Respirology : official journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
-
Comparative Study
Magnetic resonance imaging is an accurate and reliable method to evaluate non-cystic fibrosis paediatric lung disease.
Chest MRI is increasingly used to assess pulmonary diseases, but its utility compared with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has never been evaluated in children using specific performance outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and reliability of MRI compared with HRCT in children with non-cystic fibrosis (CF) chronic lung disease. ⋯ Chest MRI was equivalent to HRCT to determine the extent of lung disease in children with non-CF lung disease. The findings support the use of chest MRI as an alternative to HRCT in diagnostic pathways for paediatric chronic lung disorders.
-
The management of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is dependent on the extent of pulmonary artery obstruction, which is usually evaluated by planar perfusion scanning and CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). We previously reported that SPECT perfusion scanning is more sensitive than planar scanning for detecting vascular obstruction in CTEPH. The purpose of this study is to compare SPECT with CTPA for detecting segmental pulmonary artery obstruction in CTEPH. ⋯ SPECT is more sensitive than CTPA for identifying obstructed segments in this small sample of CTEPH patients. However, even SPECT under-represents the extent of vascular obstruction from this disease.
-
Malnutrition is prevalent in hospitalized patients and causes systemic damage including effects on the respiratory and immune systems, as well as predisposing to infection and increasing postoperative complications and mortality. This study aimed to assess the impact of malnutrition on the rate of postoperative pulmonary complications, respiratory muscle strength and chest wall expansion in patients undergoing elective upper abdominal surgery. ⋯ These results show that malnutrition is associated with weakness of the expiratory muscles, decreased chest wall expansion and increased incidence of pulmonary complications in patients undergoing elective upper abdominal surgery.
-
Editorial Comment
Using computed tomography to measure the site of airflow obstruction.
-
About one-third of the world's tobacco is produced and consumed in China. Despite existing tobacco control policies and activities, the prevalence of smoking in China remains high with 350 million smokers and 740 million passive smokers. Furthermore, smoking rates in the young population and in females are increasing. ⋯ Commitments from the government are crucial in tobacco control. Firm action should be taken on tobacco control issues at multiple levels including a reduction in tobacco supply, increased tobacco taxation, increased education, tobacco advertising limitations, decreased second-hand smoke exposure and smoking cessation support. The health-care community should also play a leading role in anti-tobacco campaigns and take a more active role in smoking cessation programmes.