American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2007
Fas-induced pulmonary apoptosis and inflammation during indirect acute lung injury.
Indirect acute lung injury (ALI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. No specific therapies have been developed, because the underlying pathophysiological processes remain elusive. ⋯ Activation of apoptotic and nonapoptotic/inflammatory Fas signaling is an early important pathophysiological event in the development of indirect ALI after hemorrhagic shock and sepsis, in which lung epithelial cells appear to play a central role.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2007
ReviewGlobal strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: GOLD executive summary.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major public health problem. It is the fourth leading cause of chronic morbidity and mortality in the United States, and is projected to rank fifth in 2020 in burden of disease worldwide, according to a study published by the World Bank/World Health Organization. Yet, COPD remains relatively unknown or ignored by the public as well as public health and government officials. ⋯ We appreciate the enormous amount of work the GOLD national leaders have done on behalf of their patients with COPD. Despite the achievements in the 5 years since the GOLD report was originally published, considerable additional work is ahead of us if we are to control this major public health problem. The GOLD initiative will continue to bring COPD to the attention of governments, public health officials, health care workers, and the general public, but a concerted effort by all involved in health care will be necessary.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2007
Brief, large tidal volume ventilation initiates lung injury and a systemic response in fetal sheep.
Premature infants are exposed to potentially injurious ventilation in the delivery room. Assessments of lung injury are confounded by effects of subsequent ventilatory support. ⋯ Ventilation for 15 minutes with a Vt of 15 ml/kg initiates an injurious process in the preterm lung and a hepatic acute-phase response. Subsequent ventilatory support causes further increases in some injury indicators.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2007
Electroporation-mediated gene transfer of the Na+,K+ -ATPase rescues endotoxin-induced lung injury.
Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome are common clinical syndromes resulting largely from the accumulation of and inability to clear pulmonary edema, due to injury to the alveolar epithelium. Gene therapy may represent an important alternative for the treatment and prevention of these diseases by restoring alveolar epithelial function. We have recently developed an electroporation strategy to transfer genes to the lungs of mice, with high efficiency and low inflammation. ⋯ These results demonstrate that electroporation can be used effectively in healthy and injured lungs to facilitate gene delivery and expression. To our knowledge, this is the first successful use of gene delivery to treat existing lung injury, and may have future clinical potential.