Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
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Consuming Sauropus androgynus, a Malaysian plant, to reduce body weight began to become fashionable in Taiwan in 1994. According to some reports, people consuming this vegetable developed lung injuries. From July to November 1995, there were 81 nonsmoking women admitted to our hospital. ⋯ Besides, we found that the DTPA lung scan was more sensitive than chest x-ray and PFT in detecting the lung injuries related to the consumption of S. androgynus (p < 0.05). Consuming S. androgynus can result in symptomatic or asymptomatic lung injuries, manifested as obstructive or restrictive ventilatory impairment, unhomogeneous radioaerosol distribution, and increased alveolar epithelial permeability. In addition, measurement of the 99mTc-DTPA clearance is the most sensitive test to detect the lung injuries caused by consuming S. androgynus.
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Case Reports
Expression of CA125 in thoracic endometriosis in a patient with catamenial pneumothorax.
A 40-year-old woman had experienced monthly right thoracic pain and productive cough occurring at the beginning of her menstrual period. X-ray findings indicated a diagnosis of catamenial pneumothorax. The serum CA125 level was very high at 159.6 U/ml. ⋯ Following partial resection of the diaphragm thoracic endometriosis was diagnosed. Immunohistochemical staining of these endometrial cells showed antibodies to CA125. She has been well without recurrence for 15 months, and her serum CA125 level was within the normal range after operation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Inhalation by nebulization of albuterol-ipratropium combination (Dey combination) is superior to either agent alone in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Dey Combination Solution Study Group.
Combination bronchodilator therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) potentially can provide increased benefit over single-agent therapy. The objective of this double-blind, randomized, positive-control trial was to determine the effectiveness of an albuterol-ipratropium solution aerosol combination (Dey combination solution, Dey LP, Napa, Calif., USA) compared with solution aerosols of both component medications administered alone in patients with COPD. The trial consisted of a 6-week, 3-period crossover phase followed by a 6-week parallel phase during which patients self-administered study medications by inhalation from a nebulizer. ⋯ The use of Dey combination during the crossover phase resulted in 24% more improvement in peak FEV1 than was seen with albuterol alone (p < 0.001), and 37% more than was seen with ipratropium alone (p < 0.001). Similarly, when examining FEV1-AUC0-8, Dey combination resulted in 30% more improvement than was seen with albuterol alone (p < 0.001), and 32% more than was seen with ipratropium alone (p < 0.001). The combination affords a convenient dosing regimen and incorporates enhanced benefit without compromising the safety profile of either component agent.
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Leadership will play a major role in the management of tuberculosis in the future. Many populations, such as immunocompromised patients and immigrants from countries with a higher prevalence of tuberculosis, create a challenge for care and diagnosis. Mycobacterial laboratory testing has undergone many changes in the past 10 years with the advent of nucleic acid probes for identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and more recently nucleic acid amplification and beyond where computer technology meets molecular biology. ⋯ New technologies can be provided to all users of such a network within a short amount of time and health care providers can equally benefit from this novel approach. The tuberculosis laboratory cannot stand alone. It must work together with other players, in order to eliminate tuberculosis.