Chest
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Comparative Study
Histopathologic pattern and clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease.
To investigate the histopathologic pattern and clinical features of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society consensus classification of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. ⋯ The histopathologic type of RA-ILD was diverse; in our study population, the UIP pattern seemed to be more prevalent than the NSIP pattern.
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Review Case Reports
Silicone embolism syndrome: a case report, review of the literature, and comparison with fat embolism syndrome.
Liquid silicone is an inert material that is utilized for cosmetic procedures by physicians as well as illegally by nonmedical personnel. We present a case report and collated clinical findings of 32 other patients who were hospitalized after illegal silicone injections. Symptoms and signs of the "silicone syndrome" included dyspnea, fever, cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, hypoxia, alveolar hemorrhage, and altered consciousness. ⋯ The clinical findings after silicone embolism are very similar to the published reports of fat embolism, including hypoxemia in 92% of patients with silicone embolism (patients with fat embolism, 56 to 96%), dyspnea in 88% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 56 to 75%), fever in 70% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 23 to 67%), alveolar hemorrhage in 64% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 66%), neurologic symptoms in 33% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 22 to 86%), petechiae in 18% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 20 to 50%), chest pain in 15% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 26%), and mortality in 24% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 5 to 20%). The similarities among the mode of injury to the lung, the clinical findings, and the high incidence of alveolar hemorrhage suggest a common pathogenesis of silicone and fat embolism syndromes. We discuss the possibility that the activation of the coagulation system may be important in the development of these clinical syndromes.
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Comparative Study
A comparison of gender differences in health-related quality of life in acute and chronic coughers.
To determine whether the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of women and men is adversely affected by acute cough (AC), affected differently by AC, or affected differently by AC and chronic cough (CC). ⋯ AC, like CC, adversely affected the HRQOL of women and men. Unlike CC, AC did not adversely affect the HRQOL of women more than men. The HRQOL of women is more adversely affected than the HRQOL of men, the longer a cough lasts.
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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.
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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.