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Asthma
When evaluating patients for occupational asthma, sputum eosinophil counts at 7 and 24 hours after specific inhalation challenge have a greater sensitivity and positive predictive value than exhaled nitric oxide (eNO).
Critical care
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be slightly more effective than histamine-2 (H2) blockers at preventing gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in critically ill patients. However, the difference is small if real.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Sildenafil, tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib, and pirfenidone, an anti-fibrotic agent, were each no more effective than placebo for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Pleural effusion
Using ultrasonography to identify a site for diagnostic thoracentesis is associated with significantly lower risk of pneumothorax, than using the physical exam for site selection.
Pulmonary embolism
PE is frequently asymptomatic. Among 5233 patients with a DVT, 32 percent had asymptomatic PE.
References:
What's new in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. UpToDate.