American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2006
Comparative StudyThe effect of biomass burning on respiratory symptoms and lung function in rural Mexican women.
The use of biomass as a cooking fuel is commonplace in developing countries and has been associated with chronic bronchitis and obstructive airway disease. ⋯ Women cooking with biomass fuels have increased respiratory symptoms and a slight average reduction in lung function compared with those cooking with gas.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2006
Comparative StudyAlveolar cell senescence in patients with pulmonary emphysema.
The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is age-dependent, suggesting an intimate relationship between the pathogenesis of COPD and aging. In this study we investigated whether the senescence of alveolar epithelial and endothelial cells is accelerated in emphysematous lungs. ⋯ These results suggest that the senescence of alveolar epithelial and endothelial cells is accelerated in patients with emphysema. Cellular senescence may explain the abnormal cell turnover that promotes the loss of alveolar cells in emphysematous lungs.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialHelium-hyperoxia, exercise, and respiratory mechanics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Hyperoxia and normoxic helium independently reduce dynamic hyperinflation and improve the exercise tolerance of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Combining these gases could have an additive effect on dynamic hyperinflation and a greater impact on respiratory mechanics and exercise tolerance. ⋯ Combining helium and hyperoxia delays dynamic hyperinflation and improves respiratory mechanics, which translates into added improvements in exercise tolerance for patients with COPD.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyInfliximab therapy in patients with chronic sarcoidosis and pulmonary involvement.
Evidence suggests that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha plays an important role in the pathophysiology of sarcoidosis. ⋯ Infliximab therapy resulted in a statistically significant improvement in % predicted FVC at Week 24. The clinical importance of this finding is not clear. The results of this Phase 2 clinical study support further evaluation of anti-TNF-alpha therapy in severe, chronic, symptomatic sarcoidosis.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2006
The bacteriology of pleural infection by genetic and standard methods and its mortality significance.
Antibiotic choices for pleural infection are uncertain as its bacteriology is poorly described. ⋯ Pleural infection differs bacteriologically from pneumonia and requires different treatment. Antibiotics for community-acquired infection should treat aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Hospital-acquired, gram-negative S. aureus and mixed aerobic infections have a high mortality rate.