Chest
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Coronary Plaque Characteristics.
Virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) is an intravascular imaging technique that enables the characterization of coronary plaques. We sought to determine the association between OSA and coronary plaque characteristics in patients presenting with coronary artery disease. ⋯ In patients presenting with coronary artery disease, moderate to severe OSA was independently associated with a larger total atheroma volume in the target coronary artery. Further studies on the effects of CPAP on total atheroma volume are warranted.
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Comparative Study
The impact of coexisting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on survival of patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer undergoing surgical resection.
COPD is a recognized risk factor for lung cancer, but studies of coexisting COPD in relation to lung cancer outcomes are limited. We assessed the impact of COPD on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ Coexisting COPD is associated with worse survival outcomes in patients with early-stage NSCLC, particularly for men and for SCC.
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A significant percentage of pneumothorax in women is due to thoracic endometriosis. Pathophysiologic mechanisms continue to be debated, and pathologic aspects are poorly known. ⋯ In women with surgically treated pneumothorax, prevalence of catamenial/endometriosis-related pneumothorax is high. Clinicians and pathologists must be aware to recognize such a difficult diagnosis.
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Parental smoking is known to worsen asthma symptoms in children and to make them refractory to asthma treatment, but the molecular mechanism is unclear. Oxidative stress from tobacco smoke has been reported to impair histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2) via phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt activation and, thus, to reduce corticosteroid sensitivity. The aim of this study was to investigate passive smoking-dependent molecular abnormalities in alveolar macrophages (AMs) by comparing passive smoke-exposed children and non-passive smoke-exposed children with uncontrolled severe asthma. ⋯ Passive smoking impairs HDAC2 function via PI3K signaling activation, which could contribute to corticosteroid-insensitive inflammation in children with severe asthma. This novel mechanism will be a treatment target in children with severe asthma and stresses the need for a smoke-free environment for asthmatic children.