Respiratory Flashcards
COPD severity criteria and category
GOLD - by FEV1 %
- 1 >80
- 2 50-79
- 3 30-49
- 4 <30
A for asymptomatic
B for symptomatic
E for exacerbations - 2 or more, or 1 leading to hospital
A 70yo man with severe COPD is admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of COPD requiring 24hrs of non-invasive ventilation, oxygen therapy, oral steroids and oral antibiotics. After four days, he is discharged home with outpatient follow-up. What is his approximate 12-month mortality risk after this episode?
- 5% * 10% * 25% * 50% * 70%
25% - mortality
65% - readmission
A 73yo male with moderate COPD presents to clinic for review. He has symptoms on exertion but no history of exacerbations. He is on no inhaled therapy currently. He has no history suggestive of asthma and his peripheral eosinophil count is 0.1. Which of the following inhalers would be expected to have the greatest effect on AECOPD, hospitalization and symptoms.
- LAMA monotherapy
- ICS/LABA
- ICS monotherapy
- LABA/LAMA
- LABA monotherapy
- LABA/LAMA
Factors favouring use of ICS in COPD (3)
Hospitalisation for exacerbation
2 or more exacerbations
Eosinophils >300 (or >0.3)
History of asthma
mortality benefit demonstrated with triple therapy
Which of the following therapies are not associated with a reduction in mortality in people with COPD?
- Smoking cessation
- Long-term oxygen therapy
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
- Non-invasive ventilation
- LABA+LAMA+ICS
- Long-term macrolide antibiotic
- Long-term macrolide antibiotic
lung volume reduction also has mortality benefit
A 50yo man attends your clinic and you discuss his current smoking habit and strategies to quit. You outline options for smoking cessation pharmacotherapy for him. Which of the following comorbidities would preclude the use of combination nicotine replacement therapy?
* Unstable ischaemic heart disease
* Bipolar disorder
* Schizophrenia
* Suicidal ideation
* Stable ischaemic heart disease
- Unstable ischaemic heart disease
Evidence based smoking cessation strategies
Brief counselling RR 1.86 v usual care
Combination NRT (short + long) + behaviour intervention is the best
Combo NRT = Varenicline > bupropion (antidepressant with weak norepinephrine and dopamine uptake inhibition)
Acute NIV can be used to treat respiratory failure. Which of the following scenarios should NIV be considered “off-label” therapy?
* Post-extubation respiratory failure
* Hypercapnic respiratory failure due to AECOPD * Acute severe asthma
* Acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema
* None of the above
- Acute severe asthma
What is the most likely diagnosis?
A 67yo woman presents to clinic with cough and some exertional dyspnoea. She is an ex-smoker with 30 pack year history. She has been started on LAMA therapy by her GP for presumed COPD
Spirometry is performed (flow-volume loop normal, both pre and post salbutamol)
- COPD
- Interstitial lung disease
- Asthma
- Malingering
- Uninterpretable spirometry due to lack of effor
- Asthma
COPD/ ILD are out because of normal loop
It is interpretable
Asthma is very common
Z-score cut-off for “normal” in spirometry
-1.645
Which of the following statements regarding asthma and/or cough are most correct?
- negative mannitol bronchoprovication test excludes asthma
- A low FeNO (<10ppb) excludes asthma
- Cough that is caused by ACE inhibitor occurs within 4 weeks of commencing therapy
- A low PEFR confirms asthma as the most likely diagnosis
- negative methacholine bronchoprovocation test excludes asthma
Negative methacholine bronchoprovocation test excludes asthma
- positive test would mean >20% fall in FEV1
Manitol or hypertonic saline
- positive would mean >15% fall in FEV1
- better positive predictive value (i.e. diagnose rather than exclude)
PEFR - peak expiratory flow rate, usually monitored over a few weeks, if variable then identifies Asthma, good to identify triggers
FeNO - correlates with increased Eosinophilic inflammation > predicts steroid responsiveness; diagnostic value not demonstrated
Bronchodilator reversibility
> 12% AND >200mL increase in FEV1
Asthma categories (4)
INTERMITTENT ASTHMA
– normal FEV1, symptoms/SABA <2/week, no limitations
PERSISTENT ASTHMA
MILD – normal FEV1, symptoms/SABA >2/week, minor limitation
MODERATE – mildly abnormal FEV1 (60-80%), daily symptoms, some limitation
SEVERE – abnormal FEV1 <60%, daily symptoms + nocturnal, limited function
Asthma treatment
PRN ICS/ LABA for mild
- better than SABA alone
- non-inferior to regular to ICS with 17% of steroid exposure
Then regular with increasing dose
Then add on LAMA
Then advanced therapies
Biological therapy targeng which of the following molecular targets would be unlikely to improve asthma control?
- IgE
- IL-5
- Eosinophilic aromatase
- IL-5 receptor
- thymic stromal lymphopoien (TSLP)
- IL-4 and IL-13
*Eosinophilic aromatase
Omalizumab - IgE
Mepolizumab - IL-5
Benralizumab - IL-5 receptor
Tezepelumab - TSLP (may be effective in those without eosinophilic inflammation)
Dupilimab - IL-4 and IL-13
Severe asthma definition
Either maximal therapy or symptoms on maximal therapy
Main issue is adherence 15-54%
- 25% increase would lead to 10% reduction in exacerbations
Inhaler technique is optimal in only 31%
Omalizumab
Binds IgE - prevents binding to mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, T cells
25% less exacerbations
Less SABA
Less oral and inhaled steroids
Less symptoms
Better QoL
Mepolizumab and Benralizumab
IL-5 and IL-5R - blocks eosinophil growth, differentiation, recruitment and activation
Eosinophil count >150 but ideal >300/uL
Reduced hospital presentation
50% reduction in oral corticosteroids
Better QoL
Dupilimab
IL-4 + IL-13
- original use in atopic dermatitis
- elevated IgE or eosinophils
Reduced severe asthma exacerbations
Improvement in FEV1
Some benefit in those with lower eosinophils
Tezepelumab
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is upstream of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IgE
Less exacerbation
Better FEV1
Better symptoms + QoL
Similar effect regardless of eosinophils
A 68yo ex-smoker presents with gradually increasing dyspnea over the past 12 months. He has crackles on examinaon and is clubbed. He has no history of occupaonal exposures or clinical features of connecve ssue disease. He is referred for HRCT which is reviewed in a muldisciplinary meeng and a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is reached. Which of the following features on HRCT is least likely to be present?
- Honeycombing
- Subpleural reticular opacity
- Traction bronchiectasis
- Basal reticular opacity
- Widespread ground glass opacity
- Widespread ground glass opacity
Usual interstitial pneumonitis pattern = all four of
1. Honeycombing
2. Traction bronchiectasis
3. Reticular opacities - lower and peripheral
4. No atypical features
When to consider biopsy for interstitial lung disease (3)
carries 1-2% mortality
age <50yo
atypical HRCT
rapidly progressive
transbronchial only helpful for centrilobular pathology
A 60 year old non-smoker has been recently diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary Bbrosis. You conduct a literature search to determine treatment opons for him. Which of the following would not be appropriate?
- Pirfenidone
- Referral to lung transplant team
- Nintendanib
- Prednisolone
- Oxygen therapy
Prednisolone
- increases mortality and hospitalisation with no benefit
Nintedanib (multiple TK inhibitor) and pirfinedone (TGF-b inhibitor) = anti-fibrotic
- mild/ moderate IPF
- slow rate of decline in FVC (no clear survival benefit)
- SE = diarrhoea, nausea
alternative indication for nintendanib
non-ipf pattern progressive fibrosis
- known or unknown etiology ILD with fibrosis on HRCT and 2/3 of:
1. Worsening symptoms
2. Worsening PFTs
3. Worsening HRCT
non-specific interstitial pneumonitis pattern (4)
- Ground glass opacity
- Traction bronchiectasis
- Apical to basal gradient
- Subpleural sparing
NSIP pattern tends to indicate a potential for response to immunosuppression (but also a better prognosis than UIP pattern)
What is NSIP associated with? (4)
- CTD ( 88% in one study had laboratory or clinical features of undifferentiated CTD - lung disease may precede clinical CTD features)
- HIV
- Drugs: amiodarone, methotrexate, flecanide, nitrofurantoin
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Treatment for NSIP (3 line agents)
- First line agent: Glucocoricoids (long taper over 6-9 months assuming clinical response)
- Second line agents: Mycophenolate or Azathioprine (implemented initially with more severe disease; those that fail to respond to first line agents; and those that worsen as steroids reduce
- Third line agents: IV Cyclophosmamide monthly, Rituximab, lung transplant
A 60yo pigeon breeder presents for a roune health assessment. He is an ex-smoker of 30 pack years. He is asymptomac with good exercise tolerance. His lungs are clear, oxygen sats are normal on room air and his PFTs demonstrate mild fixed airflow obstruction with a normal DLCO. His HRCT is reported as normal. Serum precipins are posive for IgG to pigeons. The most likely diagnosis is:
A) Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (pigeon fanciers lung)
B) Asthma
C) COPD
D) Sarcoidosis
E) Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis
C - PFTs are suggestive of COPD, precipitins are common in bird handlers even without disease
Risk factors/Clinical history clues for Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Agricultural dusts
- Recurrent ‘atypical’ pneumonia
- Symptoms after moving to a new job or home
- Exposure to pets (birds especially)
- Water damage to home/office–moulds
- Hot tub/sauna/swimming pool exposure
- Other people with similar symptoms
- Improvement when on holiday or over weekends
Common aetiology:
# Bioaerosols
# Microorganisms
# Reactive chemical species