Thorax
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Multicenter Study
Smoking duration alone provides stronger risk estimates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than pack-years.
Cigarette smoking is the strongest risk factor for COPD. Smoking burden is frequently measured in pack-years, but the relative contribution of cigarettes smoked per day versus duration towards the development of structural lung disease, airflow obstruction and functional outcomes is not known. ⋯ Smoking duration alone provides stronger risk estimates of COPD than the composite index of pack-years.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Lung clearance index to monitor treatment response in pulmonary exacerbations in preschool children with cystic fibrosis.
Antibiotic treatment for pulmonary symptoms in preschool children with cystic fibrosis (CF) varies among clinicians. The lung clearance index (LCI) is sensitive to early CF lung disease, but its utility to monitor pulmonary exacerbations in young children has not been assessed. ⋯ LCI significantly deteriorated with pulmonary symptoms relative to baseline and improved with antibiotic treatment. These data suggest that LCI may have a role in the routine clinical care of preschool children with CF.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Echocardiographic changes with non-invasive ventilation and CPAP in obesity hypoventilation syndrome.
Despite a significant association between obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and cardiac dysfunction, no randomised trials have assessed the impact of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or CPAP on cardiac structure and function assessed by echocardiography. ⋯ In patients with OHS, medium-term treatment with NIV is more effective than CPAP and lifestyle modification in improving pulmonary hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and functional outcomes. Long-term studies are needed to confirm these results.
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Neutrophils may cause tissue disruption during migration and by releasing cytotoxic molecules. However, the benefits of neutrophil depletion observed in experimental models of lung injury do not correspond with the poor outcome of neutropenic patients. ⋯ Release of MMP-9 from neutrophils is required for adequate matrix processing and lung repair.
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Editorial Comment
Air pollution exposure and IPF: prevention when there is no cure.