Chest
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Adenosine and related purines have established roles in inflammation, and elevated airway concentrations are predicted in patients with COPD. However, accurate airway surface purine measurements can be confounded by stimulation of purine release during collection of typical respiratory samples. ⋯ Airway purines are present on airway surfaces at physiologically significant concentrations, are elevated in COPD, and correlate with markers of COPD severity. Purinergic signaling pathways are potential therapeutic targets in COPD, and EBC purines are potential noninvasive biomarkers.
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Multicenter Study
Timing of oseltamivir administration and outcomes in hospitalized adults with pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) virus infection.
Data on the clinical effectiveness of oseltamivir in patients with pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) (A[H1N1]) virus infection are scarce. We aimed to determine the effect of timing of oseltamivir administration on outcomes in hospitalized adults with A(H1N1). ⋯ Timely oseltamivir administration has a beneficial effect on outcomes in hospitalized adults with A(H1N1), even in those who are admitted beyond 48 h after onset of symptoms.
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Multicenter Study
Pancreatic stone protein: a marker of organ failure and outcome in ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common hospital-acquired, life-threatening infection. Poor outcome and health-care costs of nosocomial pneumonia remain a global burden. Currently, physicians rely on their experience to discriminate patients with good and poor outcome. However, standardized prognostic measures might guide medical decisions in the future. Pancreatic stone protein (PSP)/regenerating protein (reg) is associated with inflammation, infection, and other disease-related stimuli. The prognostic value of PSP/reg among critically ill patients is unknown. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate PSP/reg in VAP. ⋯ Serum PSP/reg is a biomarker related to organ failure and outcome in patients with VAP.