Search results for "IRC"
showing 10 items of 5754 documents
The effect of challenge method on methacholine-induced changes in sensitivity and air trapping
2010
Summary Background The methacholine challenge test performed with the tidal breathing method induces a greater fall in FEV 1 than the dosimeter method; however, the effect of the challenge method on methacholine-induced fall in FVC has not been investigated. Objective To determine the influence of the challenge method on methacholine-induced changes in FEV 1 and FVC. Methods Airway responsiveness to methacholine was determined by dosimeter method and tidal breathing method in 37 subjects with suspected asthma. The dosimeter was modified to deliver an identical volume to that obtained with the tidal breathing method and the same nebulizer model was used for the two challenges. The response w…
Cardiac surgery outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A case-series report
2020
Abstract Objective The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the postoperative course of patients after cardiac surgery is unknown. We experienced a major severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak in our cardiac surgery unit, with several patients who tested positive early after surgery. Here we describe the characteristics, postoperative course, and laboratory findings of these patients, along with the fate of the health care workers. We also discuss how we reorganize and reallocate hospital resources to resume the surgical activity without further positive patients. Methods After diagnosis of the first symptomatic patient, surgery was suspended. Naso…
The Lack of the Bronchoprotective and Not the Bronchodilatory Ability of Deep Inspiration Is Associated with Airway Hyperresponsiveness
2001
In healthy subjects, deep inspiration (DI) acts both as a bronchodilator and a bronchoprotector. The latter is impaired in asthmatics. We have now evaluated whether the lack of bronchoprotection is related to bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), and whether the bronchodilatory effect is also lost in asthmatics. Ten healthy subjects (PC20 > 75 mg/ml), 12 asthmatics with moderate to severe BHR (PC20 < 1 mg/ml), 14 asthmatics with mild to borderline BHR (1 < PC20 < 25 mg/ml), and 10 rhinitics with mild to borderline BHR (1 < PC20 < 25 mg/ml) underwent single-dose methacholine provocations inducing at least 20% reduction in FEV1 after 20 min of DI inhibition. To measure the bronchodilatory effe…
Effects of Inhaled Fenoterol on the Circadian Rhythm of Expiratory Flow in Allergic Bronchial Asthma
1983
Metered-dose aerosol treatment with fenoterol for three consecutive days, in eight patients suffering from allergic asthma, caused the disappearance of FEV1 and MEF50 circadian rhythm. We attribute such behavior to the suppression of the bronchomotor tone induced by fenoterol. The administration on different days of a single dose of fenoterol aerosol in another group of eight patients pointed out the variability of the effects of the drug at different hours of the day. We believe the results obtained are important for a better dosage and time distribution of the therapy with beta2 agonists.
Characteristics and Prognostic Value of Morning Dipping of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in Stable Asthmatic Subjects
1985
Characteristics and prognostic relevance of morning dip of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were evaluated in stable asthmatic subjects. Among 246 outpatients monitored four times daily for two weeks, 38 (group A) showed a significant difference between morning reading of PEFR and each of the others; they were compared to 38 randomly selected patients (group B) not showing morning dip in PEFR. Less frequent seasonal course, extrinsic pathogenesis, and sensitization to mites characterized group A; starting airflow limitation was more severe in those with morning dip, but no significant difference between mean PEFR measured throughout two weeks was found. At 6 to 12 weeks, morning dip was not…
Is it possible to predict which patients with mild pneumonias will develop hypoxemia?
2009
SummaryUsually, mortality due to mild community-acquired pneumonias (CAP) (Pneumonia severity index (PSI) classes I–III) is low (<3%), but the appearance of hypoxemia significantly increases mortality. Our aim was to determine the clinical parameters associated with risk factors of developing hypoxemia in subjects with mild CAP (PSI I–III) and the clinical outcomes of the hypoxemic group.We analyzed clinical characteristics and the outcomes of patients with mild CAP and hypoxemia (PaO2/FiO2<300), in a prospective, multicenter cohort study of 1195 patients.Mild pneumonias (PSI I–III) were found in 645 cases (53.9%), of which 217 (33.6%) presented hypoxemia according to a PaO2/FiO2<300. Patie…
Spontaneous gastroesophageal reflux and airway patency during the night in adult asthmatics
2000
Controversies still exist on the role of nighttime gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in precipitating nocturnal asthma. We tested the relationship between GER and nocturnal bronchoconstriction by continuously and simultaneously monitoring both respiratory resistances and esophageal pH in seven asthmatics with moderate to severe GER disease. Twenty-nine GER episodes were found during the study night lasting more than 5 min (LGER) and 72 not longer than 5 min (SGER). Both long (LGER) and short (SGER) gastroesophageal refluxes were able to maintain significantly higher lower respiratory resistances (RLR) at the resolution of each GER episode (RLR(e)) with respect to baseline values. RLR, expressed…
Predicting hypoxia in cystic fibrosis patients during exposure to high altitudes
2006
Abstract Background For patients with cystic fibrosis (CF)-related partial respiratory insufficiency and reduced arterial oxygen tension at ground level, the mild hypobaric environment on commercial jet aircraft poses the risk of severe hypoxemia. Thus, physicians should be able to estimate the extent of in-flight hypoxia. Objectives To derive tools for estimating the expected drop in arterial oxygen partial pressure (paO 2 ) and oxygen saturation (saO 2 ) in young adult CF patients with mild to moderate airway obstruction during exposure to the hypobaric conditions aboard commercial aircraft and to test the predictive power of a hypobaric chamber simulation. Methods Blood gases of 12 CF pa…
Improvement of tricuspid regurgitation after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy
2002
For patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension who undergo pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) it has not yet been systematically investigated how operation affects the severity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). This study sought (1) to evaluate the extent of TR reversibility after operation, (2) to identify potential predictors of the reversibility of TR, and (3) to investigate the influence of geometric and hemodynamic alterations on the extent of TR severity.Thirty-nine patients (55+/-12 years) undergoing PTE without tricuspid valve repair were investigated before and 13+/-8 days after operation by Doppler color flow mapping. Geometry of the tricuspid valve as well as r…
Human dopamine receptor D2/D3 availability predicts amygdala reactivity to unpleasant stimuli
2009
r r Abstract: Dopamine (DA) modulates the response of the amygdala. However, the relation between dopa- minergic neurotransmission in striatal and extrastriatal brain regions and amygdala reactivity to affective stimuli has not yet been established. To address this issue, we measured DA D2/D3 receptor (DRD2/3) availability in twenty-eight healthy men (nicotine-dependent smokers and never-smokers) using positron emission tomography with ( 18 F)fallypride. In the same group of participants, amygdala response to unpleasant visual stimuli was determined using blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional mag- netic resonance imaging. The effects of DRD2/3 availability in emotion-related brain …