Jornal brasileiro de pneumologia : publicaça̋o oficial da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisilogia
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Nosocomial pneumonia, especially ventilator-associated pneumonia, is a common infection in ICUs. The main etiologic factors involve colonizing and opportunistic bacteria from the oral cavity. Oral hygiene measures, including the use of oral antiseptic agents, such as chlorhexidine, have proven useful in reducing its incidence. The objective of this article was to review the literature on the importance of the oral environment in the development of nosocomial pneumonia.
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To evaluate characteristics of physical activities in daily life in COPD patients in Brazil, correlating those characteristics with physiological variables. ⋯ This sample of Brazilian patients with COPD, although more active than those evaluated in studies conducted in Europe, were less active than were the controls. Walking time/day correlated only moderately with maximal and functional exercise capacity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Air stacking and chest compression increase peak cough flow in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
To evaluate cough efficiency using two manually-assisted cough techniques. ⋯ Both chest compression and air stacking techniques were efficient in increasing PCF. However, the combination of these two techniques had a significant additional effect (p < 0.0001).
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Comparative Study
Computer-assisted evaluation of pulmonary emphysema in CT scans: comparison between a locally developed system and a freeware system.
To present a locally developed system of computer vision for use with HRCT images, designated SIStema para a Detecção e a quantificação de Enfisema Pulmonar (SISDEP, System to Detect and Quantify Pulmonary Emphysema), and to compare this system with a freeware system tool. ⋯ The SISDEP was efficient in segmenting the lungs and quantifying lung hyperinflation, presenting an excellent correlation with the Osiris system. The SISDEP constitutes a promising computational tool for diagnosing and assessing the progression of emphysema in HRCT images of COPD patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Factors associated with the minimal clinically important difference for health-related quality of life after physical conditioning in patients with COPD.
To identify factors associated with the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after physical conditioning in patients with COPD. ⋯ Achieving the MCID for HRQoL after physical conditioning is associated with dyspnea reduction in COPD patients. Therefore, there is a need to develop treatment strategies designed to interrupt the dyspnea-inactivity-dyspnea cycle in such patients.