The European respiratory journal : official journal of the European Society for Clinical Respiratory Physiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
The effect of 3% and 6% hypertonic saline in viral bronchiolitis: a randomised controlled trial.
Bronchiolitis is a common disorder in young children that often results in hospitalisation. Except for a possible effect of nebulised hypertonic saline (sodium chloride), no evidence-based therapy is available. This study investigated the efficacy of nebulised 3% and 6% hypertonic saline compared with 0.9% hypertonic saline in children hospitalised with viral bronchiolitis. ⋯ The need for supplemental oxygen or tube feeding did not differ significantly. Adverse effects were similar in the three groups. Nebulisation with hypertonic saline (3% or 6% sodium chloride) although safe, did not reduce the length of stay in hospital, duration of supplemental oxygen or tube feeding in children hospitalised with moderate-to-severe viral bronchiolitis.
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Observational Study
Trends in hospital admissions for pulmonary embolism in Spain from 2002 to 2011.
The aim of our study was to analyse changes in the incidence, diagnostic procedures, comorbidity, length of hospital stay, costs and in-hospital mortality of patients hospitalised for pulmonary embolism in Spain over a 10-year period. We included all patients who were hospitalised for pulmonary embolism (ICD-9-CM codes 415.11 and 415.19) as the primary diagnosis between 2002 and 2011. Data were collected from the National Hospital Discharge Database, covering the entire Spanish population. 115 671 patients were admitted. ⋯ The increase in the use of computed tomographic pulmonary angiography over time was associated with increased incidence and lower mortality. Our results revealed an increase in the incidence of hospitalised pulmonary embolism patients from 2002 to 2011 with concomitant increase in comorbidities and cost. However, length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality decreased.
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Cystic fibrosis (CF) remains the most common fatal hereditary lung disease. The discovery of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene 25 years ago set the stage for: 1) unravelling the molecular and cellular basis of CF lung disease; 2) the generation of animal models to study in vivo pathogenesis; and 3) the development of mutation-specific therapies that are now becoming available for a subgroup of patients with CF. ⋯ Furthermore, we focus on recent breakthroughs and remaining challenges of novel therapies targeting the basic CF defect, and discuss the next steps to be taken to make disease-modifying therapies available to a larger group of patients with CF, including those carrying the most common mutation ΔF508-CFTR. Finally, we will summarise emerging evidence indicating that acquired CFTR dysfunction may be implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suggesting that lessons learned from CF may be applicable to common airway diseases associated with mucus plugging.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Ground-based walking training improves quality of life and exercise capacity in COPD.
This study was designed to determine the effect of ground-based walking training on health-related quality of life and exercise capacity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). People with COPD were randomised to either a walking group that received supervised, ground-based walking training two to three times a week for 8-10 weeks, or a control group that received usual medical care and did not participate in exercise training. 130 out of 143 participants (mean±sd age 69±8 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 s 43±15% predicted) completed the study. Compared to the control group, the walking group demonstrated greater improvements in the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire total score (mean difference -6 points (95% CI -10- -2), p<0.003), Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire total score (mean difference 7 points (95% CI 2-11), p<0.01) and endurance shuttle walk test time (mean difference 208 s (95% CI 104-313), p<0.001). This study shows that ground-based walking training is an effective training modality that improves quality of life and endurance exercise capacity in people with COPD.
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The COPD assessment test (CAT) is a self-administered questionnaire that measures health-related quality of life. We aimed to systematically evaluate the literature for reliability, validity, responsiveness and minimum clinically important difference (MCID) of the CAT. Multiple databases were searched for studies analysing the psychometric properties of the CAT in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ⋯ Only one study with adequate methodology reported an MCID of 2 units and 3.3-3.8 units using the anchor-based approach and distribution-based approach, respectively. Most studies had fair methodological quality. We conclude that the studies support the reliability and validity of the CAT and that the tool is responsive to interventions, although the MCID remains debatable.