Expert review of respiratory medicine
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Expert Rev Respir Med · Jun 2013
ReviewBronchiolitis: adopting a unifying definition and a comprehensive etiological classification.
Bronchiolitis is an inflammatory and potentially fibrosing condition affecting mainly the intralobular conducting and transitional small airways. Secondary bronchiolitis participates in disease process of the airways and/or the surrounding lobular structures in the setting of several already defined clinical entities, mostly of known etiology, and occurs commonly. Primary or idiopathic bronchiolitis dominates and characterizes distinct clinical entities, all of unknown etiology, and occurs rarely. ⋯ Acute bronchiolitis, though potentially life threatening, usually regresses. Any etiology chronic bronchiolitis contributes to morbidity and/or mortality if it persists and/or progresses to diffuse airway narrowing and distortion or complete obliteration. Bronchiolitis in specific settings leads to bronchiolectasis, resulting in bronchiectasis.
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Expert Rev Respir Med · Jun 2013
Lung protective ventilation: a summary of the current evidence from the 2012 American Association for Respiratory Care International Congress.
Over 150 invited experts presented to almost 6000 participants at the most recent American Association for Respiratory Care International Congress. These participants represented a broad international audience with a range of expertise that included respiratory therapists, physicians, nurses and others. ⋯ Experts reviewed the current evidence regarding the risk for ventilator-induced lung injury in mechanically ventilated patients without pre-existing lung disease and in those with acute lung injury. In addition, several experts reviewed the cutting edge approach of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a lung protective approach.
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Expert Rev Respir Med · Apr 2013
ReviewThe role of desmosines as biomarkers for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Since chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a progressive and major impact on health management, many aspects of this disorder, including development of effective and reliable biomarkers to monitor disease progression, are under intensive investigation. A huge amount of data, accumulated over the years, have provided solid evidence that two pyridinium-ring-containing amino acid isoforms, desmosine and isodesmosine (usually referred to as desmosines), unique to mature elastin in humans, are representative of the elastin breakdown occurring in chronic destructive disorders, such as COPD. ⋯ The authors have tried to emphasize that the suitability of desmosine as a biomarker for COPD increased over the years, as the techniques developed for its detection became progressively more sophisticated and precise. The authors conclude that desmosines, although not yet definitely proven, have nevertheless all the requisites to become a critical COPD biomarker.
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Expert Rev Respir Med · Apr 2013
ReviewHow can we define well-controlled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
The main objectives in the management of chronic disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are: to suppress or minimize symptoms; to prevent and reduce exacerbations; to avoid limitations in activities of daily living, and thus to enable the patient to lead a normal, or nearly normal, life. COPD has become a serious public-health concern. The disease, which may be life-threatening if not properly managed, often goes undiagnosed. ⋯ As its prevalence is expected to increase, it might become the third cause of mortality by 2030. In Spain, COPD management has recently been reviewed in the Spanish COPD Guidelines (GesEPOC). The COPD National Health System Strategy, developed by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality under the Quality Plan, aims at implementing a set of measures to improve both the efficacy and the quality of healthcare services for patients with COPD.
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Refractory dyspnea is breathing difficulty that persists at rest or with minimal activity despite optimal therapy of the underlying condition. Both endogenous (β-endorphin) and exogenous (morphine) opioids modulate the perception of dyspnea by binding to opioid receptors. ⋯ The dose should be titrated to achieve the lowest effective dose based on patient ratings of breathing difficulty. Research is needed to address clinical uncertainties and to identify genetic factors to improve the use of opioids to relieve refractory dyspnea.