Respiratory medicine
-
Respiratory medicine · Feb 2017
FAM13A polymorphism as a prognostic factor in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Family with sequence similarity 13, member A (FAM13A) variants have been associated with susceptibility to chronic lung diseases. A recent genome-wide association study has shown an association between a polymorphism in FAM13A rs2609255 and idiopathic interstitial pneumonias in a Caucasian population. However, the relationship between rs2609255 polymorphism and prognosis in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias has not been investigated. ⋯ FAM13A gene polymorphism showed a significant association with the susceptibility to IPF, with severity of lung function impairment and with poor prognosis.
-
Respiratory medicine · Jan 2017
Viruses are prevalent in non-ventilated hospital-acquired pneumonia.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia arising in non-ventilated patients (NVHAP) is traditionally thought to be caused by bacteria, and little is known about viral etiologies in this syndrome. We sought to describe the prevalence of viruses causing NVHAP and to determine factors independently associated with the isolation of a virus. ⋯ Viruses represent a common cause of NVHAP. Clinicians should consider viral diagnostic testing in NVHAP, as this may represent a means to enhance antimicrobial stewardship.
-
Respiratory medicine · Jan 2017
Multicenter StudyRationale and study design of RESPITE: An open-label, phase 3b study of riociguat in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension who demonstrate an insufficient response to treatment with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors.
Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who do not have an adequate response to therapy with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) may have insufficient synthesis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). These patients may respond to a direct soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator such as riociguat. RESPITE (NCT02007629) was an open-label, multicenter, uncontrolled, single-arm phase 3b study of riociguat in patients with PAH who demonstrated an insufficient response to treatment with PDE-5i. ⋯ The following biomarkers were to be measured: cGMP, asymmetric dimethyl arginine, growth-differentiation factor-15, and ST2. Results from RESPITE will help to determine if PAH patients who do not respond to PDE-5i are likely to benefit from treatment with an sGC stimulator. The study may also identify biomarkers that are able to suggest which patients are more likely to respond to sGC stimulators.
-
Respiratory medicine · Jan 2017
The effect of habitual waterpipe tobacco smoking on pulmonary function and exercise capacity in young healthy males: A pilot study.
Evidence regarding the health effects of habitual waterpipe smoking is limited, particularly in young smokers. Respiratory health and cardiopulmonary exercise tests were compared in young male habitual waterpipe smokers (WPS) versus non-smokers. ⋯ Habitual waterpipe tobacco smoking in young seemingly healthy individuals is associated with a greater burden of respiratory symptoms and impaired exercise capacity.
-
Respiratory medicine · Dec 2016
Comprehensive assessment of myositis-specific autoantibodies in polymyositis/dermatomyositis-associated interstitial lung disease.
Myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs) are associated with clinical phenotypes in polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM). No study has investigated the clinical features based on comprehensive MSA assessment in PM/DM-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD). We aimed to determine the practical significance of MSAs in PM/DM-ILD. ⋯ The comprehensive MSA assessment demonstrated that anti-ARS and anti-MDA5 antibodies were two major MSAs, and the clinical features differed depending on MSA status in PM/DM-ILD. Assessment of anti-ARS and anti-MDA5 antibodies is practically useful for predicting clinical course and prognosis in PM/DM-ILD patients.