Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Sep 2001
Comparative StudyScreening of obstructive sleep apnoea: heart rate spectral analysis of nocturnal pulse oximetric recording.
Using heart rate spectral analysis of nocturnal pulse oximetry, we prospectively evaluated the utility of this methodology in patients clinically suspected of having obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). A hundred and ninety-seven outpatients referred with symptoms compatible with the diagnosis of OSA were studied. All participants had nocturnal pulse oximetry performed simultaneously with conventional polysomnography. ⋯ Furthermore, the positive and negative predictive values for diagnosis of OSA were 87 and 72% respectively. Apnoea hypopnea index (AHI) correlated significantly with S(TOT) (r=0.44; P<0.001), S(30-70) (r=0.59: P<0.001), S (r=0.58; P<0.001) and PA (r=0.58; P<0.001). According to our results, heart rate spectral analys s obtained by nocturnal pulse oximetry and identification of peak in the periodogram between period boundaries 30-70 sec could be useful as a diagnostic technique for OSA patients.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe efficacy and safety of two oral moxifloxacin regimens compared to oral clarithromycin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.
An international multi-centre, randomized, prospective, double-blind study compared oral moxifloxacin (200 mg or 400 mg once daily for 10 days) with oral clarithromycin (500 mg, twice daily for 10 days) in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The clinical success rate in the evaluable population at the primary efficacy assessment, 3-5 days after the end of study treatment, was 93.9% in patients treated with 200 mg moxifloxacin; 94.4%, with 400 mg moxifloxacin; and 94.3%, with clarithromycin. Clinical success rates were maintained at follow-up, 21-28 days after the end of treatment: 90.7% (200 mg moxifloxacin), 92.8% (400 mg moxifloxacin) and 92.2% (clarithromycin). ⋯ In all assessments, moxifloxacin was at least as effective clinically, and as well tolerated as clarithromycin in the treatment of CAP. Bacteriological success rates in moxifloxacin-treated patients were greater than those of clarithromycin. Moxifloxacin, given once daily, is free of many drug-drug interactions and requires no dosage adjustments in most renal hepatic deficient patients.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2001
Comparative StudyCytokines in pleural liquid for diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy.
An elevated level of adenosine deaminase (ADA) in pleural liquid has been considered as a supplemental diagnostic marker for tuberculous pleurisy. However, this is complicated by false-positives and -negatives. Recently, it has been revealed that various cytokines are intimately involved in the pathognomonic physiology of tuberculosis. ⋯ Analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, to evaluate the utility of the various parameters, demonstrates values for the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.770, 0.875, 0.892 and 0.987, respectively for IL-8, TNFalpha, ADA and IFNgamma. No false-positives were encountered with IFNgamma and only one case with a small volume of pleural liquid was a false-negative. This indicates that IFNgamma is a very reliable marker of tuberculous pleurisy.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2001
The body weight-walking distance product as related to lung function, anaerobic threshold and peak VO2 in COPD patients.
The product of walking distance and body weight (D x W) mimics the work of walking. We hypothesized the superiority of D x W to walking distance (D) alone in any correlation with lung function, anaerobic threshold (AT) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). We further hypothesized that the D x W product for a 6-min walk test (6 MWT) would correlate with the AT and VO2max because all three are markers of exercise ability. ⋯ Distance x weight product was correlated with the AT and VO2max. In addition, D x W was better correlated with diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and vital capacity than D alone. We conclude that D x W mimics the work of walking better than D and is suggested as a parameter for evaluation of patients' fitness if gas exchange measurements are not available.
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Respiratory medicine · Jun 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialLong-term administration of N-acetylcysteine decreases hydrogen peroxide exhalation in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhale more hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation products than healthy subjects. This may reflect oxidative stress in the airways that plays important role in the development and progression of COPD. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a mucolytic drug, possesses antioxidant properties as it is a precursor of reduced glutathione that together with glutathione peroxidase may decompose H2O2 and lipid peroxides. ⋯ Also no significant associations between exhaled H2O2 and concentrations of lipid peroxidation products were noted in both treatment groups at any time-point. These results indicate that long-term oral administration of NAC attenuates H2O2 formation in the airways of COPD subjects and prove anti-oxidant action of drug. However, further studies are necessary to estimate the clinical significance of this finding.