Pediatric pulmonology
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Pediatric pulmonology · May 1993
Cytokines in sputum and serum from patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection as markers of destructive inflammation in the lungs.
The presence of interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (IRAP) in plasma and sputum from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection was investigated together with IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) in a cross-sectional study. All cytokines were assayed by ELISAs. ⋯ Increased concentrations of plasma IRAP are positively correlated with decreasing pulmonary function. In a longitudinal study of serum IRAP, a higher level of IRAP was detected in a group of patients with poor pulmonary function compared to a group with good pulmonary function.
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Pediatric pulmonology · May 1993
Response to added dead space in ventilated preterm neonates and outcome of trial of extubation.
The ventilatory response to an added external dead space was assessed in preterm babies, recovering from respiratory distress syndrome, immediately prior to extubation. All babies were ready for extubation as defined by routine clinical criteria. Baseline measurements of respiratory rate, tidal volume, and minute ventilation were made over a 2 min period using a computerized system consisting of a pneumotachometer connected directly to the proximal end of the endotracheal tube. ⋯ Extubation success and failure groups were compared by expressing the minute ventilation after addition of the external dead space as a percentage of the baseline minute ventilation (%MV1). Successful extubation was associated with a higher median %MV1 compared with babies who failed extubation (156; range, 89.3 to 230; compared to 131; range, 75.2 to 165; P = 0.006). This test may be useful in deciding which babies could be successfully extubated.