Chest
-
Presently, there is insufficient information to compare the value of daily diaries vs retrospective questionnaires for assessing symptoms in relationship to asthma control in clinical trials. Daily symptom diaries are often burdensome to gather, incomplete, susceptible to fabrication, and of questionable reliability. There is also concern that retrospective symptom questionnaires may be subject to poor recall and may be insensitive. ⋯ The results of this study indicate that daily diaries used to determine ACDs can be a more sensitive tool than ACT for assessing differential treatment responses with respect to asthma control.
-
Thromboembolic diseases are common. Heparins and the vitamin K antagonists have been the mainstay of therapy for > 60 years, but both classes of agents have limitations. The "ideal" anticoagulant should be as effective and safe as heparin and vitamin K antagonists but should also be available in both a parenteral and an oral formulation, have predictable pharmacokinetics, and lack significant toxicities unrelated to the anticoagulant activity. ⋯ Rivaroxaban is approved in the United States for VTE prevention after major orthopedic surgery and for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and is approved in Europe and Canada for secondary prevention of VTE. Apixaban is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration for stroke prevention and is approved in Europe for VTE prevention following major orthopedic surgery. Dabigatran is approved in the United States for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and is being reviewed for secondary prevention of VTE.
-
Comparative Study
Aging, diabetes, and hypertension are associated with decreased nasal mucociliary clearance.
We showed previously that nasal mucociliary clearance was decreased in critically ill elderly subjects, most of whom had diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or hypertension (HTN). To determine if these changes were due to the effects of aging, disease, or critical illness, we studied nasal mucociliary clearance and mucus properties in an ambulatory population consisting of young, elderly, and healthy subjects and those with DM, HTN, or both. ⋯ Aging and DM, HTN, or both diseases are independently associated with decreased nasal mucociliary clearance. This may predispose toward respiratory infections.
-
Comparative Study
Systemic inflammatory pattern of patients with community-acquired pneumonia with and without COPD.
Several clinical studies have evaluated the role of COPD in patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP). We investigated the systemic inflammatory response of patients with CAP (CAP 1 COPD) and patients without associated COPD (CAP only). ⋯ Our prospective study demonstrates a different, disease-specific, early inflammatory pattern between patients with CAP with and without associated COPD. These findings are not completely corticosteroid mediated.
-
Few studies have systematically evaluated high-resolution CT (HRCT) imaging of the thorax 5 years after severe ARDS to determine the association between radiologic fi ndings and functional disability. The primary aim of this study was to determine chest radiologic abnormalities at 5 years in survivors of severe ARDS from the University of Toronto ARDS cohort. The secondary aim was to determine the relationship between the observed radiologic abnormalities on HRCT scan and pulmonary symptoms, pulmonary function test abnormalities, and healthrelated quality of life at 5-year follow-up. ⋯ Exercise and functional limitations experienced by survivors of severe ARDS are unlikely to be related to structural lung disease and may be more consistent with extrapulmonary muscle weakness.