Chest
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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
Follow-up study on pulmonary function and lung radiographic changes in rehabilitating severe acute respiratory syndrome patients after discharge.
To follow-up on the changes in lung function and lung radiographic pictures of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients discharged from Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing (by regularly receiving examination), and to analyze retrospectively the treatment strategy in these patients. ⋯ These findings suggest that lung fibrotic changes caused by SARS disease occurred mostly in severely sick patients and may be self-rehabilitated. D(LCO) scores might be more sensitive than HRCT when evaluating lung fibrotic changes.
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Comparative Study
Smoking and timing of cessation: impact on pulmonary complications after thoracotomy.
The benefit of smoking cessation just prior to surgery in preventing postoperative pulmonary complications has not been proven. Some studies actually show a paradoxical increase in complications in those quitting smoking only a few weeks or days prior to surgery. We studied the effect of smoking and the timing of smoking cessation on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing thoracotomy. ⋯ In patients undergoing thoracotomy for primary or secondary lung tumors, there is no evidence of a paradoxical increase in pulmonary complications among those who quit smoking within 2 months of undergoing surgery. Smoking cessation can safely be encouraged prior to surgery.
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Comparative Study
The effect of body mass index on patient outcomes in a medical ICU.
To examine the effect of patient body mass index (BMI) on outcome in intensive care. ⋯ BMI has minimal effects on ICU outcome after patients are admitted to a critical care unit.
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Comparative Study
Lung resection in patients with preoperative FEV1 < 35% predicted.
To determine the morbidity, mortality, and feasibility of lung resection in patients with tumors and preoperative FEV1 < 35% predicted. ⋯ In a large academic center, minimally invasive surgical techniques, intensive pulmonary care, and advanced anesthetic techniques allow for curative lung tumor resections in patients with very low preoperative FEV1 with a very low mortality and very low incidence of ventilator dependence. Other serious complications such as pneumonia, myocardial infarction, and bleeding are uncommon. An extended hospital stay and a high incidence of prolonged air leak should be expected, especially in patients with preoperative FEV1 < or = 20% predicted.