A 37-year-old man presented with chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis and hemoptysis refractory to systemic antifungal therapy with voriconazole and bronchial artery embolization. Surgical excision was unfeasible due to the patient's refusal of blood transfusions. Ten sessions of intracavitary instillation of amphotericin B via flexible bronchoscopy were then performed. Hemoptysis cessation and aspergilloma resolution were achieved, with no toxicity or side effects, and the clinical benefits were sustained at six months of follow-up.

Background: Simplified field tests have gained increasing interest for the assessment of functional capacity in patients with post-COVID-19 condition; however, direct comparisons of functional performance and physiological responses between the 1-min sit-to-stand test (1MSTST) and the 6-min walk test (6MWT) remain limited. This study aimed to examine the associations between the two tests by evaluating functional performance, cardiopulmonary responses, oxygen desaturation, perceived exertion, and peripheral muscle strength. Furthermore, we explored whether the 1MSTST can be used as a complementary assessment, particularly within telerehabilitation pathways and in contexts where resource-intensive testing is not feasible. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of adults recovering from moderate to severe COVID-19 between May and July 2021. Participants performed both the 1MSTST and 6MWT on the same day. Functional performance, peak heart rate, nadir peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂), perceived exertion, and handgrip dynamometry were recorded. Associations between test performances were assessed using correlation and partial correlation analyses, including adjustment for peripheral muscle strength. Results: Fifty-four patients were included. A moderate correlation was observed between 1MSTST repetitions and 6MWT distance (Spearman’s ρ = 0.47, p < 0.001), which was attenuated after adjustment for muscle strength and demographic variables. Peak heart rate and nadir SpO₂ responses were strongly correlated between tests (r = 0.75 and ρ = 0.83, respectively; both p < 0.001), with no significant differences in magnitude. Exercise-induced oxygen desaturation (≥4% SpO₂ drop) occurred at similar frequencies during both tests. Perceived exertion increased similarly following the 1MSTST and the 6MWT. Conclusions: In post-COVID-19 patients, the 1 min sit-to-stand test shows moderate concordance with the 6 min walk test for functional performance and strong agreement in cardiopulmonary responses. These findings suggest that the two tests assess overlapping but distinct aspects of functional capacity. This supports the use of the 1MSTST as a pragmatic complementary assessment when standard walking tests are not feasible, particularly within telerehabilitation pathways, primary care, and resource-limited settings.

The Respiratory Intensive Care Assembly of the European Respiratory Society gathered in Berlin to organise the third Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation Conference in February 2024. The conference covered key points of acute and chronic respiratory failure in adults. During the 3-day conference ventilatory strategies, patient selection, diagnostic approaches, treatment and health-related quality of life topics were addressed by a panel of international experts. In this article, lectures delivered during the event have been summarised by early career members of the Assembly and take-home messages highlighted.

Worldwide, up to 5% of adults may have undiagnosed asthma or COPD, with many experiencing symptoms and the majority remaining untreated. Aaron, SD, et al (N Engl J Med 2024;390:2061-2073) used targeted case finding to identify adults in the community with respiratory symptoms with undiagnosed lung disease and then assessed whether early diagnosis and guideline-based treatment could improve health outcomes. This randomised controlled trial enrolled 508 participants allocated to receive either specialised pulmonologist-directed care or usual primary care.The primary outcome was the annualised rate of healthcare utilisation for respiratory illnesses, while secondary outcomes included disease-specific quality of life, symptom burden and lung function. During the 12 month trial period, 232 participants (92%) in the intervention group and 153 participants (60%) in the usual-care group began a new treatment for asthma or COPD. Key findings from the study showed that the intervention group had significantly reduced healthcare utilisation compared with the usual-care group (0.53 vs 1.12 events per person-year; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.63; p<0.001). Improvements in quality of life and symptom burden were also more pronounced in the intervention group. Additionally, the FEV1 increased by 119 mL in the intervention group, compared with 22 mL in the usual-care group underscoring the importance of early treatment in preserving lung capacity and preventing disease progression. This study underscores the value of early detection and specialist intervention in improving clinical outcomes for patients with COPD and asthma. Healthcare providers should consider adopting proactive case-finding approaches and integrating specialist care with regular training sessions and interactive discussions to enhance the management of these chronic respiratory diseases.