Respiratory Flashcards
Complications of lung cancer?
SVCO: suffused + oedematous face and upper limbs, dilated superficial chest veins, stridor
RLN palsy: hoarse voice, bovine cough
Horner’s sign + wasted small muscles of the hand (Pancoast’s tumour)
Gynaecomastia (ectopic beta-HCG)
Neuro: LEMS, peripheral neuropathy, proximal myopathy, paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration
Derm: dermatomyositis (heliotrope rash on eyelids and purple papules on knuckes - Gottron’s papules), acanthosis nigricans
Different types of lung cancer and their paraneoplastic complications?
SCLC (24%):
- ADH-secreting tumour causing SIADH and hyponatraemia
- ACTH-secreting tumour causing Cushing’s syndrome
- LEMS
NSCLC:
- Squamous cell (35%): causes PTHrP release and hypercalcaemia
- Adenocarcinoma (21%)
- Large cell (19%)
- Alveolar (1%)
What are the treatment options available for SCLC and NSCLC?
NSCLC:
Surgery - lobectomy / pneumonectomy
Radiotherapy
Chemotherapy (erlotinib)
SCLC:
6 courses of chemotherapy, SCLC is rarely resectable due to late presentation
Investigations for suspected lung cancer to guide management?
‘ICSL’
- Imaging
- CXR: collapse, mass, hilar lymphadenopathy
- volume acquisition CT thorax with contrast (so small tumours not lost between slides) - Cell type
- induced sputum cytology
- biopsy by bronchoscopy or needle-guided CT - Staging
- CT / bronchoscopy / EBUS guided biopsy / thoracoscopy / PET-CT
- NSCLC: TNM to assess operability
- SCLC: limited or extensive disease - Lung function tests for operative assessment
- Pneumonectomy FEV1 >2L
- Lobectomy FEV1 >1.5L
Ddx for a lateral thoracotomy scar with normal underlying lung?
Lobectomy (hyperinflation of other lobes masks signs)
Bullectomy
Lung transplant
Open lung biopsy
Pleurectomy
Decortication (ie for empyema / pleural tumours)
Lateral thoracotomy scar with rib resection - likely underlying pathology?
Suggests thoracoplasty for TB in the past. Look for phrenic nerve crush scar, kyphosis and apical fibrosis, suggestive of TB.
Please list the criteria for lung surgery (lobectomy / pneumonectomy)
Lobectomy FEV1 >1.5 L
Pneumonectomy FEV1 >2L
Transfer factor >50%
No evidence of severe pulmonary HTN
No metastases
Good WHO functional status
Differential for a lung surgery patient with a median sternotomy scar?
May indicate a heart and lung transplant for pulmonary HTN, or congenital heart disease causing Eisenmenger’s syndrome.
Differential diagnosis for a clamshell incision scar?
Clamshell scar suggests:
Bilateral lung transplant for
- Cystic fibrosis
- Bronchiectasis
- COPD
- A1AT deficiency
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pulmonary artery HTN
- Sarcoidosis
Ddx for lateral thoracotomy scar with abnormal underlying lung?
Lobectomy
Pneumonectomy
Lung volume reduction surgery (COPD)
Bullectomy
Lung transplant with complications
Different lung surgery cases and their indications
Open lung biopsy
Lung volume reduction surgery (COPD)
Single-lung transplant (pulmonary fibrosis, A1AT deficiency, sarcoidosis)
Pleurectomy (recurrent pneumothoraces / effusions)
Bullectomy (COPD)
Thoracoplasty (TB)
Decortication (empyema)
Complications of lung transplantation?
Rejection (acute and chronic) including bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
Infection: CMV, HSV, PCP, aspergillus, bacterial pneumonia
Immunosuppression side effects
What findings on examination might indicate bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome post-lung transplant?
Fine late crepitations
Contraindications to lung transplant?
Malignancy within the last 5 years
Patients with very high or low BMI
Still smoking / using illicit drugs
Mental health conditions that would preclude them from taking medications on a regular basis / unable to attend clinic appointments
What medications are used following lung transplant?
Steroid, MMF and CNI (tacrolimus)
Ciclosporin historically used but increases risk of kidney disease
Prophylactic medication to prevent opportunistic infection
Criteria for considering lung transplant?
> 50% risk of death from lung disease within 2y
> 80% likelihood of surviving at least 90 days post-transplant
> 80% likelihood of a 5-year post-transplant survival provided adequate graft function
Most common indications for lung transplant?
Cystic fibrosis
Bronchiectasis
Pulmonary vascular disease
Pulmonary fibrosis
COPD (single lung transplant)
Why perform a double lung transplant over a single?
Prognosis is better from a double transplant
Normally patients with bronchiectasis and CF receive a double transplant (‘wet’ lung conditions)
Patients with pulmonary vascular disease, fibrosis and COPD usually receive a single lung transplant
Clinical findings expected in a patient who has previously had a lung transplant?
Clamshell thoracotomy incision on front of chest
Intercostal drain site scars
Previous scars from tracheostomy + central line
Is transplant working well? Yes, if no evidence of cyanosis and supplemental o2
Underlying aetiology of condition necessitating lung transplant (clubbing, think bronchiectasis or fibrosis)
What type of lung cancer would require a lobectomy?
SCLC is often disseminated at the time of diagnosis, therefore is not amenable for treatment with surgery.
Patients with NSCLC, if caught early, can be surgically managed.
You suspect a patient has lung cancer and staging has confirmed a potentially cancerous mass - how do you proceed?
Requires a tissue diagnosis, which can be obtained by: bronchoscopy, radiologically-guided biopsy, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS).
Could also biopsy any LNs affected.
Could send aspiration of pleural effusions for cytology.
If cancer is caught at an early stage and a curative approach is desired, a PET-CT would be indicated.
List some surgical COPD management options.
Bullectomy (if bulla >1L and compressing lung)
Endobronchial valve placement
Lung volume reduction surgery
Single lung transplant
How is an acute exacerbation of COPD managed?
Controlled o2 to achieve sats of 88-92% via venturi mask
Salbutamol and ipratropium nebs
Antibiotics: penicillin / macrolides / tetracycline
Steroids 7 days
Aminophylline: not recommended as 1st line due to side effects
Discharge planning with community COPD treatment team
(Calculate DECAF score: predicts in-hospital mortality for acute exacerbation of COPD - Use in patients ≥35 years old, hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD). Dyspnoea scale, eosinopenia, consolidation on CXR, acidaemia, AF
Management of COPD?
Medical: depends on severity as per MRC dyspnoea scale (new 2023 guidance)
- Short-acting bronchodilators (SABA / SAMA)
- Long-acting bronchodilators (LABA / LAMA)
- If asthmatic features or steroid-responsive, LABA + ICS. If no asthmatic features or not steroid-responsive, LABA + LAMA.
- LABA + LAMA + ICS
- Theophylline: not recommended for initial treatment
NB: don’t give ICS if patient has had an episode of pneumonia (TORCH trial)
Additionally:
Smoking cessation / nicotine replacement therapy
Pulmonary rehab
Exercise, pneumonoccal / influenza vaccination
LTOT if meets criteria
What are the inclusion criteria for LTOT?
Pa02 <7.3 kPa on air or
Pa02 <8 kPa + cor pulmonale
Non-smoker
Must have 2-4 L/min via nasal cannula for at least 15h per day. Shown to increase average survival by 9 months.
Clinical signs expected in a patient with COPD?
Inspection: nebs / inhalers / sputum pot / dyspnoeic / central cyanosis / pursed lips (own PEEP)
CO2 retention flap, bounding pulse, tar-stained fingers
Hyper-expanded barrel-shaped chest
Resonant percussion note with loss of cardiac dullness
Expiratory polyphonic wheeze and reduced breath sounds at apices
Cor pulmonale: raised JVP, pedal oedema, RV heave, loud P2 and pansystolic murmur (tricuspid regurgitation)
COPD does not cause clubbing - if present, consider lung cancer or bronchiectasis
Investigations in a patient with suspected COPD?
Bedside: observations, full history, sputum culture, BMI and echo
Bloods: WCC (infection), A1AT levels, low albumin (for severity), ABG (T2RF)
Imaging: CXR (hyper-expanded or pneumothorax)
Special: spirometry (low FEV1, FEV1/FVC reduced ratio below 0.7 - obstructive defect). Low gas transfer.
Organisms causing acute exacerbation of COPD?
60% infection: viruses (influenza, adenovirus, rhinovirus), bacteria (haemophilus influenzae, strep pneumoniae, moraxella catarrhalis)
30% unknown aetiology
10% environmental pollution
Treatment options for empyema?
Pleural drainage + IV abx
Intrapleural DNAse + TPA (MIST2 trial)
Surgical decortication
Causes of pleural effusions?
Exudate (high protein) - often unilateral
- parapneumonic effusion
- lung infarction
- lung malignancy
- CTD such as RA
Transudate (low protein) - often bilateral
- cardiac failure
- liver failure
- chronic kidney disease
- hypoalbuminaemia
What do you send the pleural aspirate for in a pleural effusion?
LDH + protein: Light’s criteria to determine if transudate or exudate
pH, culture, cell count, cytology
glucose and triglycerides: if RA / chylous effusion suspected
How do you differentiate between a transudative and exudative pleural effusion?
If protein is <25 g/L, transudate. If >35 g/L, exudate. If between 25-35 g/L:
Apply Light’s criteria:
- Pleural protein divided by serum protein >0.5
- Pleural LDH divided by serum LDH >0.6
- Pleural LDH is greater than 2/3 the upper limit of normal for serum LDH
If the cause of an exudative pleural effusion is not clear after application of Light’s criteria, which further investigations can be performed?
Contrast-enhanced CT scan
Pleural biopsy
Medical thoracoscopy to take biopsies and perform talc pleurodesis
When would you drain a pleural effusion?
Would be guided by the pleural aspirate. If:
- pH <7.2
- there was frank pus coming out
- culture positive
Then drainage is indicated.
If none of the above are present, would only drain effusion if large or patient is very symptomatic.
List some causes of pleural effusions that are low in glucose?
‘MEAT’
Malignancy
Empyema
Arthritis (RA)
TB
Clinical signs expected on examination of a patient with a pleural effusion?
Asymmetrical, reduced chest expansion
Trachea / mediastinum pushed away from the side of the effusion
Stony dull percussion note
Absent tactile vocal fremitus
Reduced breath sounds
Bronchial breathing above the effusion
How would you manage a pleural effusion that is secondary to malignancy?
As long as the underlying cancer has been diagnosed, the effusion could be drained.
Subsequent management includes:
- can insert long-term catheter to drain further pleural effusions
- pleurodesis (medically or via thoracoscopy)
List some complications of pneumonia.
Lung abscess
Parapneumonic effusion or empyema
Haemoptysis
Septic shock / multi-organ failure
Common causative organisms of a CAP?
Strep pneumoniae 50%
Mycoplasma pneumoniae 6%
Haemophilus influenzae (if COPD)
Chlamydia pneumoniae
1st line tx: penicillin or cephalosporin + a macrolide
How would you score a CAP and what is the value of doing so?
CURB-65 score.
Confusion
Urea >7
RR >30
BP <90 systolic of <60 diastolic
Age >65
Value is that it is used to guide management and prognostication - it is used to predict in-hospital mortality for CAP. Severe CAP should receive high-dose IV abx and level 2 care on HDU/ITU.
Investigations that you would request in a case of suspected CAP?
Bedside: obs, o2 sats, sputum sample, urine for legionella and pneumococcal antigens, and haemoglobinuria (mycoplasma causes cold agglutinins)
Bloods: blood cultures, WCC, U+E, CRP, atypical serology (admission and on day 10), immunoglobulins
Imaging: CXR (consolidation, air bronchogram, abscess, effusion)
Management of interstitial lung disease?
MDT approach: PT / OT / respiratory nurses
Treat underlying connective tissue disorder if present
Steroids: if ground glass shadowing on HRCT (NSIP)
Pirfenidone if UIP / IPF (anti-fibrotic agent)
N-acetylcysteine (free radical scavenger)
Single lung transplant
What is the prognosis of interstitial lung disease?
Very variable, depends on aetiology of ILD.
Ground glass infiltrate (NSIP) responds to immunosuppression (80% 5y survival)
Honeycombing on CT (UIP) has no response to steroids - 80% 5y mortality
Clinical features expected in a patient with interstitial lung disease?
Clubbing, central cyanosis, tachypnoea
Fine end-inspiratory crackles (like velcro, don’t change with coughing)
Signs of associated autoimmune diseases (eg RA, SLE and systemic sclerosis)
Grey, discoloured skin (amiodarone)
NB describe findings as ‘interstitial lung disease’ when there isn’t a clear cause.
What are the typical pulmonary function test results for a patient with pulmonary fibrosis?
Spirometry shows a restrictive pattern
A reduction in both FEV1 and FVC with a preserved ratio of >0.8
Reduced total lung capacity
Reduced transfer factor
Causes of upper zone lung fibrosis?
BREAST
Berylliosis
Radiation
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Sarcoid
TB
Causes of lower zone lung fibrosis?
RATIO
Rheumatoid arthritis
Asbestosis
Connective Tissue Disease
IPF / Hamman-Rich syndrome
Other: bronchiectasis, chemical, drugs (MTX, nitrofurantoin)
What type of interstitial lung disease is associated with autoimmune diseases?
NSIP. Ground-glass changes on HRCT. Often apical, steroid-responsive.
What investigations would you request in a patient with suspected interstitial lung disease?
Bedside: observations, Sa02
Bloods: FBC (anaemia, infection), UE, CRP/ESR, ABG, CTD screen (RF, dsDNA, ANA, ANCA), LFTs (baseline if starting meds)
Imaging: CXR (for baseline), HRCT (looking for honeycombing (UIP) or ground-glass changes (NSIP)
Special: echo (right heart function, pulmonary HTN), spirometry (preserved FEV1/FVC ratio, reduced TLCO and KCO). BAL (to exclude infection prior to immunosuppression), lung biopsy.
Pulmonary complications of rheumatoid arthritis?
ILD
Pleural effusions
Pleuritis
Raised hemidiaphragm
Obliterative bronchiolitis (obstructive disease)
Pulmonary nodules (seropositive patients)
What are the features of the ‘rheumatoid lung’?
LIPO
Lung fibrosis
Intrapulmonary nodules
Pleural effusions
Obliterative bronchiolitis
Stepwise management of asthma?
Stepwise approach as per BTS.
- Short-acting beta agonist (SABA)
- SABA + ICS
- SABA + ICS + LABA
- Add in montelukast
If none successful, may require use of oral steroids / referral to asthma specialist.
NB only BETA agonists in asthma - can use muscarinic in COPD