Thorax
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Nocturnal non-invasive ventilation in addition to rehabilitation in hypercapnic patients with COPD.
Long-term non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) might improve the outcomes of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with chronic respiratory failure. A study was undertaken to investigate whether nocturnal NIPPV in addition to pulmonary rehabilitation improves health-related quality of life, functional status and gas exchange compared with pulmonary rehabilitation alone in patients with COPD with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. ⋯ Non-invasive ventilation augments the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure as it improves several measures of health-related quality of life, functional status and gas exchange.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Effects of atorvastatin added to inhaled corticosteroids on lung function and sputum cell counts in atopic asthma.
Statins have anti-inflammatory properties that may be beneficial in the treatment of asthma. A study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that atorvastatin added to inhaled corticosteroids improves lung function and airway inflammation in atopic adults with asthma. ⋯ The addition of atorvastatin to inhaled corticosteroids results in no short-term improvement in asthma control but reduces sputum macrophage counts in mild to moderate atopic asthma. The change in sputum macrophage count suggests potential areas for investigation of statins in other chronic lung diseases.
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Multicenter Study
Evaluation of serum CC-16 as a biomarker for COPD in the ECLIPSE cohort.
Circulating levels of Clara cell secretory protein-16 (CC-16) have been linked to Clara cell toxicity. It has therefore been suggested that this protein may be a useful marker of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ Serum CC-16 levels are reduced in individuals with COPD and there is a weak correlation with disease severity in former smokers.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Plasma receptor for advanced glycation end products and clinical outcomes in acute lung injury.
To determine whether baseline plasma levels of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), a novel marker of alveolar type I cell injury, are associated with the severity and outcomes of acute lung injury, and whether plasma RAGE levels are affected by lower tidal volume ventilation. ⋯ Baseline plasma RAGE levels are strongly associated with clinical outcomes in patients with acute lung injury ventilated with higher tidal volumes. Lower tidal volume ventilation may be beneficial in part by decreasing injury to the alveolar epithelium.
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Multicenter Study
Using the lower limit of normal for the FEV1/FVC ratio reduces the misclassification of airway obstruction.
The prevalence of airway obstruction varies widely with the definition used. ⋯ Airway obstruction should be defined by FEV(1)/FVC and FEV(1) being below the LLN using appropriate reference equations.