Chest
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Comparative Study
Long-term effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy on cardiovascular outcomes in sleep apnea syndrome.
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, principally from cardiovascular disease, but the impact of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is unclear. ⋯ The data support a protective effect of CPAP therapy against death from cardiovascular disease in patients with OSAS.
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Comment Letter Comparative Study
Assessment of ventilation during the performance of elective endoscopic-guided percutaneous tracheostomy.
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ICUs are a vital component of modern health care. Improving ICU performance requires that we shift from a paradigm that concentrates on individual performance to a different paradigm that emphasizes the need to assess and improve ICU systems and processes. This is the first part of a two-part treatise. It discusses existing problems in ICU care, and the methods for defining and measuring ICU performance.
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Bronchial thermoplasty is a novel procedure being developed as a potential treatment for asthma. Experience with animal studies has enabled development of appropriate reliable equipment, definition of therapeutic parameters, and descriptions of tissue effects of treatment. ⋯ Application of bronchial thermoplasty to the human airway appears to be well tolerated. Treatment resulted in significant reduction of smooth muscle mass in the airways. Bronchial thermoplasty may provide therapeutic benefit in disease states such as asthma.
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Comparative Study
Relation between neurocognitive impairment, embolic load, and cerebrovascular reactivity following on- and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
To evaluate the effect of on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on postoperative cognitive impairment and cerebrovascular reactivity, with attention for the perioperative high-intensity transient signals (HITS). ⋯ In off-pump surgery, significantly fewer HITS were observed. On an individual level, more favorable results in neuropsychological test performance were demonstrated in the off-pump group after 6 months. The number of HITS showed no correlation with degrees of early and late postoperative neuropsychological impairment.