The Spanish Asthma Guideline (GEMA) 5.5 marks a significant conceptual and clinical advance in asthma management across Spanish-speaking healthcare systems. This updated edition incorporates the latest scientific insights into the pathophysiology, diagnosis, phenotyping, and treatment of asthma, while maintaining its practical, evidence-based orientation. A key innovation is the redefinition of therapeutic objectives: treatment is no longer limited to symptom control but is directed toward achieving and sustaining clinical remission, following the principles established by the Spanish REMAS consensus. The guideline also integrates recent evidence supporting the role of biologic therapies in specific inflammatory phenotypes, the implementation of maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) in adolescents, and a more rational approach to bronchodilator use in pediatric exacerbations. Further updates include refined recommendations on stepwise pharmacological strategies, expanded indications for advanced therapies in both adults and children, and updated management of associated conditions such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Organizationally, GEMA 5.5 strengthens the role of multidisciplinary asthma units, digital monitoring tools, and adherence-promoting interventions. Overall, GEMA 5.5 represents a paradigm shift toward personalized, remission-oriented asthma care, reinforcing its position as the leading Spanish-language reference for evidence-based clinical practice in respiratory medicine.

In this fifth phase of development, the contents of the Spanish Asthma Management Guidelines (GEMA), which include versions 5.0 and 5.1, have undergone a thorough review. The aim here is to set the main changes in context. These could be summarized as follows: DIAGNOSIS: new FENO cut-off and severity classification based on treatment needed to maintain control; INTERMITTENT ASTHMA: a more restrictive concept and treatment extended to include a glucocorticoid/adrenergic combination as needed; MILD ASTHMA: glucocorticoid/adrenergic therapy as needed as an alternative in case of low therapeutic adherence to conventional fixed-dose steroids; SEVERE ASTHMA: readjustment of phenotypes, incorporation of triple therapy in a single inhaler, and criteria for selection of a biologic in severe uncontrolled asthma; OTHERS: specific scoring in childhood asthma, incorporation of certain organizational aspects (care circuits, asthma units, telemedicine), new sections on COVID-19 and nasal polyposis.

La quinta fase de la Guía Española para el Manejo del Asma (GEMA) que incluye las versiones 5.0 y 5.1, ha efectuado una profunda revisión de su contenido. El presente texto tiene como objetivo contextualizar los principales cambios. Estos se podrían resumir en: DIAGNÓSTICO: nuevo punto de corte de óxido nítrico en aire exhalado (FENO) y clasificación de gravedad basada en el tratamiento necesario para mantener el control; ASMA INTERMITENTE: concepto más restrictivo y tratamiento ampliado a combinación de glucocorticoide/adrenérgico a demanda; ASMA LEVE: tratamiento con glucocorticoide/adrenérgico a demanda como alternativa si baja adhesión terapéutica a esteroide fijo clásico; ASMA GRAVE: reajuste de los fenotipos, incorporación de la triple terapia en un solo inhalador y criterios para la selección del fármaco biológico en asma grave no controlada; OTROS: puntualizaciones concretas en asma infantil, incorporación de determinados aspectos organizativos (flujos entre niveles asistenciales, unidades de asma y telemedicina), nuevas secciones de COVID-19 y de poliposis nasal.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a ubiquitous and opportunistic microorganism and is considered one of the most significant pathogens that produce chronic colonization and infection of the lower respiratory tract, especially in people with chronic inflammatory airway diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), and bronchiectasis. From a microbiological viewpoint, the presence and persistence of P. aeruginosa over time are characterized by adaptation within the host that precludes any rapid, devastating injury to the host. Moreover, this microorganism usually develops antibiotic resistance, which is accelerated in chronic infections especially in those situations where the frequent use of antimicrobials facilitates the selection of "hypermutator P. aeruginosa strain". This phenomenon has been observed in people with bronchiectasis, CF, and the "exacerbator" COPD phenotype. From a clinical point of view, a chronic bronchial infection of P. aeruginosa has been related to more severity and poor prognosis in people with CF, bronchiectasis, and probably in COPD, but little is known on the effect of this microorganism infection in people with asthma. The relationship between the impact and treatment of P. aeruginosa infection in people with airway diseases emerges as an important future challenge and it is the most important objective of this review.

Most areas of respiratory medicine continue to use an Oslerian approach, based on signs and symptoms, in which the disease is the center of all activity. However, this paradigm is changing. Now that lung diseases have been recognized as heterogeneous and complex, we are moving towards more personalized, precise, patient-oriented medicine. The aim of this review was to define the current state of the knowledge on bronchiectasis, or, more accurately, the bronchiectasis syndrome, as a multidimensional, systemic, heterogeneous, complex disease. We explore the advances that have already been made, and above all the many steps that are still to be taken. We also propose some tools which might facilitate the application of these concepts in clinical practice, and help us continue our journey towards a more holistic view of this disease.

In 2008, the Spanish Society of Pulmonology (SEPAR) published the first guidelines in the world on the diagnosis and treatment of bronchiectasis. Almost 10 years later, considerable scientific advances have been made in both the treatment and the evaluation and diagnosis of this disease, and the original guidelines have been updated to include the latest therapies available for bronchiectasis. These new recommendations have been drafted following a strict methodological process designed to ensure quality of content, and are linked to a large amount of online information that includes a wealth of references. The guidelines are focused on the treatment of bronchiectasis from both a multidisciplinary perspective, including specialty areas and the different healthcare levels involved, and a multidimensional perspective, including a comprehensive overview of the specific aspects of the disease. A series of recommendations have been drawn up, based on an in-depth review of the evidence for treatment of the underlying etiology, the bronchial infection in its different forms of presentation using existing therapies, bronchial inflammation, and airflow obstruction. Nutritional aspects, management of secretions, muscle training, management of complications and comorbidities, infection prophylaxis, patient education, home care, surgery, exacerbations, and patient follow-up are addressed.

In 2008, the Spanish Society of Pulmonology (SEPAR) published the first guidelines in the world on the diagnosis and treatment of bronchiectasis. Almost 10 years later, considerable scientific advances have been made in both the treatment and the evaluation and diagnosis of this disease, and the original guidelines have been updated to include the latest scientific knowledge on bronchiectasis. These new recommendations have been drafted following a strict methodological process designed to ensure the quality of content, and are linked to a large amount of online information that includes a wealth of references. These guidelines cover aspects ranging from a consensual definition of bronchiectasis to an evaluation of the natural course and prognosis of the disease. The topics of greatest interest and some new areas are addressed, including epidemiology and economic costs of bronchiectasis, pathophysiological aspects, the causes (placing particular emphasis on the relationship with other airway diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), clinical and functional aspects, measurement of quality of life, radiological diagnosis and assessment, diagnostic algorithms, microbiological aspects (including the definition of key concepts, such as bacterial eradication or chronic bronchial infection), and the evaluation of severity and disease prognosis using recently published multidimensional tools.

This study was aimed to determine the ability of a positive bronchodilator response (BDR) to predict asthma loss of control in a real-life setting. Material and methods: Prospective, multicenter study. Treatment was stepped-up or stepped-down over a 12-month period to maintain asthma control. Patients who were well-controlled at baseline with a combination of inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting β2 agonist (IC/LABA) were included. A BDT was performed at each visit (3, 6 and 12 months) and loss of control was assessed. Results: 149 patients were included (70% women, mean age 54.7 years). At baseline, mean FEV1 was 92.1%, mean Asthma Control Test score was 23.0 ± 2.1 and the exacerbation rate was 0.4 ± 0.8 per patient-year. 344 BDR measurements were made (always positive in 8.3% of the patients, intermittently positive in 41.3% and always negative in 50.4%). 59 patients (40%) lost control over the study. The area under the ROC curve of a positive BDR was 0.52 (95% CI: 0.44-0.60). Sensitivity was 23% (95% CI: 13-34%), specificity was 81% (95% CI: 76-86%), positive predictive value was 22% (95% CI: 12-32%), negative predictive value was 82% (95% CI: 78-87%), positive likelihood ratio was 1.24 (95% CI: 0.75-2.05) and negative likelihood ratio was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.82-1.09). Conclusions: A positive BDR does not predict future risk in asthma and lacks a clinical justification for its routine use.

Multicenter, prospective, observational, analytical cohort study. Objective: To compare tolerance, quality of life and compliance in self-administration of antibiotics, by jet nebulizers or electronic devices. Material and methods: Adult patients with bronchiectasis (BQ) of any etiology, with chronic bronchial infection by P. aeruginosa following nebulized antibiotic treatment by a jet nebulizer and high flow compressor for at least two months before being included in the study. The selection of patients was carried out consecutively for outclinic patients diagnosed of bronchiectasis in every Respiratory Department participating in the study. Clinical data and respiratory function were recorded. Compliance, tolerance and quality of life questionnaires (St George and SF36) before and after every period of treatment were also requested. The data given by an electronic device in the electronic nebulizer giving doses information and drug administration periods were recorded. Results: Sixty eight patients (51% female, mean age 61±19, FEV1 57±20%) from 9 different Hospitals were included. Both devices showed no differences concerning preparation time and device cleaning, nor treatment adherence. However, the use of the electronic device significantly decreased nebulization time interlude (p Conclusions: Electronic nebulizers seem to be better tolerated, save time and improve the patient9s quality of life.

The present guidelines have been prepared with the consensus of at least one representative of each of the hospitals with lung transplantation programs in Spain. In addition, prior to their publication, these guidelines have been reviewed by a group of prominent reviewers who are recognized for their professional experience in the field of lung transplantation. Within the following pages, the reader will find the selection criteria for lung transplantation candidates, when and how to remit a patient to a transplantation center and, lastly, when to add the patient to the waiting list. A level of evidence has been identified for the most relevant questions. Our intention is for this document to be a practical guide for pulmonologists who do not directly participate in lung transplantations but who should consider this treatment for their patients. Finally, these guidelines also propose an information form in order to compile in an organized manner the patient data of the potential candidate for lung transplantation, which are relevant in order to be able to make the best decisions possible.

La presente normativa ha sido elaborada con el consenso de, al menos, un representante de cada uno de los hospitales con programa de trasplante pulmonar en España. Además, previamente a su publicación, ha sido revisada por un grupo de revisores destacados por su reconocida trayectoria en el campo del trasplante pulmonar. En las siguientes páginas, el lector encontrará los criterios de selección de pacientes candidatos a trasplante pulmonar, cuándo y cómo remitir un paciente a un centro trasplantador y, finalmente, cuándo incluir al paciente en lista de espera. Se ha atribuido un nivel de evidencia a las cuestiones más relevantes. Este documento pretende ser una guía práctica para los neumólogos que no participan directamente en el trasplante pulmonar pero que deben considerar este tratamiento para sus pacientes. Finalmente, se ha propuesto de una forma consensuada un documento que recoge de forma estructurada los datos del paciente potencial candidato a trasplante pulmonar que son relevantes para poder tomar la mejor decisión.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma is a plasma cell malignancy that most commonly occurs in the upper respiratory tract. Plasmocytoma located in the lung is an unusual finding, and in such cases the disease may be confined to the lung and regional lymph nodes or may be disseminated. When only located in the lower respiratory tract (primary pulmonary plasmacytoma), diagnosis is difficult and is usually based on the excised tissue. We present 3 cases, 2 of which were particularly unusual in that diagnosis was confirmed by bronchial biopsy. Other important findings included the detection of paraprotein in the blood and urine of 2 of the patients, and follow-ups over 10 and 15 years without recurrence of the disease in 2 of the cases. (C) 2009 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.