Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Aug 2015
Multicenter StudyThe effect of bronchodilators on forced vital capacity measurement in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Forced vital capacity (FVC) is a key measure of disease severity in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and is an important clinical trial endpoint. We hypothesize that reversible airflow limitation co-exists in a subgroup of patients with IPF, and that bronchodilator use will improve the performance characteristics of FVC. ⋯ Approximately one in ten patients with IPF has physiological evidence of reversible airflow limitation, and bronchodilator use in these patients may improve the assessment of disease progression based on FVC change over time. Bronchodilator use does not appear to meaningfully impact the precision of FVC as an endpoint in clinical trials.
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Although community violence may influence asthma morbidity by increasing stress, no study has assessed exposure to gun violence and childhood asthma. We examined whether exposure to gun violence is associated with asthma in children, particularly in those reporting fear of leaving their home. ⋯ Exposure to gun violence is associated with asthma in Puerto Rican children, particularly in those afraid to leave their home. Stress from such violence may contribute to the high burden of asthma in Puerto Ricans.
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Respiratory medicine · Aug 2015
Serum metalloproteinases 1 and 7 in the diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial pneumonias.
Accurate diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has important therapeutic and prognostic implications and would be greatly aided by reliable diagnostic biomarkers as IPF has sometimes overlapping features with other interstitial lung diseases (ILD). ⋯ MMP-1 and particularly MMP-7 serum levels were significantly higher in IPF than in non-IPF UIP, the main entity in differential diagnosis. The value of these biomarkers as additional tools in a multidisciplinary approach to IPF diagnosis needs to be considered and further explored.