LLN

BACKGROUND: Sequelae post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, including lung and functional impairment, pose a significant challenge post-recovery. We explored the burden and risk factors for post-COVID-19 sequelae in an African population with prevalent comorbidities including tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. METHODS: We conducted an observational cohort study on hospitalised adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 20 March to 06 October 2021 at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, South Africa...

BACKGROUND: Dyspnoea is a common symptom of respiratory disease. However, data on its prevalence in general populations and its association with lung function are limited and are mainly from high-income countries. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of dyspnoea across several world regions, and to investigate the association of dyspnoea with lung function. METHODS: Dyspnoea was assessed, and lung function measured in 25,806 adult participants of the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study...

RATIONALE: The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommend using z-scores, and the ATS has recommended using Global Lung Initiative (GLI)- "Global" race-neutral reference equations for spirometry interpretation. However, these recommendations have been variably implemented and the impact has not been widely assessed, both in clinical and research settings. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the ERS/ATS airflow obstruction severity classification...

AIMS: To describe pulmonary function 3-6 months following acute COVID-19, to evaluate potential predictors of decreased pulmonary function and to review literature for the effect of COVID-19 on pulmonary function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review and cohort study were conducted. Within the P4O2 COVID-19 cohort, 95 patients aged 40-65 years were recruited from outpatient post-COVID-19 clinics in five Dutch hospitals between May 2021-September 2022. At 3-6 months post COVID-19, medical records data and biological samples were collected and questionnaires were administered...

BACKGROUND: Airway obstruction is defined by spirometry as a low forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 ) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio. This impaired ratio may originate from a low FEV1 (classic) or a normal FEV1 in combination with a large FVC (dysanaptic). The clinical implications of dysanaptic obstruction during childhood and adolescence in the general population remain unclear. AIMS: To investigate the association between airway obstruction with a low or normal FEV1 in childhood and adolescence, and asthma, wheezing and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR)...

BACKGROUND: Cardiac dysfunction from pulmonary vascular disease causes characteristic findings on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). We tested the accuracy of CPET for detecting inadequate stroke volume (SV) augmentation during exercise, a pivotal manifestation of cardiac limitation in patients with pulmonary vascular disease. METHODS: We reviewed patients with suspected pulmonary vascular disease in whom CPET and right heart catheterization (RHC) measurements were taken at rest and at anaerobic threshold (AT)...

Guanidinate homometallic rare-earth ethyl complexes [LLn( μ 2 - η 1 : η 2 -Et)(Et)]2 (Ln = Y(1-Y), Lu(1-Lu)) and heterobimetallic rare-earth ethyl complexes LLn(Et)( μ 2 - η 1 : η 2 -Et)( μ 2 - η 1 -Et)(AlEt2 ) (Ln = Y(2-Y), Lu(2-Lu)) have been synthesized by the treatment of LLn(CH2 C6 H4 NMe2 - o )2 (L = (PhCH2 )2 NC(NC6 H3 i Pr2 -2,6)2 ) with different equivalents of AlEt3 in toluene at ambient temperature. Interestingly, the unprecedented rare-earth ethyne complex [LY( μ 2 - η 1 -Et)2 (AlEt)]2 ( μ 4 - η 1 : η 1 : η 2 : η 2 -C2 H2 ) (3-Y) containing a [C2 H2 ]4- unit was afforded from 2-Y...

The determination the forced vital capacity (FVC) and the forced expiratory volume in 1second (FEV1) during spirometry studies, is at the core of the evaluation of the pulmonary function of patients with respiratory diseases. The Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) offers the most extensive data set of normal lung functions available, which is currently used to determine the average expected/predicted FEV1 and FVC (pred V), and their lower limit of normal (LLN, 5th percentile) at any given height and age for women and men...

BACKGROUND: Patients with rectal cancer who have enlarged lateral lymph nodes (LLNs) have an increased risk of lateral local recurrence (LLR). However, little is known about prognostic implications of malignant features (internal heterogeneity, irregular margins, loss of fatty hilum, and round shape) on MRI and number of enlarged LLNs, in addition to LLN size. METHODS: Of the 3,057 patients with rectal cancer included in this national, retrospective, cross-sectional cohort study, 284 with a cT3-4 tumor located ≤8 cm from the anorectal junction who received neoadjuvant treatment and who had visible LLNs on MRI were selected...

BACKGROUND: Lung dysfunction and high apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I (apoB/apoA-I) ratio are both recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, few studies have examined the association between the apoB/ApoA-I ratio and lung function. Therefore, we investigated whether this ratio is associated with decreased lung function in a large healthy cohort. METHODS: We performed a cohort study on 68,418 healthy Koreans (34,797 males, mean age: 38.1 years) who underwent a health examination in 2019...

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are usually interpreted by clinicians using rule-based strategies and pattern recognition. The interpretation, however, has variabilities due to patient and interpreter errors. Most PFTs have recognizable patterns that can be categorized into specific physiological defects. In this study, we developed a computerized algorithm using the python package (pdfplumber) and validated against clinicians' interpretation. We downloaded PFT reports in the electronic medical record system that were in PDF format...

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. The present study aims to provide a global and regional estimate of the prevalence of COPD based on spirometry according to the two most widely used diagnostic criteria of COPD: fixed ratio (FR) and lower limit of normal (LLN). METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature according to PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE, Web of Sciences, and Scopus databases were searched to identify studies on the spirometry-based prevalence of COPD in individuals aged 40 years and older...

INTRODUCTION: Airflow obstruction (AO) is evidenced by reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) with the threshold for diagnosis often being set at <0.7. However, currently the ATS/ERS standards for interpretation of lung function tests recommend the lower limit of normal (LLN), calculated by reference equations of the Global Lung Initiative from 2012 (GLI-12), as a threshold for AO diagnosis. The present study aims to investigate phenotypes, with focus on hyperinflation, which influence AO prevalence defined by FEV1/FVC < LLN when compared to the fixed 0...

Several indigenous cattle breeds in Sweden are endangered. Conservation of their genetic diversity and genomic characterization is a priority.Whole-genome sequences (WGS) with a mean coverage of 25X, ranging from 14 to 41X were obtained for 30 individuals of the breeds Fjällko, Fjällnära, Bohuskulla, Rödkulla, Ringamåla, and Väneko. WGS-based genotyping revealed 22,548,028 variants in total, comprising 18,876,115 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 3,671,913 indels. Out of these, 1,154,779 SNPs and 304,467 indels were novel...

AIM: We report the short/mid-term results of surgery for high-risk locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC, four courses of S-1 + oxaliplatin+ bevacizumab) without radiotherapy with the primary aim of ypT0-2. METHODS: High-risk LARC was defined as cT4b, mesorectal fascia (MRF) ≤1 mm (MRF+), or lateral lymph node metastasis (cLLN+) on high-resolution MRI. The planned 32 cases from April 2018 to December 2021 were all included...

PURPOSE: Tobacco smoking is the major risk factor for COPD, and it is common for other risk factors in never-smokers to be overlooked. We examined the prevalence of COPD among never-smokers in Australia and identified associated risk factors. METHODS: We used data from the Australia Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study, a cross-section of people aged ≥40 years from six sites. Participants completed interviews and post-bronchodilator spirometry...

AIM: Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is commonly treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and total mesorectal excision (TME) to reduce local recurrence (LR) and improve survival. However, LR, particularly associated with lateral lymph node (LLN) involvement, remains a concern. The aim of this study was to investigate preoperative factors associated with LLN involvement and their impact on LR rates in LARC patients undergoing nCRT and curative surgery. METHOD: This multicentre retrospective study, including four academic high-volume institutions, involved 301 consecutive adult LARC patients treated with nCRT and curative surgery between January 2014 and December 2019 who did not undergo lateral lymph node dissection (LLND)...

PURPOSE: Total mesorectal excision (TME) is accepted as gold standard method in rectal cancer globally. But there is no standard for lateral lymph nodes. Combination of neoadjuvant treatment plus lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) in select patients might be a promising method. Our purpose is to describe the anatomic landmarks of LLND on cadavers and minimally invasive surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Local advanced rectal cancer and lateral lymph node (LLN) metastasis are accepted as an indication of neoadjuvant treatment...

BACKGROUND: Breathlessness is a common symptom related to a significant health burden. However, the association of breathlessness with clinical characteristics, especially objective pulmonary test results is scarce. We aimed to identify the characteristics independently associated with breathlessness in Australian adults. METHOD: The analysis used data from BOLD Australia, a cross-sectional study that included randomly selected adults aged ≥40 years from six sites in Australia...

PURPOSE: Elevated concentrations of thyroglobulin eluent is a risk factor for lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (LLNM) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). We aimed to develop a practical nomogram based on the distribution of thyroid nodules and the presence of suspicious lateral cervical lymph nodes in fine-needle aspiration biopsies (LN-FNABs), including the cytopathology and the suspicious lateral cervical lymph node (LLN) thyroglobulin eluent (Tg), to predict the possibility of LLNM preoperatively in patients with PTC...