Respiratory care
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Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) during pregnancy may have adverse effects on the mother and infant. This study investigates the association of maternal exposure to SHS with low birthweight (LBW) in infants. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to multiple complications for both mother and infant. ⋯ The findings of this review revealed that maternal exposure to environmental smoke is correlated with LBW in infants as well as numerous other adverse effects. The majority of the studies found negative consequences of SHS on the birthweight of infants born to nonsmoking women. Thus, this review helps to confirm the association between maternal exposure to SHS and LBW in infants.
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Editorial Randomized Controlled Trial
Randomized Controlled Trial of Cryoanalgesia (Ice Bag) to Reduce Pain Associated With Arterial Blood Gas Puncture.
Arterial puncture can be a painful procedure for many patients. This study investigates whether precooling of a puncture site with ice can reduce the pain associated with arterial puncture. ⋯ Ice application before arterial puncture is well tolerated and reduces procedure-related pain. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02065115).
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Comparative Study
Physicochemical Aspects and Efficiency of Albuterol Nebulization: Comparison of Three Aerosol Types in an In Vitro Pediatric Model.
Advances in nebulizer design have produced both ultrasonic nebulizers and devices based on a vibrating mesh (vibrating mesh nebulizers), which are expected to enhance the efficiency of aerosol drug therapy. The aim of this study was to compare 4 different nebulizers, of 3 different types, in an in vitro model using albuterol delivery and physical characteristics as benchmarks. ⋯ The in vitro model was effective for comparing nebulizer types, demonstrating important differences between nebulizer types. The new devices, both the ultrasonic nebulizers and vibrating mesh nebulizers, delivered more aerosolized drug than traditional jet nebulizers.
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Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has been shown to improve the clearance of carbon dioxide and minute ventilation (V̇E) in select patients with COPD. One variable often assessed in COPD is ventilatory efficiency (V̇E/V̇CO2 ). ⋯ The changes were greatest in the LVRS subjects who showed the most functional improvement, indicating an association of improved ventilation with improved functional outcome.
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The need for prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) after cardiac surgery is still a common problem. We hypothesized that subjects who required PMV after a single surgery (either coronary artery bypass grafting or valve surgery) would have better outcomes than those who had experienced both revascularization and valve surgery. ⋯ These results suggest that patients needing PMV after combined cardiac surgery may suffer worse outcomes than those needing PMV after simple cardiac surgery.