Pulmonology

Pulmonology focuses on diseases of the lungs and respiratory system, from obstructive airway diseases to critical care pulmonology.

• Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS, Berlin criteria, lung-protective ventilation, prone positioning)
• Asthma (airway hyperresponsiveness, GINA stepwise therapy)
• Bronchitis (acute viral vs chronic/COPD, why antibiotics usually aren't needed)
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, GOLD classification, bronchodilators)
• Cystic Fibrosis (CFTR mutations, CFTR modulators, pancreatic insufficiency)
• Influenza (seasonal flu, antiviral therapy)
• Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD, IPF, antifibrotic therapy, HRCT patterns)
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA, AHI scoring, CPAP, hypoglossal nerve stimulation)
• Pleural Effusion (transudative vs exudative, Light's criteria, thoracentesis)
• Pneumonia (CAP, HAP, VAP, empiric antibiotic selection)
• Pulmonary Fibrosis (lung scarring, IPF, antifibrotic drugs — no cure, but treatable)
• Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) (UIP pattern, honeycombing, nintedanib & pirfenidone slow progression 50%, median survival 3–5 years, most common lung transplant indication)
• Pulmonary Embolism (Wells criteria, CT angiography, anticoagulation, PESI score)
• Pulmonary Hypertension (WHO groups I-V, right heart catheterization, vasodilators)
• RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) (infant bronchiolitis, older-adult risk, nirsevimab, new vaccines)
• Sarcoidosis (non-caseating granulomas, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, corticosteroids)
• Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency (Pi*ZZ genotype, protease-antiprotease imbalance, basal emphysema, augmentation therapy — RAPID trial)
• Bronchiectasis (permanently dilated bronchi, signet-ring sign on HRCT, azithromycin prophylaxis, oscillating PEP airway clearance)
• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung, primary vs secondary spontaneous, tension PTX, BTS 2010 aspiration-first guidelines, pleurodesis for recurrence)
• Asbestosis (chronic fibrotic ILD from asbestos inhalation; latency 20-40 years; bilateral basal fibrosis on CT; no cure)
• Berylliosis (Chronic Beryllium Disease) (beryllium sensitization → granulomatous lung disease; aerospace + electronics workers; beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test [BeLPT])
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (CO binds hemoglobin with 200× O2 affinity; pulse ox unreliable; 100% O2 or hyperbaric oxygen)
• Cor Pulmonale (right ventricular failure from pulmonary hypertension due to lung disease; COPD is #1 cause; hypoxic vasoconstriction; supplemental oxygen reverses HPV; poor prognosis once established)
• Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (black lung disease; coal macules → progressive massive fibrosis; no cure; MSHA surveillance)
• Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia (COP; bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia [BOOP]; responds dramatically to corticosteroids)
• Empyema (pus in pleural space; exudative → fibropurulent → organized; drainage + antibiotics; thoracoscopy for loculations)
• Eosinophilic Pneumonia (peripheral blood + BAL eosinophilia; acute [Loffler] vs chronic; drug-induced; responds to steroids)
• Goodpasture Syndrome (Anti-GBM Disease) (anti-alpha-3 collagen IgG; diffuse alveolar hemorrhage + crescentic GN; linear IgG on renal biopsy; plasmapheresis + cyclophosphamide)
• Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener's) (necrotizing ANCA vasculitis; c-ANCA/PR3; saddle-nose deformity; subglottic stenosis; pauci-immune crescentic GN; rituximab + cyclophosphamide)
• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis; bird fancier’s lung; farmer’s lung; antigen avoidance is cornerstone)
• Lung Abscess (necrotizing pneumonia; aspiration organisms; prolonged antibiotics; cavitation on CXR)
• Lung Cancer (NSCLC vs SCLC; LDCT screening; EGFR/ALK targeted therapy; PD-L1 immunotherapy)
• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) (mTOR activation; women of reproductive age; bilateral cysts; sirolimus FDA-approved)
• Mesothelioma (asbestos-related pleural cancer; 20-50 year latency; nivolumab + ipilimumab FDA-approved 2020)
• Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (inherited ciliary dysfunction; Kartagener syndrome; bronchiectasis + situs inversus + infertility)
• Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis (anti-GM-CSF antibodies; surfactant accumulation; whole lung lavage; PAS-positive material)
• Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (WHO Group I PAH; BMPR2 mutations; endothelin antagonists; PDE5 inhibitors; prostacyclins)
• Pulmonary Edema (fluid in alveoli; cardiogenic [LV failure, acute MI] vs non-cardiogenic [ARDS, HAPE]; upright position + diuretics + NIV)
• Respiratory Failure (Type 1 hypoxemic vs Type 2 hypercapnic; ABG criteria; NIV, HFNC, mechanical ventilation; weaning protocols)
• Silicosis (crystalline silica dust; progressive massive fibrosis; denim sandblasting epidemic; no curative treatment)

Table of Contents

1. Pulmonology Overview
2. Research Papers
3. Connections
4. Featured Videos

Key Research Papers

Foundational and recent peer-reviewed publications across the major pulmonology subspecialties. Each citation links to the full text via DOI.

1. The Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network. Ventilation with Lower Tidal Volumes as Compared with Traditional Tidal Volumes for Acute Lung Injury and the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;342(18):1301–1308.
2. Ranieri VM, Rubenfeld GD, Thompson BT, et al. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: The Berlin Definition. JAMA. 2012;307(23):2526–2533.
3. Guérin C, Reignier J, Richard JC, et al. Prone Positioning in Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (PROSEVA). New England Journal of Medicine. 2013;368(23):2159–2168.
4. Vogelmeier CF, Criner GJ, Martinez FJ, et al. Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2017 Report (GOLD). American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2017;195(5):557–582.
5. Reddel HK, Bacharier LB, Bateman ED, et al. Global Initiative for Asthma Strategy 2021: Executive Summary and Rationale for Key Changes (GINA). European Respiratory Journal. 2022;59(1):2102730.
6. King TE Jr, Bradford WZ, Castro-Bernardini S, et al. A Phase 3 Trial of Pirfenidone in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (ASCEND). New England Journal of Medicine. 2014;370(22):2083–2092.
7. Richeldi L, du Bois RM, Raghu G, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Nintedanib in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (INPULSIS). New England Journal of Medicine. 2014;370(22):2071–2082.
8. Middleton PG, Mall MA, Dřevínek P, et al. Elexacaftor–Tezacaftor–Ivacaftor for Cystic Fibrosis with a Single Phe508del Allele. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;381(19):1809–1819.
9. Metlay JP, Waterer GW, Long AC, et al. Diagnosis and Treatment of Adults with Community-Acquired Pneumonia: An Official Clinical Practice Guideline of the American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2019;200(7):e45–e67.
10. Wells PS, Anderson DR, Rodger M, et al. Excluding Pulmonary Embolism at the Bedside without Diagnostic Imaging. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2001;135(2):98–107.
11. Konstantinides SV, Meyer G, Becattini C, et al. 2019 ESC Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism. European Heart Journal. 2020;41(4):543–603.
12. Simonneau G, Montani D, Celermajer DS, et al. Haemodynamic Definitions and Updated Clinical Classification of Pulmonary Hypertension. European Respiratory Journal. 2019;53(1):1801913.
13. Sullivan CE, Issa FG, Berthon-Jones M, Eves L. Reversal of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea by Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Applied through the Nares. Lancet. 1981;1(8225):862–865.
14. Marin JM, Carrizo SJ, Vicente E, Agusti AG. Long-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes in Men with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea-Hypopnoea with or without Treatment with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. Lancet. 2005;365(9464):1046–1053.
15. Crouser ED, Maier LA, Wilson KC, et al. Diagnosis and Detection of Sarcoidosis: An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2020;201(8):e26–e51.
16. Hayden FG, Sugaya N, Hirotsu N, et al. Baloxavir Marboxil for Uncomplicated Influenza in Adults and Adolescents. New England Journal of Medicine. 2018;379(10):913–923.

Live PubMed Searches

Each link opens a live PubMed query so results stay current as new papers are indexed.

1. PubMed: pulmonology review
2. PubMed: respiratory disease epidemiology
3. PubMed: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
4. PubMed: asthma management guidelines
5. PubMed: pulmonary function testing
6. PubMed: interstitial lung disease
7. PubMed: pulmonary hypertension
8. PubMed: acute respiratory distress syndrome
9. PubMed: obstructive sleep apnea
10. PubMed: pulmonary embolism
11. PubMed: pneumonia treatment
12. PubMed: sarcoidosis

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Connections

• All Conditions
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• COPD
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Influenza
• Pulmonary Embolism
• Sarcoidosis
• Bronchiectasis
• Pneumothorax
• Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency
• Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
• Cor Pulmonale
• Eucalyptus
• Vitamin D3
• Magnesium

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Featured Videos