Respiratory Flashcards
What is the aetiology of hospital-acquired pneumonia?
What are examples of atypical and aspiration
(48 hours in hospital or 7 days after leaving hospital)
Staphylococcus aureus (often post-viral URTI, can cause empyema & abscess)
Gram-negative enterobacteria (Pseudomonas, Klebsiella)
Anaerobes (due to aspiration pneumonia)
Atypical pneumonia - interstitial inflammation rather than consolidation
Mycoplasma pneumonia - 2nd most common, often in young adults (results in a rise of cold agglutinins - clumping of RBCs at low temperatures, commonly seen in close-community settings e.g. universities)
Chlamydia pneumonia
Legionella pneumophilia - A/C (can occur anywhere with air conditioning)
Coxiella burnetti
Chlamydia psittaci (causes psittacosis) - linked to exotic pet birds
Pneumocystis jiroveci - opportunistic fungal infection, AIDS defining illness
Aspiration pneumonia - anaerobes from gut, likely to affect right lower lobe
Klebsiella pneumoniae (commonly right lower lobe, redcurrant, foul-smelling jelly sputum, affects alcoholics, diabetics and those with poor swallow)
What is pneumoconiosis and what are the types?
Fibrosing interstitial lung disease caused by chronic inhalation of mineral dusts
- Simple: Coalworker’s pneumoconiosis or silicosis (symptom free)
- Complicated: Pneumoconiosis (progressive massive fibrosis) results in loss lung function
- Asbestosis: A pneumoconiosis in which diffuse parenchymal lung fibrosis occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to asbestos (associated with mesothelioma, lung carcinoma, benign pleural effusion, pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening)
What are the signs of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on examination?
Clubbing (50%)
Bibasal fine end-inspiratory crackles
Signs of right heart failure in advanced stages of disease
What are the signs of aspergillus lung disease on examination??
- Tracheal deviation in large aspergillomas - Dullness in affected lung, reduced breath sounds, wheeze in ABPA - Cyanosis may develop in invasive aspergillosis
What are the signs and symptoms of TB in the skin?
- Lupus vulgaris (jelly like reddish-brown glistening plaques)
What is the epidemiology of pulmonary embolisms?
- Relatively common, especially in hospitalised pts
Mx on TB?
ACTIVE : RIPE
Inactive 2 options:
3m isoniazid + rifmapicin
6months isoniazid
RIFAMPICIN
ISONIAZID
PYRAZINAMID
ETHAMBUTAMOL
What are presenting symptoms of aspergillus lung disease?
Aspergilloma ASYMPTOMATIC Haemoptysis (potentially massive) Lethargy and weight-loss CXR - apical, round opacity within cavity ABPA Difficult to control asthma Recurrent episodes of pneumonia with wheeze, cough, fever and malaise Wheeze, cough, fever, malaise CXR - Segmental collapse and bronchiectasis Invasive Aspergillosis Dyspnoea Rapid deterioration Headache and seizure, altered mental state - may indicate intracranial disease/ space occupying lesion Septic picture CXR - consolidation and abscess
What is the aetiology of COPD?
Bronchial and alveolar damage as a result of environmental toxins (e.g. cigarette smoke).
A1-antitrypsin deficiency is rare cause
What is the aetiology of extrinsic allergic alveolitis?
Inhalation of antigenic organic dusts containing microbes or animal proteins induce a hypersensitivity response in susceptible individuals
What are the presenting symptoms of asthma?
- Episodes of wheeze, breathlessness, cough, worse in the morning and at night - Ask about interference with exercise, sleeping, days off school and work
- In an acute attack it is important to ask whether the patient has been admitted to hospital because of his/her asthma, or to ITU, as a gauge of potential severity -
- Precipitating factors: Cold, viral infection, drugs (B-blockers, NSAIDs), exercise, emotions
- May have a history of allergic rhinits, uticaria, eczema, nasal polyps, acid reflux and family history
What are the risk factors for pneumoconiosis
- Occupational exposure: in coal mining, quarrying iron and steel foundries, stone cutting, sandblasting, insulation industry, plumbers, ship builders.
- Risk depends on extent of exposure, size and shape of particles and individual susceptibility, as well as co-factors such as smoking and TB
What are the signs of a pneumothorax on examination?
There may be NO signs if the pneumothorax is small
Reduced chest expansion
Hyper-resonance to percussion ipsilaterally
Reduced breath sounds ipsilaterally
Tachycardic & tachypnoeic
Tension Pneumothorax
Hyper-expanded chest
Contralateral tracheal deviation
Severe respiratory distress
Hypotension - circulatory shock
Cyanosis
Distended neck veins
What are are the presenting symptoms of a pneumothorax?
May be ASYMPTOMATIC if the pneumothorax is small
Sudden-onset breathlessness (dyspnoea)
Pleuritic chest pain
Sweating, tachypnoea, tachycardia
Distress with rapid shallow breathing in tension pneumothorax
What are the investigations for aspergilloma?
- Aspergilloma: CXR: Round opacity may be seen with a crescent of air around it (usually in the upper lobes) - CT or MR imaging if CXR does not clearly delineate a cavity - Cultures of the sputum may be negative if there is no communication between the cavity and the bronchial tree. Also Aspergillus is a common common coloniser of an abnormal respiratory tract
What is the pathogenesis of asthma with regards to the late phase?
- After 6-12 hours - Recruitment of eosinophils, basophils, neutrophil and Th2 lymphocytes and their products results in perpetuation of the inflammation and bronchial hyper-responsiveness - Structural cells may also release cytokines, profibrogenic and proliferative growth factors and contibute to the inflammation and altered function and proliferation of smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts (‘airway remodelling’)
What is a pneumothorax?
Air in the pleural space (the potential space between visceral and parietal pleura) Other variants depend on the substance in the pleural space (e.g. blood: haemothorax: lymph: chylothorax) - Tension pneumothorax: Emergency when a functional valve lets air enter the pleural space during inspiration but not leave during expiration
What is the pathogenesis of asthma with regards to the early phase??
Early phase (up to 1 hour): Exposure in inhaled allergens in a presensitised individual results in cross-linking of IgE antibodies on the mast cell surface and release of histamine, prostaglandin D2, leukotrienes and TNF-a. These induce bronchoconstriction, mucous hypersecretion, oedema and airway obstruction
How is a tension pneumothorax managed?
- Emergency - Maximum 02, insert large-bore needle into second intercostal space, midclavicular line, on side of pneumothorax to relieve pressure, insert chest drain soon after, 5TH ics mcl
What are the possible complications of asthma?
- Growth retardation - Chest wall deformity (e.g. pigeon chest) - Recurrent infections - Pneumothorax - Respiratory failure - Death
What are the signs and symptoms of primary tuberculosis?
- Mostly asymptomatic - May have fever - Malaise - Cough - Wheeze - Erythema nodosum - Phlyctenular conjunctivits (allergic manifestiations
How to treat acute exacerbation of COPD?
Controlled oxygen:
Via 24% O2 via Venturi mask , aim for SpO2 88-92% if hypercapnic on ABG, otherwise aim for 94-98%
Nebulised bronchodilators: salbutamol, ipratropium bromide
Corticosteroids (usually 5 day course)
Start empirical antibiotic therapy if evidence of infection (e.g. amoxicillin & doxycycline)
Theophylline if inadequate response to nebulisers
Respiratory physiotherapy to clear sputum
Ventilation if evidence of worsening respiratory acidosis:
- BiPAP
- Mechanical ventilation if BiPAP fails
What is the epidemiology of aspergillosis?
- Uncommon - Most common in elderly and immunocompromised
How do mesothelioma spread?
Mesotheliomas usually spread through one pleural cavity then invade into the contiguous lung and chest wall
Also spread to the other pleural cavity, pericardial cavity and peritoneal cavity
Hilar nodes are involved by lymphatic spread
Death is usually due to lung/pleural involvement.
What are the possible complications of a pneumothorax?
- Recurrent pneumothoraces - Bronchopleural fistula
What are the investigations for invasive aspergillosis?
- Detection of Aspergillus in cultures or by histological examinations - Chest CT scan may show nodules surrounded by a ground-glass appearance (halo sign)
What are the investigations for pneumonia?
- Blood: FBC (abnormal WCC) U&E (reduced Na+, especially with Legionella, LFT, blood cultures (sensitivity 10-20%, ABG (assess pulmonary function), blood film - CXR: Lobar or patchy shadowing, may lag behind clinical signs, pleural effusion, Klebsiella often affects upper lobes, repeat 6-8 weeks. May detect complications: Abscess - Sputum/pleural fluid: Microscopy, culture & sensitivity, acid fast bacilli - Urine: Pneumococcus and Legionella antigens - Atypical viral serology - Bronchoscopy
What are the investigations for obstructive sleep apnoea?
Assessment of sleepiness:
Epworth sleepiness scale (questionnaire completed by patient/partner) (0-6 is normal, 9-24 points is abnormal sleepiness)
Multiple sleep latency test - MSLT (measures how quickly one falls asleep, the sleepier you are the faster you should fall asleep)
Sleep Study/polysomnography (PSG) - diagnostic
Ranges from monitoring pulse oximetry at night, to full polysomnography (measures respiratory airflow, thoracoabdominal movement, EEG, ECG, capnography, snoring and pulse oximetry)
DIAGNOSIS IF APNOEA-HYPOPNOEA INDEX (AHI) > 15 episodes/hour
Portable multichannel sleep tests
Used for patients with a higher probability of OSA
DIAGNOSIS IF Respiratory-event index (REI) > 15 episodes/hour
Awake fibreoptic endoscopy - performed to exclude nasal polyps/laryngeal/pharyngeal tumours
Bloods
TFTs - thyroid cancer could be pressing on and obstructing airways
ABG
What would be seen on a CXR in post-primary TB?
- Upper love shadowing - Streaky fibrosis and cavitation - Calcification - Pleural effusion - Hilar lymphadenopathy
What is extrinsic allergic alveolitis?
DEFINITION: Non-IgE mediated interstitial inflammatory disease of the distal gas-exchanging parts (alveoli and bronchioles) of the lung caused by inhalation of organic dusts. Also known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Type 3 hypersensitivity in acute phase, type 4 in chronic phase
What are the signs and symptoms of TB in the gastrointestinal system?
- Subacute obstruction - Change in bowel habit - Weight loss - Peritonitis - Ascites
What is the aetiology of a pneumothorax?
- Spontaneous: In individuals with previously normal lungs, typically tall thin males. Probably caused by rupture of a subpleural bleb
- Secondary: Pre-existing lung disease (COPD, asthma, TB, pneumonia, lung carcinoma, cystic fibrosis, diffuse lung disease)
- Traumatic: Penetrating injury to chest, often iatrogenic causes e.g. during subclavian or jugular venous cannulation, thoracocentesis, pleural or lung biopsy, or positive pressure-assisted ventilation -
Collagen disorders (e.g. Marfan’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)
Pre-existing lung disease (Asthma, COPD - due to rupture of bulla)
Diving & flying (due to changes in pressure)
Mechanical ventilation
Smoking
What would be seen on a CXR in miliary TB?
Fine shadowing
What is the aetiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?
Occurs in genetically predisposed individuals
Recurrent injury to alveolar epithelial cells results in secretion of cytokines and growth factors
This leads to fibroblast activation, recruitment, proliferation, differentiations into myofibroblasts and increased collagen synthesis and deposition
Certain drugs can produce similar illness (e.g. methotrexate, amiodarone)
What are the possible complications of a pulmonary embolism?
- Death - Pulmonary infarction - Pulmonary hypertension - Right heart failure
What are the signs and symptoms of TB in the lymph nodes
- Suppuration of cervical lymph nodes leading to abscesses or sinuses which discharge pus and spread to skin (scrofuloderma)
What is the epidemiology of obstructive sleep apnoea?
- Common
- Affects 5-20% men
- Affects 2-5% of women
- Over 35 yrs
- Prevalence increases with age
What are the investigations for extrinsic allergic alveolitis?
- Blood: FBC
FBC - neutrophilia, lymphopenia, anaemia - NO EOSINOPHILIA
ESR - elevation indicates inflammation
Albumin - may be low in chronic disease
- Serology: Precipitating IgG to fungal or avian antigens in serum, however, these are not diagnostic as are often found in asymptomatic individuals
- CXR: Often normal in acute episodes, may see fibrosis
- High resolution CT thorax: Detects early change before CXR. Patchy ‘ground glass’ shadowing and nodules
- Pulmonary function tests: Restrictive ventilatory defect (Reduced FEV1, FVC with preserved or increased ratio)
- Bronchoalveolar lavage: Increased cellularity with increased CD8+ suppressor T cells. Lung biopsy.
What are the investigations for a pulmonary embolism?
- Low probability:
D-Dimer blood test
- High probability: Requires imaging
- Additional initial investigations: ABG, ECG (tachy, right avis dev. RBBB), CXR
- Spiral CT pulmonary angiogram - Ventilation-perfusion (VQ) scan - Pulmonary angiography - Doppler USS of lower limb - Echocardiogram
What are the presenting symptoms of bronchoiectasis?
- Productive cough with purulent sputum or haemoptysis - Breathlessness, chest pain, malaise, fever, weight loss - Symptoms usually begin after an acute respiratory illness
What is chronic ‘stepwise’ therapy for asthma?
Start on step appropriate to initial severity and step up or down to control symptoms. Treatment should be reviewed every 3-6 months
- SABA , if needed more than 1 day move to 2
- SABA+ Low dose steroid
- SABA+Low dose steroid+LTRA
- SABA+LOW DOSE STEROID+LABA
- SABA +-LTRA
What are the possible complication of bronchiectasis?
- Life-threatening haemoptysis - Persistent infections - Empyema - Respiratory failure - Cor pulmonale - Multi-organ abscesses
What is the prognosis of asthma?
- Many children improve as they grow older - Adult-onset asthma is usually chronic
What is pneumonia?
- infection of distal lung parenchyma (inflammation of the alveoli). Most commonly a bacterial pneumonia
- Several ways of categorisation:
- Community-acquired, hospital acquired or nosocomial -
- Aspiration pneumonia, pneumonia in the immunocompromised
- Typical and atypical ( (Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Legionella))
What are the the investigations for a pneumothorax?
- CXR(skip if tension): A pneumothorax is seen as a dark area of film where lung markings do not extend to. Fluid may be seen be seen if there is blood present. In small pneumothoraces, expiratory films may make it more prominent
- ABG: May be necessary to determine if there is any hypoxaemia, particularly in secondary disease
CT CHEST: DIAGNPOSTC
What is the epidemiology of tuberculosis?
- Annual mortality 3 million - Incidence in Asian immigrants more than 30x UK white population?
What are the signs and symptoms of post-primary tuberculosis?
- Fever/night sweats - Malaise - Weight loss - Breathlessness - Cough - Sputum - Haemoptysis - Pleuritic pain - Signs of pleural effusion - Collapse - Consolidation - Fibrosis
What are examples of extrinsic allergic alveolitis?
- Famer’s Lung & mushroom worker’s lung - caused by mouldy hay containing thermophilic actinomycetes
- Pigeon Fancier’s Lung - caused by blood on bird feathers and excreta - avian protein antigen
- Maltworker’s Lung - caused by barley or maltlings containing Aspergillus clavatus
- SOME DRUGS CAN CAUSE HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS e.g. methotrexate, amiodarone, rituximab and nitrofurantoin
What are the presenting symptoms of a pulmonary embolism?
Depends on size and site of the pulmonary embolus?
- Small: May be asymptomatic
- Moderate: Sudden onset dyspnoea, cough, haemoptysis and pleuritic chest pain
- Large: All of above plus severe central pleuritic chest pain, shock, collapse, acute right heart failure or sudden death - Multiple small recurrent: Symptoms of pulmonary hypertension
What is the prognosis of a pulmonary embolism?
- 30% untreated mortality - 8% with treatment - Pts have an increased risk of future thromboembolic disease