Swiss medical weekly
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Swiss medical weekly · Nov 2007
ReviewAdvanced chronic lung disease: need for an active interdisciplinary approach.
Modern treatment of patients with advanced lung disease includes not only pulmonary therapy but also integrative treatment of co-morbidities directly or indirectly linked to the underlying lung disease. Moreover, impairment of heath related quality of life is frequent in these patients and influences their physical and psychological "well-being". ⋯ Referral to the intensive care unit is not generally contraindicated and mortality depends on the underlying lung disease and co-morbidities. Nowadays, lung transplantation is a valuable therapeutic option in advanced lung disease and should be considered early especially in IPF patients.
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Swiss medical weekly · Oct 2007
Clinical TrialBosentan therapy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. A national open label study assessing the effect of Bosentan on haemodynamics, exercise capacity, quality of life, safety and tolerability in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (BOCTEPH-Study).
we performed an open-label national study to evaluate the effects of Bosentan on haemodynamics, exercise capacity, quality of life, safety and tolerability in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). ⋯ this open-label study suggests a beneficial effect of bosentan therapy not only on pulmonary haemodynamics, but also on quality of life and exercise capacity for patients with severe CTEPH.
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The unexpected death of a preterm infant is an extremely painful situation for parents. Despite a number of quantitative studies, little is known about parents' inner experience. The aim of this study was to gather more in-depth information about what preoccupies parents in this situation of suffering, thus leading to a deeper understanding of their dealing with the stressful event and enabling more adequate support to be provided by professionals. 10 mothers and 9 fathers, who had lost their extremely premature infant born between 24 and 26 weeks of gestation were invited for a semi-structured interview and retrospectively asked about their emotional, cognitive, physical and social experience at three different points in time (time of hospitalisation, 6 months and 3.5-6.5 years after the loss). The interviews were analysed by method of qualitative context analysis. ⋯ Most parents seem to have the psychological strength to overcome the traumatic experience of losing their premature infant and are able to face life normally again. Professionals can play an important role in supporting them. Some parents require additional help to overcome the loss.