Search results for " Respiratory System"

Anti-interleukin-5 therapy (mepolizumab) in life-threatening asthma attack: A case-based discussion

2019

We report about a case of a compassionate off-label use of the anti-interleukin-5-agent mepolizumab in a ventilated patient with life-threatening asthma attack in eosinophilic asthma. The patient suffered from severe eosinophilic asthma and was transmitted to our hospital with an asthma attack and a life-threatening respiratory state under ventilation. Since high dose steroids had not yielded a sufficient respiratory improvement mepolizumab was administered subcutaneously. After administration of mepolizumab respiratory state and ventilation parameter improved significantly. Two days after administration the patient was weaned could be extubated 8 days later and recovered completely from th…

Factors that increase wheezing risk in nursing infants in the first year of life

2016

Role of menopause and hormone replacement therapy in sleep-disordered breathing

2020

There are suggestions that the loss of female sex hormones following menopause is critical for the development or progression of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). We conducted a review of the literature on the role of menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in SDB risk. There is an increase in SDB during the menopausal transition period, but data on an effect beyond that of increasing age and changes in body habitus are weak or absent. Early community-based, observational studies reported a protective effect by HRT on SDB prevalence, but this could possibly be explained as a healthy user effect. Interventional studies of the effect of HRT on SDB are sparse, with only a few randomize…

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema as a complication of asthma in children: case report and literature review

2016

Background:Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is an uncommon disorder. It is rarely reported in paediatric patients and may be accompanied by subcutaneous emphysema. It is usually benign and self-limiting, with only supportive therapy being needed, but severe cases may require invasive measures. Asthma exacerbations have classically been described as a cause of SPM. However, detailed descriptions in asthmatic children are scarce. We aimed at improving the current understanding of the features of SPM and subcutaneous emphysema, and outcomes, by means of a case report and a systematic review.Methods:For the systematic review a literature search was performed in PubMed to identify reported ca…

CAT score single item analysis in patients with COPD: results from COSYCONET

2019

Abstract The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is in widespread use for the evaluation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We assessed whether the CAT items carry additional information beyond the sum score regarding COPD characteristics including emphysema. Patients of GOLD grades 1 to 4 from the COPD cohort COSYCONET (German COPD and Systemic Consequences - Comorbidities Network) with complete CAT data were included (n = 2270), of whom 493 had chest CT evaluated for the presence of emphysema. Comorbidities and lung function were assessed following standardised procedures. Cross-sectional data analysis was based on multiple regression analysis of the single CAT items ag…

Two pathways, one patient; UK asthma guidelines

2018

The first widely disseminated ‘asthma guideline’ came out of Australia and New Zealand in 1989,1 followed shortly by the British Thoracic Society (BTS) in 1990,2 the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Expert Panel Report in 19913 and the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) strategy document in 1995.4 All have benefited from regular updates, the BTS collaborating with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) since 2003, most recently in 2016.5 Each new iteration of the asthma guidelines was written by experts in the field and based on best available evidence. It is not known whether these guidelines (or any others) have improved the care of people with asthm…

Serum Surfactant Protein D as a Marker of Asthma Severity

2016

Why small particle fixed dose triple therapy? An excursus from COPD pathology to pharmacological treatment evolution

2022

Although bronchodilators are the cornerstone in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) therapy, the treatment with a single-agent bronchodilator may not provide adequate symptoms control in COPD. The combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action may be more effective in inducing bronchodilation and preventing exacerbations, with a lower risk of side-effects in comparison with the increase of the dose of a single molecule. Several studies comparing the triple therapy with the association of long-acting ß2 agonist (LABA)/inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) or long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA)/LABA reported improvement of lung function and quality of life. A significant reduc…

The Neochord Procedure After Failed Surgical Mitral Valve Repair.

2021

Surgical mitral valve reintervention is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and repeat repair is not always feasible. We examine the clinical outcomes of the NeoChord procedure after failed conventional mitral valve repair. A total of 312 patients were treated with the NeoChord repair procedure between January 2014 and December 2018 at 5 European centers. Clinical and echocardiographic data were reviewed to identify patients who had a prior surgical mitral valve repair procedure. The primary endpoint (Patient Success) was a composite of placement of at least 2 neochordae and end-procedure mitral valve regurgitation (MR) ≤ mild, freedom from death, stroke, structural or func…

Mild obstructive sleep apnoea: clinical relevance and approaches to management

2015

Summary Obstructive sleep apnoea is highly prevalent in the general population worldwide, especially in its mild form. Clinical manifestations correlate poorly with disease severity measured by the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI), which complicates diagnosis. Full polysomnography might be more appropriate to assess suspected mild cases because limited ambulatory diagnostic systems are least accurate in mild disease. Treatment options in mild obstructive sleep apnoea include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oral appliance therapy, in addition to positional therapy and weight reduction when appropriate. The superior efficacy of CPAP in reducing AHI is offset by greater tolerance of…