The Indian journal of chest diseases & allied sciences
-
Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci · Apr 2009
ReviewPulmonary manifestations of primary Sjögren's syndrome.
Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a complex autoimmune exocrinopathy with multifactorial pathogenesis and multisystem manifestation. It is called primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) when the manifestations are seen without any other co-existent rheumatic diseases. The incidence of respiratory system involvement varies widely in the reported medical literature, partly due to lack of a universal agreement over the diagnostic criteria of the disease and the type of study methods employed. ⋯ Therapeutic options include symptomatic and supportive measures and corticosteroids as the mainstay of the treatment for ILDs occurring in these patients. In recent years, rituximab (anti-CD20) has emerged as a promising treatment for this disease, though data from controlled trials are still lacking. Pulmonary involvement may be a source of significant morbidity in these patients, though only rarely, it is the cause of death.
-
Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci · Apr 2009
Case ReportsUse of non-invasive ventilation in a pregnant woman with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to pneumonia.
Utility of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is not proven. We report a case of a 28-year-old primigravida female with ARDS due to community-acquired severe pneumonia in whom non-invasive ventilation was instituted in an attempt to improve oxygenation and avoid intubation. This lead to an improvement in arterial oxygenation and reduction in respiratory rate of the patient and gradual disappearance of fetal distress.
-
To assess the role of multidetector spiral CT in patients with blunt chest trauma. ⋯ Multidetector computed tomogram is the modality of choice for rapid assessment of emergency chest trauma patients.