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Background and objective: Multidisciplinary team (MDT) clinics use an integrated approach to individualize care of complex medical conditions. Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is a challenging condition that is likely to benefit from MDT clinics but this has not been researched. Methods: A prospective observational cohort study of a novel VCD MDT clinic was conducted in patients with suspected VCD. Relevant questionnaires, medical history, physical examination, spirometry, dynamic computerized tomography (CT) larynx and laryngoscopy were utilized and patients were allocated to treatment pathways depending on putative diagnosis. Speech pathology intervention with laryngeal retraining (LR) was offered and if LR therapy failed botulinum toxin injection was offered. Primary outcome was reductions in healthcare utilization. Results: Overall, 80 consecutive patients were included in analyses. A definitive diagnosis of VCD was made in 56 of 80 (70%) patients. After LR (n = 35), emergency department (ED)/hospital admissions declined significantly in the subsequent 12 months (P = 0.001). General practice visits also reduced (P < 0.001). Botulinum toxin injections were administered in 21 patients unresponsive to LR therapy and both general practice and ED/hospital visits declined (P < 0.001 and P = 0.01, respectively) after injection. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary approach to VCD confers benefit and can be used to allocate appropriate management leading to a reduction in healthcare utilization. SUMMARY AT A GLANCEMultidisciplinary team (MDT) clinics use an integrated approach and individualized services that may benefit vocal cord dysfunction (VCD). We show that a VCD MDT clinic can be used to allocate appropriate management leading to a reduction in healthcare utilization.

Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are frequently used for asthma treatment. This medication is highly effective for both acute and chronic diseases, but evidence indicates that indiscriminate OCS use is common, posing a risk of serious side effects and irreversible harm. There is now an urgent need to introduce OCS stewardship approaches, akin to successful initiatives that optimized appropriate antibiotic usage. The aim of this TSANZ (Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand) position paper is to review current knowledge pertaining to OCS use in asthma and then delineate principles of OCS stewardship. Recent evidence indicates overuse and over-reliance on OCS for asthma and that doses >1000 mg prednisolone-equivalent cumulatively are likely to have serious side effects and adverse outcomes. Patient perspectives emphasize the detrimental impacts of OCS-related side effects such as weight gain, insomnia, mood disturbances and skin changes. Improvements in Laurence Ruane and John Gornall are consumer representatives.

Paradoxical vocal cord movement is more often associated with asthma symptoms accompanied by airflow limitation and dysfunctional breathing. Further studies are needed to determine whether PVCM is induced by dysfunctional breathing practices and/or airway obstruction. How PVCM links with symptomatic asthma and VCD also requires evaluation.

BackgroundTracheal obstruction resulting from expiratory tracheal deformation has been associated with respiratory symptoms and severe airway exacerbations. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute exacerbations (AECOPD) create large intrathoracic pressure swings which may increase tracheal deformation. Excessive central airway collapse (ECAC) may be diagnosed when the tracheal area on expiration is less than 50% of that on inspiration. The prevalence of ECAC in AECOPD and its temporal course have not been systematically studied.MethodsWe prospectively recruited healthy volunteers (n = 53), stable outpatients with COPD (n = 40) and patients with hospitalised acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD, n = 64). 17 of the AECOPD group returned for repeat evaluation when clinically well at 6–12 weeks. All subjects underwent dynamic 320-slice computed tomography of the larynx and trachea during tidal breathing, enabling quantitation of tracheal area and dimensions (mean ± SD).ResultsNo healthy individuals had ECAC. The prevalence of ECAC in stable COPD and AECOPD was 35% and 39% respectively. Mean tracheal collapse did not differ between stable COPD (57.5 ± 19.8%), AECOPD (53.8 ± 19.3%) and in the subset who returned when convalescent (54.9 ± 17.2%). AECOPD patients with and without ECAC had similar clinical characteristics.ConclusionsTracheal collapse in both stable and AECOPD is considerably more prevalent than in healthy individuals. ECAC warrants assessment as part of comprehensive COPD evaluation and management. Further studies should evaluate the aetiology of ECAC and whether it predisposes to exacerbations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12931-017-0646-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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