Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2000
Inhaled nebulized adrenaline improves lung function in infants with acute bronchiolitis.
Beta2-agonists have questionable symptomatic effect in infants with acute bronchiolitis, whereas inhaled, nebulized racemic adrenaline, commonly used in Norway, appears (clinically) to be effective. Limited lung function observations during acute bronchiolitis exists, and less for assessing possible effects inhaled adrenaline. ⋯ Lung function (tPTEF/tE) was reduced in infants with acute bronchiolitis and improved significantly after inhaled racemic adrenaline. Inhaled racemic adrenaline is potentially an important alternative for treating infants with acute bronchiolitis.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2000
Bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia: an Italian experience.
The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features at onset and outcome and the diagnostic approach in subjects with bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia (BOOP). Over a 7-year period we observed 78 cases of biopsy-proven bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia, in which well documented clinical and radiographic data were available. The final diagnosis of BOOP was validated when patients presented: (i) negative microbiological analysis on BAL fluid; (ii) a well documented improvement either spontaneous, or after steroid treatment or (iii) cases with progressive respiratory failure and increasing radiographic shadows, an open lung biopsy or autopsy that excluded other entities. ⋯ Most patients showed a rapid and good response to steroid therapy. However, three patients died (4%) in spite of steroid therapy (two cases) and steroid and cyclophosphamide therapy (one case). In conclusion, although clinical findings, chest X-ray film and CT Scan findings usually suggest the diagnosis a definite confirmation requires transbronchial lung biopsy and BAL and, less frequently, open lung biopsy.