Respiratory Flashcards
What is a defining feature of asthma?
Expiration wheeze
Reversible air flow limitation - usually with a bronchodilator
What are the possible classifications of an asthma diagnosis?
- Possible
- Probable
- Definite
What immune profile suggests atopy?
Th2
Which immune profile strengthens the case for the hygiene hypothesis?
Th1 vs Th2
Which immune cells are seen in asthma?
Eosinophils
CD4+ T lymphocytes
Mast cells
Neutrophils (especially in severe asthma)
Which immune cells are particularly seen in severe asthma?
Neutrophils
What histological features are seen in asthma?
Thickened basement membrane
New vessel formation
Epithelial disruption
Mucus gland hypertrophy
Which conditions can result in airflow obstruction?
COPD Bronchiectstasis Inhaled foreign body Obliterative bronchiolitis Large airway stenosis Lung cancer Sarcoidosis
How can airflow obstruction be tested for?
Reversibility testing
Which test is no use if there is no suspected airflow obstruction?
Reversibility testing
What is the differential diagnosis in the event of no airflow obstruction?
Cough syndromes Hyperventilation Vocal cord dysfunction Rhinitis GORD Cardiac failure Pulmonary fibrosis
Which white blood cell is commonly raised in asthma?
Eosinophils
Which drugs may stimulate an asthma attack?
Beta blockers
Aspirin in 2-3 percent of asthmatics
What is the identifying feature in bronchiectasis?
Chronic productive cough
How is bronchiectasis diagnosed?
High resolution CT
What is the most common cause of cough with no obvious cough?
Acid reflux
What feature of a cough indicates acid reflux?
Cough is excessive relative to other asthma symptoms
Is acid reflux cough always with dyspepsia?
No
In what percentage of asthmatics is aspirin an irritant?
2-3%
What clinical features are associated with aspirin induced asthma?
Nasal polyps
Troublesome asthma
What features are commonly seen on the FBC of someone with an exacerbation of asthma?
Raised eosinophils and neutrophils
What test may be done to investigate the specific trigger of a patients asthma?
Specific IgE finger prick testing
What is the airway responsiveness test?
Metacholine challenge
Indirect challenge
What are the methods for primary prevention of asthma?
Breastfeeding
Avoid tobacco smoking
?immunotherapy
Is it worth avoiding pathogens for primary asthma prevention?
No
What are the risk factors for near fatal asthma?
Brittle asthma
Heavy use of beta 2 agonists?
3+ asthma medications
How is acute asthma classified?
Near fatal Life threatening Acute severe Moderate Brittle
Which patients can be discharged within 1hr?
PEF>75% after 1hr unless risk factors or living alone
What are the features of a moderate asthma exacerbation?
Increasing symptoms
PEF>50-75% best or predicted
No features of acute severe asthma
What are the features of acute severe asthma?
PEF 33-50%
RR greater than or equal to 25/min
HR greater than or equal to 110 bpm
Cannot complete sentences in one breath
What are the features of life threatening asthma?
Any one of:
PEF
What are the clinical features of life threatening asthma? Normal PCO2 Silent chest Cyanosis Feeble respiratory effort Bradycardi
Normal PCO2 Silent chest Cyanosis Feeble respiratory effort Bradycardia
Describe type 1 brittle asthma?
Wide PEF variability (>40% diurnal variation for more than half of the time over 150 days)
Describe type 2 brittle asthma
Sudden severe attacks on a background of otherwise well controlled asthma
What is near fatal asthma?
Raised PaCO2 and/or requiring mechanical ventilation with raised inflation pressures
What is the principle of near fatal asthma management?
Bronchodilators to keep the patient alive/ steroids decrease inflammation
Which bronchodilators should be used in near fatal asthma?
Salbutamol or tetrabutaline nebs via spacer
Ipratropium if concerned
iv magnesium
Which bronchodilator should be used if life threatening asthma becomes near fatal?
Iv aminophylline
For how longs should steroids be given in acute exacerbations of asthma?
5 days
What steroids can be given in severe asthma?
Prednisolone 40 or 50 od OR
Hydrocortisone 100 or 200mg qds
How is acute asthma attack managed?
ABC
O2 - aim for SaO2 >92%
iv fluids for rehydration and to correct electrolytes
How does FEV1 and FVC change in obstructive disease?
FEV1 and FVC reduced so FEV1/FVC reduced
How does FEV1 and FVC change in restrictive disease?
Both FEV1 and FVC reduced but FEV1 not reduced as much so FEV1/FVC normal or raised
What is tidal volume?
Air expired or inspired in a single breath
What is inspiratory reserve volume?
Additional volume of air that can be inspired after tidal volume
What is expiratory reserve volume?
Additional volume that can be expired after tidal volume
What is the vital capacity?
Maximum volume of air that can be exhaled following max inspiration (IRV+TV+IRV)
How can lung volume be measured?
Helium method
Body plethysmography
How is gas transfer measured?
CO single breath technique
How does the helium method work?
Helium acts as a tracer that mixes with air
What environmental factors are linked to lung cancer?
Pollution Coal and tar oils Chromium Iron oxide Asbestos Radiation Arsenic
Which oncogenes may be present in lung cancer?
KRAS, MYC family, EGFR and ALK mutations
Which tumour suppressor genes are relevant to lung cancer?
p53
Where can autocrine growth factors be derived from?
Nicotine
What percentage of lung cancers are small cell (oat cell) tumours?
10%
What types of non small cell lung cancers are there and what is their incidence?
Squamous cell carcinoma (20-30%)
Adenocarcinoma (40-50%)
Large cell carcinoma (10-15%)
What are distinctive features of SCLC?
May respond to chemo
Endocrine
Often nodal spread
Early aggression - often inoperable
What are features of squamous cell tumours?
Typically in smokers
Often cavitates
High serum calcium due to PTH-rp
What are the features of large cell lung cancer?
Early metastasis
Undifferentiated
The clinical picture of adenocarcinoma in situ may resemble which other disease?
Pneumonia
Which paraneoplastic syndromes are linked to SCLC?
Cushings Lambert-Eaton syndrome Limbic encephalitis Cerebellar syndrome Dermatomyositis (more common is SCLC)
Which paraneoplastic syndrome may be present in squamous cell carcinoma?
Hypercalcaemia due to PTH-rp
When should an urgent respiratory referral be made?
CT/CXR suggests cancer including pleural effusion or slow removal of consolidation
High suspicion with normal CT/CXR
Persistent haemoptysis in smokers/ex-smokers older than 40 years of age OR signs of SVCO obstruction or strider
Why should an MRI be done?
To look for pan coast tumours
What is the ideal pathway in the diagnosis of lung cancer?
Patient presents to GP or A&E CXR abnormal Refer to respiratory Respiratory physician requests CT CT given with report to team PET scan Bronchoscopy/ CT biopsy/ EBUS Histology and PET report Decide on chemo/ radio/ surgery
What are the symptoms of pleuritic disease?
Asymptomatic Dry cough Breathlessness Pleuritic chest pain Shoulder pain and heaviness
What is an exudate fluid?
More that 30g/l protein in the fluid
What is a transudate fluid?
Less that 30g/l protein in the fluid
When should Light’s criteria be used to differentiate between transudate and exudate?
If the fluid is between 25g/l and 35g/l
What is Light’s criteria?
The fluid is an exudate if:
Pleural fluid/serum protein > 0.5
Pleural fluid LDH/ serum LDH > 0.6
Pleural fluid LDH > 2/3 of upper limit of serum LDH
What can lead to an exudate fluid?
Parapneumonic effusion Malignancy PE Rheumatoid arthritis Mesothelioma
What conditions can lead to a transudate fluid?
Left ventricular failure Cirrhotic liver disease Peritoneal dialysis Nephrotic syndrome Constrictive pericarditis Hypothyroidism Meig's syndrome
What is a pleural infection?
Parapneumonic effusion/empyema
How should pleural effusion be investigated? (After CXR)
Diagnostic pleural tap
What other investigations should be done after a pleural tap when investigating pleural effusion?
Blood culture
USS
CT chest
What is the most cause of community acquired pleural infection?
Streptococcus
What is the second most common cause of community acquired pleural infection?
Anaerobes
What is the third most common cause of community acquired pleural infection?
Staph aureus
What is the most common cause of hospital acquired pleural infection?
Staph - MRSA (25%) and S.aureus (10%)
How should a pleural infection be managed?
First line- antibiotics
Seconds line- chest tube drainage
Third line- intrapleural fibrinolytics (not routinely used)
Nutritional support
If still doesn’t resolve refer to surgeons for VATS/thoracotomy and decortication/open thoracic drainage
What is a mesothelioma?
Malignant tumour of the serosal surfaces
What is the average latency period of mesothelioma?
40 years
What is the prognosis after mesothelioma diagnosis?
Poor 9-12 months
What causes a mesothelioma?
Asbestos exposure
What signs and symptoms are seen in mesothelioma?
Dull ache in chest
Pleural effusion
Weight loss and fatigue
Chest wall invasion
What are the first line investigations in suspected mesothelioma?
CXR and CT thorax
What further investigations may be done when investigating mesothelioma?
Pleural fluid analysis (cytology and colour)
Biopsy
Histological subtyping
What histological subtypes may be seen in mesothelioma?
Epitheloid - 50% - better prognosis
Mixed (biphasic)
Sarcomatoid
Which histological subtype of mesothelioma is the most common and results in the best prognosis?
Epithelial
How can pleural effusions be managed?
Drainage (pleurodesis if recurrent)
What is the role of radiotherapy in mesothelioma management?
Reduce chest wall invasion risk?
Which chemotherapy agents should be used in mesothelioma?
Cisplatin + pemetrexed/ gemcitibine
What CXR findings may one see in mesothelioma?
Pleural plaques
Basal thickening
What is bronchiectasis?
Permanent dilation of the bronchi and bronchioles with necrosis of their walls
What causes bronchiectasis?
Obstruction or childhood viral pneumonia
What is a key clinical finding in bronchiectasis?
Foul smelling pus
How is bronchiectasis diagnosed?
High resolution CT scan
Why does foul smelling pus occur in bronchiectasis?
Air ways become sac like and fill with pus
What are the characteristics of the fluid in pulmonary oedema?
Pink and granular with haemosiderin-laden macrophages (heart failure cells)
What process occurs in long standing pulmonary oedema?
Resolution or ‘brown induration’
What causes ARDS?
Diffuse alveolar damage and build up of oedema due to injury to alveolar capillary endothelium
What does histology show in ARDS?
Oedema and fluid
Fibrinous membranes lining alveoli
Proceeds to severe scarring
Why is ARDS life threatening?
Rapidly developing respiratory insufficiency
Which type of PE is immediately life threatening?
Large saddle emboli - lodges are in the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk
What shape of infarct appears in the lungs in the event of a normal PE?
Wedge shaped
Does pulmonary circulation normally have a high or low resistance?
Low
What can cause pulmonary hypertension?
COPD
Left heart valvular disease
Recurrent thromboemboli
What complication arises from pulmonary hypertension?
Right ventricular hypertrophy - chronic cor pulmonale
Which type of lung disease does occupational lung disease normally cause?
Restrictive
What are the features of coal workers pneumocosis?
Anthracosis
Macules
Progressive massive fibrosis
In what jobs is silicon exposure common?
Sandblasting
Foundry work
Which disease are due to silicon?
Silicosis
Caplan’s syndrome
Which conditions are linked to asbestos exposure?
Asbestosis Pleural plaques Caplan's syndrome Mesothelioma Lung, stomach and colon cancer
Which lung disease are due to organic dusts?
Farmer’s lung
Baggassosis
Byssinosis
Bird breeder’s lung
Which habit typically causes chronic bronchitis and emphysema?
Smoking
What is centriacinar emphysema?
Central and proximal parts of the respiratory bronchioles affected and the distal parts are spared
This type is seen in smokers
What is paracinar emphysema?
Uniform dilation of acini from respiratory bronchiole to alveoli
Seen in alpha 1 anti trypsin deficiency
Which type of emphysema is seen in alpha 1 anti trypsin deficiency?
Paracinar
What is paraseptal emphysema?
Peripheral along large margins
Occurs adjacent to scarring/collapse/fibrosis
Predisposition to spontaneous pneumothorax in young adults
Which type of emphysema predisposes young adults to pneumothorax?
Paraseptal
What is irregular emphysema?
Irregular involvement of acini - linked to scarring
What is the pathogenesis of emphysema?
Protease-antiprotease hypothesis
Smoking and congenital alpha 1 anti trypsin deficiency leads to antielastase
Smoking and emphysema leads to elastic damage
Compare chronic bronchitis to emphysema?
Chronic bronchitis:
Productive cough for longer than 3m in 2 consecutive years
Mucous gland hypertrophy and hypersecretion +/- infection
Progressive
Hypoxia, hypercapnia and cyanosis prone
Blue bloater
Emphysema:
Permanent dilation of airways distal to terminal bronchiole
Elastic destruction leading to loss of elastic recoil
Centriacinar/paracinar/paraseptal/irregular
Tendency to hyperventilate but ABG normal
Pink puffer
What is the pathogenesis of lung cancer?
- Normal respiratory epithelium (pseudo stratified columnar, ciliated, mucous secreting)
- Turns to stratified squamous
- Turns to squamous dysplasia
- Becomes carcinoma
What causes hypercapnia?
Hypoventilation
What can cause type 1 respiratory failure?
Low inspired oxygen
V/Q mismatch - reduced Q e.g PE
Diffusion abnormality e.g pulmonary fibrosis or emphysema in COPD
What can cause type 2 respiratory failure?
Thoracic cage problems e.g. obesity, thoracoplasty and kyphoscoliosis
Hyperexpanded lungs e.g. COPD
Obstructive airway disease e.g. COPD or asthma
Weakness of respiratory muscles e.g. MND, DMD
What is CPAP?
Continuous positive airway pressure that pushes air into lungs during expiration
It can expand collapsed portions of lung that are underventilated
What improvements are seen with CPAP?
Improves V/Q mismatch
Hypoxia
Keeps airway open in sleep apnoea
What is not improved with CPAP?
Hypoventilation