Rationale: Targeted lung denervation (TLD) is a bronchoscopic radiofrequency ablation therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which durably disrupts parasympathetic pulmonary nerves to decrease airway resistance and mucus hypersecretion.Objectives: To determine the safety and impact of TLD on respiratory adverse events.Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, sham bronchoscopy–controlled, double-blind trial in patients with symptomatic (modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale score, ≥2; or COPD Assessment Test score, ≥10) COPD (FEV1, 30–60% predicted). The primary endpoint was the rate of respiratory adverse events between 3 and 6.5 months after randomization (defined as COPD exacerbation, tachypnea, wheezing, worsening bronchitis, worsening dyspnea, influenza, pneumonia, other respiratory infections, respiratory failure, or airway effects requiring therapeutic intervention). Blinding was maintained through 12.5 months.Measurements and Main Results: Eighty-two patients (50% female; mean ± SD: age, 63.7 ± 6.8 yr; FEV1, 41.6 ± 7.3% predicted; modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale score, 2.2 ± 0.7; COPD Assessment Test score, 18.4 ± 6.1) were randomized 1:1. During the predefined 3- to 6.5-month window, patients in the TLD group experienced significantly fewer respiratory adverse events than those in the sham group (32% vs. 71%, P = 0.008; odds ratio, 0.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.0750–0.4923, P = 0.0006). Between 0 and 12.5 months, these findings were not different (83% vs. 90%; P = 0.52). The risk of COPD exacerbation requiring hospitalization in the 0- to 12.5-month window was significantly lower in the TLD group than in the sham group (hazard ratio, 0.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.13–0.99; P = 0.039). There was no statistical difference in the time to first moderate or severe COPD exacerbation, patient-reported symptoms, or other physiologic measures over the 12.5 months of follow-up.Conclusions: Patients with symptomatic COPD treated with TLD combined with optimal pharmacotherapy had fewer study-defined respiratory adverse events, including hospitalizations for COPD exacerbation.Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02058459).

Objective: Mechanisms of dyspnea in obesity remain unclear. This study was undertaken to determine the relationships between dyspnea and pulmonary function including inspiratory muscle endurance (IME) in morbidly obese patients before bariatric surgery. Research methods and procedures: Fifty-five patients with a mean7s.d. body mass index (BMI) of 49.477.0 kg/m 2 were included. Dyspnea was evaluated by the Baseline Dyspnea Index (BDI; 0-12, 0 ¼ maximal dyspnea). Pulmonary function tests included a plethysmography, maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax) and IME was assessed by the incremental threshold loading test, determining the maximal pressure sustained for 2 min (Plim 2 ) and Plim 2 /PImax ratio. Patients were classified according to their BMI in two groups: BMI p49 (n ¼ 27) and 449 kg/m 2 (n ¼ 28

Background During COVID-19, the main manifestations of the disease are not only pneumonia but also coagulation disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pulmonary vascular abnormalities 3 months after hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in patients with persistent respiratory symptoms. Methods Among the 320 patients who participated in a systematic follow-up 3 months after hospitalization, 76 patients had residual symptoms justifying a specialized follow-up in the department of pulmonology. Among them, dual-energy CT angiography (DECTA) was obtained in 55 patients. Findings The 55 patients had partial ( n = 40; 72.7%) or complete ( n = 15; 27.3%) resolution of COVID-19 lung infiltration. DECTA was normal in 52 patients (52/55; 94.6%) and showed endoluminal filling defects in 3 patients (3/55; 5.4%) at the level of one ( n = 1) and two ( n = 1) segmental arteries of a single lobe and within central and peripheral arteries ( n = 1). DECT lung perfusion was rated as non-interpretable ( n = 2;3.6%), normal ( n = 17; 30.9%) and abnormal ( n = 36; 65.5%), the latter group comprising 32 patients with residual COVID-19 opacities (32/36; 89%) and 4 patients with normal lung parenchyma (4/36; 11%). Perfusion abnormalities consisted of (a) patchy defects (30/36; 83%), (b) PE-type defects (6/36; 16.6%) with ( n = 1) or without proximal thrombosis ( n = 5); and (c) focal areas of hypoperfusion (2/36; 5.5%). Increased perfusion was seen in 15 patients, always matching GGOs, bands and/or vascular tree-in- bud patterns. Interpretation DECT depicted proximal arterial thrombosis in 5.4% of patients and perfusion abnormalities suggestive of widespread microangiopathy in 65.5% of patients. Lung microcirculation was abnormal in 4 patients with normal lung parenchyma.

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