Respirology : official journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Non-invasive ventilation improves peripheral oxygen saturation and reduces fatigability of quadriceps in patients with COPD.
Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) might improve peripheral muscle function and exercise capacity in severely disabled patients. This study evaluated the physiological impact of NIV on isokinetic concentric strength and endurance of lower limb muscles in patients with severe COPD. ⋯ BV improved SpO(2) and reduced the fatigability of the quadriceps muscle in patients with severe COPD. These results support the need for further evaluation of BV as adjunct during high-intensity strength exercise training in these patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Varenicline for smoking cessation: a placebo-controlled, randomized study.
Varenicline tartrate, a novel, selective, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, has been developed specifically as a smoking cessation drug. This study evaluated the efficacy of a standard regimen of varenicline compared with placebo for smoking cessation in 333 subjects in China, Singapore and Thailand. ⋯ Varenicline was significantly more efficacious for smoking cessation than placebo over a 12-week treatment period and a further 12-week non-treatment follow-up period in smokers from China, Singapore and Thailand. No significant side-effects were noted.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effectiveness of a bronchial drainage technique (ELTGOL) in COPD exacerbations.
Exacerbations of COPD are often characterized by increased mucus production that is difficult to treat and worsens patients' outcome. This study evaluated the efficacy of a chest physiotherapy technique (expiration with the glottis open in the lateral posture, ELTGOL) during acute exacerbations of COPD using as outcome measures sputum volume, length of hospitalization, reduction in dyspnoea (Borg score), improvement in quality of life (assessed by the St George Respiratory Questionnaire) and incidence of COPD exacerbations during follow up. ⋯ Chest physiotherapy using the ELTGOL technique has a limited role in patients with mild exacerbation of moderate to severe COPD with a tendency towards fewer exacerbations and hospitalizations.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Non-invasive ventilation during arm exercise and ground walking in patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure.
People with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (HRF) often have a ventilatory limitation to exercise with difficulty performing activities of daily living. Although non-invasive ventilation (NIV) appears to reduce the ventilatory limitation and improve exercise performance in people with severe COPD, the effect of NIV during functional activities such as unsupported arm exercise (UAE) and ground walking in people with chronic HRF is unclear. ⋯ NIV during UAE increased endurance time and reduced dyspnoea compared with exercise without NIV in patients with chronic HRF. Investigation of the role of NIV as an adjunct to UAE training is warranted. In contrast, NIV during ground walking did not improve exercise capacity. However, the pressure support provided may have been inadequate as dyspnoea was not reduced.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Pleural fluid interleukin-8 and C-reactive protein for discriminating complicated non-purulent from uncomplicated parapneumonic effusions.
This study was designed to test the hypothesis that measurement of IL-8 and CRP in pleural fluid could improve the identification of patients with non-purulent parapneumonic effusions that ultimately require chest tube drainage. ⋯ Pleural fluid IL-8 is an accurate marker for the identification of non-purulent CPPE.