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In the United States, approximately 20% of patients hospitalized with pneumonia are readmitted to a hospital within 30 days. Given the significant costs and healthcare system use resulting from unplanned readmissions, pneumonia readmission rates are a target of national quality measures. Patient do-not-resuscitate (DNR) status strongly influences hospital pneumonia mortality measures; however, associations between DNR status and 30-day readmissions after pneumonia are unclear.Determine the effect of accounting for patient DNR status on hospital readmission measures for pneumonia.After excluding patients with missing data, those who died during the index hospitalization, those who were discharged against medical advice, those who did not reside in California, and those admitted to low pneumonia case-volume hospitals, we identified 30-day unplanned readmissions after an index pneumonia hospitalization from the 2011 California State Inpatient Database. We used hierarchical logistic regression to determine the association between early DNR status (within 24 hours of admission) and 30-day readmission and hospital risk-adjusted readmission rates.We identified 68,691 hospitalizations for pneumonia across 321 hospitals. Patients with early DNR orders were less likely to be readmitted within 30 days (20.0% vs. 22.5%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-0.99). Patients with pneumonia admitted to high-versus-low DNR rate hospitals were at lower risk for readmission (DNR rate quartile 4 vs. quartile 1, aOR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.55-0.70), regardless of individual DNR status. Higher hospital risk-adjusted DNR rates were strongly associated with lower risk-adjusted readmission rates (r = -0.44; P 0.0001). Inclusion of early DNR status in risk-adjusted readmission models changed ranking categories for 7/321 (2.2%) hospitals, with 2 hospitals no longer labeled as "under-performing outliers."Patients with an early DNR order have a lower risk for readmission after a pneumonia hospitalization. Unmeasured DNR status weakly confounds hospital readmission measures; accounting for patient DNR status would alter readmission ratings for a small number of hospitals.

BACKGROUND This series of guidance documents on cough, which will be published over time, is a hybrid of two processes: (1) evidence-based guidelines and (2) trustworthy consensus statements based on a robust and transparent process. METHODS The CHEST Guidelines Oversight Committee selected a nonconflicted Panel Chair and jointly assembled an international panel of experts in each clinical area with few, if any, conflicts of interest. PICO (population, intervention, comparator, outcome)-based key questions and parameters of eligibility were developed for each clinical topic to inform the comprehensive literature search. Existing guidelines, systematic reviews, and primary studies were assessed for relevance and quality. Data elements were extracted into evidence tables and synthesized to provide summary statistics. These, in turn, are presented to support the evidence-based graded recommendations. A highly structured consensus-based Delphi approach was used to provide expert advice on all guidance statements. Transparency of process was documented. RESULTS Evidence-based guideline recommendations and consensus-based suggestions were carefully crafted to provide direction to health-care providers and investigators who treat and/or study patients with cough. Manuscripts and tables summarize the evidence in each clinical area supporting the recommendations and suggestions. CONCLUSIONS The resulting guidance statements are based on a rigorous methodology and transparency of process. Unless otherwise stated, the recommendations and suggestions meet the guidelines for trustworthiness developed by the Institute of Medicine and can be applied with confidence by physicians, nurses, other health-care providers, investigators, and patients.

This overview will demonstrate that cough is a common and potentially expensive health-care problem. Improvement in the quality of care of those with cough has been the focus of study for a variety of disciplines in medicine. The purpose of the Cough Guideline and Expert Panel is to synthesize current knowledge in a form that will aid clinical decision-making for the diagnosis and management of cough across disciplines and also identify gaps in knowledge and treatment options.

To assess the importance of including do-not-resuscitate status in critical care observational comparative effectiveness research.Retrospective analysis.All California hospitals participating in the 2007 California State Inpatient Database, which provides do-not-resuscitate status within the first 24 hours of admission.Septic shock present at admission.None.We investigated the association of early do-not-resuscitate status with in-hospital mortality among patients with septic shock. We also examined the strength of confounding of do-not-resuscitate status on the association between activated protein C therapy and mortality, an association with conflicting results between observational and randomized studies. We identified 24,408 patients with septic shock; 19.6% had a do-not-resuscitate order. Compared with patients without a do-not-resuscitate order, those with a do-not-resuscitate order were significantly more likely to be older (75 ± 14 vs 67 ± 16 yr) and white (62% vs 53%), with more acute organ failures (1.44 ± 1.15 vs 1.38 ± 1.15), but fewer inpatient interventions (1.0 ± 1.0 vs 1.4 ± 1.1). Adding do-not-resuscitate status to a model with 47 covariates improved mortality discrimination (c-statistic, 0.73-0.76; p0.001). Addition of do-not-resuscitate status to a multivariable model assessing the association between activated protein C and mortality resulted in a 9% shift in the activated protein C effect estimate toward the null (odds ratio from 0.78 [95% CI, 0.62-0.99], p = 0.04, to 0.85 [0.67-1.08], p = 0.18).Among patients with septic shock, do-not-resuscitate status acts as a strong confounder that may inform past discrepancies between observational and randomized studies of activated protein C. Inclusion of early do-not-resuscitate status into more administrative databases may improve observational comparative effectiveness methodology.

The American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation's Choosing Wisely campaign aims to curb health-care costs and improve patient care by soliciting lists from medical societies of the top five tests or treatments in their specialty that are used too frequently and inappropriately. The American Thoracic Society (ATS) and American College of Chest Physicians created a joint task force, which produced a top five list for adult pulmonary medicine. Our top five recommendations, which were approved by the executive committees of the ATS and American College of Chest Physicians and published by Choosing Wisely in October 2013, are as follows: (1) Do not perform CT scan surveillance for evaluation of indeterminate pulmonary nodules at more frequent intervals or for a longer period of time than recommended by established guidelines; (2) do not routinely offer pharmacologic treatment with advanced vasoactive agents approved only for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension to patients with pulmonary hypertension resulting from left heart disease or hypoxemic lung diseases (groups II or III pulmonary hypertension); (3) for patients recently discharged on supplemental home oxygen following hospitalization for an acute illness, do not renew the prescription without assessing the patient for ongoing hypoxemia; (4) do not perform chest CT angiography to evaluate for possible pulmonary embolism in patients with a low clinical probability and negative results of a highly sensitive D-dimer assay; (5) do not perform CT scan screening for lung cancer among patients at low risk for lung cancer. We hope pulmonologists will use these recommendations to stimulate frank discussions with patients about when these tests and treatments are indicated—and when they are not.

Rationale: Processes of care are potential determinants of outcomes in patients with severe sepsis. Whether hospitals with more experience caring for patients with severe sepsis also have improved outcomes is unclear. Objectives: To determine associations between hospital severe sepsis caseload and outcomes. Methods: We analyzed data from U.S. academic hospitals provided through University HealthSystem Consortium. We used University HealthSystem Consortium’s sepsis mortality model (c-statistic, 0.826) for risk adjustment. Validated International Classification of Disease, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification algorithms were used to identify hospital severe sepsis case volume. Associations between risk-adjusted severe sepsis case volume and mortality, length of stay, and costs were analyzed using spline regression and analysis of covariance. Measurements and Main Results: We identified 56,997 patients with severe sepsis admitted to 124 U.S. academic hospitals during 2011. Hospitals admitted 460 ± 216 patients with severe sepsis, with median length of stay 12.5 days (interquartile range, 11.1–14.2), median direct costs $26,304 (interquartile range, $21,900–$32,090), and average hospital mortality 25.6 ± 5.3%. Higher severe sepsis case volume was associated with lower unadjusted severe sepsis mortality (R2 = 0.10, P = 0.01) and risk-adjusted severe sepsis mortality (R2 = 0.21, P < 0.001). After further adjustment for geographic region, number of beds, and long-term acute care referrals, hospitals in the highest severe sepsis case volume quartile had an absolute 7% (95% confidence interval, 2.4–11.6%) lower hospital mortality than hospitals in the lowest quartile. We did not identify associations between case volume and resource use. Conclusions: Academic hospitals with higher severe sepsis case volume have lower severe sepsis hospital mortality without higher costs.

Background More than 150,000 Americans each year are found to have a pulmonary nodule. Even more will be affected following the publication of the National Lung Screening Trial. Patient-doctor communication about pulmonary nodules can be challenging. Although most nodules are benign, it may take 2 to 3 years to rule out cancer. We sought to characterize patients' perceptions of communication with their providers about pulmonary nodules. Methods We conducted four focus groups at two sites with 22 adults with an indeterminate pulmonary nodule. Transcripts were analyzed using principles of grounded theory. Results Patients described conversations with 53 different providers about the pulmonary nodule. Almost all patients immediately assumed that they had cancer when first told about the nodule. Some whose providers did not discuss the actual cancer risk or explain the evaluation plan experienced confusion and distress that sometimes lasted for months. Patients were frustrated when their providers did not address their concerns about cancer or potential adverse effects of surveillance (eg, prolonged uncertainty, radiation exposure), which in some cases led to poor adherence to evaluation plans. Patients found it helpful when physicians used lay terms, showed the CT image, and quantified cancer risk. By contrast, patients resented medical jargon and dismissive language. Conclusions Patients commonly assume that a pulmonary nodule means cancer. What providers tell (or do not tell) patients about their cancer risk and the evaluation plan can strongly influence patients' perceptions of the nodule and related distress. We describe simple communication strategies that may help patients to come to terms with an indeterminate pulmonary nodule.

Although evidence supporting use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) during acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is strong, evidence varies widely for other causes of acute respiratory failure.To compare utilization trends and outcomes associated with NIV in patients with and without COPD.We identified 11,659,668 cases of acute respiratory failure from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample during years 2000 to 2009 and compared NIV utilization trends and failure rates for cases with or without a diagnosis of COPD.The proportion of patients with COPD who received NIV increased from 3.5% in 2000 to 12.3% in 2009 (250% increase), and the proportion of patients without COPD who received NIV increased from 1.2% in 2000 to 6.0% in 2009 (400% increase). The rate of increase in the use of NIV was significantly greater for patients without COPD (18.1% annual change) than for patients with COPD (14.3% annual change; P = 0.02). Patients without COPD were more likely to have failure of NIV requiring endotracheal intubation (adjusted odds ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-1.22; P0.0001). Patients in whom NIV failed had higher hospital mortality than patients receiving mechanical ventilation without a preceding trial of NIV (adjusted odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.17; P0.0001).The use of NIV during acute respiratory failure has increased at a similar rate for all diagnoses, regardless of supporting evidence. However, NIV is more likely to fail in patients without COPD, and NIV failure is associated with increased mortality.

Transthoracic needle lung biopsy is a commonly performed diagnostic procedure for pulmonary nodules and masses. To make an informed decision about whether to pursue this procedure, doctors and patients must be aware of the possible risks of the procedure. We performed a MEDLINE search, 2003-2012 to identify relevant English-language studies that included at least 100 subjects and reported data on complications of transthoracic needle lung biopsy performed within the last 10 years. We found the most common complication to be any pneumothorax (risk 15-25%), with pneumothorax requiring chest tube occurring less often (risk 4-6%). Hemorrhage, defined as radiographically visualized blood along the needle tract was common, but clinically significant hemorrhage was infrequent (~1%). Rare complications, including air embolism and tumor seeding of the biopsy tract, occurred in fewer than 1% of cases but were potentially serious. We summarize data on factors associated with complications, including patient age, COPD, lesion size and location, and number of punctures. We also provide data on techniques to mitigate severity of pneumothorax post-biopsy, such as rapid patient rollover, manual aspiration, and instillation of substances into the biopsy tract.

Background The hundreds of thousands of patients found to have a potentially malignant pulmonary nodule each year are faced with tremendous uncertainty regarding what the nodule is and how it should be evaluated. Objective To explore patients’ responses to the detection and evaluation of a pulmonary nodule. Design Qualitative study based on four focus-group discussions. We performed inductive analysis using principles of grounded theory to identify themes relating to responses to the nodule and strategies to manage uncertainty. Setting and participants Twenty-two patients from two medical centres who were undergoing surveillance for an indeterminate pulmonary nodule. Results Patient responses to an indeterminate pulmonary nodule were varied and evolved over time. Although almost all patients reported an initial fear about cancer, subsequent depictions of the nodule diverged into four types defined on two dimensions: cognitive (‘it's cancer’ vs. ‘I don't know what it is’ vs. ‘it's nothing serious’) and emotional (anxiety vs. equanimity). Most eventually accepted that the nodule was unlikely to be malignant; however, some remained anxious, convinced the nodule could turn into cancer at any time and should be aggressively monitored for life. Patients used results of surveillance tests as well as their own strategies (e.g. vigilance for symptoms, information-seeking, contemplating and controlling modifiable risk factors, avoidance, faith) to manage uncertainty. Conclusions Surveillance for a pulmonary nodule can weigh heavily on some patients for months or years. Our findings may help clinicians prepare patients with a newly detected pulmonary nodule for the burden of the prolonged uncertainty of surveillance.

Effective communication between intensive care unit (ICU) providers and families is crucial given the complexity of decisions made regarding goals of therapy. Using video images to supplement medical discussions is an innovative process to standardize and improve communication. In this six-month, quasi-experimental, pre-post intervention study we investigated the impact of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) video decision support tool upon knowledge about CPR among surrogate decision makers for critically ill adults.We interviewed surrogate decision makers for patients aged 50 and over, using a structured questionnaire that included a four-question CPR knowledge assessment similar to those used in previous studies. Surrogates in the post-intervention arm viewed a three-minute video decision support tool about CPR before completing the knowledge assessment and completed questions about perceived value of the video.We recruited 23 surrogates during the first three months (pre-intervention arm) and 27 surrogates during the latter three months of the study (post-intervention arm). Surrogates viewing the video had more knowledge about CPR (p=0.008); average scores were 2.0 (SD 1.1) and 2.9 (SD 1.2) (out of a total of 4) in pre-intervention and post-intervention arms. Surrogates who viewed the video were comfortable with its content (81% very) and 81% would recommend the video. CPR preferences for patients at the time of ICU discharge/death were distributed as follows: pre-intervention: full code 78%, DNR 22%; post-intervention: full code 59%, DNR 41% (p=0.23).

Rationale: Radiographic lung cancer screening guidelines and coverage requirements warrant a shared decision-making process. Guidance is needed regarding how to conduct shared decision making effectively. A useful organizing theme should include consideration of a patient’s response to and tolerance of uncertainty associated with lung cancer screening.

Guidelines recommend lung cancer screening (LCS), and it is currently being adopted nationwide. The American College of Chest Physicians advises inclusion of specific programmatic components to ensure high-quality screening. However, little is known about how LCS has been implemented in practice. We sought to evaluate the experience of early-adopting programs, characterize barriers faced, and identify strategies to achieve successful implementation.We performed qualitative evaluations of LCS implementation at three Veterans Administration facilities, conducting semistructured interviews with key staff (n = 29). Guided by the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework, we analyzed transcripts using principals of grounded theory.Programs successfully incorporated most recommended elements of LCS, although varying in approaches to patient selection, tobacco treatment, and quality audits. Barriers to implementation included managing workload to ensure appropriate evaluation of pulmonary nodules detected by screening and difficulty obtaining primary care "buy-in." To manage workload, programs used nurse coordinators to actively maintain screening registries, held multidisciplinary conferences that generated explicit management recommendations, and rolled out implementation in a staged fashion. Successful strategies to engage primary care providers included educational sessions, audit and feedback of local outcomes, and assisting with and assigning clear responsibility for nodule evaluation. Capitalizing on pre-existing relationships and including a designated program champion helped facilitate intradisciplinary communication.Lung cancer screening implementation is a complex undertaking requiring coordination at many levels. The insight gained from evaluation of these early-adopting programs may inform subsequent design and implementation of LCS programs.

To mitigate the potential harms of screening, professional societies recommend that lung cancer screening be conducted in multidisciplinary programs with the capacity to provide comprehensive care, from screening through pulmonary nodule evaluation to treatment of screen-detected cancers. The degree to which this standard can be met at the national level is unknown.To assess the readiness of clinical facilities in a national healthcare system for implementation of comprehensive lung cancer screening programs, as compared with the ideal described in policy recommendations.This was a cross-sectional, self-administered survey of staff pulmonologists in pulmonary outpatient clinics in Veterans Health Administration facilities.The facility-level response rate was 84.1% (106 of 126 facilities with pulmonary clinics); 88.7% of facilities showed favorable provider perceptions of the evidence for lung cancer screening, and 73.6% of facilities had a favorable provider-perceived local context for screening implementation. All elements of the policy-recommended infrastructure for comprehensive screening programs were present in 36 of 106 facilities (34.0%); the most common deficiencies were the lack of on-site positron emission tomography scanners or radiation oncology services. Overall, 26.5% of Veterans Health Administration facilities were ideally prepared for lung cancer screening implementation (44.1% if the policy recommendations for on-site positron emission tomography scanners and radiation oncology services were waived).Many facilities may be less than ideally positioned for the implementation of comprehensive lung cancer screening programs. To ensure safe, effective screening, hospitals may need to invest resources or coordinate care with facilities that can offer comprehensive care for screening through downstream evaluation and treatment of screen-detected cancers.

Rationale: To mitigate the potential harms of screening, professional societies recommend that lung cancer screening be conducted in multidisciplinary programs with the capacity to provide comprehensive care, from screening through pulmonary nodule evaluation to treatment of screen-detected cancers. The degree to which this standard can be met at the national level is unknown.Objectives: To assess the readiness of clinical facilities in a national healthcare system for implementation of comprehensive lung cancer screening programs, as compared with the ideal described in policy recommendations.Methods: This was a cross-sectional, self-administered survey of staff pulmonologists in pulmonary outpatient clinics in Veterans Health Administration facilities.Measurements and Main Results: The facility-level response rate was 84.1% (106 of 126 facilities with pulmonary clinics); 88.7% of facilities showed favorable provider perceptions of the evidence for lung cancer screening, and 73.6% of facilities had a fav...

Background Animal models suggest that immunomodulatory properties of macrolide antibiotics have therapeutic value for patients with acute lung injury (ALI). We investigated the association between receipt of macrolide antibiotics and clinical outcomes in patients with ALI. Methods Secondary analysis of multicenter, randomized controlled trial data from the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network Lisofylline and Respiratory Management of Acute Lung Injury Trial, which collected detailed data regarding antibiotic use among participants with ALI. Results Forty-seven of 235 participants (20%) received a macrolide antibiotic within 24 h of trial enrollment. Among patients who received a macrolide, erythromycin was the most common (57%), followed by azithromycin (40%). The median duration of macrolide use after study enrollment was 4 days (interquartile range, 2-8 days). Eleven of the 47 (23%) patients who received macrolides died, compared with 67 of the 188 (36%) who did not receive a macrolide (P = .11). Participants administered macrolides were more likely to have pneumonia as an ALI risk factor, were less likely to have nonpulmonary sepsis or to be randomized to low tidal volume ventilation, and had a shorter length of stay prior to trial enrollment. After adjusting for potentially confounding covariates, use of macrolide was associated with lower 180-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.46; 95% CI, 0.23-0.92; P = .028) and shorter time to successful discontinuation of mechanical ventilation (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.18-3.17; P = .009). In contrast, fluoroquinolone (n = 90) and cephalosporin antibiotics (n = 93) were not associated with improved outcomes. Conclusions Receipt of macrolide antibiotics was associated with improved outcomes in patients with ALI.

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of nosocomial pneumonia. Societal guidelines suggest linezolid may be the preferred treatment of MRSA nosocomial pneumonia. We investigated the efficacy of linezolid compared with glycopeptide antibiotics (vancomycin or teicoplanin) for nosocomial pneumonia. Methods This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of English language, randomized, controlled trials comparing linezolid to glycopeptide antibiotics for suspected MRSA pneumonia in subjects > 12 years of age. A highly sensitive search of PubMed MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases identified relevant studies. Results Eight trials encompassing 1,641 subjects met entry criteria. Linezolid was not superior to glycopeptide antibiotics for end points of clinical success (relative risk [RR] linezolid vs glycopeptide, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97-1.11; P = .28), microbiologic success (RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.97-1.31; P = .12), or mortality (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.69-1.18; P = .47). In addition, clinical success in the subgroup of subjects with MRSA-positive respiratory tract culture (RR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.97-1.57; P = .09) was not significantly different from those without MRSA (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83-1.09; P = .48), P for interaction, 0.07. The risk for adverse events was not different between the two antibiotic classes (RR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.86-1.07; P = .48). Conclusion Randomized controlled trials do not support superiority of linezolid over glycopeptide antibiotics for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia. We recommend that decisions between linezolid or glycopeptide antibiotics for empirical or MRSA-directed therapy of nosocomial pneumonia depend on local availability, antibiotic resistance patterns, preferred routes of delivery, and cost, rather than presumed differences in efficacy.

This study examines how a high false-positive rate in lung cancer screening influences the harm-to-benefit ratio for higher- vs lower-risk patients.

Multiple guidelines now recommend low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer. Given their central role in the planning of LDCT screening programs, pulmonologists' beliefs about LDCT screening will affect the safety, cost-effectiveness, and success of LDCT screening implementation.To assess pulmonologists' propensity to offer lung cancer screening and their perceptions about LDCT screening.We performed a national web-based survey, administered July 2013 to February 2014, among all staff pulmonologists active in Veterans Health Administration pulmonary clinics. The primary outcome was screening propensity (on the basis of responses to clinical vignettes) in relation to guidelines. Using bivariate and multinomial logistic regression, we assessed how perceptions of the evidence, trade-offs, and barriers to implementation of LDCT screening programs affected propensity to screen.Of 573 eligible pulmonologists e-mailed, 286 (49.9%) participated. Approximately one-half (52.4%) had a propensity for guideline-concordant screening, 22.7% for overscreening, and 24.9% for underscreening. In bivariate analyses, guideline concordance was associated with acceptance of trial evidence, guidelines, and the efficacy of screening. In multivariable models, underscreeners were more likely to cite the potential harms of screening (e.g., false-positive findings, radiation exposure, incidental findings, unfavorable cost-benefit ratio), as influential factors (relative risk, 3.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-9.67) and were less influenced by trial evidence and guidelines (relative risk, 0.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.2), as compared with guideline-concordant screeners. Local resource availability did not significantly affect screening propensity, but insufficient infrastructure and personnel were commonly perceived barriers to implementation.Pulmonologists have varied perceptions of the evidence and trade-offs of LDCT screening, leading to the potential for over- and underscreening. To minimize potential harms as LDCT screening is widely implemented, physicians must understand which patients are appropriate candidates and engage those patients in a shared decision-making process regarding the trade-offs of LDCT screening.

Rationale: Multiple guidelines now recommend low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer. Given their central role in the planning of LDCT screening programs, pulmonologists’ beliefs about LDCT screening will affect the safety, cost-effectiveness, and success of LDCT screening implementation.Objectives: To assess pulmonologists’ propensity to offer lung cancer screening and their perceptions about LDCT screening.Methods: We performed a national web-based survey, administered July 2013 to February 2014, among all staff pulmonologists active in Veterans Health Administration pulmonary clinics. The primary outcome was screening propensity (on the basis of responses to clinical vignettes) in relation to guidelines. Using bivariate and multinomial logistic regression, we assessed how perceptions of the evidence, trade-offs, and barriers to implementation of LDCT screening programs affected propensity to screen.Measurements and Main Results: Of 573 eligible pulmonologists e-mailed, 286 (49.9%)...

Unexplained chronic cough (UCC) causes significant impairments in quality of life. Effective assessment and treatment approaches are needed for UCC.This systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) asked: What is the efficacy of treatment compared with usual care for cough severity, cough frequency, and cough-related quality of life in patients with UCC? Studies of adults and adolescents aged 12 years with a chronic cough of8 weeks' duration that was unexplained after systematic investigation and treatment were included and assessed for relevance and quality. Based on the systematic review, guideline suggestions were developed and voted on by using the American College of Chest Physicians organization methodology.Eleven RCTs and five systematic reviews were included. The 11 RCTs reported data on 570 participants with chronic cough who received a variety of interventions. Study quality was high in 10 RCTs. The studies used an assortment of descriptors and assessments to identify UCC. Although gabapentin and morphine exhibited positive effects on cough-related quality of life, only gabapentin was supported as a treatment recommendation. Studies of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) were affected by intervention fidelity bias; when this factor was addressed, ICS were found to be ineffective for UCC. Esomeprazole was ineffective for UCC without features of gastroesophageal acid reflux. Studies addressing nonacid gastroesophageal reflux disease were not identified. A multimodality speech pathology intervention improved cough severity.The evidence supporting the diagnosis and management of UCC is limited. UCC requires further study to establish agreed terminology and the optimal methods of investigation using established criteria for intervention fidelity. Speech pathology-based cough suppression is suggested as a treatment option for UCC. This guideline presents suggestions for diagnosis and treatment based on the best available evidence and identifies gaps in our knowledge as well as areas for future research.

Selecting a strategy (surveillance, biopsy, resection) for pulmonary nodule evaluation can be complex given the absence of high-quality data comparing strategies and the important tradeoffs among strategies. Guidelines recommend a three-step approach: (1) assess the likelihood of malignancy, (2) evaluate whether the patient is a candidate for invasive intervention, and (3) elicit the patient's preferences and engage in shared decision-making. We sought to characterize how pulmonologists select a pulmonary nodule evaluation strategy and the extent to which they report following the guideline-recommended approach.We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 14 pulmonologists who manage patients with pulmonary nodules at four clinical sites. Transcripts of audiorecorded interviews were analyzed using the principles of grounded theory.Pulmonologists reported consistently performing steps 1 and 2 but described diverse approaches to step 3 that ranged from always engaging the patient in decision-making to never doing so. Many described incorporating patients' preferences only in particular circumstances, such as when the patient appeared particularly anxious or was aggressive in questioning management options. Indeed, other factors, including convenience, physician preferences, physician anxiety, malpractice concerns, and physician experience, appeared to drive decision-making as much as, if not more than, patient preferences.Although pulmonologists appear to routinely personalize pulmonary nodule evaluation strategies based on the individual patient's risk-benefit tradeoffs, they may not consistently take patient preferences into account during the decision-making process. In the absence of high-quality evidence regarding the optimal methods of pulmonary nodule evaluation, physicians should strive to ensure that management decisions are consistent with patients' values.

Incidental pulmonary nodule detection is postulated to cause distress, but the frequency and magnitude of that distress have not been reported. The quality of patient-clinician communication and the perceived risk of lung cancer may influence distress Objectives: To evaluate the association of communication processes with distress and the perceived risk of lung cancer using validated instruments.We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients with incidentally detected nodules who received care at one Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We measured distress with the Impact of Event Scale and patient-centered communication with the Consultation Care Measure, both validated instruments. Risk of lung cancer was self-reported by participants. We used multivariable adjusted logistic regression to measure the association of communication quality with distress.Among 122 Veterans with incidental nodules, 23%, 12%, and 4% reported experiencing mild, moderate, and severe distress, respectively, at the time they were informed of the pulmonary nodule. Participant-reported risk of lung cancer was not associated with distress. In the adjusted model, high-quality communication was associated with decreased distress (odds ratio [OR] = 0.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.08-1.00, P = 0.05). Among participants who reported a risk of malignancy of 30% or less, high-quality communication was associated with decreased distress (OR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.02-0.92, P = 0.04), but was not associated with distress for those who reported a risk greater than 30% (OR = 0.12 (95% CI = 0.00-3.97, P = 0.24), although the P value for interaction was not significant.Veterans with incidental pulmonary nodules frequently reported inadequate information exchange regarding their nodule. Many patients experience distress after they are informed that they have a pulmonary nodule, and high-quality patient-clinician communication is associated with decreased distress. Communication strategies that only target improved knowledge of the risk of malignancy may not be sufficient to reduce the distress associated with nodule detection.

Factors and outcomes associated with end-of-life decision-making among patients during clinical trials in the intensive care unit are unclear.We sought to determine patterns and outcomes of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) decisions among critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) enrolled in a clinical trial.We performed a secondary analysis of data from the ARDS Network Fluid and Catheter Treatment Trial (FACTT), collected between 2000 and 2005. We calculated mortality outcomes stratified by code status, and compared baseline characteristics of patients who became DNR during the trial with participants who remained full code.Among 809 FACTT participants with a code status recorded, 232 (28.7%) elected DNR status. Specifically, 37 (15.9%) chose to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation alone, 44 (19.0%) elected to withhold some life support measures in addition to cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and 151 (65.1%) had life support withdrawn. Admission severity of illness as measured by APACHE III score was strongly associated with election of DNR status (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.85-2.62; P 0.0001). Almost all (97.0%; 225 of 232) patients who selected DNR status died, and 79% (225 of 284) of patients who died during the trial were DNR. Among patients who chose DNR status but did not elect withdrawal of life support, 91% (74 of 81) died.The vast majority of deaths among clinical trial patients with ARDS were preceded by a DNR order. Unlike other studies of end-of-life decision-making in the intensive care unit, nearly all patients who became DNR died. The impact of variation of practice in end-of-life decision-making during clinical trials warrants further study.

Summary Purpose Among patients undergoing lung cancer evaluation for newly diagnosed, incidental pulmonary nodules, it is important to evaluate the shared power and responsibility domain of patient-centered communication. We explored Veterans' perceptions of decision making with regards to an incidentally-detected pulmonary nodule. Methods We conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews of 19 Veterans from one medical center with incidentally-detected pulmonary nodules that were judged as having a low risk for malignancy. We used qualitative description for the analysis, focusing on patients' perceptions of shared decision making with their primary care provider (PCP). Interviews were conducted in 2011 and 2012. Results Patients almost always played a passive role in deciding how and when to evaluate their pulmonary nodule for the possibility of malignancy. Some patients felt comfortable with this role, expressing trust that their clinician would provide the appropriate care. Other patients were not satisfied with how these decisions were made with some expressing concern that no decisions had actually occurred. Regardless of how satisfied they were with the decision, patients did not report discussing how they liked to make decisions with their PCP. Conclusions Veterans in our study did not engage in shared decision making with their clinician. Some were satisfied with this approach although many would have preferred a shared approach. In order to reduce patient distress and improve satisfaction, clinicians may want to consider adopting a shared approach when making decisions about pulmonary nodule evaluation.

Approximately 65% of elderly patients with lung cancer who are admitted to the ICU will die within 6 months. Efforts to improve end-of-life care for this population must first understand the patient factors that underlie admission to the ICU.We performed a retrospective cohort study examining all fee-for-service inpatient claims in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare registry for elderly patients (aged65 years) who had received a diagnosis of lung cancer between 1992 and 2005 and who were hospitalized for reasons other than resection of their lung cancer. We calculated yearly rates of ICU admission per 1,000 hospitalizations via room and board codes or International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification and diagnosis-related group codes for mechanical ventilation, stratified the rates by receipt of mechanical ventilation and ICU type (medical/surgical/cardiac vs intermediate), and compared these rates over time.A total of 175,756 patients with lung cancer in SEER were hospitalized for a reason other than surgical resection of their tumor during the study period, 49,373 (28%) of whom had at least one ICU stay. The rate of ICU admissions per 1,000 hospitalizations increased over the study period from 140.7 in 1992 to 201.7 in 2005 (P.001). The majority of the increase in ICU admissions (per 1,000 hospitalizations) between 1992 and 2005 occurred among patients who were not mechanically ventilated (118.2 to 173.3, P.001) and among those who were in intermediate ICUs (20.0 to 61.9, P.001), but increased only moderately in medical/surgical/cardiac units (120.7 to 139.9, P.001).ICU admission for patients with lung cancer increased over time, mostly among patients without mechanical ventilation who were largely cared for in intermediate ICUs.

On 30 April 2014, the Medicare Evidence Development&Coverage Advisory Committee issued a vote of low confi-dence about whether the benefits of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung...

Importance Pulmonary nodules are common, and more will be found with implementation of lung cancer screening. How potentially malignant pulmonary nodules are evaluated may affect patient outcomes, health care costs, and effectiveness of lung cancer screening programs. Guidelines for evaluating pulmonary nodules for cancer exist, but little is known about how nodules are evaluated in the usual care setting. Objective To characterize nodule evaluation and concordance with guidelines. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort study was conducted including detailed review of medical records from pulmonary nodule detection through evaluation completion, cancer diagnosis, or study end (December 31, 2012). The participants included 300 adults with pulmonary nodules from 15 Veterans Affairs hospitals. Main Outcomes and Measures Resources used for evaluation at any Veterans Affairs facility and guideline-concordant evaluation served as the main outcomes. Results Twenty-seven of 300 patients (9.0%) with pulmonary nodules ultimately received a diagnosis of lung cancer: 1 of 57 (1.8%) with a nodule of 4 mm or less, 4 of 134 (3.0%) with a nodule of 5 to 8 mm, and 22 of 109 (20.2%) with a nodule larger than 8 mm. Nodule evaluation entailed 1044 imaging studies, 147 consultations, 76 biopsies, 13 resections, and 21 hospitalizations. Radiographic surveillance (n = 277) lasted a median of 13 months but ranged from less than 0.5 months to 8.5 years. Forty-six patients underwent invasive procedures (range per patient, 1-4): 41.3% (19 patients) did not have cancer and 17.4% (8) experienced complications, including 1 death. Notably, 15 of the 300 (5.0%) received no purposeful evaluation and had no obvious reason for deferral, seemingly “falling through the cracks.” Among 197 patients with a nodule detected after release of the Fleischner Society guidelines, 44.7% received care inconsistent with guidelines (17.8% overevaluation, 26.9% underevaluation). In multivariable analyses, the strongest predictor of guideline-inconsistent care was inappropriate radiologist recommendations (overevaluation relative risk, 4.6 [95% CI, 2.3-9.2]; underevaluation, 4.3 [2.7-6.8]). Other systems factors associated with underevaluation included receiving care at more than 1 facility (2.0 [1.5-2.7]) and nodule detection during an inpatient or preoperative visit (1.6 [1.1-2.5]). Conclusions and Relevance Pulmonary nodule evaluation is often inconsistent with guidelines, including cases with no workup and others with prolonged surveillance or unneeded procedures that may cause harm. Systems to improve quality (eg, aligning radiologist recommendations with guidelines and facilitating communication across providers) are needed before lung cancer screening is widely implemented.

Many health care performance measures are either not based on high-quality clinical evidence or not tightly linked to patient-centered outcomes, limiting their usefulness in quality improvement. In this report we summarize the proceedings of an American Thoracic Society workshop convened to address this problem by reviewing current approaches to performance measure development and creating a framework for developing high-quality performance measures by basing them directly on recommendations from well-constructed clinical practice guidelines. Workshop participants concluded that ideally performance measures addressing care processes should be linked to clinical practice guidelines that explicitly rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations, such as the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) process. Under this framework, process-based performance measures would only be developed from strong recommendations based on high- or moderate-quality evidence. This approach would help ensure that clinical processes specified in performance measures are both of clear benefit to patients and supported by strong evidence. Although this approach may result in fewer performance measures, it would substantially increase the likelihood that quality-improvement programs based on these measures actually improve patient care.

Trends in severe sepsis mortality derived from administrative data may be biased by changing International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification, coding practices. We sought to determine temporal trends in severe sepsis mortality using clinical trial data that does not rely on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modifications coding and compare mortality trends in trial data with those observed from administrative data.We searched MEDLINE for multicenter randomized trials that enrolled patients with severe sepsis from 1991 to 2009. We calculated standardized mortality ratios for each trial from observed 28-day mortality of usual care participants and predicted mortality from severity-of-illness scores. To compare mortality trends from clinical trials to administrative data, we identified adult severe sepsis hospitalizations in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 1993-2009, using two previously validated algorithms.In-patient.Patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.None.Of 3,244 potentially eligible articles, we included 36 multicenter severe sepsis trials, with a total of 14,418 participants in a usual care arm. Participants with severe sepsis receiving usual care had a 28-day mortality of 33.2%. Observed mortality decreased 3.0% annually (95% CI, 0.8%-5.0%; p = 0.009), decreasing from 46.9% (standardized mortality ratio 0.94; 95% CI, 0.86-1.03) during years 1991-1995 to 29% (standardized mortality ratio 0.53; 95% CI, 0.50-0.57) during years 2006-2009 (3.0% annual change). Trends in hospital mortality among patients with severe sepsis identified from administrative data (Angus definition, 4.7% annual change; 95% CI, 4.1%-5.3%; p = 0.69 and Martin definition, 3.5% annual change; 95% CI, 3.0%-4.1%; p = 0.97) were similar to trends identified from clinical trials.Since 1991, patients with severe sepsis enrolled in usual care arms of multicenter randomized trials have experienced decreasing mortality. The mortality trends identified in clinical trial participants appear similar to those identified using administrative data and support the use of administrative data to monitor mortality trends in patients with severe sepsis.

Two complications of central venous catheterization (CVC), iatrogenic pneumothorax and central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), have dedicated International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Despite increasing use of ICD-9-CM codes for research and pay-for-performance purposes, their validity for detecting complications of CVC has not been established. Complications of CVCs placed between July 2010 and December 2011 were identified by ICD-9-CM codes in discharge records from a single hospital and compared with those revealed by medical record abstraction. The ICD-9-CM code for iatrogenic pneumothorax had a sensitivity of 66.7%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 100%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.5%. The ICD-9-CM codes for CLABSI had a sensitivity of 33.3%, specificity of 99.0%, PPV of 28.6%, and NPV of 99.2%. The low sensitivity and variable PPV of ICD-9-CM codes for detection of complications of CVC raise concerns about their use for research or pay-for-performance purposes.

BACKGROUND At some academic hospitals, medical procedure services are being developed to provide supervision for residents performing bedside procedures in hopes of improving patient safety and resident education. There is limited knowledge of the impact of such services on procedural complication rates and resident procedural training opportunities.

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a patient navigation intervention. Forty-seven smokers from one safety-net hospital were randomized to either a control group, in which they received a smoking cessation brochure and a list of smoking cessation resources, or a navigation group, in which they received the smoking cessation brochure, a list of smoking cessation resources, and patient navigation. Follow-up data were obtained for 33 participants. Nine (47.4%) of 19 of navigation group participants had engaged in smoking cessation treatment by 3 months versus 6 (42.9%) of 14 control group participants (chi-square p = ns). Patient navigation to promote engagement in smoking cessation treatment was feasible and acceptable to participants.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of patients are diagnosed with incidentally detected pulmonary nodules, and if lung cancer screening is widely implemented, thousands more will be identified. The psychosocial outcomes associated with incidental nodule detection in general practice settings are virtually unknown.The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of patients with incidentally diagnosed pulmonary nodules.We conducted qualitative interviews of 19 veterans with incidentally detected pulmonary nodules. We used qualitative description for the analysis, focusing on patients' information exchange and other communication behaviors with their clinicians.The patients were cared for by primary care clinicians and had small nodules that were unlikely to be malignant. Patients did not understand the term "nodule" although they knew it was related to cancer. They also did not understand the follow-up plan and most were unable to obtain better information from their clinician or other sources. Most patients experienced nodule-related distress that was usually mild, although sometimes severe. This distress was sometimes mitigated by patients' confidence in their clinician. Most patients wanted more and better information about their nodule.Veterans from one hospital have little understanding of what nodules are, the likelihood of malignancy, and the follow-up plan. Their reaction to this knowledge deficit is variable and is likely related to preferred communication behaviors with their clinician. Evaluating communication in other settings is important to confirm these findings and to refine mechanisms to improve patient-centered care for those with incidentally detected pulmonary nodules.

In 2001, a randomized trial showed decreased mortality with early, goal-directed therapy in septic shock, a strategy later recommended by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. Placement of a central venous catheter is necessary to administer goal-directed therapy. We sought to evaluate nationwide trends in: 1) central venous catheter utilization and 2) the association between early central venous catheter insertion and mortality in patients with septic shock.We retrospectively analyzed the proportion of septic shock cases receiving an early (day of admission) central venous catheter and the odds of hospital mortality associated with receiving early central venous catheter from years 1998 to 2001 compared with 2002 to 2009.Non-federal acute care hospitalizations from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 1998-2009.A total of 203,481 (population estimate: 999,545) patients admitted through an emergency department with principal diagnosis of septicemia and secondary diagnosis of shock.None.From 1998 to 2009, population-adjusted rates of septic shock increased from 12.6 cases per 100,000 U.S. adults to 78 cases per 100,000. During this time, age-adjusted hospital mortality associated with septic shock declined from 40.4% to 31.4%. Early central venous catheter insertion increased from 5.7% (95% confidence interval 5.1% to 6.3%) to 19.2% (95% confidence interval 18.7% to 19.5%) cases with septic shock, with an increased rate of early central venous catheter placement identified after 2007. The rate of decline in age-adjusted hospital mortality was significantly greater for patients who received an early central venous catheter (-4.2% per year, 95% confidence interval -3.2, -4.2%) as compared with no central venous catheter (-2.9% per year, 95% confidence interval -2.3, -3.5%; p = 0.016). Hospital mortality associated with early central venous catheter insertion significantly decreased from a multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of 1.29 (95% confidence interval 1.14-1.45) prior to 2001 to an adjusted odds ratio of 0.87 (95% confidence interval 0.84-0.90) after 2001.Placement of a central venous catheter early in septic shock has increased three-fold since 1998. The mortality associated with early central venous catheter insertion decreased after publication of evidence-based instructions for central venous catheter use.

Given decreasing use of pulmonary artery (PA) catheterization, we sought to evaluate whether current pulmonary and critical care fellows have adequate opportunity to obtain proficiency in PA catheter placement and data interpretation.All US pulmonary and critical care program directors were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey regarding current training opportunities in PA catheterization.The response rate was 51% (69/136). Eighty-three percent reported that the number of PA catheterizations performed by fellows within their program has decreased in the past decade. Fifty-four percent estimated that their fellows currently participate in less than 10 supervised procedures during fellowship. The most frequently identified barriers to training were procedure volume and reluctance to place PA catheters in the medical intensive care unit. Forty-three percent of respondents agreed that training in PA catheter placement is currently adequate within their program, and 55% agreed that training in data interpretation is adequate. Only 39% of respondents believe that PA catheter placement should continue to be an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education training requirement.Many current pulmonary and critical care fellows do not have the opportunity to gain proficiency in PA catheterization. Fellowship training programs should consider alternate means of training fellows in PA catheter data interpretation, such as simulation.

Importance Hospital quality measures that do not account for patient do-not-resuscitate (DNR) status may penalize hospitals admitting a greater proportion of patients with limits on life-sustaining treatments. Objective To evaluate the effect of analytic approaches accounting for DNR status on risk-adjusted hospital mortality rates and performance rankings. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective, population-based cohort study was conducted among adults hospitalized with pneumonia in 303 California hospitals between January 1 and December 31, 2011. We used hierarchical logistic regression to determine associations between patient DNR status, hospital-level DNR rates, and mortality measures. Changes in hospital risk-adjusted mortality rates after accounting for patient DNR status and interhospital variation in the association between DNR status and mortality were examined. Data analysis was conducted from January 16 to September 16, 2015. Exposures Early DNR status (within 24 hours of admission). Main Outcomes and Measures In-hospital mortality, determined using hierarchical logistic regression. Results A total of 90 644 pneumonia cases (5.4% of admissions) were identified among the 303 California hospitals evaluated during 2011; mean (SD) age of the patients was 72.5 (13.7) years, 51.5% were women, and 59.3% were white. Hospital DNR rates varied (median, 15.8%; 25th-75th percentile, 8.9%-22.3%). Without accounting for patient DNR status, higher hospital-level DNR rates were associated with increased patient mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for highest-quartile DNR rate vs lowest quartile, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.32), corresponding to worse hospital mortality rankings. In contrast, after accounting for patient DNR status and between-hospital variation in the association between DNR status and mortality, hospitals with higher DNR rates had lower mortality (adjusted OR for highest-quartile DNR rate vs lowest quartile, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70-0.89), with reversal of associations between hospital mortality rankings and DNR rates. Only 14 of 27 hospitals (51.9%) characterized as low-performing outliers without accounting for DNR status remained outliers after DNR adjustment. Hospital DNR rates were not significantly associated with composite quality measures of processes of care for pneumonia ( r = 0.11; P = .052); however, DNR rates were positively correlated with patient satisfaction scores ( r = 0.35; P Conclusions and Relevance Failure to account for DNR status may confound the evaluation of hospital quality using mortality outcomes, penalizing hospitals that admit a greater proportion of patients with limits on life-sustaining treatments. Stakeholders should seek to improve methods to standardize and report DNR status in hospital discharge records to allow further assessment of implications of adjusting for DNR in quality measures.

More than 150,000 Americans each year are found to have a pulmonary nodule. Even more will be affected following the publication of the National Lung Screening Trial. Patient-doctor communication about pulmonary nodules can be challenging. Although most nodules are benign, it may take 2 to 3 years to rule out cancer. We sought to characterize patients’ perceptions of communication with their providers about pulmonary nodules.We conducted four focus groups at two sites with 22 adults with an indeterminate pulmonary nodule. Transcripts were analyzed using principles of grounded theory.Patients described conversations with 53 different providers about the pulmonary nodule. Almost all patients immediately assumed that they had cancer when first told about the nodule. Some whose providers did not discuss the actual cancer risk or explain the evaluation plan experienced confusion and distress that sometimes lasted for months. Patients were frustrated when their providers did not address their concerns about cancer or potential adverse effects of surveillance (eg, prolonged uncertainty, radiation exposure), which in some cases led to poor adherence to evaluation plans. Patients found it helpful when physicians used lay terms, showed the CT image, and quantified cancer risk. By contrast, patients resented medical jargon and dismissive language.Patients commonly assume that a pulmonary nodule means cancer. What providers tell (or do not tell) patients about their cancer risk and the evaluation plan can strongly influence patients’ perceptions of the nodule and related distress. We describe simple communication strategies that may help patients to come to terms with an indeterminate pulmonary nodule.

Over the last 40 years, financial pressures and incentives have reshaped health care delivery in the United States. One important recent change is the implementation of measures to quantify and incentivize physician work.1–3 Although implementation of productivity targets has been shown to increase physician work, the impact of these changes on the academic missions of teaching, research and patient care has not been adequately studied.