

      Meet Our Guests

      Dr. Jose Dianti is a clinical and research fellow at the University of Toronto and University Health Network. He completed his residency in Critical Care and worked as a critical care attending previously at the Hospital Italiano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is particularly interested in ventilator induced lung injury and personalized ventilation strategies. Dr. Ewan Goligher is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and University Health Network, and is a world renowned researcher in the mechanisms of ventilator induced lung and diaphragm injury.

      32. VV-ECMO Roundtable

      For the first Pulm PEEPs episode of 2023, we are starting off with a bang and a Roundtable discussion about venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). VV-ECMO has been increasing in use in the intensive care unit for patients with severe respiratory failure, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are joined by experts in the field, Cara Agerstrand, Eddy Fan, and Nida Qadir, to discuss the basics of how ECMO works, physiologic goals, when to use ECMO for patients with ARDS, and much more. Let us know your thoughts and stay tuned for more great content in 2023.

      Meet Our Guests

      Cara Agerstrand is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center / NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she is also the Director of the Medical ECMO Program. She is an international renown ECMO expert and is the current Conference Chair for the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (or ELSO). Finally, she is a lauded educator and has received the American College of Chest Physicians Distinguished Educator Award.

      Eddy Fan is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, and the University Health Network / Mount Sinai Hospital. He is also the Director of Critical Research and the Medical Director of the Extracorporeal Life Support Program. He has literally 100s of publications about ARDS, ECMO, and critical care, chairs the ELSO Research Committee, and spearheads multiple international collaborative studies.

      Nida Qadir is an Associate Professor at the University of California Los Angeles and is an Associate Director of the MICU, as well as the co-director of the Post-ICU Recovery Clinic. Nida is also on the Critical Care Editorial Board for CHEST and is a highly regarded pulmonary and critical care educator.

      Key Learning Points

      VV- ECMO Basic Components and Core Physiology

      Oxygenation Delivery on VV-ECMO

      Carbon Dioxide Removal on VV-ECMO

      Flows and Line Pressures on VV-ECMO

      ECMO for ARDS

      • Should be considered after conventional therapies have failed (including ventilator optimization and proning)
      • Allows for ultra-lung protective ventilation
      • Lung rest means settings that minimize ventilator-induced lung injury
      • EOLIA Trial (see below) shows that ECMO can be delivered safely, and likely has a benefit in severe ARDS, although the magnitude of that benefit remains uncertain. A Bayesian re-analysis showed a high likelihood of benefit even if skeptical of ECMO

      ECMO For Bridge to Lung Transplant

      • Allows for patients to maintain gas exchange while awaiting transplant
      • Ideally done with patient extubated
      • Can allow for patients to maintain nutrition and mobility while awaiting transplant

      References and Further Reading

      1. Brodie D, Bacchetta M. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for ARDS in Adults. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(20):1905-1914. doi:10.1056/NEJMct1103720
      2. Munshi L, Brodie D, Fan E. Extracorporeal Support for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Adults. NEJM Evidence. 2022;1(10):EVIDra2200128. doi:10.1056/EVIDra2200128
      3. Combes A, Hajage D, Capellier G, et al. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine. 2018;378(21):1965-1975. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1800385
      4. Goligher EC, Tomlinson G, Hajage D, et al. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Posterior Probability of Mortality Benefit in a Post Hoc Bayesian Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2018;320(21):2251-2259. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.14276
      5. Erdeneochir E, Strunina S. Analysis of blood flow in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit. Published online 2017.
      6. Schmidt M, Pham T, Arcadipane A, et al. Mechanical Ventilation Management during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. An International Multicenter Prospective Cohort. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019;200(8):1002-1012. doi:10.1164/rccm.201806-1094OC
      7. Tonna JE, Abrams D, Brodie D, et al. Management of Adult Patients Supported with Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VV ECMO): Guideline from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO). ASAIO Journal. 2021;67(6):601-610. doi:10.1097/MAT.0000000000001432
      8. Hayanga JWA, Hayanga HK, Holmes SD, et al. Mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation: Closing the gap. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2019;38(10):1104-1111. doi:10.1016/j.healun.2019.06.026

      30. Fellows’ Case Files: University of Mississippi Medical Center

      We’re excited to be back with another episode in our Pulm PEEPs Fellows’ Case Files series! This is a particularly exciting case since it is our first episode where some intrepid fellows reached out to us with an interesting case they had encountered. If you have a great case, please let us know and you can follow in their footsteps! Pack your bags, and let’s head to Mississippi to learn about another great pulmonary and critical care case.

      Meet our Guests

      Meredith Sloan is a pulmonary and critical care fellow at the University of Mississippi. She completed her medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, and her residency at the University of Mississippi.

      Kevin Kinloch is a senior fellow at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where he also completed his internal medicine residency. He completed medical school at Meharry Medical College.

      Jessie Harvey is an Associate professor of Medicine at the University of Mississippi and is the Pulmonary and Critical Care Program Director. She is also the Director of the MICU, and has been at MMC since medical school. She is a dedicated educator and leads the POCUS curriculum for IM residents and PCCM fellows

      Patient Presentation

      A 65-year-old man presented to the ED with worsening hemoptysis over the last several days after a recent lung biopsy. The patient is an active smoker with at least a 50-pack-year history, and he had been having a cough with small-volume hemoptysis. He ultimately had a chest CT that revealed a large LUL mass (10.3 x 6.4 cm). Given this suspicious mass, three days prior to his ED presentation, he was taken for bronchoscopy with BAL, transbronchial biopsies, endobronchial biopsy, EBUS guided TBNA of 11L, along with TBNA, brushing and radial EBUS TBNA of his left upper lobe mass.

      Key Learning Points

      **Spoilers Ahead** If you want to think through the case on your own we advise listening to the episode first before looking at these points.

      Staging procedures for masses

      • Enough tissue so we can make a diagnosis and do molecular testing
      • Highest staging when getting your biopsy

      POCUS for respiratory failure

      • Absence of lung slidings
        • Especially post procedure
      • The presence of a new pleural effusion after a procedure could indicate hemothorax
        • Hematocrit sign – an echogenic layering of material in an effusion
      • New B-lines, especially if prior there were only A-lines
        • Cardiogenic or non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, alveolar hemorrhage, or infection
      • Diaphragmatic function
        • Excursion
        • Diaphragm thickness

      References and Further Reading

      1.Scorsetti M, Leo F, Trama A, D’Angelillo R, Serpico D, Maerelli M, Zucali P, Gatta G, Garassino MC. Thymoma and thymic carcinomas. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology. 2016; 99:332-350.

      2. Singh TD, Wijdicks EFM. Neuromuscular respiratory failure. Neurol Clin 2021; 39:333-353.