Over the past decades, impulse oscillometry (IOS) has gained ground in the battery of pulmonary function tests. Performing the test requires minimal cooperation of the patient; therefore, it is a useful tool, especially in evaluating lung mechanics in children, elderly patients, and those who cannot perform spirometry. Oscillometry has also been used in both clinical and research departments. Studies were published mainly in asthma regarding detection of bronchodilator response and the therapeutic response to different drugs. Furthermore, it has been shown to be a sensitive technique to evaluate disease control. Other studied diseases were COPD, interstitial lung diseases, small airway disease, impairment of lung function due to exposure to occupational hazards or smoking, central airways obstruction, cystic fibrosis, monitoring lung mechanics during mechanical ventilation and sleep, neuromuscular diseases, lung transplant, and graft function. The aim of this review is to present the utility of oscillometry on the previously mentioned clinical fields.

Despite the recent advances in HIV treatment, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) prevalence remains high, especially in the mild forms. Current recommendations endorse routine screening for HAND and early identification, but there are several obstacles in diagnosing and managing cognitive impairment in people living with HIV. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the concepts and diagnostic tools in the field of HAND and report on the strengths and limitations of currently available approaches.

This systematic review critically evaluated the impact of a pre-infection COVID-19 vaccination on the incidence and severity of post-COVID-19 syndrome and aimed to assess the potential protective effect across different vaccines and patient demographics. This study hypothesized that vaccination before infection substantially reduces the risk and severity of post-COVID-19 syndrome. In October 2023, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across three databases, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, focusing on studies published up to that date. Utilizing a wide array of keywords, the search strategy adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in the Open Science Framework. The inclusion criteria comprised studies focusing on patients with a breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection who developed post-COVID-19 syndrome. We included a total of 13 articles that met the inclusion criteria, analyzing more than 10 million patients with a mean age of 50.6 years, showing that the incidence of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions post-vaccination was as low as 2.4%, with a significant reduction in mortality risk (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74). The prevalence of post-COVID-19 syndrome symptoms was lower in vaccinated individuals (9.5%) compared to unvaccinated (14.6%), with a notable decrease in activity-limiting symptoms (adjusted OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.48–0.73). Vaccinated patients also showed a quicker recovery and return to work (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.04–1.79). The pooled odds ratio of 0.77 indicates that vaccination is associated with a 23% reduction in the risk of developing post-COVID-19 syndrome (95% CI 0.75–0.79). Despite the protective effects observed, a substantial heterogeneity among the studies was noted. In conclusion, a pre-infection COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a significant reduction in the risk and severity of post-COVID-19 syndrome. However, the observed heterogeneity across studies suggests a need for further research with standardized methods to fully comprehend vaccine efficacy against long COVID.

Persistent pulmonary impairment post-COVID-19 has been reported, albeit variably. This single-center observational study aims to longitudinally evaluate pulmonary function in 140 COVID-19 survivors one year after recovery, assessing associations with disease severity and pre-existing lung conditions. Participants aged 18 and older, with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, were evaluated using spirometry and Diffusion Capacity of Lungs for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) tests. Pulmonary function parameters like Forced Expiratory Volume at 1 s (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and Total Lung Capacity (TLC) were measured. Participants were stratified by age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, and lung damage severity via computed tomography (CT). The cohort consisted of mostly males (58.6%), with a mean age of 53.8 years and body mass index of 24.9 kg/m². Post-COVID fibrosis was seen in 22.7%, 27.3%, and 51.9% of mild, moderate, and severe disease patients, respectively (p = 0.003). FVC significantly reduced with disease severity (p < 0.001), while FEV1, FEF25-75, and DLCO showed a non-significant downward trend. FEV1/FVC ratio increased with disease severity (p = 0.033), and TLC and RV significantly declined (p = 0.023 and p = 0.003, respectively). A one-year follow-up indicated a non-significant change in FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, FEF25-75, and RV compared with the 40-day measurement, but it revealed significant improvements in DLCO and TLC (p = 0.010). There were significant mean increases in FVC, FEV1, DLCO, TLC, and RV across all disease severities over one year. They were most pronounced in the patients with a history of severe COVID-19, who had a better recovery over one year, compared with the mild and moderate COVID-19 patients whose lung function almost normalized. One year after the SARS-CoV-2 infection, we observed a significant association between disease severity and post-COVID fibrotic changes. Though some lung function parameters remained stable over the year, significant improvements were noted in DLCO and TLC. Particularly, individuals with severe disease showed substantial recovery in lung function, indicating the potential reversibility of COVID-19-related pulmonary damage.

Objectives: Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) include a diverse group of systemic autoimmune conditions, among which interstitial lung disease (ILD) is acknowledged as a major determinant of prognosis. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the gold standard for ILD assessment. The distribution of HRCT patterns across CTDs remain incompletely defined. The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize available evidence regarding the prevalence of specific radiological patterns within CTD-ILDs and to assess whether specific patterns occur at different frequencies among individual CTDs. Methods: The inclusion criteria encompassed original human studies published in English between 2015 and 2024, involving adult participants (≥18 years) with CTD-ILDs assessed primarily by HRCT and designed as retrospective, prospective, or cross-sectional trials with extractable data. We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2025). Risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort and case–control studies, and the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for cross-sectional studies. Data were extracted and categorized by HRCT pattern for each CTD, and then summarized descriptively and statistically. Results: We analyzed 23 studies published between 2015 and 2024, which included 2020 patients with CTD-ILDs. The analysis revealed non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) as the most prevalent pattern overall (36.5%), followed by definite usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) (24.8%), organizing pneumonia (OP) (9.8%) and lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP) (1.25%). HRCT distribution varied by CTD: NSIP predominated in systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, and mixed connective tissue disease; UIP was most frequent in rheumatoid arthritis; LIP was more common in Sjögren’s syndrome. While global differences were statistically significant, pairwise comparisons often lacked significance, likely due to sample size constraints. Discussion: Limitations include varying risk of bias across study designs, heterogeneity in HRCT reporting, small sample sizes, and inconsistent follow-up, which may reduce precision and generalizability. In addition to the quantitative synthesis, this review offers a detailed description of each radiologic pattern mentioned above, illustrated by representative examples to support the recognition in clinical settings. Furthermore, it includes a brief overview of the major CTDs associated with ILD, summarizing their epidemiological data, risk factors for ILD and clinical presentation and diagnostic recommendations. Conclusions: NSIP emerged as the most common HRCT pattern across CTD-ILDs, with UIP predominating in RA. Although inter-disease differences were observed, statistical significance was limited, likely reflecting sample size constraints. These findings emphasize the diagnostic and prognostic relevance of HRCT pattern recognition and highlight the need for larger, standardized studies.

Aging is a risk factor for many chronic noncommunicable diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is often associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moreover, aging is associated with a mild form of systemic inflammation. The aim of our study was to analyze the relationship between age, systemic and vascular inflammation, and the presence of CVD comorbidities in a stable COPD population. Forty COPD patients were divided into 2 age groups (<65 and ≥65 years of age), from which we collected the following inflammatory biomarkers: C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and endothelin-1 (ET-1). Elderly COPD patients had more frequent exacerbation events per year (2 vs 1, P = .06), a higher prevalence of CVD (3 vs 2, P = .04), more limited exercise tolerance (6-minute walking test distance, 343 [283–403] vs 434 [384–484]; P = .02), and mild systemic inflammation (TNF-α, 9.02 [7.08–10.96] vs 6.48 [5.21–7.76]; P = .03; ET-1, 2.24 [1.76–2.71] vs 1.67 [1.36–1.98] pg/mL; P = .04). A weak correlation between age and ET-1 (r = 0.32, P = .04) was observed. Mild systemic inflammation, characterized by a slightly increased level of TNF-α, and endothelial dysfunction, marked by elevated ET-1, could be liaisons between aging, COPD, and CVD comorbidities.