Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
-
Comparative Study
Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: outcome and prognostic factors.
Acute exacerbation is a substantial cause of death in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with poorly described prognostic factors. ⋯ Acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are more frequent during winter and spring. The time between admission and initiation of treatment is a new reported prognostic factor that should be investigated further. This finding highlights the need for a fast diagnostic approach that should probably be standardized. Early gas exchange modifications reflect the response to treatment and predict the prognosis.
-
Comparative Study
Clinical features and outcome of acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia: collagen vascular diseases-related versus idiopathic.
Relatively little is known about acute exacerbation (AE) of interstitial pneumonia associated with collagen vascular diseases (CVD-IPs). ⋯ Clinical features and outcome in AE of CVD-IPs were similar, if not identical, to those of IIPs, having a significant impact on the clinical course. AE of advanced IPF with typical radiologic features seems to have higher mortality compared with other forms of IP.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
The effects of controlled breathing during pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD.
Conventional pulmonary rehabilitation programs improve exercise tolerance but have no effect on pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The role of controlled breathing using respiratory biofeedback during rehabilitation of patients with COPD remains unclear. ⋯ In patients with COPD undergoing a pulmonary rehabilitation program, controlled breathing using respiratory biofeedback has no effect on exercise capacity, pulmonary function, quality of life or cardiac autonomic function.
-
Comparative Study
Safety of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration for patients taking clopidogrel: a report of 12 consecutive cases.
Clopidogrel is an oral agent commonly used for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. It is associated with an increased risk of bleeding during some medical and surgical procedures. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a new bronchoscopic technique used to accurately biopsy intrathoracic structures during flexible bronchoscopy. It is currently unknown whether clopidogrel increases bleeding complications during EBUS-TBNA procedures. ⋯ This series of 12 cases suggests that EBUS-TBNA can be performed safely by experienced operators in patients taking clopidogrel. Nevertheless, until larger prospective studies confirm this hypothesis, proceeding to EBUS-TBNA without first withdrawing clopidogrel should only be performed in situations where the risk of short-term thrombosis is believed to outweigh the (theoretical) risk of bleeding.
-
Comparative Study
Accuracy and precision of desktop spirometers in general practices.
Spirometry has become an essential tool for general practices to diagnose and monitor chronic airways diseases, but very little is known about the performance of the spirometry equipment that is being used in general practice settings. The use of invalid spirometry equipment may have consequences on disease diagnosis and management of patients. ⋯ On average, desktop spirometers in general practices slightly overestimated FEV(1) and FVC values, but some devices showed substantial deviations. General practices should pay more attention to the calibration of their spirometer.