Respiratory medicine
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasing in prevalence, and is predicted to become the third leading cause of deaths worldwide by 2020. The precise prevalence of COPD is not known, as many individuals with the disease are left undiagnosed, despite the requirement of only simple spirometry testing for disease detection. The major risk factor for the development of COPD is cigarette smoking, with 90% of deaths from COPD directly attributable to smoking. ⋯ This review summarizes and compares the differential characteristics of smokers with COPD vs. those without COPD in relation to their smoking behavior and quitting attempts, and discusses the various strategies that can be used to help patients quit and improve their likelihood of long-term smoking cessation. Of the various behavioral interventions available that can increase the likelihood of smoking cessation, one of the simplest and most effective strategies that physicians can use is simply to advise their patients to quit, particularly if this advice is combined with informing the patients of their "lung age". We also discuss the pharmacologic therapies used to enhance the likelihood of quitting, including nicotine replacement, bupropion SR and varenicline, along with novel nicotine vaccines, which are currently undergoing clinical trials.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2009
ReviewTreatment of bacterial meningitis: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews.
Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is a rapidly developing acute inflammation of leptomeninges and underlying subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). ABM is caused by bacteria and has a case fatality rate of 20-30%. Most prevalent causes of ABM are Neisseria meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. The aim of this paper is to summarize the main findings from Cochrane systematic reviews that have considered the evidence for treatments of ABM. ⋯ In presence of sensitive organisms, third generation cephalosporins and conventional antibiotics lead to similar outcomes. More studies are needed to determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern against various antibiotics in rural and remote areas of developing as well as developed countries. To assess the effectiveness of either restricting or maintenance fluids in populations where patients present early and on death and disability when mortality rates are low, large trials should be conducted. More trials are needed to assess the use of adjuvant dexamethasone for ABM in low-income countries.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2009
Pulmonary rehabilitation is successful for COPD irrespective of MRC dyspnoea grade.
It is not clear whether the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) apply equally to patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with different levels of starting disability. We have therefore investigated the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation stratified by the MRC dyspnoea scale in patients with COPD. ⋯ Patients with COPD, of all MRC dyspnoea grades, benefit comparably from pulmonary rehabilitation achieving both statistically and clinically meaningful improvements in exercise performance. MRC grade should therefore not be used to exclude patients from pulmonary rehabilitation.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2009
Interleukin-18 in induced sputum: association with lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
It has been shown that interleukin (IL)-18 levels in induced sputum are reduced in asthmatic and healthy smokers. However, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, recent data show an overproduction in the lungs and increased serum levels of IL-18, suggesting that IL-18 may be involved in the pathogenesis of COPD. ⋯ In patients with COPD, increased levels of IL-18 in induced sputum were associated with airflow limitation, suggesting that IL-18 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD.