Bronchial thermoplasty is a new bronchoscopic procedure that delivers radiofrequency energy to the airway and potentially reduces the smooth muscle-mediated bronchoconstriction. We report the case of a 48-year-old man with persistent moderate asthma submitted to bronchial thermoplasty. The treatment increased the forced expiratory volume in one second, increased the number of symptom-free days, reduced the use of relief medications, and improved the Juniper Asthma Quality of Life Scale score. In this patient, bronchial thermoplasty was well tolerated and safe. This was the first bronchial thermoplasty performed in Latin America. At 12 months after the procedure, the results were encouraging in terms of its potential benefits in patients with difficult-to-control asthma.

Keywords: Asthma/treatment; Respiratory function tests; Case reports [publication type].

Currently available treatments for asthma provide satisfactory control of the disease in most cases. However, a significant number of patients do not respond to such treatments (i.e., do not achieve effective symptom relief). One novel approach to treating asthma is bronchial thermoplasty, in which the airway smooth muscle is specifically and directly treated. This procedure delivers radiofrequency energy to the airways in order to reduce smooth muscle-mediated bronchoconstriction. In this article, we present the thermoplasty technique, summarizing the results of the major randomized clinical trials of the procedure, as well as discussing its mechanisms of action and potential adverse effects. We also propose strategies for the future clinical use of this new treatment.

Keywords: Asthma/prevention & control; Asthma/therapy; Bronchoscopy.

Objective: Studies assessing the characteristics and management of patients hospitalized with asthma have been limited to a small number of facilities and have evaluated short time periods. The present study evaluated long-term changes among hospitalized asthma patients at a large number of facilities. Methods: This was a retrospective, hospital-based observational case series, designated the Study of Severe Asthma in Latin America and Spain, which was conducted in Spain and in eight Latin-American countries. We reviewed the hospital records of 3,038 patients (age range, 15-69 years) hospitalized with acute severe asthma at one of nineteen tertiary-care hospitals in 1994, 1999 and 2004. Results: Over time, the use of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β2 agonists increased significantly, whereas the use of theophylline as a controller medication decreased. The utilization of pulmonary function tests also increased. There was a significant reduction in the mean hospital stay (8.5 days, 7.4 days and 7.1 days in 1994, 1999 and 2004, respectively, p = 0.0001) and a significant increase in the mean of the lowest arterial pH at hospital admission. In contrast, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of cases in which PEF was determined in the emergency room (48.6% in 1994 vs. 43.5% in 2004, p = 0.0001). We found the quality of asthma management and care to be generally better in Spain than in Latin America. Conclusions: Although there have been certain improvements in the management of asthma between severe exacerbations and during hospitalization, asthma management remains suboptimal in Spain and, especially, in Latin America.

Keywords: Status asthmaticus; Asthma/therapy; Hospitalization.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is highly prevalent the world over. An estimated 7% to 10% of the global adult population is affected. In Brazil, the incidence of chronic bronchitis is 12.7% among individuals over the age of 40. Economic studies have great relevance in devising policies for dealing with diseases of such high prevalence. The majority of data related to the costs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is culled from national health databases. There have been only a few studies evaluating the direct public health costs of the disease. In analyzing those studies, one can conclude that a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient generates a direct annual expenditure of 1200 to 1800 USD. However, the cost is correlated with the severity of the disease. Patients suffering from the more severe forms can require as much as double that expenditure, and early diagnosis is therefore vital. The most cost-effective strategy is early detection of the disease, in concert with anti-smoking campaigns. In the most advanced stages of the disease, the greatest costs are incurred due to hospitalization. In such cases, correct treatment of the acute exacerbations of the disease is crucial to minimizing costs. The average cost of a hospital stay in Brazil is 2761 Brazilian reals, which is equal to that of one full year of outpatient treatment. Antibiotic therapy accounts for only a small fraction of the total cost of treating such acute exacerbations. The use of more efficacious antibiotics may represent a more cost-effective strategy for reducing the rate of treatment failure. Economic analysis should allow for the identification and implementation of the most cost-effective strategies for treating this disease.

Keywords: Smoking/adverse effects. Tobacco use cessation/methods. Pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate current practices in sedation for bronchoscopy in Latin America. Methods: This was an anonymous survey of select members of the Latin American Thoracic Association. The questionnaire, made available online from November of 2015 through February of 2016, was designed to collect data on demographic characteristics; type of facility (public or private); type/volume of bronchoscopies; type of sedation; and type of professional administering the sedation. Results: We received 338 completed questionnaires from 19 countries; 250 respondents (74.0%) were male. The mean respondent age was 36.0 ± 10.5 years. Of the 338 respondents, 304 (89.9%) were pulmonologists; 169 (50.0%) worked at public facilities; and 152 (45.0%) worked at teaching facilities. All of the respondents performed diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy, 206 (60.9%) performed therapeutic fiberoptic bronchoscopy, 125 (37.0%) performed rigid bronchoscopy, 37 (10.9%) performed endobronchial ultrasound, and 3 (0.9%) performed laser therapy/thermoplasty/cryotherapy. Sedation for bronchoscopy was employed by 324 respondents (95.6%). Of the 338 respondents, 103 (30.5%) and 96 (28.4%) stated, respectively, that such sedation should "usually" and "never" be administered by a bronchoscopist; 324 (95.9%) supported training bronchoscopists in sedation. Sedation administered by a bronchoscopist was reported by 113 respondents, conscious sedation being employed by 109 (96.2%). The use of benzodiazepines, propofol, and opiates was reported, respectively, by 252 (74.6%), 179 (52.9%), and 132 (39.0%) of the 338 respondents. Deep sedation and general anesthesia were more common at private facilities. Conclusions: The consensus seems to be that a well-trained bronchoscopist can safely administer sedation for bronchoscopy. However, approximately 40% of bronchoscopists do not do so regularly.

Keywords: Bronchoscopy/methods; Conscious sedation/statistics & numerical data; Hypnotics and sedatives.

Objective: To report the results obtained in three patients with diffuse pulmonary emphysema during the pre- and post-operative periods following a new surgical technique: collateral ventilation with lung parenchyma drainage. Methods: Patients suffering from pulmonary failure and disabling dyspnea, despite having received the gold standard treatment, including pulmonary rehabilitation, were selected for the evaluation of pulmonary drainage. During the pre- and post-operative periods, patients were submitted to plethysmography and six-minute walk tests, as well as completing the following quality of life questionnaires: Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status and Medical Research Council Scale. In all three cases, the post-operative follow-up period was at least 300 days. The tests were performed at the following time points: during the pre-operative period; between post-operative days 30 and 40; and on post-operative day 300. Data were analyzed using profile plots of the means. Results: When the results obtained in the pre-operative period were compared to those obtained at the two post-operative time points evaluated, improvements were observed in all parameters studied. Conclusions: The results suggest that the surgical technique proposed for the treatment of patients suffering from severe diffuse emphysema successfully reduces the debilitating symptoms of these patients, improving their quality of life considerably.

Keywords: Pulmonary emphysema; Lung diseases, obstructive; Lung, hyperlucent.

Objective: To evaluate, for the first time, the characteristics of patients with acute asthma who died during hospitalization in Spain and Latin America, as well as to evaluate factors associated with asthma mortality. Methods: A retrospective review of hospital records of 3,038 patients with asthma (aged 15-69 years) admitted to nineteen tertiary care hospitals in Spain and in eight Latin-American countries in 1994, 1999, and 2004. Results: There were 25 deaths (0.8% of all hospitalized patients) during the three years studied. Although there was a tendency towards a reduction in in-hospital mortality (from 0.97% in 1994 to 0.69% in 2004), there were no significant differences in terms of year or geographic area. Intensive care unit admissions and cases of out of hospital cardiopulmonary arrest increased the mortality rates to 8.3% and 24.7%, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that gender (female; OR = 25.5; 95% CI: 2.6-246.8), out of hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (OR = 22.5; 95% CI: 4.4-114.7), and arterial pH < 7.3 during hospitalization (OR = 1.0; 95% CI: 1.1-3.4) were strongly associated with asthma mortality. Conclusions: Our study on mortality in patients hospitalized for acute severe asthma showed that deaths occurred almost exclusively in female patients and in patients who suffered out of hospital cardiopulmonary arrest, confirming previous findings from studies conducted in developed countries.

Keywords: Asthma/mortality; Asthma/epidemiology; Hospitalization; Hospital mortality.

Purpose: To assess the results of the surgical treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) by means of axillary thoracotomy, blebs resection and abrasive pleurodesis, by comparing the results with the different options of treatment, and to discuss the surgical approach as the best therapeutic option for patient with the first occurrence of PSP. Material and methods: 35 axillary thoracotomy with abrasive pleurodesis for the treatment of PSP were carried out at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the University of Caxias do Sul between January 1996 and March 1999. Results: 23 patients with their first episode of PSP and 12 patients in their second episode were treated. The pleural drains were kept for in an average period of 2.7 ± 1.6 days. The average time in hospital was about 4.9 ± 2.4 days. Morbidity was 8.5% and mortality rate was zero. There was no relapse in an average period of 22 months of follow-up. Conclusion: The indication of axillary thoracotomy and abrasive pleurodesis to the patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) at the first or recurrent episode showed low rates of morbidity and no relapse, besides short periods of hospitalization and pleural drain permanence. The possibility of indication as the first therapeutic method for the PSP should be considered.

Keywords: Pneumothorax. Thoracotomy.

The relationship between structure and function in asthma has been extensively studied. All the compartments of the airway have been shown to have some structural alterations contributing to functional defects. The structural alterations are thought to be a consequence of the chronic inflammation present in asthmatic airways, leading ultimately to remodeling. The decline of the ventilatory function over time in some asthmatic patients may be a consequence of airway remodeling. In this review, the authors describe the phenomena leading to airway remodeling and discuss the role of inflammatory mediators involved in this process. The structural alterations of the asthmatic airways are presented and the possible correlated functional defects are discussed.

Keywords: bronchii; pathology; asthma.

Objective: To evaluate COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices among health care workers (HCWs) practicing in Latin American countries during the first surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a multinational cross-sectional survey study, using an online self-administered questionnaire. The final version of the questionnaire comprised 40 questions, organized in five sections: demographic and professional characteristics; COVID-19 knowledge; attitudes toward COVID-19; COVID-19 practices; and institutional resources. Results: The study involved 251 HCWs from 19 Latin American countries who agreed to participate. In our sample, 77% of HCWs participated in some sort of institutional training on COVID-19, and 43% had a low COVID-19 knowledge score. COVID-19 knowledge was associated with the type of health center (public/private), availability of institutional training, and sources of information about COVID-19. Concerns about not providing adequate care were reported by 60% of the participants. The most commonly used ventilatory strategies were protective mechanical ventilation, alveolar recruitment maneuvers, and prone positioning, and the use of drugs to treat COVID-19 was mainly based on institutional protocols. Conclusions: In this multinational study in Latin America, almost half of HCWs had a low COVID-19 knowledge score, and the level of knowledge was associated with the type of institution, participation in institutional training, and information sources. HCWs considered that COVID-19 was very relevant, and more than half were concerned about not providing adequate care to patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health knowledge, attitude, practice; Health personnel; Latin America.

Bronchial asthma is an inflammatory chronic disease of the respiratory tract whose prevalence is increasing worldwide. Since there is no curative treatment available, the principal objective of every approach is to control the disease and to improve the quality of life of patients. Over the last few decades, intervention programs supplementing conventional medical treatments have been tested and implemented. The majority of such programs consist of educational interventions or include some type of educational component. In this study, we attempted to determine the characteristics and the impact of educational interventions on asthma by means of the following: a) an updated review of the various educational interventions developed and implemented for asthma patients; b) the identification of aspects that are common to all of these interventions; and c) the analysis of the findings in the literature regarding the impact that these interventions have on the health and quality of life of patients. We conclude that educational interventions are effective in improving the health and quality of life of asthma patients, as well as in reducing the use and costs of health resources. These findings indicate the importance of including an educational component as part of an integrated approach to this population. Likewise, the inherent complexity of the educational process highlights the importance of a complementary joint effort including various health professionals.

Keywords: Asthma/prevention and control; Health education; Therapeutics.

Asthma is a disease with high prevalence in our country and around the world. Although new therapeutic approaches have been recently developed, there appears to be a worldwide increase in morbidity and mortality from asthma. In many institutions, asthma exacerbation is still a common medical emergency. Clinical evidence demonstrates that the first hour of management of acute asthma in the emergency room entails crucial decisions that could be determinant in the clinical outcome. In this non-systematic review, the authors focus on the first hour assessment and treatment of patients with acute asthma and outline an appropriate strategy for their management. Diagnosis, severity assessment, pharmacological treatment, complications, and the decision regarding the place where additional treatment will take place will be considered. It is reasonable to expect that these recommendations will help physicians make appropriate decisions about the first hour care of acute asthma in the emergency room.

Keywords: Asthma. Emergency medicine. Emergency treatment. Clinical procedures. Emergency medical services.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of mitomycin C (MMC) in the endoscopic treatment of tracheal stenosis. Methods: Patients with laryngotracheal, tracheal, or tracheobronchial stenosis were treated with dilation and topical MMC. The inclusion criteria were as follows: being ineligible for surgery (for medical reasons) at the time of evaluation; membranous stenosis responding well to dilation; and postoperative stenosis at the anastomosis site. Etiology of stenosis and indication for treatment with MMC, as well as site, length, and percentage of stenosis, together with presence of tracheostomy and duration of follow-up, were analyzed. The outcomes evaluated were symptom-free interval ≥ 12 months, number of dilations with topical application of MMC, and complications. Results: Twenty-two patients (15 men and 7 women) were treated between 2003 and 2010. Stenosis was due to endotracheal intubation in 15 patients and surgery in 8. Pure tracheal stenosis was encountered in 13 patients, subglottic stenosis was encountered in 4, tracheobronchial stenosis was encountered in 3, and complex stenosis was encountered in 2. The length of stenosis ranged from 0.5 cm to 2.5 cm, and the percentage of stenosis ranged from 40% to 100%. Nine patients had undergone tracheostomy and had a Montgomery T-tube in situ. Treatment was successful in 14 patients, who remained free of symptoms for at least 12 months. The number of topical applications of MMC ranged from 1 to 5, and complications included fungal infection, keloid scarring, granuloma, and mediastinal emphysema. Conclusions: MMC appears to be effective in the endoscopic treatment of tracheal stenosis.

Keywords: Tracheal stenosis; Mitomycin; Endoscopy.

Background: The relationship between asthma and gastroesophageal reflux is, as yet, not completely understood. Among the mechanisms thought to be responsible for gastroesophageal reflux-related worsening of asthma symptoms are the vagovagal reflex and microaspiration. Objective: To assess forced expiratory volume in one second after acid infusion. Method: This study investigated the effect of acid infusion in 13 volunteers with moderate asthma and gastroesophageal reflux. Spirometry was performed before and after insertion of an 8F nasogastric tube and a pH meter. After 15 minutes of saline solution infusion into the midpoint between the upper esophageal sphincter and lower esophageal sphincter, and again after 15 minutes of esophageal acidification (with hydrochloric acid) of the same area, forced expiratory volume in one second was reassessed. Acidification was repeated every 5 minutes until forced expiratory volume in one second values stabilized (variation: < 5%). Results: Mean forced expiratory volume in one second values remained stable during the tube insertion, saline infusion, initial hydrochloric acid infusion and subsequent hydrochloric acid infusion procedures (p = 0.72). Lower forced expiratory volume in one second values were seen resulting from the tube insertion in two patients (drops of 11% and 22%, respectively), after saline infusion in another two (drops of 13% and 14%) and after acid infusion in 1 (a drop of 22%). Conclusion: Esophageal acidification over short periods does not lead to spirometric alterations in a group of asthmatics with gastroesophageal reflux. However, in some cases, simple esophageal procedures or infusions result in bronchospasm.

Keywords: Key words: Asthma. Gastroesophageal reflux. Respiratory function tests. Endoscopy/methods.

Rhodococcus equi, the principal agent of rhodococcosis, is a pleomorphic, gram-positive, aerobic coccus bacillus that infects humans by inhalation or through a transcutaneous route. It is clinically manifested as a pulmonary abscess. The first two Brazilian cases of rhodococcosis are reported on. Both patients were immunocompromised and showed pulmonary infection. The first patient had AIDS and cavitating pneumonia in the left upper lobe, that was fatal. The second case presented Goodpasture syndrome and was under chronic corticotherapy. He displayed a cavitating nodular lesion in the right upper lobe, that was successfully treated with sulfametoxazol-trimethoprim.

Keywords: Actinomycetal infections. Pulmonary tuberculosis. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Goodpasture syndrome. Brazil.