Search results for "respiratory disease"
showing 10 items of 278 documents
Diagnosis of a Case of Lipoid Pneumonia by Bronchoalveolar Lavage
1987
Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) was diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in a 57-year-old woman with a long history of using oily nose drops. Since clinical and roentgenological presentations are nonspecific, BAL, along with specific staining of recovered alveolar macrophages, represents a safe alternative to more invasive diagnostic procedures whenever a diagnosis of ELP is suspected.
GM-CSF expression by human lung microvascular endothelial cells: in vitro and in vivo findings.
2002
Recently, many findings indicate that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic lung diseases. In the present paper, the production of this cytokine in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMEC) is investigated. In an in vitro study, quiescent HPMEC did not express GM-CSF, either at the transcriptional or at the protein level. After activation for 4 h with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (30/300 U/ml), lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.1/1 μg/ml), or interleukin (IL)-1β (100 U/ml), a significant release of GM-CSF was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, with a time-dependent increase over 72 h. IL…
Airway remodeling in asthma.
2003
Chronic inflammation and remodeling may follow acute inflammation or may begin insidiously as a low-grade smoldering response, especially in the case of immune reactions. The histologic hallmarks of chronic inflammation and remodeling are as follows: (1) infiltration by macrophages and lymphocytes; (2) proliferation of fibroblasts that may take the form of myofibroblasts; (3) angiogenesis; (4) increased connective tissue (fibrosis); and (5) tissue destruction. It is clear that changes in the extracellular matrix, smooth muscle, and mucous glands have the capacity to influence airway function and reactivity in asthma patients. However, it is not known how each of the many structural changes …
Do Saharan Dust Days Carry a Risk of Hospitalization From Respiratory Diseases for Citizens of the Canary Islands (Spain)?
2021
Background: Saharan dust meets the Canary Islands at the beginning of its westward path across the North Atlantic, exceeding the European daily levels for PM10; for this reason, their two provincial capital cities, constitute optimal sites where to evaluate the health effects of this natural event. Objectives: To assess the short-term association between Saharan Dust Days (SDDs) and respiratory morbidity in the two capital cities. Methods: We carried out a time-series analysis with daily emergency hospital admissions due to all respiratory system diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma between 2001 and 2005, assessing the independent effect of SDDs, defined accordi…
Impact of allergic rhinitis on asthma: effects on bronchodilation testing
2008
A remarkable relationship exists between the upper and lower airways. Bronchial obstruction is a paramount feature of asthma, and its reversibility is considered a main step in asthma diagnosis.To investigate the degree of bronchodilation and possible risk factors related to it in patients with moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis alone.A total of 375 patients with moderate-severe persistent allergic rhinitis and 115 controls were prospectively and consecutively evaluated by means of clinical examination, skin prick testing, spirometry, and bronchodilation testing.Patients with rhinitis showed a significant increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV) after bronchodilation…
Questionnaires, spirometry and PEF monitoring in epidemiological studies on elderly respiratory patients.
2003
Questionnaires are the most used subjective instrument of measurement in respiratory epidemiology. The standardisation of the questionnaires aims to limit bias by maximising validity and reliability, and comparability. Within the European Union project BIOMED1, a compendium of respiratory standard questionnaires (CORSQ) was developed for adults covering 18 topics from general information to early life events, through environmental risk factors and respiratory symptoms and diseases. Reliable spirometry data needs a rigorous quality control programme, as in the "Salute Respiratoria nell'Anziano" (Sa.R.A.) project, Italian for "Respiratory Health in the Elderly". Reproducibility rates were 95.…
Small airways function and molecular markers in exhaled air in mild asthma.
2005
Background: Several studies suggest that the periphery of the lung is the major site of inflammation in asthma. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and 8-isoprostane have been proposed as biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. We therefore hypothesised that small airway dysfunction in asthma is of inflammatory origin that can be detected by molecular markers in exhaled air. To test this hypothesis, we examined the relationship of FeNO and 8-isoprostane in exhaled air with small airways function as assessed by the single breath nitrogen test. Methods: Sixteen patients (14 women) with mild atopic asthma (forced expiratory volume in 1 second >80% predicted) of mean (SD) age 23.0 (…
Extracorporeal circulation and cardiac arrest in an awake patient: a safe approach for single lung pulmonary artery stenting?
2005
We describe the anesthetic concept and approach in a single lung patient scheduled for pulmonary artery stenting due to recurrence of a pulmonary artery sarcoma after left pneumectomy.
Transient Pulmonary Infiltrates during Treatment with Anti-Thymocyte Globulin
1999
We report the case of a 54-year-old woman with aplastic anemia, who developed transient pulmonary infiltrates following intravenous infusion of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG) for 3 days. There was no other explanation than the infusion of ATG for the infiltrates. Rechallenge with ATG induced the recurrence of opacities on the chest radiograph. Although rarely involved with only 4 previous reports, ATG should be included in the list of drugs capable of inducing pulmonary infiltrates.
A simple noninvasive pressure–time index at the mouth to measure respiratory load during acute exacerbation of COPD A comparison with normal voluntee…
2003
We assessed the validity of the pressure-time index (PTI) measured at the mouth as a noninvasive and simplified alternative to conventional tension-time index for assessing respiratory load and inspiratory muscle force reserve. PTI was measured within 48 h of hospital admission and at 24 h before discharge in 37 consecutive patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using the equation PTI = (P(awo)/MIP)(T(I)/T(T)) 100, where P(awo) is the mean airway pressure measured at the mouth, MIP the maximal inspiratory pressure, and T(I)/T(T) the inspiratory time (T(I)) to total cycle length (T(T)) ratio. Controls were 30 normal volunteers with similar anthropome…