Search results for "PULMONARY"

Pathologies currently identified by exhaled biomarkers.

2013

Ancient Greek physicians already knew that the smell of human breath could provide a clue to the pathology. Nowadays, volatile breath biomarkers are known to be released in a broad range of diseases. However, their identification, isolation, and quantification as indicative of relevant alterations in clinical status have required the development of new techniques and analytical methods. Breath sample analysis encounters several obstacles. Particularly, there is a need of a system that could work in a continuous manner, with the low concentration and small volume of a sample. Herein we review, in the light of literature and our experience, clinical applications of the metal oxide semiconduct…

New Therapeutic Aspects in Fulminant Hepatic Failure

1991

Amiodarone Pneumonitis

1992

Amiodarone (Am) pneumonitis is currently a common and potentially severe adverse reaction, the accurate diagnosis of which remains difficult to establish. Objectives: To determine the contribution of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in the diagnostic workup of patients suspected of having Am pneumonitis. Methods: Diagnosis of Am pneumonitis was established on the basis of (1) development of recent symptoms and pulmonary opacities while receiving the drug, (2) exclusion of other possible causes, and (3) improvement following cessation of Am and/or steroid therapy. (4) Confirmatory changes were obtained by histopathologic examination in eight cases. BAL was performed in each patient at the time o…

Eligibility of real-life patients with copd for inclusion in rcts: A commentary

2017

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are performed to provide evidence to support treatment decisions. Based on the nature of those studies and the need to avoid confounding factors, it has been argued that the population selected in RCTs only partially represents the real-life population. This assumption casts doubts on the applicability of the results provided by RCTs in the management of individuals with an established diagnosis of COPD, and advocates the need for complementary studies with a pragmatic design. Herein, we comment on the recent article published by Halpin and colleagues on the Journal [Halpin et al, Respir Res 17:120, 2016], in which higher rates of inclusions in RCTs for COP…

Oropharyngeal dysphagia: when swallowing disorders meet respiratory diseases

2017

We were very interested in the comments made by I. Cavedies and co-workers regarding our paper entitled “Oropharyngeal dysphagia: when swallowing disorders meet respiratory diseases” [1].

The value of FeNO measurement in childhood asthma: uncertainties and perspectives

2013

Asthma is considered an heterogeneous disease, requiring multiple biomarkers for diagnosis and management. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide in exhaled breath (FeNO) was the first useful non-invasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma and still is the most widely used. The non-invasive nature and the relatively easy use of FeNO technique make it an interesting tool to monitor airway inflammation and rationalize corticosteroid therapy in asthmatic patients, together with the traditional clinical tools (history, physical examination and lung function tests), even if some controversies have been published regarding the use of FeNO to support the management of asthma in children. The problem…

Eligibility for treatment with omalizumab in Italy and Germany.

2013

Summary Omalizumab is an add-on therapy for patients with uncontrolled severe allergic asthma. In Europe, patients must fulfil a number of additional criteria to become eligible for omalizumab therapy, creating a challenge for epidemiology studies to quantify the potential patient pool. Thus, and in the absence of robust data, the number of omalizumab-eligible patients has remained unclear. To assess eligible patient numbers, a chart-audit design approach was employed to measure epidemiology variables based on patient-level data. 770 patient charts were reviewed in designated towns in Germany and Italy, in collaboration with >200 primary care physicians (PCPs) and respiratory specialists (R…

On-line Italian register for severe/non-controlled asthma

2013

Background Severe/Non-controlled asthma (SNCA) is a crucial challenge for physicians and a socio-economic burden for National Health Services (NHS). In Italy more than 50% of costs for asthma (1-2% of total NHS expenditure) are due to SNCA and moreover, within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, Italy was the country with the lowest % of ICS daily use (29%) and with the highest % of subjects with uncontrolled asthma despite treatment (67% vs an overall European mean of 47%). Despite few data from very selected centers, in our country a precise estimate of the epidemiological figures and the disease related costs for SNCA is not available. Thus, we aimed at instituting of an on…

Haemoptysis: a frequent diagnostic challenge

2015

We appreciate and agree with the comments of M. Mondoni and colleagues, that the results of the ongoing prospective Italian multicentre trial ([www.ClinicalTrial.gov][1] identifier [NCT02045394][2]) will be of considerable interest for the management of haemoptysis, a frequent and severe symptom, especially since there is no clear consensus concerning aetiology and treatment. Interestingly, beyond determining the prevalence of diseases that may present with haemoptysis, their epidemiological results will be analysed according to the severity of the symptom. More importantly, their trial will hopefully make it possible to analyse the sensitivity and specificity of complementary tests, such a…

Branch ligatures and blood aspiration for post-traumatic superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm: surgical technique

2014

The aim of this study is to report a new minimally invasive technique of superficial temporal artery (STA) pseudoaneurysm treatment. Several surgical options have been employed to treat STA pseudoaneurysms. To address this rare condition, the employed techniques are ligation and excision of the aneurysm, endovascular coil embolization or percutaneous ultrasound-guided thrombin injection. Between techniques no significant differences are reported in terms of outcomes. The decision to adopt a technique depends on STA pseudoaneurysm morphology and surgeon preference. In the present report, STA pseudoaneurysm afferent and efferent branches were identified by ultrasound in a 92-year-old female. …