RESPIRATORY Flashcards
what are the clinical features of ARDS?
- Unexplained tachypnoea.
- Increased hypoxaemia.
- Central cyanosis.
- Dyspnoea.
- Fine crackles throughout both lung fields.
- Fever, cough, and pleuritic chest pain if the underlying cause is pneumonia.
What is seen on chest x-ray in ARDS?
-Bilateral diffuse shadowing.
What is seen on ABG in ARDS?
-Low PaO2 / FiO2 ratio of < 300 on PEEP.
how is ARDS managed?
- endotracheal intubation
- prone position
- supportive measures
- Consider rescue therapy (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) for patients with refractory hypoxaemia despite an FiO2 of 1.0 and high levels of positive end-expiratory failure.
what are the clinical features of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis?
- Cough.
- Fever.
- Wheeze.
- Firm sputum plugs.
- Pleuritic chest pain
- commonly in teenagers with CF and young adults with asthma.
how is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis diagnosed?
- skin test for Aspergillosis fumigatus is positive
- raised eosinophils
- elevated IgE and IgG
- central bronchiectasis on chest x-ray
how is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis managed?
- oral prednisone
- azole antifungal (itraconozole) as a second line therapy
what are the risk factors for simple pneumoconiosis?
- Occupational exposure to silica (manufacture of toilet bowlers sinks, and ceramics).
- Occupational exposure to coal (coal miners).
- Occupational exposure to beryllium (manufacture of master alloy).
what are the symptoms of simple pneumoconiosis?
- Dyspnoea on exertion.
- Dry, non-productive cough.
- Features of TB in silicosis (fever, haemoptysis, malaise).
what are the signs of simple pneumoconiosis?
- Wheeze.
- Crackles on auscultation.
- Cyanosis (uncommon).
- Clubbing (uncommon).
what is seen on chest x-ray in simple pneumoconiosis?
- Rounded opacities in the upper lobes
- Calcification around hilar lymph nodes.
what is seen on CT scan in simple pneumoconiosis?
-upper zone interstitial fibrosis
what is seen on spirometry in simple pneumoconiosis?
- Restrictive changes;
- Mixed pattern in progressive massive fibrosis
how is simple pneumoconiosis managed?
- smoking cessation and removal of occupational exposure
- advice regarding compensation via the Industrial Injuries Act.
- corticosteroid therapy (prednisolone 40 mg) for patients with acute or chronic berylliosis.
- Perform whole lung lavage for acute silicosis.
- pulmonary rehabilitation to all patients with exertional dyspnoea.
what are the clinical features of asbestosis?
- A history of occupational asbestos exposure such as shipyard and construction work, vehicle brake mechanic.
- Progressive dyspnoea.
- Cough.
- Bilateral basal end-inspiratory crackles.
- Chest pain.
- Clubbing.
what is seen on chest x-ray in asbestosis?
- Lower zone linear fibrosis
- Pleural thickening
what is seen on spirometry in asbestosis?
- Restrictive changes (normal FEV1/FVC ratio)
- Reduced total lung capacity
what is seen on CT scan in asbestosis?
- Lower zone linear interstitial fibrosis
- Progressively involves the entire lung
- Pleural thickening.
how is asbestosis managed?
- Encourage smoking cessation.
- Offer supportive therapy such as antibiotics and oxygen therapy where appropriate.
- Consider pleural decortication if patients develop diffuse pleural thickening.
- Consider lung transplant for end-stage respiratory failure (PaO2 < 60 mmHg despite oxygen therapy).
what are the risk factors for aspiration pneumonia?
- Altered mental status secondary to alcohol, drugs, or anaesthesia.
- Gastrointestinal disease such as GORD, hiatal hernia, achalasia.
- Intubation or tracheostomy tube (ventilator associated pneumonia).
- Nasogastric and percutaneous feeding.
- Increasing age.
- Poor oral hygiene.
- Anaesthesia during pregnancy (Mendelson’s syndrome)
what are the clinical features of aspiration pneumonia?
- Cough.
- Dyspnoea.
- Fever.
- Pleuritic chest pain.
- Tachypnoea.
- Foul-smelling breath.
- Crepitations.
- Frothy or purulent sputum.
what are the clinical features of CAP?
- productive cough
- dyspnoea
- pleuritic chest pain
- fever
- rigors and night sweats
- confusion
how does mycoplasma pneumonia present?
- Sore throat
- erythema multiforme
- encephalitis
- uveitis
- myocarditis
- cold haemolytic anaemia
- Raynaud’s
- bullous myringitis (blisters on tympanic membrane
how does legionella present?
- Confusion
- headache
- diarrhoea
- myalgia
- raised CK
- interstitial nephritis
- hyponatraemia
- hypoalbuminaemia
- high liver aminotransferases
which organisms can be detected on urinary antigen testing in pneumonia?
- Legionella pneumophilia
- Streptococcus pneumoniae.
what is the immediate management of CAP?
- oxygen
- IV fluids if hypotensive
- vasopressor if needed
what is the initial drug management of CAP?
- amoxicillin or doxycycline for low severity
- amoxicillin plus clarithromycin for moderate severity
- co-amoxiclav or levofloxacin with clarithromycin for high severity or aspiration pneumonia
how is empyema managed?
- Administer intravenous cefuroxime and metronidazole.
- Perform urgent chest tube drainage.
- Provide supportive care: Antipyretics for swinging fever and analgesia for pleuritic pain.
- Provide fluid resuscitation if they are septic.
what are the risk factors for HAP?
- Intubation and mechanical ventilation.
- Co-morbidity, such as severe lung disease or immunosuppression.
- Acid-suppression drugs.
- Aspiration, which can complicate anaesthesia (Mendelson’s syndrome)
- Depressed consciousness.
- Chest or upper abdominal surgery.
what are the clinical features of HAP?
- Cough with increasing sputum production.
- Dyspnoea.
- Fever.
- Pleuritic chest pain.
- Tachycardia.
- Malaise and anorexia.
how is HAP treated?
- oxygen, IV fluids and vasopressors if needed
- oral co-amoxiclav for non-severe symptoms or signs and not at higher risk of resistance.
- Consider doxycycline if patient has a penicillin allergy
- piperacillin with tazobactam if severe symptoms or signs or at higher risk of resistance.
- intravenous vancomycin or teicoplanin if suspected or confirmed MRSA.
what are the clinical features of pneumocystis jirovecii?
- high fever
- breathlessness
- dry cough
how is pneumocystis jirovecii treated?
-co-trimoxazole
what are the risk factors for developing asthma?
- Personal or family history of atopic disease (asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis).
- Respiratory infections in infancy.
- Exposure to tobacco smoke.
- Premature birth and low birth weight.
- Obesity.
- Social deprivation.
- Workplace exposures include flour dust and isocyanates from paint.
what are the clinical features of asthma?
- Expiratory polyphonic wheeze.
- Dry cough.
- Shortness of breath.
- Symptoms are episodic, diurnal (worse at night or in the early morning) and are triggered by exercise, exposure to cold air, allergens, NSAIDs, beta-blockers, and viral infections.
- Occupational asthma is suggested when symptoms improve when not at work.
what is seen on spirometry in asthma?
- FEV1/FVC is less than 70%.
- FEV1 is less than 80%.
What percentage FEV1 reversibility on bronchodilator testing is required for asthma diagnosis?
-12% or more.
what is the stepwise management of asthma in adults?
- SABA
- ICS
- LTRA
- LABA
- ICS+LABA
- Anti-muscarinic
- theophylline
- Oral steroids
- sodium cromoglycate or nedocromil
which asthmatic patients should be given ICS?
- Use an inhaler SABA three times a week or more.
- Have asthma symptoms three times a week or more.
- Are woken up at night by asthma symptoms once weekly.
what is the stepwise management of asthma in children?
- SABA
- ICS or LTRA <5 years
- LABA with ICS
- refer to respiratory physician
what are the clinical features of an acute asthma attack?
- Inability to complete a sentence in one breath.
- raised respiratory rate
- tachycardia
- use of accessory muscles
what are the features of a life threatening asthma attack?
- A silent chest.
- Normal PaCO2.
- Cyanosis.
- Bradycardia or hypotension.
- Exhaustion.
- Confusion
- Coma.
what are the ABG features in acute asthma?
- PaO2 < 6 kPa in a life threatening attack
- A raised PaCO2 indicates near fatal asthma
- A normal PaCO2 indicates exhaustion and life threatening asthma
how is an acute asthma attack managed in adults?
- inhaled salbutamol every 20 minutes for 3 doses.
- oxygen
- salbutamol nebuliser
- ipratropium bromide nebuliser
- IV hydrocortisone or oral prednisone for 5 days
- IV magnesium sulphate
how is an acute asthma attack managed in children?
- salbutamol 10 puffs or nebuliser
- ipratropium bromide nebuliser
- oxygen
- oral prednisone
- IV aminophylline or salbutamol
what are the causes of bronchiectasis?
- post-infective
- Cystic fibrosis.
- Bronchial obstruction due to lung cancer or foreign body aspiration.
- Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
- Primary ciliary dyskinesia including Kartagener’s syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Ulcerative colitis.
what are the clinical features of bronchiectasis?
- Persistent productive cough.
- Large volumes of purulent sputum then becomes thick, foul-smelling and khaki coloured.
- Breathlessness.
- Haemoptysis, either frank or massive.
- Halitosis.
what is seen on high resolution CT in bronchiectasis?
- Thickened, dilated bronchi
- Cysts
- Characteristically the airways are larger than their associated blood vessels, giving a signet ring appearance.
how is bronchiectasis managed?
- airway clearance therapy
- prophylactic azithromycin with 3 or more exacerbations a year
- surgery for localised disease
what are the features of an exacerbation of bronchiectasis?
- Cyanosis.
- Confusion.
- Respiratory rate of more than 25 breaths per minute.
- Marked breathlessness or laboured breathing
- Peripheral oedema.
- Temperature of 38 degrees of celsius or more.
what are the risk factors for developing COPD?
- smoking
- coal, grains and silica
- air pollution
- genetics
- asthma
what are the symptoms of COPD?
- Breathlessness that is persistent, progressive, and worse on exertion.
- Chronic cough.
- Regular sputum production.
- Frequent lower respiratory tract infections.
- Wheeze.
- Weight loss.
- Anorexia.
- Fatigue.
- Ankle swelling.
what are the signs of COPD?
- Cyanosis.
- Raised JVP.
- Cachexia.
- Hyperinflation of the chest.
- Use of accessory muscles.
- Pursed lip breathing.
- Crackles on auscultation.
what are the post-bronchodilator spirometry features of COPD?
- FEV1:FVC less than 70%
- FEV1 less than 80%.
define mild COPD according to GOLD stages
FEV1 80% of predicted value
define moderate COPD according to GOLD stages
FEV1 50 - 79% of predicted value.
define severe COPD according to GOLD stages
FEV1 30 - 49% of predicted value.
define very severe COPD according to GOLD stages
- FEV1 30% of predicted value
- 50% of predicted value and respiratory failure.
which COPD patients should be given long term oxygen therapy?
- With a PaO2 of less than 7.3 kPa.
- With peripheral oedema, secondary polycythaemia, pulmonary hypertension, or nocturnal hypoxaemia.
- SpO2 < 92% or less breathing air.
- FEV1 < 30% predicted value.
how is COPD managed?
- SABA or SAMA
- LABA + ICS with asthmatic features (previous asthma, eosinophilia, diurnal variation)
- LABA + LAMA with no asthmatic features
- LABA + LAMA + ICS
- Mucolytic
- Prophylactic azithromycin with more than 3 exacerbations requiring steroids and one needing hospital admission in the last year
what are the clinical features of an acute exacerbation of COPD?
- Increased breathlessness.
- Increased cough.
- Increased sputum production and change in sputum colour.
- Increased wheeze and chest tightness.
- Upper respiratory tract infections (cold or sore throat).
- Ankle swelling.
- Increased fatigue.
- Acute confusion.
how are acute exacerbations treated in COPD?
- nebulised salbutamol
- predisolone
- oxygen
- BiPAP for respiratory acidosis
- oral antibiotics (amoxicillin or doxocycline)
what are the respiratory features of CF?
- recurrent respiratory infections
- persistent, loose cough
- purulent sputum
- clubbing
- sinusitis and nasal polyps
what are the GI features of CF?
- steatorrhoea
- failure to thrive
- meconium ileus
- cholesterol gallstones
- cirrhosis
how is CF diagnosed?
- raised immunoreactive trypsinogen on blood spot
- increased concentration of chloride in sweat
how are the respiratory features of CF managed?
- airway clearance
- salbutoamol
- an inhaled mucolytic such as dornase alfa, hypertonic saline or mannitol
- prophylactic azithromycin
- lung transplant
how is chronic pseudomonas infection managed in CF?
- Colistimethate sodium nebuliser is first line
- If there is clinical deterioration, consider nebulised aztreonam or nebulised tobramycin
what are the clinical features of foreign body aspiration?
- Choking.
- Bilateral persistent monophonic wheeze.
- Dyspnoea.
- Intractable cough.
- Fever.
- Unilateral decreased breath sounds.
how should foreign body aspiration be managed if the patient it conscious?
- Encourage the patient to cough.
- Perform chest thrusts for infants if coughing is ineffective.
- Perform abdominal thrusts for children and adults if coughing is ineffective.
- Perform flexible bronchoscopy to remove the foreign body if the patient has cervicofacial trauma.
- Perform rigid bronchoscopy to remove the foreign body if there is asphyxia, stridor, or radio- opaque object seen on chest radiograph.
- Perform surgery if repeated bronchoscope attempts fail.
- Perform thoracotomy with pulmonary resection for cases of destroyed segment, lobe, or lung.
what are the risk factors for developing hypersensitivity pneumonitis?
- Exposure to mouldy hay or vegetable material (Farmer’s lung).
- Handling pigeons or cleaning lofts (Bird fancier’s lung).
- Turning germinating barley (Maltworker’s lung).
- Exposure to contaminated humidifying systems in air conditioners or factories (Humidifier fever).
- Turning mushroom compost (Mushroom workers).
- Exposure to mouldy cheese (Cheese washer’s lung).
- Exposure to mouldy grapes (Winemaker’s lung).
what are the symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis?
- Dyspnoea.
- Cough.
- Fever and chills.
- Malaise.
- Anorexia and weight loss.
what are the signs of hypersensitivity pneumonitis?
- Tachypnoea.
- Coarse end-inspiratory crackles.
- Wheeze.
- Cyanosis.
- Clubbing.
what is seen on chest x-ray in hypersensitivity pneumonitis?
- Fluffy nodular shadowing
- Streaky shadows
- Honeycomb lung.
what is seen on CT in hypersensitivity pneumonitis?
- Reticular and nodular changes
- Ground glass opacity.
what is seen on lung function testing in hypersensitivity pneumonitis?
- Restrictive changes (normal FEV1/FVC ratio)
- Reduced carbon monoxide gas transfer.
what is seen on bronchoalveolar lavage in hypersensitivity pneumonitis?
- Positive antibody
- lymphocytosis
how is hypersensitivity pneumonitis treated?
- avoid antigen
- oral prednisolone
what are the risk factors for developing pulmonary fibrosis?
- Cigarette smoking.
- Advancing age.
- Male gender.
- Exposure to wood and metal dusts.
- Infections such as EBV.
what are the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis?
- Progressive dyspnoea.
- Non-productive cough.
- Cyanosis
what are the signs of pulmonary fibrosis?
- Fine bilateral end expiratory crackles.
- Finger clubbing.
what is seen on chest x-ray in pulmonary fibrosis?
Basilar and subpleural reticular opacities
what is seen on CT in pulmonary fibrosis?
- Basilar and subpleural reticular opacities
- (reticular) honeycombing.
how is pulmonary fibrosis managed?
- smoking cessation
- assess QoL
- Supplemental oxygen if oxygen saturation <80%
- anti-fibrotics e.g. pirfenidone or nintedanib
- lung transplant
how is an acute exacerbation of pulmonary fibrosis managed?
- Admit to hospital.
- Offer high dose corticosteroids (prednisolone).
- Consider azathioprine or cyclophosphamide if there is no response to corticosteroids.
what are the clinical features of langerhans’ cell granulomatosis?
- Bone pain or swelling.
- Skin rash that may be ulcerative or necrotic.
- Cough.
- Dyspnoea.
- Hepatosplenomegaly.
- Jaundice.
- Ascites
what is seen on chest and bone x-ray in langerhans’ cell granulomatosis?
- CXR: Multiple small cysts (honeycomb lung).
- bone XR: Punched out lytic lesions.
how is respiratory disease managed in langerhans’ cell granulomatosis?
- Encourage smoking cessation.
- Give vinblastin and prednisolone for severe disease.
how is skin disease managed in langerhans’ cell granulomatosis?
Give topical betamethasone for an ulcerative or necrotic rash
how is bone disease managed in langerhans’ cell granulomatosis?
- Perform surgery
- give methylprednisolone.
what are the risk factors for developing lung cancer?
- Cigarette smoking.
- Radon gas exposure.
- Family history.
- Older age.
- Asbestos exposure.
what are the respiratory features of lung cancer?
- Persistent cough.
- Breathlessness which may be due to tumour obstruction or underlying lung disease.
- Haemoptysis, typically blood-tinged sputum.
- Wheeze.
what are the features of local invasion of lung cancer?
- Sharp pleuritic chest pain
- Small muscle wasting in the hand (Brachial plexus).
- Horner’s syndrome (superior cervical ganglion).
- Dysphagia.
- Paralysis of the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm (phrenic nerve).
- Hoarseness.
- Facial swelling (SVC)
what are the features of metastatic spread of lung cancer?
- Liver metastasis includes anorexia, nausea and weight loss.
- Brain metastasis includes raised intracranial pressure, headache, confusion.
- Weight gain with an ACTH-secreting tumour.
how is small cell carcinoma managed?
- Offer surgical resection for early stage disease (T1-2a, N0, M0).
- Offer platinum-based combination chemotherapy (carboplatin and etoposide) for extensive disease (T1-4, N0-3, M1a/b).
- Offer anthracycline containing chemotherapy (topetocan) for relapsed disease in whom chemotherapy is suitable.
- Offer radiotherapy for palliation.
how is non-small cell lung carcinoma treated?
- Offer surgical resection for early stage disease.
- Offer radical radiotherapy with SABR for patients with early stage disease who reject surgical resection
- Consider chemoradiotherapy (cisplatin and vinnorelbine) for stage II or III disease that are not suitable for surgery.
what are the clinical features of laryngeal carcinoma?
- hoarse voice
- may be deep, harsh and breathy or weak
- otalgia