Respirology Flashcards
How do you diagnose asthma?
- History of variable respiratory symptoms (e.g. wheeze, SOB, chest tightness, cough)
- Variable expiratory airflow limitation:
- Bronchodilator reversibility: improvement in FEV1 > 12% AND 200mL post BD
- Improvement with anti-inflammatory treatment x 4 weeks: improvement in FEV1 > 12% AND 200mL
- Excessive FEV1 variation in lung function between visits (>12% and 200 cc variation)
- Peak Flow Variability – Average daily diurnal PEF variability >10% x 2 weeks
- Positive Bronchial or exercise challenge test
NEED SPIROMETRY TO HAVE DIAGNOSIS OF ASTHMA
What are the criteria for positive asthma challenge tests?
Methacholine: PC20 <4mg/mL = POSITIVE
PC20 4-16 = borderline
PC20 >16 = negative
Exercise: fall in FEV1 > 10% and 200cc from baseline
What are the 9 criteria for adequate asthma control?
- daytime symptoms < 4 days/week
- nocturnal symptoms < 1 night/week
- No physical activity limitation
- No absence from school/work
- Mild, infrequent exacerbations
- Need for SABA < 4 doses/week
- FEV1/PEF >/= 90% personal best
- PEF diurnal variation < 10 - 15%
- Sputum eos < 2 - 3%
What is the preferred reliever in asthma?
PRN low-dose ICS-formoterol (e.g., Symbicort)
What is the step-up treatment regimen for asthma (up to Step 5)?
- Low-dose Symbicort PRN
- Low-dose ICS (daily) + SABA PRN
- Low-dose ICS/LABA + low-dose Symbicort PRN
- Med dose ICS/LABA + low-dose Symbicort PRN
- High dose ICS/LABA + reliever (tiotropium, omalizumab, mepolizumab)
When do you consider stepping down asthma therapy?
symptom control for 2 months + low risk exacerbations
List 7 non-pharmacological asthma control strategies
- Education & written asthma action plan
- Weight loss, exercise training
- Allergein/trigger avoidance & allergen immunotherpay
- Smoking cessation
- Vaccinations
- NSAID avoidance
- Comorbidity management (GERD, PNA, obesity)
When is LTRA acceptable as initial controller? In what three conditions is it most effective?
- Patients unwilling/intolerant to ICS
- Most effective in ASA-exacerbate asthma, exercise-induced symptoms or allergic rhinitis
Less effective than ICS at preventing exacerbations
Increases suicidality
Differentiate uncontrolled from severe asthma
- Uncontrolled: poor symptom control, frequent severe exacerbations (2+/year or 1+ hospitalization) or sustained airflow reduction (FEV1 <80% personal best or < LLN post-bronchodilator)
- Severe asthma: asthma requiring high-dose ICS + 2nd controller for past 1 year OR PO steroids for > 50% of the year
What is the workup and treatment for severe asthma (5)?
- Workup: total IgE, CBC (eosinophils), sputum eosinophils and FeNO (where available)
- Treatment:
- tiotropium mist inhaler
- macrolides
- biologics
- low-dose PO steroids
- bronchial thermoplasty (role unclear)
When do you consider biologics in asthma?
Omalizumab: allergic asthma (IgE 30 - 700)
IL-5 agents (mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab) or IL-4/IL-13 (Dupilumab) if severe eosinophilic (eos > 300) asthma
What is the management of the four “special populations” in asthma?
- Seasonal allergic asthma: start ICS with symptom onset and continue 4 weeks after pollen season ends
- Exercise induced: SABA pre-exercise –> LTRA pre-exercise –> regular ICS
- Pregnancy: continue treatment (don’t stop ICS); most evidence for budesonide (but all likely safe), give steroids for exacerbation
- ASA exacerbated (asthma, nasal polyps, ASA/NSAID sensitivity): avoid triggers, LTRA, desensitize to ASA if needed
List 5 asthma mimics or “asthma plus” syndromes:
- Bronchiectasis (including CF)
- EGPA: asthma, eosinophilia, granulomatous vasculitis, pANCA (30-60%)
- Vocal cord dysfunction: abrupt onset stridor, dx laryngoscopy, tx education, behavior modification, speech therapy, GERD treatment
- ABPA: frequent exacerbations, fever, brown sputum with “casts”. Dx total IgE + aspergillus specific IgE > 1000, peripheral eosinophilia + central bronchiectasis. Rx: prednisone +/- itraconazole
- Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome: acute irritant induced (often occupational) asthma following high dose exposure to vapors, gas or fumes lasting > 3 months. Treat like asthma exacerbation.
What 3 interventions improve survival in COPD?
- Smoking cessation
- Pulmonary rehab
- Supplemental oxygen (if hypoxemic)
What are the criteria for supplemental O2 in COPD?
PaO2 < 55 mm Hg
OR PaO2 < 60 + bilateral ankle edema, cor pulmonale or Hct > 56%
No benefit in moderate resting or exercise-induced moderate desaturation
What are the benefits of pulmonary rehab (3)?
Improves dyspnea, exercise capacity and health status
Reduced exacerbations if started following recent (< 4 weeks) AECOPD
Increased survival compared to usual care < 4 week post AECOPD
What is the recommended pharmacotherapy regimen for high risk AECOPD?
LAMA > LABA
–> LAMA/LABA > LABA/ICS (unless Eos > 300)
–> triple therapy
What are the oral therapies for high risk AECOPD on triple therapy? What non-pharm interventions reduce exacerbations?
Azithromycin (QTc, hearing impairment, sputum culture for NTM)
Roflumilast (diarrhea, weight loss)
NAC
NO role for theophylline
Non-pharm:
- flu vaccine
- pulmonary rehab < 4 weeks from AECOPD
- education and case management
What are the 6 evidence based interventions for dyspnea in advanced COPD?
- oral (not nebulized) opioids
- NM electrical stimulation
- Chest wall vibration
- Walking aids
- Pursed lip breathing
- Continuous oxygen therapy for hypoxemic patients (reduced mortality and may reduce dyspnea, little benefit on QoL)
What are the management options for COPD/Asthma overlap?
LABA/ICS
–> triple therapy
What are the indications for NIV, LVR surgery and transplant in COPD?
NIV: severe, chronic hypercapnea (PCO2 > 51) and prior hospitalization with acute respiratory failure
LRVS: severe emphysema, upper lobe predominant disease, low post-rehab exercise capacity
Transplant: Bode score 7 - 10 and one of:
- hospitalization with AECOPD with pCO2 > 50
- Pulmonary HTN/cor pulmonale despite supplemental oxygen
- FEV1 < 20% with DLCO < 20%
When should abx be given for AECOPD?
Presence of three cardinal symptoms (or increasing purulence + one other)
or
Requirement of invasive or noninvasive ventilation
What are the indications for Bipap in AECOPD?
any of the following:
- pH = 7.35 with PCO2 >/= 45
- severe dyspnea (impending respiratory failure)
- Persistent hypoxemia despite supplemental oxygen
What are the pharmacological options for smoking cessation?
- Varenicline + nicotine patch
- Varenicline monotherapy
- Bupropion
What is bronchiectasis?
chronic respiratory disease
cough, sputum production and bronchial infection
permanent radiographic dilatation of the bronchi
What two investigations must everyone with suspected bronchiectasis have?
- CT chest
2. PFTs