Resp Res
-
Little is known about the United States diagnosis and burden of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department (ED), and their evolution over the past decade. We examined nationally representative data to evaluate factors associated with and trends in ED diagnosis of PE. ⋯ The proportion of ED visits with a diagnosis of PE increased significantly from 2001 to 2010 and this rise can be attributed in large part to the increased availability and use of CT. Most of these patients were admitted with low in-hospital mortality.
-
Comparative Study
Dietary galacto-oligosaccharides prevent airway eosinophilia and hyperresponsiveness in a murine house dust mite-induced asthma model.
Allergic asthma is strongly associated with the exposure to house dust mite (HDM) and is characterized by eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Recently, there is an increased interest in using dietary oligosaccharides, also known as prebiotics, as a novel strategy to prevent the development of, or reduce, symptoms of allergy. ⋯ Not only did dietary intervention with 1% GOS during sensitization and challenge prevent the induction of airway eosinophilia and Th2-related cytokine and chemokine concentrations in the lung equally effective as budesonide treatment, it also prevented AHR development in HDM-allergic mice. GOS might be useful for the prevention and/or treatment of symptoms in asthmatic disease.
-
Mortality from severe acute respiratory distress syndrome exceeds 40% and there is no available pharmacologic treatment. Mechanical ventilation contributes to lung dysfunction and mortality by causing ventilator-induced lung injury. We explored the utility of simvastatin in a mouse model of severe ventilator-induced lung injury. ⋯ High-dose simvastatin prevents experimental hyperinflation lung injury by angioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects.
-
17β-estradiol can suppress acute lung injury (ALI) and regulate alveolar epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). However the relationship between these two functions remains unclear. This study is conducted to assess the role of ENaC and the PI3K/Akt/SGK1 signaling pathway in 17β-estradiol therapy in attenuating LPS-induced ALI. ⋯ 17β-estradiol attenuates LPS-induced ALI not only by repressing inflammation, but also by reducing pulmonary edema via elevation of α-ENaC expression and membrane abundance. These effects were mediated, at least partially, via activation of the PI3K/Akt/SGK1 signaling pathway.
-
Comparative Study
Predictors of diagnosis and survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and connective tissue disease-related usual interstitial pneumonia.
Although usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) appears to portend better survival when associated with connective tissue disease (CTD-UIP), little is known about the presenting clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features that differentiate pathologically confirmed UIP with CTD from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In patients with atypical radiologic and clinical features, what specific findings predict underlying IPF vs. CTD-UIP diagnosis and their respective long term survival? ⋯ UIP pathology occurs frequently among patients with atypically presenting clinical and radiologic features, and may represent IPF or CTD-UIP with improved prognosis if underlying CTD is diagnosed. Presenting radiologic and pathologic features alone are not predictive of underlying secondary cause or survival between the two groups.