Risk Factors For Pneumonia Research Articles

Predictors of dysphagia screening and pneumonia among patients with intracerebral haemorrhage in China: a cross-sectional hospital-based retrospective study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate factors associated with undergoing dysphagia screening (DS) and developing pneumonia, as well as the relationship between DS and pneumonia in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH).DesignOur...

The role of the tongue in post-stroke dysphagia and obstructive sleep apnea: Correlation with sonography measurement

ObjectiveObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common risk factor for stroke, and dysphagia and pneumonia are both well-known complications of stroke. The development of these conditions is related to the oropharyngeal structures. We investigated whether specific structural features of the tongue may lead to the development of these complications. MethodsPatients with ischemic stroke who required admission and community-dwelling elderly controls were enrolled. The participants underwent tongue measurements by received hand-held ultrasound, and received questionnaires to evaluate sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. The patient group also underwent objective sleep measurement by actigraphy and the 3-Step Swallowing Test (3-SSS). Sleep parameters and outcomes were analyzed. ResultsPatient with ischemic stroke had significantly thicker tongue than controls (6.53 cm v. 6.05 cm, p = 0.002). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the anatomical parameters of the tongue in patients with stroke were significantly correlated with parameters of OSA, and the thickness of the tongue was positively correlated with the development of OSA (p = 0.024) and pneumonia (p = 0.048). ConclusionsA thicker-than average tongue may be a risk factor for OSA and pneumonia in patient with stroke. Hand-held ultrasound can be used to identify these anatomical features. Further studies are warranted to clarify the role of the tongue in these post-stroke complications.

Factors Influencing the Incidence of Pneumonia after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Objective: This study aimed to explore and analyze the factors affecting the incidence of pneumonia after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to provide reference for the prevention of such situation. Methods: A total of 500 patients who underwent CABG in a hospital were selected. From March 2019 to March 2022, 410 patients without pneumonia and 90 patients with pneumonia were divided into groups A and B. The influencing factors and pathogen composition of postoperative pneumonia were discussed and analyzed. Results: Univariable analysis results showed that age, cardiac function grade, occurrence of smoking, operation time, tracheal intubation time, suspended red-blood-cell transfusion and hospital stay in group B were higher than those in group A. Multivariable logistic analysis results showed that operation time, smoking history, and tracheal intubation time were risk factors for pneumonia after CABG. Among the 90 patients with postoperative pneumonia, 90 had pathogens, 81 had Gram-negative bacteria, 4 had Gram-positive bacteria, and 5 had fungi. Conclusions: Patients after CABG were more likely to develop pneumonia. Operation time, smoking history, and tracheal intubation time were the risk factors of pneumonia after CABG. Most of these patients had Gram-negative bacteria. Patient intervention based on the influencing factors can effectively prevent the occurrence of postoperative pneumonia.

Predictors and impact of aspiration pneumonia in patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy: national inpatient sample 2016-2020.

Aspiration pneumonia is a rare but feared complication among patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Our study aims to assess the incidence as well as risk factors for aspiration pneumonia in patients undergoing EGD. National Inpatient Sample 2016-2020 was used to identify adult patients undergoing EGD. Patients were stratified into two groups based on the presence of aspiration pneumonia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors associated with aspiration pneumonia. We adjusted for patient demographics, Elixhauser comorbidities and hospital characteristics. Of the 1.8 million patients undergoing EGD, 1.9% of the patients developed aspiration pneumonia. Patients with aspiration pneumonia were mostly males (59.54%), aged >65 years old (66.19%), White (72.2%), had Medicare insurance (70.5%) and were in the lowest income quartile (28.7%). On multivariate analysis, the age >65 group, White race, congestive heart failure (CHF), neurological disorders and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were associated with higher odds of aspiration pneumonia. This complication was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (9% vs. 0.8%; P < 0.001) and longer length of stay (10.54 days vs. 4.85 days; P < 0.001). Our study found that rates of post-EGD aspiration pneumonia are increasing. We found a significant association between various comorbidities and aspiration pneumonia. Our data suggests that we need to optimize these patients before EGD, as the development of aspiration is associated with worsened outcomes. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify these associations.

RISK FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOSOCOMIAL PNEUMONIA AFTER AORTIC ARCH SURGERY

HighlightsFor the first time, the incidence and timing of the development of postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing surgical reconstruction of the aortic arch in the post-covid period were studied. Risk factors for pneumonia and predictors of the severe course of the disease in this cohort of patients were identified. The results obtained will make it possible to differentiate patients at risk of developing pneumonia from the general population of patients undergoing surgical reconstruction of the aortic arch for targeted perioperative prevention of this complication. AbstractAim. To study the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) after aortic arch surgery, and to determine the impact of perioperative factors on the risk for its development and severity of its course.Methods. A retrospective analysis of 66 case histories of patients who underwent aortic arch surgery in 2022 was carried out. The incidence and timing of the development of pneumonia were revealed, the severity of its course was assessed. The impact of the main demographic, clinical, perioperative factors on the risk for the pneumonia development and the severity of its course was studied.Results. The incidence of pneumonia after aortic arch surgery was 24.2%. A relationship between smoking (OR 1.17; 95% CI [0.23; 1.43], p = 0.007), smoking index (OR 0.99; 95% CI [0.92; 1.07], p = 0.002) and the risk of NP developing as well as between the duration of mechanical ventilation and the severity of NP was found with a univariate logistic regression analysis (OR 1.26; 95% CI [1.0; 1.59], p = 0.049).Conclusion. The risk for NP development in patients who underwent thoracic aortic surgery is associated with smoking and smoking intensity in the preoperative period. The predictor of the severe course of NP is the duration of mechanical ventilation.

Characteristics and risk factors of interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features

BackgroundInterstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) has features of connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), but without meeting criteria for a specific CTD. We compared baseline characteristics, survival, and response to treatment of IPAF to both CTD-ILD and unclassifiable ILD. MethodsMeasurements were extracted from a prospective registry. Baseline features and survival were compared in IPAF against both CTD-ILD and unclassifiable ILD. Linear trajectory of lung function decline (%-predicted forced vital capacity [FVC%] and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide [DLCO%]) before and after initiation of mycophenolate or azathioprine were compared in IPAF against both CTD-ILD and unclassifiable ILD using linear mixed models. ResultsCompared to CTD-ILD (n = 1240), patients with IPAF (n = 128) were older, more frequently male, and had greater smoking history. Compared to unclassifiable ILD (n = 665), patients with IPAF were younger, more frequently female, and had worse baseline lung function. IPAF had higher mortality compared to CTD-ILD and similar risk of mortality compared to unclassifiable ILD. Mycophenolate initiation was associated with stabilization of FVC% and DLCO% in all ILD subtypes except for FVC% in patients with IPAF, and azathioprine initiation with stabilization of FVC% and DLCO% in all ILD subtypes except for FVC% decline in IPAF and DLCO% decline in CTD-ILD. ConclusionPatients with IPAF had worse survival compared to those with CTD-ILD and similar mortality to unclassifiable ILD, with treatment being associated with stabilization in lung function in all three ILDs. It is uncertain whether IPAF should be considered a distinct ILD diagnostic subgroup.

NAFLD and NASH are obesity-independent risk factors in COVID-19: Matched real-world results from the large PINC AI™ Healthcare Database.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are potential risk factors for severe pneumonia and other infections. Available data on the role of NAFLD/NASH in worsening outcomes for COVID-19 are controversial and might be confounded by comorbidities. We used the PINC AI™ Healthcare Data Special Release (PHD-SR) to identify patients with COVID-19 (ICD-10) at approximately 900 hospitals in the United States. We performed exact matching (age, gender, and ethnicity) for patients with or without NAFLD/NASH, adjusting for demographics (admission type, region) and comorbidities (e.g., obesity, diabetes) through inverse probability of treatment weighting and then analysed hospitalisation-related outcomes. Among 513 623 patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), we identified 14 667 with NAFLD/NASH who could be matched to 14 667 controls. Mean age was 57.6 (±14.9) years, 50.8% were females and 43.7% were non-Hispanic whites. After matching, baseline characteristics (e.g., age, ethnicity, and gender) and comorbidities (e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) were well balanced (standard difference (SD) <.10), except for cirrhosis and malignancies. Patients with COVID-19 and NAFLD/NASH had higher FIB-4 scores, a significantly longer hospital length of stay (LOS) and intensive care LOS than controls (9.4 vs. 8.3 days, and 10.4 vs. 9.3, respectively), even after adjusting for cirrhosis and malignancies. Patients with COVID-19 and NAFLD/NASH also had significantly higher risk of needing invasive mandatory ventilation (IMV) (odds ratio 1.0727; 95% CI 1.0095-1.1400). Other outcomes were similar in both groups. In this large real-world cohort of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 in the United States, NAFLD/NASH were obesity-independent risk factors for complicated disease courses.

The effect of rasagiline on swallowing function in Parkinson's disease

Dysphagia, a potentially fatal symptom of Parkinson's disease, is characterized by frequent silent aspiration, a risk factor for aspiration pneumonia. The transdermal dopamine agonist rotigotine alleviates dysphagia in patients with Parkinson's disease and is more effective than oral levodopa, suggesting the importance of continuous dopaminergic stimulation during swallowing. Rasagiline is a monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) inhibitor that facilitates continuous dopaminergic stimulation. We hypothesized that MAOB inhibition by rasagiline would be effective in improving swallowing function in patients with early- and mid-to late-stage Parkinson's disease. To this end, we performed an analytical observational study to determine the effects of rasagiline (1 mg/day) on swallowing function using videofluoroscopic swallowing study. This open-label, evaluator-blinded study enrolled 32 patients with Parkinson's disease, among whom 19 were drug-naïve and 13 were receiving add-on therapy. Our results showed that rasagiline significantly improved all swallowing measures during the oral and pharyngeal phases, including oral transit time and pharyngeal transit time, in all enrolled patients. Similar results were found in drug-naïve and mid-to late-stage patients, with no intergroup differences. In conclusion, drugs capable of continuous dopaminergic stimulation may effectively improve swallowing function in patients with Parkinson's disease, with similar effects in early- and mid-to late-stage Parkinson's disease. This study has been the first to show that rasagiline significantly improves swallowing function in mid-to late-stage patients receiving add-on therapy.

Pneumococcal serotypes and risk factors in adult community acquired pneumonia 2018–20: a multicentre UK cohort study

BackgroundHigher-valency pneumococcal vaccines are anticipated. We aimed to describe serotype distribution and risk factors for vaccine-serotype community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the two years pre-SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. MethodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study of adults hospitalised with CAP at three UK sites between 2018 and 2020. Pneumococcal serotypes were identified using a 24-valent urinary-antigen assay and blood cultures. Risk factors associated with vaccine-type pneumonia caused by serotypes in the 13-, 15- and 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV13, PCV15, PCV20) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) were determined from multivariable analysis. FindingsOf 1921 adults hospitalised with CAP, 781 (40·7%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 38·5-42·9%) had pneumococcal pneumonia. A single PCV13-serotype was detected in 242 (31·0%, 95% CI 27·8-34·3%) pneumococcal CAP patients, mostly serotype 3 (171/242, 70·7%, 95% CI 64·5-76·0%). The additional two PCV15-serotypes were detected in 31 patients (4%, 95% CI 2·8-5·6%), and PCV20-non13-serotypes in 192 (24·6%), with serotype 8 most prevalent (123/192, 64·1%, 95% CI 57·1-70·5%). Compared to PCV13-serotype CAP, people with PCV20-non13 CAP were younger (median age 62 versus 72 years, p<0·001) and less likely to be male (44% versus 61%, p=0·01). PPV23-non13-serotypes were found in 252 (32·3%, 95% CI 29·1-35·6%) pneumococcal CAP patients. InterpretationDespite mature infant pneumococcal programmes, the burden of PCV13-serotype pneumonia remains high in older adults, mainly due to serotype 3. PCV20-non13-serotype pneumonia is more likely in younger people with fewer pneumococcal risk factors. FundingUnrestricted investigator-initiated research grant from Pfizer; support from National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham.

Relationship between the severity of emphysematous change in the lung and morbidity after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: A retrospective study on a novel strategy for risk prediction.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalence increases post-esophagectomy morbidity. However, the association between COPD severity and post-esophagectomy morbidity remains unclear because of the lack of an objective method to classify COPD severity. Low attenuation volume ratio (LAVR) estimated using Ziostation2 may reflect the extent of emphysematous changes in the lungs and COPD severity, thereby predicting post-esophagectomy morbidity. A total of 776 patients who underwent curative McKeown esophagectomy for esophageal cancer between April 2005 and June 2021 were included. The patients were divided into high and low preoperative LAVR groups. Short-term outcomes between the groups were compared for patients who underwent open esophagectomy (OE) and minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). A total of 219 (28%) patients were classified into the high LAVR group. High LAVR was significantly associated with disadvantageous patient characteristics such as advanced age, heavy smoking, and impaired respiratory function. Patients with high LAVR had a significantly higher incidence of severe morbidity and pneumonia after OE. High LAVR was an independent risk factor for severe morbidity (odds ratio [OR], 2.52; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.237-5.143; p = 0.011) and pneumonia (OR, 2.12; 95% CI: 1.003-4.493; p = 0.049) after OE. Meanwhile, LAVR was not correlated with the incidence of post-MIE morbidity. LAVR may reflect COPD severity and predict severe morbidity and pneumonia after OE, but not after MIE. Less invasiveness of MIE may alleviate the effects of various disadvantageous backgrounds associated with high LAVR on worse short-term outcomes.

Modeling longitudinal oral health status and pneumonia risk: secondary data analyses of an integrated dental-medical cohort

BackgroundMounting evidence indicates potential associations between poor oral health status (OHS) and increased pneumonia risk. Relative pneumonia risk was assessed in the context of longitudinally documented OHS.MethodsElectronic medical/dental patient data captured from 2007 through 2019 were retrieved from the integrated health records of Marshfield Clinic Health Systems. Participant eligibility initiated with an assessment of OHS, stratified into the best, moderate, or worst OHS groups, with the additional criterion of ‘no pneumonia diagnosis in the past 90 days’. Pneumonia incidence was longitudinally monitored for up to 1 year from each qualifying dental visit. Models were assessed, with and without adjustment for prior pneumonia incidence, adjusted for smoking and subjected to confounding mitigation attributable to known pneumonia risk factors by applying propensity score analysis. Time-to-event analysis and proportional hazard modeling were applied to investigate relative pneumonia risk over time among the OHS groups.ResultsModeling identified associations between any incident pneumonia subtype and ‘number of missing teeth’ (p < 0.001) and ‘clinically assessed periodontal status’ (p < 0.01), which remained significant following adjustment for prior pneumonia incidence and smoking. The hazard ratio (HR) for ‘any incident pneumonia’ in the best OHS group for ‘number of missing teeth’ was 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.54 − 0.79] (unadjusted) and 0.744, 95% CI [0.61 − 0.91] (adjusted). The HR for ‘any incident pneumonia’ in the best ‘clinically assessed periodontal status’ group was 0.72, 95% CI [0.58 − 0.90] (unadjusted) and 0.78, 95% CI [0.62 − 0.97] (adjusted).Conclusion/clinical relevancePoor OHS increased pneumonia risk. Proactive attention of medical providers to patient OHS and health literacy surrounding oral-systemic disease association is vital, especially in high-risk populations.

The risk factors of aspiration pneumonia during inpatient rehabilitation after stroke

The risk factors of aspiration pneumonia during inpatient rehabilitation after stroke

Dysphagia in people with dementia

AbstractBackgroundDysphagia is a common complication in multiple neurodegenerative disorders, influencing quality of life and long term prognosis. In dementia, data regarding prevalence of dysphagia and secondary complications such as aspiration pneumonia is not well understood.Aim of the study: to assess the prevalence of dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia in patients with dementia.MethodCross‐sectional study that included patients previously diagnosed with dementia, evaluated in the outpatient clinic or admitted in the Department of Neurology, County Clinic Hospital Brasov. We evaluated the patients using a standardized protocol that included the MMSE, MoCA scale, Gugging Swallowing Screen, fiberoptic evaluation of swallowing and FEDSS scale.Resultthere were 42 patients with dementia included in the study (57,14% females) with a mean age of 69.7 ±9,1 years. The mean MMSE score was 16.8 ± 4.4. Dysphagia was present in 9 patients (21.42%). Pneumonia was encountered in 33.3% of the dysphagic patients, and it was associated with high mortality. The major secondary risk factors for pneumonia were older age, obesity, smoking and diabetes. Patients with a lower score on the MMSE/MoCA scale had a higher risk of developing dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia. Mortality in the dysphagic group was higher when compared with the non‐dysphagic group (44.2% vs. 21.2%).ConclusionDysphagia has an important impact on the clinical outcome of the patients with dementia, increasing the risk of institutionalization and mortality and being associated with dependency and poor quality of life.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Pneumonia in Individuals With Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Multi-national, Multi-center, Prospective Cohort Study

ObjectiveTo describe the occurrence of pneumonia in individuals with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) and identify its key predictors. DesignMulti-centric, longitudinal cohort study. Setting10 specialized SCI rehabilitation units in Europe and Australia. ParticipantsEligible were 902 men and women with acute SCI, aged 18 years or older, with cervical or thoracic lesions and not dependent on 24-hour mechanical ventilation; 503 participated in the study (N=503). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresWe assessed demographics and lesion related parameters at study entry, and any pneumonia events throughout inpatient rehabilitation. Respiratory function, decubitus, and urinary tract infections were assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months post injury as well as at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Time to event (pneumonia) analyses were done using the Kaplan-Meier method, and potential predictors for pneumonia were analyzed with multivariable survival models. ResultsFive hundred three patients with SCI were included, with 70 experiencing at least 1 pneumonia event. 11 participants experienced 2 or more events during inpatient rehabilitation. Most events occurred very early after injury, with a median of 6 days. Pneumonia risk was associated with tetraplegia (hazard ratio [HR]=1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-3.17) and traumatic etiology (HR=3.75; 95% CI 1.30-10.8) American Spinal Injury Impairment Scale (AIS) A (HR=5.30; 95% CI 2.28-12.31), B (HR=4.38; 95% CI 1.77-10.83), or C (HR=4.09; 95% CI 1.71-9.81) lesions. For every 10 cmH2O increase in inspiratory muscle strength, pneumonia risk was reduced by 13% (HR=0.87; 95% CI 0.78-0.97). ConclusionPneumonia is a major complication after SCI with the highest incidence very early after injury. Individuals with traumatic or AIS A, B, or C tetraplegia are at highest risk for pneumonia.

Psoas muscle mass index and peak expiratory flow as measures of sarcopenia: relation to outcomes of elderly patients with resectable esophageal cancer

ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to investigate whether the evaluation of postoperative outcomes or overall survival in patients who undergo surgery for esophageal cancer can be achieved by assessing sarcopenia using psoas muscle mass index and peak expiratory flow.MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 356 elderly patients (≥ 65 years) who had undergone radical surgery for esophageal cancer. Muscle mass and muscle strength were assessed by psoas muscle mass index (bilateral psoas area/height2) and peak expiratory flow, using preoperative computed tomography and spirometry, respectively. Sarcopenia is defined as a condition where both the psoas muscle mass index and peak expiratory flow fall below their gender-specific cutoff values. Survival and postoperative complications were compared between patients with and without sarcopenia.ResultsOut of the 356 elderly individuals diagnosed with esophageal cancer, 84 patients (23.6%) were found to have sarcopenia. The group with sarcopenia showed a notably higher occurrence of postoperative pneumonia (29.8% vs 16.9%, P &amp;lt; 0.001) and anastomotic leak (9.5% vs 3.7%, P &amp;lt; 0.05) compared to those without sarcopenia. Additionally, a multivariate analysis concluded that sarcopenia independently acted as a risk factor for postoperative pneumonia, possessing an odds ratio of 1.90 (P &amp;lt; 0.05). The survival rate after 3 years for individuals with sarcopenia was considerably lower than those without sarcopenia (57.8% vs 70.2%, P &amp;lt; 0.05). Sarcopenia was identified as an unfavorable prognostic factor for overall survival, with a hazard ratio of 1.51 (P &amp;lt; 0.05).ConclusionsPreoperative sarcopenia diagnosed by psoas muscle mass index and peak expiratory flow is associated with reduced overall survival and adverse postoperative outcomes among elderly individuals suffering from esophageal cancer.

830. Risk factors for late Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in kidney transplant recipients: A Case-Control Study of United States Renal Data System Data

Abstract Background Organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of potentially life-threatening opportunistic infections, including Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). Given the use of effective prophylaxis, PJP has become less common, especially during the first-year post-transplant. Recent data has shown that the risk of infection has shifted within the first 2 years after discontinuing prophylaxis. We aimed to determine risk factors for late posttransplant PJP using a national database. Methods Using the United States Renal Data System database, we performed a retrospective case-control study of patients who underwent kidney transplant from 1998 through 2019. To evaluate risk factors for late PJP, we performed logistic regression analysis by comparing characteristics between infected patients and their matched uninfected controls. Results We identified 407 cases with PJP and matched to 1628 controls (1:4). 60 (14.7%) of the cases occurred within one year post transplant and 347 (85.3%) patients were diagnosed after one year of transplant. In the late period, the median time between transplant and PJP diagnosis was 68.7 (IQR 28 -134.2) months. Seventy cases (20.1%) occurred between 12 and 24 months. In multivariate analysis (table 1), risk factors for late infection included a higher Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), history of cytomegalovirus disease, older donor age, use of antilymphocyte agents, history of re-transplant and a longer time of hemodialysis prior to transplant. Of note, in the early period, we found that having a living donor was protective. Multivariate analysis of risk factors for late Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia Conclusion Our findings highlight the importance of a timely transplant to mitigate the risk of post-transplant PJP in the late post-transplant period where prophylaxis is not routinely used. These results also raise the consideration of PJP prophylaxis in the late period in patients diagnosed with CMV disease, history of re transplant and recent use of antilymphocyte agents. Disclosures Paschalis Vergidis, MD, MSc, AbbVie: Advisor/Consultant|Ansun: Grant/Research Support|Cidara: Grant/Research Support|Scynexis: Grant/Research Support

Potential mechanisms and treatment progress of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis in non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Recent use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) extends survival, but immune-related adverse events (irAEs), especially immune checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP), pose a significant threat, progressing swiftly and impacting patient well-being and, in some cases, survival. Objectives: This review aims to analyze the literature related to immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia in terms of potential mechanisms, risk factors, predictors and diagnostic treatment, so as to provide a reference for preclinical studies and clinical management. Methods: Using the literature summarizing method, the keywords "NSCLC" and “immune checkpoint inhibitors” were entered in PUBMED (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/), and 3968 papers were obtained. The main points of literature discovery are obtained by compressing, categorizing and summarizing literature for reporting. Results: We systematically summarized Checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia incidence and onset time; Checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia potential mechanisms; Risk factors for checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia; Checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia potential predictors; Diagnosis and treatment of checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia. Together, this review provides important literature information to understand the relationship between ICIs and NSCLC. Conclusions: We summarized the potential mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated pneumonia in NSCLC and advances in treatment, and provided the reference for related research and related personnel.

Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in Chinese immune thrombocytopenia patients: A prospective cohort study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has a significant impact on the immune system. This is the first and largest study on pre-existing immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) patients infected with COVID-19 in China. We prospectively collected ITP patients infected with COVID-19 enrolled in the National Longitudinal Cohort of Hematological Diseases (NICHE, NCT04645199) and followed up for at least 1 month after infection. One thousand and one hundred forty-eight pre-existing ITP patients were included. Two hundred and twelve (18.5%) patients showed a decrease in the platelet (PLT) count after infection. Forty-seven (4.1%) patients were diagnosed with pneumonia. Risk factors for a decrease in the PLT count included baseline PLT count <50 × 109/L (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.25-2.46; p = 0.001), maintenance therapy including thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.60-3.21; p < 0.001) and previous splenectomy (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.09-3.61; p = 0.03). Risk factors for pneumonia included age ≥40 years (OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.12-5.33; p = 0.02), ≥2 comorbidities (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.63-7.64; p = 0.001), maintenance therapy including TPO-RAs (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.17-3.91; p = 0.01) and immunosuppressants (OR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.17-7.91; p = 0.02). In this cohort study, we described the characteristics of pre-existing ITP patients infected with COVID-19 and identified several factors associated with poor outcomes.

Risk Factors of Postoperative Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

Background and Objectives. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is one of the complications that may occur in the postoperative period in patients undergoing heart valve surgery, which may result in prolonged hospitalization, development of respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation or even death. This study investigated the preoperative risk factors of postoperative pneumonia after heart valve surgery. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study in a group of consecutive patients with hemodynamically significant valvular heart disease undergoing valve surgery. The primary endpoint at the in-hospital follow-up was hospital-acquired pneumonia after heart valve surgery. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess which variables were predictive of the primary endpoint, and odds ratios (ORdis) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Multivariate analysis was based on the results of single-factor logistic regression, i.e., in further steps all statistically significant variables were taken into consideration. Results: The present study included 505 patients. Postoperative pneumonia occurred in 23 patients. The mean time to diagnosis of pneumonia was approximately 3 days after heart valve surgery (±2 days). In multivariate analysis, preoperative level of high-sensitivity Troponin T (hs-TnT) (OR 2.086; 95% CI 1.211-3.593; p = 0.008) and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) (OR 1.043; 95% CI 1.018-1.067; p 0.004) remained independent predictors of the postoperative pneumonia. Of the patients with postoperative pneumonia, 3 patients died due to the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Conclusions: Preoperative determination of serum hs-TnT concentration and echocardiographic measurement of the RVSP parameter may be useful in predicting postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing heart valve surgery.

Assessment of diabetes as a risk factor for neurogenic dysphagia confirmed by FEES examination in post-CVA patients

IntroductionDiabetes mellitus (DM) is an independent factor for the occurrence of neurogenic dysphagia following an acute cerebrovascular accident in the form of a stroke. This study assesses the role of DM as a risk factor for post-stroke dysphagia (PSD), confirmed by the fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES) with particular emphasis on silent aspiration (SA) as a high risk factor of aspiration pneumonia (AP).AimThe aim of the study is to assess the role of DM as a risk factor for PSD.Material and methodsStatistical analysis was performed on the cohort of 81 post-cerebrovascular-accident patients hospitalized in the neurological rehabilitation department. DM was diagnosed in more than one third of the cohort (35.8%). After the FEES examination, which was assessed in the penetration–aspiration scale (PAS), an analysis of DM incidence was performed in patients with diagnosed pharyngeal dysphagia of moderate degree (PAS 3–6) and severe degree (PAS 7–8).Results and discussionThe incidence of DM in patients with moderate dysphagia was lower than in the cohort. The incidence of DM in patients with severe dysphagia (aspiration) was comparable to the percentage in the cohort. Although diabetes was twice as frequent among patients with aspiration than among those with mild dysphagia (24% vs. 12%), the odds ratio (OR) of the diabetes incidence in these groups was not statistically significant.ConclusionsAlthough DM is an independent factor for PSD occurrence after cerebrovascular accident in the form of a stroke and a potential factor for lower cranial nerve neuropathy, no correlation between DM and PSD was found.