Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research
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Remote patient monitoring allows monitoring high-risk patients through implementation of an expanding number of technologies in coordination with a healthcare team to augment care, with the potential to provide early detection of exacerbation, prompt access to therapy and clinical services, and ultimately improved patient outcomes and decreased healthcare utilization. In this review, we describe the application of remote patient monitoring in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease including the potential benefits and possible barriers to implementation both for the individual and the healthcare system.
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The molecular mechanisms of opium with regard to coronary artery disease (CAD) have not yet been determined. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of opium on the expression of scavenger receptors including CD36, CD68, and CD9 tetraspanin in monocytes and the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) in patients with CAD with and without opium addiction. This case-control study was conducted in three groups: (1) opium-addicted patients with CAD (CAD+OA, n=30); (2) patients with CAD with no opium addiction (CAD, n=30); and (3) individuals without CAD and opium addiction as the control group (Ctrl, n=17). ⋯ MDA levels significantly increased in the CAD and CAD+OA groups in comparison with the Ctrl group (p=0.010 and p=0.002, respectively). No significant differences were found in CD9, CD36, CD68, IFN-γ, and NOx between the three groups. The findings demonstrated that opium did not have a significant effect on the expression of CD36, CD68, and CD9 at the gene and protein levels, but it might be involved in the development of CAD by inducing inflammation through other mechanisms.
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Each year, hundreds of millions of individuals are affected by respiratory disease leading to approximately 4 million deaths. Most respiratory pathologies involve substantially dysregulated immune processes that either fail to resolve the underlying process or actively exacerbate the disease. Therefore, clinicians have long considered immune-modulating corticosteroids (CSs), particularly glucocorticoids (GCs), as a critical tool for management of a wide spectrum of respiratory conditions. ⋯ In this comprehensive review, we present a summary of the bench and the bedside evidence regarding GC treatment in a spectrum of respiratory illnesses. We first describe here the experimental evidence of GC effects in the distal airways and/or parenchyma, both in vitro and in disease-specific animal studies, then we evaluate the recent clinical evidence regarding GC treatment in over 20 respiratory pathologies. Overall, CS remain a critical tool in the management of respiratory illness, but their benefits are dependent on the underlying pathology and should be weighed against patient-specific risks.