Thorax
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CPAP reduces blood pressure (BP) in patients with symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Whether the same benefit is present in patients with minimally symptomatic OSA is unclear, thus a meta-analysis of existing trial data is required. ⋯ Although CPAP treatment reduces OSA severity and sleepiness, it seems not to have a beneficial effect on BP in patients with minimally symptomatic OSA, except in patients who used CPAP for >4 h/night.
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Letter Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Characterisation of an OCS-dependent severe asthma population treated with mepolizumab.
A subpopulation of patients with asthma treated with maximal inhaled treatments is unable to maintain asthma control and requires additional therapy with oral corticosteroids (OCS); a subset of this population continues to have frequent exacerbations. Alternate treatment options are needed as daily use of OCS is associated with significant systemic adverse effects that affect many body systems and have a direct association with the dose and duration of OCS use. We compared the population demographics, medical conditions and efficacy responses of the OCS-dependent group from the DREAM study of mepolizumab with the group not managed with daily OCS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Inhaled mannitol for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: a randomised, controlled trial.
Bronchiectasis is characterised by excessive production of mucus and pulmonary exacerbations. Inhaled osmotic agents may enhance mucociliary clearance, but few long-term clinical trials have been conducted. ⋯ Mannitol 400 mg inhaled twice daily for 12 months in patients with clinically significant bronchiectasis did not significantly reduce exacerbation rates. There were statistically significant improvements in time to first exacerbation and QOL. Mannitol therapy was safe and well tolerated.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
SABRE: a multicentre randomised control trial of nebulised hypertonic saline in infants hospitalised with acute bronchiolitis.
Acute bronchiolitis is the commonest cause for hospitalisation in infancy. Supportive care remains the cornerstone of current management and no other therapy has been shown to influence the course of the disease. It has been suggested that adding nebulised hypertonic saline to usual care may shorten the duration of hospitalisation. To determine whether hypertonic saline does have beneficial effects we undertook an open, multi-centre parallel-group, pragmatic RCT in ten UK hospitals. ⋯ NCT01469845.