The European respiratory journal : official journal of the European Society for Clinical Respiratory Physiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Efficacy and safety of levodropropizine and dihydrocodeine on nonproductive cough in primary and metastatic lung cancer.
Nonproductive cough is a frequent and distressing symptom in patients with lung cancer, and it is not even relieved by palliative chemotherapy. A double-blind, randomized clinical trial regarding the treatment of nonproductive cough was performed in 140 adults with primary lung cancer or metastatic cancer of the lungs. The therapeutic efficacy and the tolerability of a 7-day treatment with levodropropizine drops (75 mg t.i.d.) were evaluated in comparison with dihydrocodeine drops (10 mg t.i.d.; 7 days). ⋯ The number of patients reporting adverse events was similar in the levodropropizine (n=6) and dihydrocodeine (n=4) group. However, the percentage of patients experiencing somnolence in the group receiving levodropropizine (8%) was significantly lower as compared with that of the dihydrocodeine group (22%). These results confirm the antitussive effectiveness of levodropropizine and suggest a more favourable benefit/risk profile when compared to dihydrocodeine.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Delivery of salbutamol to nonventilated preterm infants by metered-dose inhaler, jet nebulizer, and ultrasonic nebulizer.
To identify the most efficient device for the delivery of bronchodilator aerosol to nonventilated preterm infants with chronic lung disease, we compared the metered dose inhaler (MDI) used in conjunction with a non-valved spacer, an ultrasonic nebulizer with a small medication cup, and two jet nebulizers. The subjects were enrolled in two double-blind randomized crossover studies. In study A (n=10), each infant was given a nominal dose of 200 microg of salbutamol by a MDI (Ventolin) at 4 h intervals, and in random sequence via an Aerochamber (Neonatal Aerochamber) with its one-way valve removed, an ultrasonic nebulizer with a small cone-shaped medication cup (Siemens Electronics), and a jet nebulizer (Side-stream). ⋯ Furthermore, the use of MDI Aerochamber or ultrasonic nebulizer was associated with a greater degree of post-treatment tachycardia and improvement in FRC. The bronchodilating effect of salbutamol delivered via the ultrasonic nebulizer appeared to be slightly greater than that via the MDI-Aerochamber, receiving significance only in Study B. We conclude that both the metered-dose inhaler used with a nonvalved Aerochamber and the ultrasonic nebulizer with a small medication cup are both more efficient than the jet nebulizers in preterm infants.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Bronchodilator delivery by metered-dose inhaler in mechanically ventilated COPD patients: influence of end-inspiratory pause.
The delivery of bronchodilators with a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) and a spacer in mechanically ventilated patients has become widespread practice. However, the various ventilator settings that influence the efficacy of MDI are not well established. Application of an end-inspiratory pause (EIP) during drug delivery has been suggested as one of the factors that might increase the effectiveness of this therapy. ⋯ With and without EIP, Cst,rs,deltaR and fc did not change after salbutamol. In conclusion, salbutamol delivered with a metered-dose inhaler and a spacer device induced significant bronchodilation in mechanically ventilated patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the magnitude of which was not affected by an end-expiratory pause of 5 s. These results do not support the use of end-inspiratory pause when bronchodilators are administered in adequate doses during controlled mechanical ventilation.
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A 13 yr old male with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who received bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation via a face mask for post-transplant pneumonitis developed subcutaneous emphysema, radiographic evidence of pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumomediastinum and 6 h later, right hemiparesis and focal livedo reticularis. This case illustrates that severe barotrauma may complicate noninvasive bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation.
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Long-term survival of lung transplant recipients is limited by the advent of obliterative bronchiolitis and irreversible airways obstruction, e.g. bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). This study investigated whether inflammatory cells and their activation markers were increased in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and transbronchial biopsies (TBB) from patients with BOS. Levels of antioxidants in BAL fluid were also assessed. ⋯ BAL concentrations of the water-soluble antioxidants ascorbate, urate and glutathione were generally lower in BOS patients. The results indicate that neutrophil infiltration and activation, as well as oxidative stress, may play a role in the development and/or progression of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Markers for neutrophil activation could have a potential role in monitoring disease activity in patients with this syndrome.