Respiratory AS Flashcards
What are the stages of clubbing?
Important nail sign of systemic disease linked with underlying pulmonary, cardiovascular, neoplastic etc.
Described as bulbous uniform swelling of soft tissue of the terminal phalanx of digit between nail and nail bed.
- Periungual erythema and softening of the nail bed (Bogginess + fluctuance of nail bed).
- increase in angle between proximal nail fold and nail plate. (loss of concave nail fold angle
- increased longitudinal and transverse curvature
- soft tissue expansion at distal phalanx (drumstick)
Causes of Clubbing?
Respiratory - Carcinoma (Bronchial + Mesothelioma) - Chronic lung suppuration Empyema, abscess Bronchiectasis, CF - Fibrosis Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis TB
Cardiac
- Infective endocarditis
- Congenital cyanotic heart disease
- Atrial myxoma
GIT
- Cirrhosis
- Crohns’ UC
- Coeliac
- Cancer: GI lymphoma
Other - Familial - Thyroid acropachy - Upper limb AVMs or aneurysm Unilateral clubbing
What is cyanosis?
Blue discolouration of mucosal membranes or skin
Deoxygenated Hb >5g/dl
Classification of cyanosis?
Peripheral: cold, blue nails
Central: blue tongue, lips
Causes of cyanosis? Pathophysiology
Think of O2 cascade - The OC is the process of diminishing or declining O2 tension from the atmospheric environment down to the cellular level, specifically the mitochondria.
As it moves down through the body to the cell, O2 will be diluted down, extracted or lost, so that at cellular level the PO2 may be 3 or 4 mm/Hg.
Causes of Cyanosis
Respiratory
- Hypoventilation: COPD, MSK
- Decreased diffusion: Pulmonary oedema, fibrosing alveolitis
- V/Q mismatch: PE, AVM (HHT) - Some areas of the lungs receive perfusion but no oxygen, or some receive oxygen but no perfusion.
- inadequate transport of oxygen by haemoglobin
Cardiac
- Congenital: Transposition of great arteries, Tetralogy of Fallot
- Decreased Cardiac Output: Mitral stenosis, Systolic LVF
- Vascular: Raynaud’s, DVT
RBC
- Low affinity Hb, may be hereditary or acquired
What is pneumonia?
Inflammation of the lungs with consolidation or interstitial lung infiltrates, categorised by causative organism.
Anatomical classification of pneumonia?
Bronchopneumonia
- Patchy consolidation of different lobes
Lobar Pneumonia
- Fibrosuppurative consolidation of a single lobe
- Congestion (vasculuar congestion + alveolar oedema) –> red (erythrocytes, neutrophils, desquamated epithelial cells)–> grey (fibrinopurulent exudate) –> resolution
Aetiological classification - community acquired pneumonia? Organisms?
- Pneumonia acquired outside hospital.
- Group of signs + symptoms related to LRTI with fever >38, cough, expectoration, chest pain, dyspnoea, and signs of invasion of alveolar space.
Typical Bacteria
- Streptococcus Pneumoniae (most common CAP).
- Haemophilus influenza
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Moraxella Catarrhalis
Atypical bacteria
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Chlamydophilia pneumoniae
- Legionella pneumophilia
- Chlamydia psittaci
Virus
- Influenza A/B
- RSV
- Adeno/Rhin
Aetiological classification - Hospital Acquired Pneumonia? Organisms?
HAP is an acute LRTI this is by definition acquired after at least 48hr of admission to hospital and is not incubated at time of admission.
Bacteria cause most HAP (mostly aerobic gram-negative bacilli)
- Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
- Escherichia coli
- Klebsiella Pneumoniae
- Acinetobacter
- MRSA
Aetiological classification - Aspiration Pneumonia?
= Results from inhalation of oropharyngeal content into lower airways that leads to bacterial infection. Commonly due to recent intubation on ITU.
- Commonly due to altered swallow/gag. increased risk from patients with stroke, bulbar palsy, decreased GCS, GORD, Achalasia.
- Aspiration causes an inflammatory reaction called pneumonitis, results in damage to lung parenchyma. Leads to inflammatory reaction and ultimately aspiration pneumonia.
- Often Strep Pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Used to be anaerobes (Bacteroides, Porphyromonas).
Immunocompromised Pneumonia?
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia (PCP), Aspergillosis, TB, CMV/HSV.
Symptoms of Pneumonia?
- Fever, Rigors
- Malaise, anorexia
- Dyspnoea
- Cough, purulent sputum, haemoptysis
- Pleuritic pain
Signs of Pneumonia?
- Increased RR
- Increased HR
- Cyanosis
- Confusion
- Consolidation (filled with liquid not air)
Decreased expansion
Dull Percussion
Bronchial breathing
Decreased air entry
Crackles
Pleural rub
Increased vocal fremitus
Risk factors of pneumonia?
Age >65 COPD Exposure to ciggy smoke Alcohol abuse HIV use of steroids, antipsychotics, PPIs.
Investigations for Pneumonia?
Bloods: FBC (WBC) , U+E (severity scoring),
LFT (risk factor for patients with cirrhosis, CLD),
CRP (raised) - normally lags in comparison to WCC in treatment of bacterial infection.
Culture (pre-treatment),
ABG (if SpO2 to indicate severity) low, glucose can be elevated.
Urine: Ag test (pneumococcal, legionella)
Sputum: MC+S
Imaging: CXR (infiltrates, cavities, effusion, consolidation)
Special Tests of Pneumonia?
Special test - Paired sera Abs for atypicals Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Legionella - Serum Procalcitonin - Immunofluorescence (PCP) - BAL - Pleural tap - pleural effusion - Rapid antigen testing for virus)
Assess severity of pneumonia?
Severity: CURB-65 (only if x-ray changes)
- Confusion (AMT <8)
- Urea >7
- resp Rate >30/ mins
- BP <90/60
- > 65 yr old
Score of 0-1 –> home management
2 –>Hospitalisation
3-5 –> ICU admission 30 day mortality 15-30%.
CRP < 20 mg/L - do not routinely offer antibiotic therapy
CRP 20 - 100 mg/L - consider a delayed antibiotic prescription
CRP > 100 mg/L - offer antibiotic therapy
General Management of pneumonia - Outpatient?
- Consider limitations of severity score
Ability to maintain oral intake, history of substance abuse, severe comorbid illness, cognitive impairment, impaired functional status, availability of outpatient support resources - Advise not to smoke, to rest, stay hydrated.
- Advise them to report any chest pain, SOB or lethargy.
- Reassess at 48hrs.
- Repeat examination after 10-14 days
General Management of pneumonia - Inpatient?
- If hospital admission needed Abx O2: Pa02 >8, SpO2 94-98% Monitor Sats Fluids Analgesia Chest Physio Consider ITU if shock, hypercapnea, hypoxia
F/up @ 6 weeks with CXR to allow for radiological changes.
Do not routinely discharge if in the past 24hr they have 2 more more
- Temp 37.5
- RR 24
- HR >100
- SBP 90
- O2 <90
- Abnormal mental status
1 week - Fever should be gone
4 weeks - chest pain + sputum production should have substantially reduced
6 weeks - cough + breathlessness reduced
3 months - most symptoms resolved maybe some fatigue
6 months - most feeling normal
Antibiotic management for outpatient pneumonia?
If CURB-65 = 0
Amoxicillin - 1g PO TDS OR doxycycline 100mg PO BDS OR clarithromycin 500mg PO BDS (where resistance)
If CURB-65 1 or 2 = Amoxicillin + clarithromycin OR doxycyclin 200mg on first day.
- Consider influenza antiviral cover (Tamiflu)
If comorbidies (DM, chronic heart, liver, renal disease give co-amoxiclav + clarithyromycin
Antibiotic management for inpatient pneumonia?
- IV cefuroxime/ceftriaxone (1-2g IV every 8hr, every 24hr for ceftriaxone) + clarithromycin 500mg orally BDS.
- Add fluclox if staph suspected.
Antibiotics for MRSA cover?
Vancomycin (15mg/kg IV every 12hrs) - consider teicoplanin.
Linezolid (600mg IV every 12hrs) (second line.
MRSA swabbing - nasal and skin lesion or wounds.
Suppression of MRSA once carrier found - mupirocin in white soft paraffin.
Chlorhexidine gluconate.
Antibiotics for pseudomonas cover?
Tazocin 4.5mg IV every 6hr