Links
to Journal Articles
Delivered Directly to Your Computer
The latest links to journal article abstracts on Respiratory, Pulmonary, COPD, Mechanical Ventilation,
Ventilator Weaning, Respiratory Therapy, Asthma, Cardio-Vascular, Sleep
Apnea, CPAP, BiPAP, Decannulation and other related clinical topics. Add the Northeast Center for Special
Care Journal Watch
to your favorite RSS program.
Journal of Sleep Research, Volume 16, Number 4, December 2007 , pp. 414-420(7)
Mandibular repositioning appliances (MRAs) reduce symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea in the short term, but the long-term effects are unknown. Our objective was to evaluate the long-term symptomatic effects of custom-made MRAs and to identify the patients who will experience subjective benefits from treatment.
Pediatrics International, Volume 49, Number 6, December 2007 , pp. 842-847(6)
The aim of the present randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to determine the efficacy of zinc sulfate on the duration and severity of common cold in children.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 176. pp. 1072-1078, (2007)
Secreted phospholipase A2 enzymes (sPLA2s) play key regulatory roles in the biosynthesis of eicosanoids, such as the cysteinyl leukotrienes, but the role of these enzymes in the pathogenesis of asthma is not known.
Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, Volume 28, Number 5, September/October 2007 , pp. 571-573(3)
Esparto is a gramineous plant that has multiple applications in today's industry. Several cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) caused by esparto inhalation have been reported, but only one case of asthma caused by Aspergillus fumigatus contaminating esparto has been communicated.
American Journal of Forensic Medicine & Pathology. 28(4):342-344, December 2007
Pulmonary artery aneurysm and pulmonary artery dissection are rare antemortem diagnoses, most often associated with sudden death. These pathologic entities are strongly associated with chronic pulmonary hypertension due to structural cardiac defects, either congenital or acquired.
Critical Care Medicine. 35(12):2799-2804, December 2007
High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been implicated as a late mediator in sepsis. We here sought to determine the extent of HMGB1 release in patients with sepsis stratified to the three most common infectious sources and to determine HMGB1 concentrations at the site of infection during peritonitis or pneumonia.
To determine whether clinicians' prognoses in patients with severe acute exacerbations of obstructive lung disease admitted to intensive care match observed outcomes in terms of survival.
Critical Care Medicine. 35(12):2747-2754, December 2007
To evaluate perceived attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors regarding the use of low tidal volume ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome among physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists in intensive care units.
Journal of Thoracic Imaging. 22(4):324-329, November 2007
To evaluate the performance of a computer-aided detection (CAD) system for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism on computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiography.
COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Volume 4, Issue 4 December 2007 , pages 321 - 329
Limited information is available on repeatability of inflammatory parameters in whole induced sputum samples from patients with COPD. Objectives: To study short-term and long-term repeatability in induced sputum samples in 22 patients with moderate to severe, stable COPD (mean age 64 yr, mean FEV1 1.91 L = 65% of predicted).
An association between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and various immune disorders is well established. Recently, the role of an intact immune system in protecting against pulmonary angioproliferation was shown in an animal model.
COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Volume 4, Issue 4 December 2007 , pages 355 - 384
The current clinical classification of smoking-related lung disease fails to take into account the heterogeneity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With an increased understanding of pathophysiologic variation, COPD now clearly represents a spectrum of overlapping diseases with important extrapulmonary consequences.
Journal of Community Nursing November 2007 Volume 21, Issue 11
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition, which over time can cause severe disability and have a devastating effect on patient's daily lives. The use of the Roper, Logan and Tierney nursing model is a useful tool to help health professionals assess the patient as an individual and allow them to focus on how COPD affects individual patients daily activities of living from a holistic perspective. This article examines how this model can be incorporated in the assessment and management of patients with COPD within primary care to enhance their quality of life.
Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, Volume 28, Number 5, September/October 2007 , pp. 550-556(7)
Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) of fluticasone propionate (FP) are the most commonly prescribed inhaled glucocorticosteroid (ICS) devices in Japan because of their ease of use. FP has the strongest anti-inflammatory effects in vitro among ICS, and it has few systemic adverse effects because of its <1% oral bioavailability. However, local adverse effects, especially hoarseness or dysphonia (hoarseness/dysphonia), appear to be frequent.
Critical Care Medicine. 35(12):2693-2701, December 2007
Intravenous immunoglobulin as an adjunctive treatment in sepsis was regarded as promising by a Cochrane meta-analysis of smaller trials. In this phase III multicenter trial, we assessed whether intravenous immunoglobulin G (ivIgG) reduced 28-day mortality and improved morbidity in patients with score-defined severe sepsis.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Volume 37, Number 12, December 2007 , pp. 1738-1746(9)
Epidemiological data for south Asian children in the United Kingdom are contradictory, showing a lower prevalence of wheeze, but a higher rate of medical consultations and admissions for asthma compared with white children. These studies have not distinguished different asthma phenotypes or controlled for varying environmental exposures.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 176. pp. 1154-1160, (2007)
Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a potent endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, is increased in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension and associated with unfavorable outcome.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 176. pp. 1161-1168, (2007)
Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) after lung transplantation is triggered by alloimmunity, but is ultimately mediated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-Beta1- dependent airway fibrosis.
Journal of Thoracic Imaging. 22(4):319-323, November 2007
A CAD tool (ImageChecker CT, R2 Technology, Inc) for automated detection of pulmonary emboli was evaluated on multidetector-row CT studies of varying diagnostic quality in 23 patients (13 female, mean age 52 y) with pulmonary embolism (PE) and of 13 patients (all female, mean age 49 y) without PE. A collimation of 16x1 mm and a reconstructed section width of 1.25 mm had been used in each patient.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic inflammation in both the airways causing airway obstruction and the lung tissues causing emphysema.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 176. pp. 1120-1128, (2007)
Considerable confusion exists regarding nomenclature, classification, and management of pediatric diffuse lung diseases due to the relative rarity and differences in the spectrum of disease between adults and young children.
American Journal of Epidemiology 2007 166(12):1438-1445
Cured meats are high in nitrites. Nitrites generate reactive nitrogen species that may cause damage to the lung. The objective is to assess the relation between frequent consumption of cured meats and the risk of newly diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
A noninvasive method to assess ventilation may aid in management of children with acute asthma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) values and disease severity among children with acute asthma.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Volume 37, Number 12, December 2007 , pp. 1819-1826(8)
Hypertonic saline (HS) has been shown to modulate in vitro cell functions according to the state of cell activation; however, few studies have evaluated the effect of HS in vivo. Chronic airway inflammation, a major feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is associated with an activation of inflammatory and resident cells, which in turn makes them more prompt to respond to further stimuli.
Journal of Thoracic Imaging. 22(4):369-373, November 2007
Mediastinal lung herniation is a rare condition characterized by protrusion of 1 lower lung through behind the heart into the opposite side of the chest, usually from right to left.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 176. pp. 1090-1097, (2007)
Associations between oligomeric isocyanate exposure, sensitization, and respiratory disease have received little attention, despite the extensive use of isocyanate oligomers.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 176. pp. 1079-1083, (2007)
Subglottic secretion drainage (SSD) appears to be effective in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), primarily by reducing early-onset pneumonia; but it may not prevent late-onset pneumonia. We tested the hypothesis using an endotracheal tube incorporating an ultrathin polyurethane cuff (which reduces channel formation and fluid leakage from the subglottic area), in addition to an SSD lumen, which would reduce the incidence of late-onset VAP.
A wide range of drugs are commonly used to treat bronchiolitis, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited. Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of ipratropium bromide and salbutamol in the treatment of patients with moderate-severe bronchiolitis.
The variability in the inflammatory burden of the lung in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients together with the variable effect of glucocorticoid treatment led us to hypothesize that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene polymorphisms may affect glucocorticoid sensitivity in CF and, consequently, may contribute to variations in the inflammatory response.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Volume 37, Number 12, December 2007 , pp. 1781-1787(7)
Occupational asthma (OA) may cause alterations of airways with inflammation and remodelling after cessation of exposure. Although the long-term clinical, functional and induced sputum sequelae have been examined in workers removed from exposure, the long-term pathological outcomes are unknown.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Volume 37, Number 12, December 2007 , pp. 1833-1839(7)
Cough variant asthma is a phenotype of asthma solely presenting with coughing. It involves airway inflammation and remodelling as does classic asthma with wheezing, and a subset of patients may progress to classic asthma. The atopic features of cough variant asthma remain unclear.
In contrast to static inspiratory parameters such as vital capacity and inspiratory capacity, information on forced inspiratory volume in 1 s (FIV1) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is limited.
COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Volume 4, Issue 4 December 2007 , pages 313 - 320
This pilot study aimed to identify early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in an urban population of smokers and ex-smokers using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD 2001, 2003) classification guidelines and to assess the impact of early disease on quality of life.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine Volume 50, Issue 12 , Pages 1010 - 1017
Flammulina velutipes is called the Enoki mushroom in Japanese and is cultivated indoors. Mushroom workers face occupational exposure to a tremendous number of fungi and organic antigens capable of causing hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). One worker employed at an Enoki farm developed HP due to Penicillium citrinum. This study investigated new cases of HP among the workers cultivating Enoki.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine Volume 50, Issue 12 , Pages 992 - 998
The objectives of this study were to determine whether cross-shift changes in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were related to respirable dust exposure in South African coalminers.
As part of a larger study aimed at identifying the long-term changes in inhalation exposure for selected hazardous substances in a number of industrial sectors within the UK, we have reviewed the published literature on temporal changes in inhalation exposure.
The authors compared the ability of a single dose of the proenzyme single-chain urokinase (scuPA), low-molecular-weight urokinase, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), or a mutant site-inactive scuPA to resolve intrapleural loculations at 72 to 96 hours after tetracycline-induced pleural injury in rabbits.
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases September/October 2007, Volume 18 Issue 5: 313-315
A previously healthy 45-year-old Korean-born man presented with pleuritic chest pain and a dry cough in February 2005. His symptoms began one week after returning home to Toronto, Ontario, following a trip to northern Mexico, where he had spent several days in a large city attending meetings.
The Internet Journal of Pulmonary Medicine. 2007. Volume 8 Number 1
Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) is a rare condition that is rarely seen in the adult population. It is more common in younger patient between the ages of 1 to 17. It can present with onset of anemia, hemoptysis, dyspnoea and presence of opacifications on cat scan (CT) of the chest.
We evaluated the diagnostic value of Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) filter paper together with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii (carinii) from induced sputum (IS) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples.
Pleural effusions (PE) are the most common complications that may be produced by a wide variety of diseases. A large number of studies exploring the role of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin fragment 19 (CYFRA 21-1) marker in differential diagnosis of PE have been published, employing differing methodologies with sometimes conflicting results.
American Journal of Public Health 2167-2172 Vol 97, No. 12
Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations reduce morbidity, mortality, and health care costs, but their use lags behind goals set by public health experts. We evaluated the effect of a performance measurement program instituted by the Veterans Health Administration in 1995 to improve vaccination rates.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Volume 37, Number 12, December 2007 , pp. 1827-1832(6)
Indoor exposure to mould and dampness is frequently associated with asthma symptoms with and without lung function changes. However, the mechanisms contributing to this threat to respiratory health are only partly understood.
Sleep position in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) did not affect the sleep architecture. Supine position had a significant influence on respiratory parameters and gas exchange. Lateral position did not affect respiratory parameters in children aged 3-5 years and little affected gas exchange except right lateral decubitus (RLD) position in children aged 11-13 years.
We sought to determine whether depressive or anxiety symptoms are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) hospitalization or mortality. These data were collected as part of the National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT), a randomized controlled trial of lung volume reduction surgery vs continued medical treatment conducted at 17 clinics across the United States between January 29, 1998, and July 31, 2002.
An association between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and various immune disorders is well established. Recently, the role of an intact immune system in protecting against pulmonary angioproliferation was shown in an animal model.
COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Volume 4, Issue 4 December 2007 , pages 355 - 384
The current clinical classification of smoking-related lung disease fails to take into account the heterogeneity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With an increased understanding of pathophysiologic variation, COPD now clearly represents a spectrum of overlapping diseases with important extrapulmonary consequences.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is associated with bronchial epithelial changes, including squamous cell metaplasia and goblet cell hyperplasia. These features are partially attributed to activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Whereas smoking cessation reduces respiratory symptoms and lung function decline in COPD, inflammation persists. We determined epithelial proliferation and composition in bronchial biopsies from current and ex-smokers with COPD, and its relation to duration of smoking cessation.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by abnormal lung inflammation that exceeds the protective response. Various culture models using epithelial cell lines or primary cells have been used to investigate the contribution of bronchial epithelium in the exaggerated inflammation of COPD. However, these models do not mimic in vivo situations for several reasons (e.g, transformed epithelial cells, protease-mediated dissociation of primary cells, etc.). To circumvent these concerns, we developed a new epithelial cell culture model.
Although chronic aspiration has been associated with several pulmonary diseases, the inflammatory response has not been characterized. A novel rodent model of chronic aspiration was therefore developed in order to investigate the resulting innate immune response in the lung.
The toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a key component of host defense in the respiratory epithelium. Cigarette smoking is associated with increased susceptibility to infection, while COPD is characterised by bacterial colonisation and infective exacerbations.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Vol. 37, pp. 706-719, 2007
Epidemiologic studies have associated exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) with exacerbations of asthma. It is unknown how different sources of PM affect innate immunity.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Vol. 37, pp. 699-705, 2007
Apoptosis of alveolar type II (ATII) cells in response to high-amplitude mechanical stretch represents an important mechanism of ventilation-induced lung injury. Previously, it was demonstrated in an in vitro model that stretch-induced ATII cell apoptosis was prevented by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Vol. 37, pp. 691-698, 2007
We previously reported that neutrophil elastase (NE) stimulated MUC1 gene expression in A549 lung epithelial cells through binding of Sp1 to the MUC1 promoter element. The current study was undertaken to elucidate the complete signaling pathway leading to Sp1 activation.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Vol. 37, pp. 668-680, 2007
Contractile airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells retain the ability for phenotype plasticity in response to multiple stimuli, which equips them with capacity to direct modeling and remodeling during development, and in disease states such as asthma.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Vol. 37, pp. 640-650, 2007
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe interstitial lung disease unresponsive to currently available therapies. In IPF, initial alveolar epithelial cell damage leads to activation of fibroblast-(myo)fibroblasts, which deposit an increased amount of a collagen-rich extracellular matrix.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1208-L1218, 2007
Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are involved in the contribution of airway epithelial cells to the development of inflammation by release of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1194-L1207, 2007
Airway smooth muscle (ASM) hypertrophy and hyperplasia are characteristics of asthma that lead to thickening of the airway wall and obstruction of airflow. Very little is known about mechanisms underlying ASM remodeling, but in vascular smooth muscle, it is known that progression of atherosclerosis depends on the balance of myocyte proliferation and cell death.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1171-L1182, 2007
Adverse events during the perinatal period, like hypoxia, have been associated with adult diseases. In pulmonary vessels, K+ channels play an important role in the regulation of vascular tone.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1156-L1162, 2007
In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants is acknowledged to result in disease development and progression. Cigarette smoke (CS) is known to deplete total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) in the airways.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1163-L1170, 2007
Individuals exposed to dusts from concentrated animal feeding operations report increased numbers of respiratory tract symptoms, and bronchoalveolar lavage samples from such individuals demonstrate elevated lung inflammatory mediators, including interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-6.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1143-L1155, 2007
Alveolar macrophages, which generate high levels of reactive oxygen species, especially O2, are involved in the recruitment of neutrophils to sites of inflammation and injury in the lung, and the generation of chemotactic proteins triggers this cellular recruitment.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1092-L1098, 2007
New discoveries in stem cell biology are making the biology of solid tissues increasingly complex. Important seminal studies demonstrating the presence of damage-resistant cell populations together with new isolation and characterization techniques suggest that stem cells exist in the adult lung.
The main aim of this study was to investigate the personal exposure to diesel and petrol exhaust fumes in occupations when exposure is prevalent and/or high.
Investigative Radiology. 42(12):807-814, December 2007
Extramural paratracheal/-bronchial tumors of the mediastinum and the hilum that cannot be seen in bronchoscopy constitute a particular challenge for transbronchial fine needle aspiration cytology. A software prototype was developed as a guidance tool to visualize extramural targets on computed tomography (CT)-bronchoscopy. A phantom study was conducted to evaluate this guidance tool.
Pediatric Emergency Care. 23(11):812-815, November 2007
When alveolar hemorrhage occurs in association with glomerulonephritis, one of the leading causes is Goodpasture syndrome. We report a case of an adolescent who presented to the emergency department in respiratory distress. Subsequent evaluation was consistent with the diagnosis of Goodpasture syndrome.
An obese body habitus may interfere with diagnosis of potentially life-threatening conditions. This report describes an obese woman who presented with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and diffuse infiltrates.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 92, No. 11 4199-4207
Previous studies on the association between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and sleep apnea (SA) and obesity are inconsistent and/or limited.
This study aimed to understand patient information needs and how best to meet them in order to improve rehabilitation provision and aid disease self-management by exploring experiences of people who had recently completed a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in a community hospital setting.
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, Volume 8, Number 16, November 2007 , pp. 2871-2884(14)
Mometasone furoate dry-powder inhaler (MF-DPI) is an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) used for the treatment of persistent asthma in patients aged - 12 years. MF-DPI has low systemic bioavailability and high glucocorticoid receptor affinity compared with most other ICSs and modifies inflammatory mediators involved in the pathogenesis of asthma.
The current British Thoracic Society guidelines on COPD recommend that patients with COPD exacerbations should be admitted to hospital if they either have partial pressure of arterial oxygen of <7.0 kilopascals (kPa) or if they are living alone.
To estimate the effect of intravenous and nebulised magnesium sulphate upon hospital admissions and pulmonary function in adults and children with acute asthma.
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, Volume 8, Number 17, December 2007 , pp. 3021-3028(8)
Cough-variant asthma is considered as an asthma subset in which chronic cough is the only symptom. It is believed to be more frequent and, hence, sometimes overdiagnosed in children, and shares with typical asthma eosinophilic airway inflammation and consequent bronchial hyper-responsiveness.
In clinical practice there are two sorts of measurements, a) arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaO2, PaCO2) or arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), and b) the transfer capacity for carbon monoxide (TLCO).
Chronic cough is a common and disabling symptom. Recent guidelines have attempted to provide direction in the clinical management of cough in both primary and secondary care. They have also provided a critical review of the available literature and identified gaps in current knowledge.
Clinical Pulmonary Medicine. 14(6):368-371, November 2007
Chylothorax is an uncommon but distinct clinical problem with many causes. We report an unusual patient with chylothorax related to venous thrombosis leading to mechanical obstruction of the lymphatic system occurring in the context of in vitro fertilization. The diagnostic evaluation and treatment of a chylous pleural effusion are reviewed.
The outcome of infections occurring at different anatomic sites caused by ESBL-producing E. coli or K. pneumoniae was retrospectively analysed for a 3-y period. 23 cases were compared to 46 controls with infections caused by third-generation cephalosporin-susceptible strains matched by age, severity of illness and duration of hospitalization before onset of infection.
Pediatric Emergency Care. 23(11):826-828, November 2007
Atrial fibrillation is a rare diagnosis in children and adolescents. We report a case of a 17-year-old previously healthy boy who presented to the emergency department with a 3-week history of shortness of breath, chest pain, and 1 episode of hemoptysis.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1300-L1305, 2007
Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) preserves systemic arterial oxygenation during lung injury by diverting blood flow away from poorly ventilated lung regions. Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is characterized by pulmonary inflammation, lung edema, and impaired HPV leading to systemic hypoxemia.
We tested the hypothesis that tumor necrosis factor- (TNF) induces barrier dysfunction of pulmonary microvessel endothelial monolayers (PMEM) mediated by specific tyrosine residues in Beta-actin.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1118-L1126, 2007
In vascular smooth muscle, specialized membrane microdomains (caveolae) expressing the scaffolding protein caveolin-1 are thought to facilitate cellular signal transduction.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Vol. 37, pp. 729-738, 2007
Silicosis is an occupational lung disease resulting from the inhalation of silica particles over prolonged periods of time, which causes chronic inflammation and progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Alveolar macrophages (AM) are critical effector cells, while less is known about the role and function of pulmonary dendritic cells (DC) in silicosis.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Vol. 37, pp. 748-755, 2007
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with defective efferocytosis (apoptosis and alveolar macrophage [AM] phagocytic function) that may lead to secondary necrosis and tissue damage.
Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 19(6):680-684, December 2007
Childhood asthma and obesity are significant public health problems. The prevalence of both disorders has increased considerably in the past decade. This review will highlight recent publications regarding the nature of the relationship between asthma and obesity and the clinical effects of obesity in children with asthma.
Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) frequently occurs in patients with severe heart failure during sleep and may increase mortality. Daytime CSR supposedly poses an even greater risk, but its prevalence and prognostic importance remain elusive. Therefore, we investigated the circadian prevalence of CSR and its influence on survival in patients with heart failure.
Despite airway pressure limitation, acute cor pulmonale persists in a minority of ARDS patients. Insufficient airway pressure limitation, hypercapnia, or both may be responsible. Because prone positioning (PP) has been shown to be a safe way to reduce airway pressure and to improve alveolar ventilation, we decided to assess its effect on right ventricular (RV) pressure overload in ARDS patients.
When fluid administration fails to restore an adequate arterial pressure and organ perfusion in patients with septic shock, therapy with vasopressor agents should be initiated. The ultimate goals of such therapy in patients with shock are to restore effective tissue perfusion and to normalize cellular metabolism.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1359-L1368, 2007
Epithelial-specific Ets (ESE) transcription factors, consisting of ESE-1, ESE-2, and ESE-3, are constitutively expressed in distinct epithelia of mucosal tissues, including the lung. Each ESE member exhibits alternative splicing and yields at least two isoforms (a and b) with transcriptional targets largely unidentified.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1321-L1331, 2007
Cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion controls the morphology and function of epithelial cells and is a critical component of the pathology of chronic inflammatory disorders. Dynamic interactions between cadherins and the actin cytoskeleton are required for stable cell-cell contact.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1339-L1347, 2007
Widespread damage of airway epithelium and defective epithelial repair are hallmarks of chronic asthma. Growth factors and cytokines spatially and temporally regulate epithelial shedding and repair.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1293-L1299, 2007
Surfactant protein D (SP-D) and neutrophils participate in the early innate immune response to influenza A virus (IAV) infection. SP-D increases neutrophil uptake of IAV and modulates neutrophil respiratory burst responses to IAV; however, neutrophil proteases have been shown to degrade SP-D, and human neutrophil peptide defensins bind to SP-D and can cause precipitation of SP-D from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1281-L1292, 2007
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-Beta upregulates plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in a variety of cell types, and PAI-1 is considered to be an essential factor for the development of fibrosis.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1314-L1320, 2007
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) play critical roles in development, maintenance, and repair following injury or disease in the lung. Their activity is modulated by a variety of factors, including FGF-binding protein (FGF-BP; HBp-17) and N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1 (NDST-1). Functionally, FGF-BP shuttles FGFs from binding sites in ECMs to cell surfaces and enhances FGF binding and signaling, whereas NDST-1 adds sulfate groups to FGF coreceptor proteoglycans and modulates alveolar type II (ATII) cell maturation and differentiation.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: L1348-L1358, 2007
Muscarinic receptors and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors synergistically induce proliferation of airway smooth muscle (ASM), but the pathways that regulate these effects are not yet completely identified. We hypothesized that glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), a kinase that represses several promitogenic signaling pathways in its unphosphorylated form, is cooperatively inhibited by PDGF and muscarinic receptors in immortalized human ASM cell lines.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is common in patients with various airway diseases. Airway epithelial cells can release growth factors that promote fibroblast proliferation. Exposure of airway epithelium to bile acids may induce a fibrotic response.
Research was conducted in order to assess potential exposure to asbestos while harvesting firewood from amphibole-contaminated trees near Libby, MT, USA. Three firewood-harvesting simulations took place in the summer and fall of 2006 in the Kootenai Forest inside the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricted zone surrounding the former W.R. Grace vermiculite mine.
International Journal of Clinical Practice doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2007.01443.x
There is evidence suggesting that the respiratory response to sedation is different in patients with sleep apnoea, which is common in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). This study examined the respiratory response of sedation with propofol and alfentanil, whose pharmacokinetics are not affected by the renal function, in CRF patients.
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, Volume 8, Number 17, December 2007 , pp. 3069-3084(16)
Formoterol, a long-acting Beta2-adrenergic agonist, is used as an inhaled bronchodilator therapy for patients with asthma or for the prevention of exercise-induced bronchospasm in children and in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug worldwide. Long-term use of cannabis is known to cause chronic bronchitis and airflow obstruction, but the prevalence of macroscopic emphysema, the dose-response relationship and the dose equivalence of cannabis with tobacco has not been determined.
The external intercostal muscles are chronically exposed to increased inspiratory loading and to continuous hypoxia-reoxygenation cycles in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). It was therefore hypothesised that oxidative stress levels would be increased in these muscles, and that treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) would modify the oxidative stress levels and improve muscle dysfunction.
To ascertain whether therapeutic equivalence exists for the treatment of paediatric community acquired pneumonia by the oral and intravenous (IV) routes.
A major concern with the GOLD criteria for defining chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is that the use of 70% as a fixed cut-off for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) will add a significant number of false positives compared with the use of a true lower limit of normal.
A retrospective analysis of data from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) performed by Mannino et al1 concludes that older adults with borderline abnormal spirometry results have an increased risk of death and hospitalisations related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important disease from a public health perspective, with a number of preventable occupational, environmental and personal risk factors. The Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) was implemented to raise awareness of COPD and to improve the prevention and treatment of this lung disease.
Survival rates for extensive small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have not improved dramatically in the past 3 years. Brain metastases are common in this disease and indicative of a poor prognosis. This study evaluated the effect of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) on the incidence of symptomatic brain metastasis in extensive SCLC.
Overproduction of mucus is an important cause of death in asthma. This study investigated the role of -aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthetic enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and the subtype A GABA receptor (GABAAR) in airway epithelial cells and mouse models and their roles in asthma.
Lung transplantation is the only treatment modality that provides a survival advantage in pulmonary fibrosis, but many patients deemed suitable will die awaiting lung transplantation. While donor organ shortage undoubtedly contributes to this, late referral to the transplant centre may also play a role.
Impaired lung function is associated with systemic inflammation and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in older adults. It is unknown when these associations emerge and to what extent they are mediated by smoking, chronic airways disease, and/or established atherosclerosis.
Recent studies have indicated long-term effects on mortality of particulate and sulphur dioxide (SO2) pollution, but uncertainties remain over the size of any effects, potential latency and generalisability.
Over a decade of careful clinicopathological investigation has characterised the allergen-triggered Th2 response in asthma that leads to eosinophilic airway inflammation. This research has directed drug discovery programmes and we now have effective treatment for most steps in the eosinophilic asthma pathway.
In the 1980s the comfortable belief that air pollution was no longer a public health issue was shaken by the appearance of the Six Cities study from the USA which revealed dose-related health effects (ranging from symptoms to mortality) at levels of air pollutants at that time considered to be safe.
Cannabis (or marijuana) is not only the most widely used illegal drug in the western world but, after tobacco, also the most commonly smoked substance. In the UK almost 50% of young adults have tried to smoke cannabis at some time.
Breathing is easy-we all do it all of the time from the moment we are born. So why should it be necessary to teach people how to breathe? How is it possible to get something wrong when it appears so simple? And, if it is wrong, can it be corrected?
The relationship between airway structural changes and inflammation is unclear in early cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. A study was undertaken to determine changes in airway remodelling in children with CF compared with appropriate disease and healthy controls.
Roflumilast is a targeted oral once-daily administered phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor with clinical efficacy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Results from in vitro studies with roflumilast indicate that it has anti-inflammatory properties that may be applicable for the treatment of COPD.
The Society can congratulate itself on many things as it celebrates its 25th anniversary, but unquestionably one of the ways in which it has made an impact is as a producer of clinical guidelines. Guidelines are the most frequently visited section of our own website, and the BTS/SIGN asthma guideline1 has had more hits than any other on the SIGN site.
The 25th anniversary of the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and the 60th anniversary of the Society’s journal, Thorax, seems an appropriate time to take stock of where we have come from, where we are now and where we wish to be in the future. Our beginning had its roots in the industrial revolution with poor and overcrowded housing and the ever present scourge of tuberculosis (TB).
As the British Thoracic Society (BTS) comes to the end of its 25th anniversary year, several articles in this issue of Thorax have been commissioned to provide accounts of some of the important developments in respiratory medicine that have impacted on practice.
The textbook space dedicated to specific diseases usually reflects the importance of the disease at the time of publication. In Sir Wilfred Sheldon’s "Diseases of Infancy and Childhood" published in 1951, the top five respiratory disorders were tuberculosis (36), suppurative lung disease (22), pneumonia (20), croup, diphtheria and bronchitis (12) and asthma (10), where the figures in parentheses reflect the relative percentage page space of the five disorders.
It seems surprising now, but the concept of respiratory failure is quite a recent development in respiratory medicine. Up until the middle of the 20th century, when chest physicians were dealing primarily with tuberculosis, it was virtually overlooked.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a topic of clinical concern and active research that is strongly represented at the meetings of the British Thoracic Society and in Thorax. This has not always been the case and, for rather different reasons, this disease may not be as important in future decades because the impact of COPD-at least in the developing world-should finally diminish over the next 20 years.
Non-eosinophilic asthma is a potentially important clinicopathological phenotype since there is evidence that it responds poorly to inhaled corticosteroid therapy. However, little is known about the underlying airway immunopathology and there are no data from placebo-controlled studies examining the effect of inhaled corticosteroids.
Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1) metabolises xenobiotics including polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Functional variants at this locus have been associated with respiratory diseases. The effects of EPHX1 variants may depend upon exposures from tobacco smoke and traffic emissions that contain PAHs as well as variants in other enzymes in the PAH metabolic pathway such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes.
An integrated breathing and relaxation technique known as the Papworth method has been implemented by physiotherapists since the 1960s for patients with asthma and dysfunctional breathing, but no controlled trials have been reported. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Papworth method in a randomised controlled trial.
It has been reported that Chlamydophila (C.) pneumoniae is involved in the initiation and promotion of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Surprisingly, the effect of C. pneumoniae on airway function has never been investigated.
The Angle Orthodontist: Vol. 77, No. 6, pp. 1054-1061
To determine if there is an indicator on the lateral cephalometric radiograph that can be used for the differential diagnosis of severe obstruct sleep apnea syndrome and simple snoring in nonobese young male adults.
Immunology Volume 122, Number 4, December 2007 , pp.
457-465(9)
The effect of infection history on the immune response is ignored in most models of infectious disease and in preclinical vaccination studies. No one, however, is naïve and repeated microbial exposure, in particular during childhood, shapes the immune system to respond more efficiently later in life. Concurrent or sequential infections influence the immune response to secondary unrelated pathogens.
To investigate the effectiveness of passive antibody treatment as post-exposure therapy for ricin, we had developed an oropharyngeal aspiration model for ricin lethal challenge and antibody administration. When polyclonal anti-deglycosylated ricin A-chain antibody (dgA Ab) was administered between 1-18 hr after ricin challenge, all animals survived while delayed treatment to 24 hr resulted in 30% survival.
COPD is characterized by a persistent airflow limitation that is not fully reversible; thus, the reversibility of airflow limitations in response to a bronchodilator is an important component of COPD.
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. 8(6):546-550, November 2007
To evaluate in children with bronchiolitis requiring mechanical ventilation the association between blood glucose level and duration of mechanical ventilation and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay.
Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, Volume 28, Number 5, September/October 2007 , pp. 544-549(6)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of esophageal candidiasis in asthma patients who are on inhaled steroids without any other risk factors for esophageal candidiasis by comparing the treatment group with the control group.
Clinical Pulmonary Medicine. 14(6):346-349, November 2007
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A significant part of both the clinical and economic burden of the disease is associated with acute exacerbations and this has led to a desire to refine the processes of care involved, both to improve patient experience and reduce costs.
Clinical Pulmonary Medicine. 14(6):321-329, November 2007
Macrolides and new quinolones remain the mainstay therapy of Legionnaires disease. An early administration of effective therapy is a key factor for a successful outcome, especially in severe cases and in the immunocompromised population. Among macrolides, azithromycin and clarithromycin offer a better pharmacokinetic profile than erythromycin. New quinolones and azithromycin are both able to cause an irreversible inhibition of Legionella growth.
Clinical Pulmonary Medicine. 14(6):350-359, November 2007
Patient-ventilator asynchrony, in which the patient's inspiration fails to coincide exactly with the ventilator's insufflation, is common in clinical practice. Studies suggest that nearly one-fourth of intubated patients exhibit frequent asynchrony during assisted ventilation. Frequent asynchrony is associated with longer duration of mechanical ventilation, because it may reflect not only greater disease severity, but also inappropriate ventilator settings.
The Internet Journal of Pulmonary Medicine. 2007. Volume 8 Number 1
Silicone is a material with minimal tissue reaction, which is utilized by physicians and illegally by nonmedical personnel. "Cleopatra's Needle", "pumping party" are terms used to describe the liquid silicone injection of breasts in the buxom belles of Hollywood and Las Vegas. Unfortunately, its use is associated with severe adverse effects, including death. This case report describes silicone embolism syndrome in a young female who had subcutaneous liquid silicone injections prior to admission. The patient presented to the hospital with respiratory distress, hemoptysis, and bilateral lower lobe consolidation. During observation we did not find any signs of infection, and all other rare causes were excluded.
Exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) measurements are used as a surrogate marker for eosinophilic airway inflammation. However, many constitutional and environmental factors affect FENO, making it difficult to devise reference values. Our aim was to evaluate the relative importance of factors affecting FENO in a well characterised adult population.
What
is RSS?
