Respiratory Diseases Flashcards
What is the aetiology of pulmonary hypertension?
- Primary pulmonary hypertension: idiopathicor connective tissue disease, systemic lupus erythematous(SLE) or drugs.
- Left heart failure usually due to myocardial infarction, systemic hypertension or valvular disease.
- Chronic lung disease such as COPD, ILD, chronic hypoxia [myasthenia gravis]
- Pulmonary artery disease such as pulmonary embolism or obstruction.
- Miscellaneous causes such assarcoidosis,glycogen storage diseaseandhaematological disorders
What is the clinical presentation of pulmonary hypertension?
- shortness of breath
- fatigue
- Ankle Oedema
- Chest pain [angina
- Syncope
- Loud pulmonary second sound, possible 3rd sound.
- Right parasternal heave due to RV hypertrophy
- Features of RH failure= Increased JVP, Hepatomegaly, ascites, pleural effusion
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension
- Hypoxic vasoconstriction, cell proliferation and inflammation resulting in narrower vessels and increase in RV pressure
- Damage to pulmonary endothelium leading to vasoconstrictors release, and increase pulmonary vascular resistance causing RV hypertrophy
- Increased platelet and leukocyte adhesion
What are the differentials of pulmonary hypertension?
Cor pulmonale, cardiomyopathies, primary RV heart failure, congestive heart failure, portal hypertension
How is pulmonary hypertension diagnosed?
- Echo cardiogram: RV dilation and/or hypertrophy. Can reveal cause of PH 1st line
- Right heart catheterisation (gold standard) shows mean pulmonary artery pressure >25mmHg
- CXR: Enlarged proximal pulmonary arteries which taper distally. Enlarged heart. May reveal cause of PH
- ECG: RV hypertrophy and P pulmonale (Tall and peaked P wave)
- LFTs to detect portal hypertension
- Autoimmune screening
How is pulmonary hypertension treated?
- Treat underlying cause
- Oxygen
- Nifedipine: Oral calcium channel blockers= Pulmonary vasodilators
- Prostacycline analogues
- Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors: sildenafil
- Diuretics for oedema
- Consider anticoagulation: with warfarin or a DOAC
How is wegener’s granulomatosis diagnosed?
- serology: cANCA positive
- raised ESR and CRP
- CT: lung nodules + Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage
- Urinalysis: Proteinuria+ haematuria= if positive then renal biopsy
How is wegener’s granulomatosis treated?
- Depends on extent of disease
- Severe disease should be treated with corticosteroid e.g. prednisolone, and cyclophosphamide or rituximab
- Azathioprine or methotrexate used as maintenance
What are the clinical features of wegener’s granulomatosis?
- Severe rhinorrhea (nasal cavity congested with mucous), and nasal mucosal ulceration- characteristic saddle nose deformity
- Pleuritic pain
- Haemoptysis + cough + wheeze [confused with pneumonia]
- Renal disease causes rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with crescent formation, proteinuria or haematuria
- May be skin purpura or nodules, peripheral neuropathy, arthritis
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of wegener’s granulomatosis
- Inflammation of blood vessels with granulomas
- Autoantibodies are against neutrophil, so neutrophils are recruited where there is no infection
- This results in formation of reactive oxygen species and neutrophil degranulation
- This causes microabscesses recruitment of wbc to make granulomas
What is wegener’s granulomatosis?
Multisystem disorder of unknown origin characterised by necrosing granulomatous inflammation and vasculitis of small and medium vessels
What is the epidemiology of Goodpasture’s syndrome?
- Rare in children
- More common in men
What is Goodpasture’s syndrome?
The co-existance of acute glomerulonephritis and pulmonary alveolar haemorrhage and the presence of circulating antibodies directed against an intrinsic antigen to the basement membrane of kidney and lung
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of Goodpasture’s syndrome
Specific autoimmune disease caused by a type II antigen-antibody reaction leading to diffuse pulmonary haemorrhage, glomerulonephritis (and often AKI and CKD)
What are the clinical features of Goodpasture’s syndrome?
- Typically starts with symptoms of upper resp tract infection e.g. sneeze, nasal discharge, nasal congestion, runny nose and fever
- Cough
- Intermittent haemoptysis
- Anaemia- persistent intrapulmonary bleeding, fatigue
- haematuria
- Acute glomerulonephritis
How is Goodpasture’s syndrome diagnosed?
- Presence of anti-basement membrane antibodies in blood
- CXR; Transient patchy shadows/ pulmonary infiltrates due to pulmonary haemorrhage often in lower zones
- Kidney biopsy; crescentic glomerulonephritis
How is Goodpasture’s syndrome treated?
- Some patients may spontaneously improve
- plasmapheresis - to remove the autoantibodies
- corticosteroids + cyclophosphamide to reduce antibody formation
What is the epidemiology of mesothelioma?
- More common in men
- Most often presents between 40-70yrs
- Exposure to asbestos is well established cause
- Long latent period between exposure and tumour
What are the clinical features of mesothelioma?
- Pleuritic Chest pain
- Dyspnoea / SoB
- Cough
- Weight loss + fatigue + fever
- Finger clubbing
- Recurrent pleural effusions
- Signs of metastasis= Bone pain/tenderness, hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathy, abdominal pain
How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
- CXR and CT with contrast: Unilateral pleural effusion, pleural thickening
- Bloody/straw coloured pleural fluid
- Pleural biopsy
How is mesothelioma treated?
- Surgery for extremely localised mesothelioma
- Generally resistant to surgery, chemo and radiotherapy
- Average 8 months from diagnosis to death
- Refer all mesothelioma deaths to coroner
What is bronchiectasis?
Permanent dilation and thickening of the airways
What are the clinical features of bronchiectasis?
- Usually lower lobes affected
- Variance= Intermittent episodes of expectoration and infection, persistent daily expectoration of purulent sputum
- Chest pain, dyspnoea, haemoptysis
- Signs; coarse crackles and wheeze
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of bronchiectasis
Failure of mucocillary clearance and impaired immune function contribute to continued insult to bronchial wall through the recruitment of inflammatory cells. Airways dilate due to inflammation and scarring, as fibrosis contracts.
What are the causes of bronchiectasis?
- Chronic inflammation of airways; large number of causative agents such as asthma, post infection and immunodeficiency
What is the epidemiology of bronchiectasis?
- Elderly
- Female
- May develop after lung infections
How is bronchiectasis diagnosed?
- HRCT: Bronchial wall dilation.
- CXR to exclude other causes
- Sputum culture
What are the major pathogens associated with bronchiectasis?
- Haemophilius influenzae
- Strep pneumoniae
- Staph Aureus
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
How is bronchiectasis treated?
- Stop smoking
- Airways clearance
- Medication; Antibiotics, bronchodilators
- Surgery; lung resection
What are the clinical features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?
- Breathless, non productive cough
- Finger clubbing
- Exertional dyspnoea
- Malaise
- Weight loss
- Arthralgia
- Cyanosis
- Inspiratory basal crackles
- Resp failure, pulmonary hypertension
What is the epidemiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?
Usually >60 and male
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- Repetitive injury to alveolar epithelium due to unidentified stimuli
- Wound healing mechanisms become uncontrolled, leading to over production of fibroblasts and deposition of increased extracellular matrix in the interstitium with little inflammation
- Loss of elasticity and reduced gas exchange
How is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis diagnosed?
- CXR= Honeycomb lung
- CT= Honeycombing, subplural reticulation, basal distribution, traction bronchiectasis
- ABG= Hypoxia, normal CO2
- Spirometry= ANA and RF antibodies in 1/3
How is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treated?
- Lung transplant
- Oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation
- Pirfenidone
What is acute coryza?
Common cold
Dilation and thickening of the airways
What are the clinical features of acute coryza?
- Incubation period of 12 hrs- 5days
- Then, malaise, pyrexia, sore throat and watery nasal discharge
What causes acute coryza?
Infection by rhinovirus (droplet spread)
Virus binds to ICAM-1 receptors which causes inflammatory mediators to be released
What is sarcoidosis?
Multisystem chronic inflammatory condition- formation of non-caseating epithelioid granulomata.
What are the clinical features of sarcoidosis?
- 50% of the time, asymptomatic
- Lung; dyspnoea, non productive cough, chest pain
- Erythema nodusum with/without polyarthralgia
- Granulomatous uveitis, conjunctivitis, glaucoma
- Fever, weight loss, fatigue
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Hypercalciuria, renal stones
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of sarcoidosis
Non caseating granulomata form at various sites, particularly in the thoracic cavity, skin and eyes
What is the epidemiology of sarcoidosis?
- Commonly 20-40yrs old
- More common in women
- More serious in black individuals
How is sarcoidosis diagnosed?
- CXR= Staging
- Blood tests= Increased ESR, Increased LFTs, Increased calcium, Increased serum ACE, Increased immunoglobulins
- Bronchioscopy
- Tissue biopsy= diagnostic (Shows the non caesating granulomata)
How is sarcoidosis treated?
- If no pulmonary infiltration, no treatment
- Prednisolone
- Bed rest
What is pneumonia?
Acute lower resp tract inflammation, with intense infiltration of neutrophils.
What is the epidemiology of pneumonia?
5-14 % Mortality
Common in infants/ elderly
What are the causative agents of community acquired pneumonia?
- Strep pneumoniae
- Haemophilius influenzae
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
What are the causative agents of hospital acquired pneumonia?
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- E Coli
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Staph aureus
What is aspiration pneumoniae?
Acute aspiration of gastric contents into the lungs can cause an extremely severe pneumonia
What are the clinical features of pneumonia?
- Vary depending on causative agent
- Pyrexia, cough, pleurisy, pleural rub, pleural effusion
- Raised resp rate, raised heart rate and low BP
- Rigors, malaise, anorexia
- Breathlessness
- Purulent sputum
How is pneumonia diagnosed?
- CXR: look for ‘air bronchogram’
- FBC and sputum culture: ESR and CRP usually elevated
- Pulse oximetry and ABG analysis
- CURB 65 for severity (confusion, urea raised, resp rate raised, BP low, over 65)
How is pneumonia treated?
- Oxygen for hypoxia
- Antibiotics= Amoxicillin
- IV antibiotics if severe= Co amoxiclav / clarithromycin for 7-10 days
- Analgesics
What is asbestosis?
A type of interstitial lung disease= lung fibrosis
What are the clinical features of asbestosis?
- Breathlessness and progressive dyspnoea
- Finger clubbing
- Bilateral basal end-inspiratory crackles
- Pleural plaques
How is asbestosis treated?
Symptomatically e.g. corticosteroids