Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Sep 2013
Review Meta AnalysisA meta-analysis on the prophylactic use of macrolide antibiotics for the prevention of disease exacerbations in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Macrolides are of unique interest in preventing COPD exacerbations because they possess a variety of antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent research has generated renewed interest in prophylactic macrolides to reduce the risk of COPD exacerbations. Little is known about how well these recent findings fit within the context of previous research on this subject. The purpose of this article is to evaluate, via exploratory meta-analysis, whether the overall consensus favors prophylactic macrolides for prevention of COPD exacerbations. ⋯ Prophylactic macrolides are an effective approach for reducing incident COPD exacerbations. There were several limitations to this study including a lack of consistent adverse event reporting and some degree of clinical and statistical heterogeneity between studies.
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Respiratory medicine · Sep 2013
ReviewObesity and asthma: a coincidence or a causal relationship? A systematic review.
Epidemiological data has established increasing adiposity as a risk factor for incident asthma. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between obesity and asthma are incompletely understood. In the present paper, we review current knowledge of possible mechanisms mediating the observed association between obesity and asthma. ⋯ The association between obesity and asthma is not straightforward, and further knowledge is clearly needed, as understanding the underlying mechanisms may lead to new therapeutic options for this high-risk part of the asthma population.
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Respiratory medicine · Sep 2013
ReviewObesity and asthma: a coincidence or a causal relationship? A systematic review.
Epidemiological data has established increasing adiposity as a risk factor for incident asthma. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between obesity and asthma are incompletely understood. In the present paper, we review current knowledge of possible mechanisms mediating the observed association between obesity and asthma. ⋯ The association between obesity and asthma is not straightforward, and further knowledge is clearly needed, as understanding the underlying mechanisms may lead to new therapeutic options for this high-risk part of the asthma population.