Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) and atrial fibrillation (AF) may coexist. The association and impact of AF on PE have not been well studied. Methods: We queried the 2018 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to identify PE and AF hospitalizations using appropriate ICD-10 codes. PE with AF group was compared to PE without AF. Chi-square test [...]

Background: Among patients undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), post-operative complications are common, occurring in up to 67% of patients, and significantly impact long-term outcomes. We conducted a Phase 2 clinical trial of RBT-1, a pharmacologic preconditioning drug, to assess cytoprotective biomarkers and clinical outcomes. Herein, we report our final results. Methods: This randomized, [...]

Background: Nocardiosis is a rare but potentially severe infection that can affect the immunocompromised as well as the immunocompetent population. It presents as a localized or disseminated infection, most commonly introduced through the respiratory trac. A significant amount of time is often needed to establish a diagnosis of nocardiosis, which has been reported to be [...]

Case Presentation: A 54-year-old male with a history of obesity, asthma, alcohol use disorder, tobacco use disorder, and hepatic steatosis presented with anasarca. Transthoracic echocardiogram did not demonstrate evidence of heart failure, urinalysis revealed trace proteinuria, and liver ultrasound showed patent vasculature. Albumin was 2.5. The anasarca persisted despite diuresis. Over the next two months, [...]

Background: Pulmonary nodules are among the most frequent and medically relevant incidental findings, but are easily overlooked – especially when discovered incidentally during hospitalization. While CT imaging has become an invaluable tool for expedited medical evaluation, its use has been associated with an increasing number of incidental findings, the handling of which creates both medical [...]

Background: Sepsis is one of the leading causes of admission to intensive care units (ICU), and it is one of the most expensive conditions treated in United State Hospitals accounting for $20.3 billion or 5.2% of total hospitalization cost. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is one of the leading causes of interstitial lung disease, with currently [...]

Background: Multiple factors can lead to overuse of diagnostic imaging for venous thromboembolism (VTE). These include fear of missing a potentially fatal diagnosis, low predictive accuracy of clinical gestalt, prediction rules, and risk assessment models for VTE, and increased access to imaging. Diagnostic imaging for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) with doppler ultrasonography, or for pulmonary [...]

Background: International VTE management guidelines recommend outpatient management for appropriate patients with low-risk deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)[1-3]. Despite the evidence and recommendations, previous studies reported low prevalence of outpatient management, especially for PE[4, 5]. This analysis aimed to characterize trends in outpatient vs. inpatient management of VTE in the last 5 [...]

Background: Small-bore pulmonary drains (PD) have been proven effective at replacing the previous large-bore chest tubes for resolution of pneumothorax (PTX), and management of complicated (CPEs) and recurrent pleural effusions (RPEs). The placement of these drains has traditionally been performed by Surgeons, Intensivists/Pulmonologists, and Interventional Radiologists. Our institution (large academic center) sought to determine whether [...]

Background: Venous thromboembolism, in particular, pulmonary embolism (PE), is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19. In comparison to influenza, COVID-19 leads to a more pronounced hypercoagulable state secondary to endotheliopathy and hyperinflammatory state which results in the formation of venous and arterial thrombosis. Based on prior literature, patients with COVID-19 have [...]