Do radiographic features of acute infection influence management of lower respiratory tract infections in the community?

Radiologists are increasingly recommending follow-up of chest radiographs: a 10-year review

PURPOSE

To assess for changes in trends of GP chest radiograph reporting over a 10-year period and to assess if there has been a change in recommendations for follow-up.

METHODS

Retrospective study of an Irish tertiary referral center. The total number of GP-referred chest x-rays performed per year from 2007 to 2017 are recorded. One-hundred male/100 female GP-referred chest x-rays are chosen at random from NIMIS data for each of 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2017. Reports are analyzed with regard to abnormal findings, recommendation for follow-up, and yield of follow-up imaging.

RESULTS

There were 4917 GP CXRs performed in 2007, 4856 in 2010, 5561 in 2013, and 6492 in 2017. Follow-up was recommended in 17 studies(8.5%) in 2007, 19 studies(9.5%) in 2010, 22 studies(11%) in 2013, and 27 studies(13.5%) in 2017. Indications for follow-up recommendation were largely to ensure resolution of infection (52%) or for nodule surveillance (43%). There has been a notable increase in lung nodule follow-up, with suggested follow-ups increasing from 6 in 2007, to 7 in 2010, 9 in 2013, and 14 in 2017, an increase of 58%.

CONCLUSION

Along with the increase in the quantity of GP-referred chest radiographs over the past 10 years, suggestions for follow-up have increased, particularly for nodule surveillance. Reasons for this increase may include lack of availability of CT to GPs for lung cancer screening, insensitivity of plain radiographs to early cancer detection, and possible fear of litigation for missing lesions, making radiologists more cautious.

Agreement on radiological diagnosis of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children

Chest radiographs are often used to support the decision to use antibiotics in children aged <5 years with moderate to severe lower acute respiratory infection (ARI). This study aimed to evaluate inter-observer agreement in the interpretation of chest radiographs of children with suspected lower ARI. Three experienced paediatric sub-specialists: a radiologist, an intensivist and a pulmonologist were provided with basic clinical information on each of 48 cases, but the individual standardized evaluations were blinded for clinical diagnoses and for the assessment by the other two specialists. While for specific radiographic findings Kappa agreement values revealed considerable variation, agreement was higher (fair to substantial) on overall diagnostic impression. These findings reiterate that radiographs of children with a clinical suspicion of lower ARI are a limited but potentially useful resource for case management.

[Managing lower respiratory tract infections in immunocompetent patients. Definitions, epidemiology, and diagnostic features]

Les infections respiratoires basses sont une des principales cause de mortalité dans le monde et les pneumopathies représentent en France la première cause de décès d'origine infectieuse. Trois entités nosologiques distinctes sont habituellement isolées en fonction de la localisation infectieuse : la bronchite aiguë, la pneumopathie et la bronchopneumopathie (atteignant les bronches et le parenchyme pulmonaire). En cas d'infections de l'arbre bronchique dans le cadre d'une bronchopathie chronique on parle de décompensation infectieuse de la maladie bronchique. Les deux principales difficultés diagnostiques de ces infections sont de déterminer la présence d'une participation alvéolaire au processus infectieux et de définir l'agent (ou les agents) pathogènes. Ces deux éléments vont conditionner la prise en charge thérapeutique. En dehors de l'examen physique, indispensable dans ce contexte, seule la radiographie thoracique pourra, en cas de persistance d'un doute, permettre de confirmer la présence d'une participation alvéolaire. Le diagnostic microbiologique pose la question de sa nécessité systématique et celui de sa valeur. Il n'est pas indispensable de réaliser un diagnostic microbiologique de certitude dans tous les cas. La décision de documentation doit répondre à deux impératifs : faisabilité et valeur diagnostique. La valeur d'un prélèvement dépend de son aptitude à mettre en évidence l'agent pathogène et dans certains cas de la possibilité d'en déterminer le profil de sensibilité (qui reste une indication majeure à la réalisation de ces prélèvements).

Comparison of bronchoprotective and bronchodilator effects of a single dose of formoterol delivered by hydrofluoroalkane and chlorofluorocarbon aerosols and dry powder in a double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study

BACKGROUND

In response to the phasing out of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) inhalers, a metered dose hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) formulation, Modulite (Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A, Parma, Italy), to be delivered with a pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI), has been developed. Modulite is a HFA formulation technology that has been designed to provide stable and uniform dose delivery of HFA-based formulations to enable an easy transition from CFC to HFA inhalers.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to compare the bronchoprotective and bronchodilator effects of a single dose of 12 microg of formoterol from the HFA Modulite inhaler with the Foradil Aerolizer (dry powder inhaler, DPI) and the Foradil CFC inhalers (Novartis Health Consumer, Basel, Switzerland).

METHODS

This was a double blind, double dummy, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study conducted in 38 subjects with mild to moderate asthma (mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1] 87.5% predicted). The primary endpoint was methacholine challenge provocative dose required for 20% fall in the FEV1 (PD20) 90 min post dose. Bronchodilation was assessed with spirometry (FEV1, FVC, FEF25-75) and impulse oscillometry (resistance at 5 and 20 Hz, reactance at 5 Hz and resonant frequency) over the 90 min post dose. In a subset of 12 subjects formoterol plasma levels, serum potassium and glucose were determined up to 480 min post dose.

RESULTS

The three formoterol formulations demonstrated significant (P < or = 0.05) improvements in bronchoprotection compared to placebo and non-inferiority of the HFA preparation compared to the CFC and DPI preparations was demonstrated. Geometric mean PD20 values were 0.51 mg with HFA, 0.62 mg with DPI, 0.62 mg with CFC and 0.2 mg with placebo. The log transformed mean differences in PD20 doubling dose between HFA and (a) DPI was -0.28 (95% CI -0.84-0.29, P = 0.57) (b) CFC was -0.28 (95% CI -0.84-0.28, P = 0.57) and (c) placebo was 1.38 (95% CI 0.82-1.94, P < 0.001). Serum potassium, glucose and formoterol plasma profiles were comparable for the CFC, HFA and DPI devices.

CONCLUSION

Our findings of similar efficacy, pharmacokinetics and systemic effects of the HFA formoterol inhaler compared to the CFC and DPI preparations supports the potential use of this novel formulation in the treatment of asthma.

Diagnosis of ambulatory community-acquired pneumonia. Comparison of clinical assessment versus chest X-ray

OBJECTIVES

When evaluating patients with respiratory tract infections (RTI), physicians have to judge and decide whether the patient has pneumonia or not. This decision is usually made by clinical assessment alone and/or by performing a chest X-ray. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of physicians' judgements relating to the presence of pneumonia in RTI patients by clinical assessment alone compared with chest X-ray.

DESIGN

A prospective, clinical study.

SETTING

Primary care clinics and a university hospital in southern Israel.

SUBJECTS

Two-hundred-and-fifty ambulatory patients with febrile RTI were included in a prospective study. On the basis of a medical interview and physical examination alone physicians were asked to make judgements relating to the study question, and these judgements were compared with the results of chest X-rays.

RESULTS

Physicians' judgements of pneumonia had a sensitivity of 74% (49-90%), a specificity of 84% (78-88%), a negative predictive value of 97% (94-99%) and a positive predictive value of only 27% (16-42%), compared to the results of chest X-ray.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the ability of physicians to negate X-ray confirmed pneumonia by clinical assessment in febrile adult RTI patients is good, but that their ability to successfully predict this condition is poor.