Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Apr 2006
Higher BMI is associated with worse asthma control and quality of life but not asthma severity.
Asthma and obesity tend to co-occur, but relatively few studies have linked obesity, measured using body mass index (BMI), to clinically relevant measures of asthma morbidity. This study assessed BMI in a Canadian sample of asthma outpatients, and evaluated associations between BMI and levels of asthma severity, asthma control, and asthma-related quality of life. A total of 382 adult asthma patients underwent demographic and medical history interviews on the day of their clinic visit. ⋯ There was no relationship between BMI and asthma severity when controlling for age and sex. Patients with higher BMI scores had higher ACQ and lower AQLQ scores, independent of age, sex and asthma severity. Results identify higher BMI and obesity as potential behavioral factors related to worse asthma control and quality of life, but not asthma severity, and suggest important avenues for asthma management and control initiatives.
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Respiratory medicine · Apr 2006
Comparative StudyComparative study of two different modes of noninvasive home mechanical ventilation in chronic respiratory failure.
Two modes of noninvasive home mechanical ventilation (NIHMV) with volumetric ventilators were compared in patients with chronic respiratory failure. ⋯ According to several factors analysed, results with the A/C or C mode used with volumetric ventilators appear to be comparable in patients with chronic respiratory disease receiving NIHMV. Choice of mode will depend on the acquired experience of the prescribing physicians in each centre.
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Respiratory medicine · Apr 2006
Predictors of lung function and its decline in mild to moderate COPD in association with gender: results from the Euroscop study.
There is increasing appreciation of gender differences in COPD but scant data whether risk factors for low lung function differ in men and women. We analysed data from 3 years follow-up in 178 women and 464 men with COPD, participants in the Euroscop Study who were smokers unexposed to inhaled corticosteroids. ⋯ Respiratory symptoms were associated with reduced baseline FEV(1) in men with COPD. In men, obesity was associated with reduced decline and increasing the number of cigarettes smoked with increased decline in lung function. In women more severe airway obstruction was associated with accelerated decline.
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Respiratory medicine · Apr 2006
Comparative StudyCapillary blood gases in acute exacerbations of COPD.
To assess the correlation and agreement between measurements of PO(2), PCO(2), H(+) and HCO(3)(-) in arterial and capillary blood in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD. To assess the repeatability of capillary measurements. ⋯ Capillary blood gas measurements provide an accurate assessment of PCO(2), H(+) and HCO(3)(-) and can be used to reliably measure the ventilatory status of patients. Combined with continuous pulse oximetry they can be used as an alternative to arterial blood gas measurements in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD.
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Respiratory medicine · Apr 2006
Comparative StudyNebulization associated with bi-level noninvasive ventilation: analysis of pulmonary radioaerosol deposition.
Nebulization associated with noninvasive ventilation is used in emergency services and intensive care units. ⋯ During nebulization with noninvasive ventilation in healthy volunteers, there was an increase in V(t) associated to a higher inspiratory flow rate, without resulting in a significant increase in pulmonary radioaerosol deposition.