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Pediatr Pulmonol 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Background: Incense burning is an important source of indoor air pollution in many Asian regions. We investigated the associations between household incense burning and lung function, lung function growth and respiratory diseases and symptoms in primary school children in Hong Kong.

Methods: A total of 4041 children (mean age: 9. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Jan 29;17(1):587-595. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Chest Diseases, GATA Education and Research Hospital, 34744 İstanbul, Turkey.

Desquamative interstitial pneumonia is a type of smoking-associated major idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, which is characterized by accumulation of alveolar macrophages in alveolar lumens and septa and develops secondary to mainly active or passive exposure to cigarette smoke. Desquamative interstitial pneumonia mostly occurs in male smokers in association with non-specific symptoms responsive to steroid therapy and has a better prognosis than usual interstitial pneumonia. To date, no large-scale clinical studies have been performed on desquamative interstitial pneumonia patients. Read More

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Anhanguera Faculty, Physiotherapy, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil ;

Although step tests are a stressful and feasible cost-effective modality to evaluate aerobic performance, the eccentric in addition to concentric muscle contractions of the legs on stepping emerge as a potential speeding factor for cardioventilatory and metabolic adjustments towards a steady-state, since eccentric contractions would prompt an earlier and stronger mechanoreceptor activation, besides higher heart rate/cardiac output adjustments to the same metabolic demand. Moreover, shorter tests are ideal for exercise-limited subjects. Nine COPD subjects were invited to participate in comprehensive lung function tests and replicated-on different days-constant work tests at a 90% gas exchange threshold for 6-min, in single-step tests or cycle ergometry. Read More

Ann Card Anaesth 2019 Jan-Mar;22(1):86-88

Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, Haryana, India.

Pulmonary complications are common in cardiac surgical patients. Limited respiratory reserves along with the pain associated with sternotomy add to the morbidity. Patients undergoing cardiac surgery who have had a pneumonectomy done before can be even more challenging to manage perioperatively due to a single-functioning lung. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2018 Jul-Sep;44(3):268-273. Epub 2018 Jul 15.

Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Patients with valvular heart diseases may have more physiological lung derangements and therefore at current study we studied correlation of O2 challenge, A-AG tests and spirometry values of patients who underwent valve surgery on post op respiratory complications.

Method: 180 adult patients undergoing non-emergency cardiac valvular surgery were studied. On operating room all patients had arterial blood gas profile (ABG) at room air, 20 minutes after putting on ventilator with 100% O2, and pump oxygenator. Read More

Indian J Occup Environ Med 2018 Sep-Dec;22(3):170-176

Regional Occupational Health Centre (Eastern), Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Background: Byssinosis is an acute respiratory difficulty that is caused usually following exposure to cotton and hemp dust. Occurrence of such similar acute symptoms had been reported following exposure to jute dust/fiber also. With passage of time, Jute industries have modernized themselves for increased quality and productivity, which has lessened workforce and thereby provided more working space. Read More

Indian J Occup Environ Med 2018 Sep-Dec;22(3):156-162

Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.

Background: Asthma is common in children with indoor pollutants influencing the development of the disease. Since children spend most of their time outside their homes within the school environment, school indoor air quality can directly influence their respiratory health.

Aims: This study aims to analyze the indoor and outdoor air quality of Maltese schools and if an association exists between indoor pollutants and respiratory health in children. Read More

Respir Care 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Respiratory Physiology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas," Mexico City, Mexico.

Background: Measurements of inspiratory capacity (IC) and vital capacity (VC) are used to recognize dynamic hyperinflation, but appropriate reference values are required to achieve accurate clinical interpretations. Altitude above sea level is a potential determining factor for lung volumes, including IC and VC.

Objective: To describe IC and VC for healthy people who live in Mexico City at an altitude of 2,240 m above sea level. Read More

Kekkaku 2017 Jan;92(1):41-45

Rifampicin can induce hypothyroidism. We report a case of pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculous pleurisy that was complicated by rifampicin-induced hypothyroidism. The patient received rifampicin-based tuberculosis treatment and experienced persistent appetite loss, which led us to pro- vide concomitant hypothyroidism treatment. Read More

Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2019 28;14:141-148. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,

Background And Objective: The distance of 6-minute walk test (D6MWT) has been widely used in the assessment of functional status in patients with COPD, while very little attention has been paid to the role of steps of 6-minute walk test (S6MWT). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between S6MWT and other physiologic parameters of COPD.

Patients And Methods: Seventy patients with stable COPD were enrolled consecutively in this cross-sectional study. Read More

Minerva Med 2018 Dec;109(6 Suppl 1):11-19

Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura Privata del Policlinico, Milan, Italy.

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), respiratory muscle weakness leads to respiratory failure and death. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) appears to reduce lung function decline, thus improving survival and quality-of-life of patients affected by the disease. Unfortunately, clinical features and timing to start NIPPV are not well defined. Read More

Diabetes Metab Syndr 2019 Jan - Feb;13(1):652-658. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Physiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India. Electronic address:

Aim: We aimed at assessing cardiovascular risk of first degree relatives of diabetes (FDRD).

Methods: A cross sectional study involving 90 apparently healthy normoglycemic volunteers aged between 15 and 50 years (45 FDRD and 45 FDRs of non-diabetics). We measured anthropometric parameters, baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, cardiac autonomic function tests, and aerobic capacity, fasting blood glucose and insulin, lipid profile, inflammatory markers, nitric oxide and oxidative stress markers. Read More

Diabetes Metab Syndr 2019 Jan - Feb;13(1):630-635. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.

Background: The presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components may induce structural and physiological changes that exacerbate the impairment of the respiratory function. The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of metabolic syndrome and its components on lung function in women.

Methods: This is cross-sectional study. Read More

Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2018 Dec 14;39(6):685-692. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, Thoraxklinik, Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is a minimally invasive procedure for patients with symptomatic severe emphysema who may not be candidates for surgical lung volume reduction. BLVR has been shown to improve both functional and clinical outcomes with a relatively low risk of severe complications. Any potential candidate to BLVR should be on optimal pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment. Read More

J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Division of Clinical and Molecular Allergology, Research Center Borstel, Airway Research, Center North (ARCN), Borstel, Germany.

Background: Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) coil treatment is an increasingly used treatment modality for selected severe emphysema patients in recent years. Emphysema causes dynamic hyperinflation, loss of elastic recoil, air trapping, and decreased exercise capacity in advanced stages. This process progresses over time, leading to hypoxic and hypercapnic respiratory failure. Read More

World J Clin Cases 2019 Jan;7(1):95-101

Department of Clinical Laboratory, Translational Medicine Center, Huaihe Hospital Affiliated to Henan University, Kaifeng 475000, Henan Province, China.

Pulmonary protozoal infections are rare. A 28-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with chief complains of cough, sputum, and dyspnea. The clinical laboratory tests for blood revealed an increased eosinophil percentage of 31. Read More

Respir Res 2019 Jan 11;20(1). Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Background: Exhaled biomarkers may be related to disease processes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) however their clinical role remains unclear. We performed a systematic review to investigate whether breath biomarkers discriminate between patients with IPF and healthy controls. We also assessed correlation with lung function, ability to distinguish diagnostic subgroups and change in response to treatment. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Nov;10(Suppl 33):S3840-S3842

Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Sagamihara Kyodo Hospital, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.

J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Jan 9;14(1). Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensen Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark.

Background: Management of congenital malformations of the pulmonary artery and valve can be challenging. The severity often demands early intervention, which is rarely definitive due to the natural growth and multiple surgeries may be required. An artificial valve made entirely from biodegradable materials that will serve as a bioscaffold for host recellularization would be an attractive solution for these patients. Read More

Health Sci Rep 2018 Aug 19;1(8):e58. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pediatrics Hospital for Sick Children and Research Institute Toronto Ontario Canada.

Background: Pulmonary function testing has been recommended as an adjunct to symptom monitoring for assessment of asthma control. Lung clearance index (LCI) measures ventilation inhomogeneity and is thought to represent changes in the small airways. It has been proposed as a useful early marker of airway disease in asthmatic subjects, and determining it is feasible in preschool children. Read More

Health Sci Rep 2018 Jun 18;1(6):e41. Epub 2018 May 18.

Institute of Health and Society Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne UK.

Rationale Aims And Objectives: Increasing awareness of people's lung health through the use of lung function tests or symptom-based questionnaires is a potential method to aid smoking cessation. We investigated the impact of case-finding lung function tests for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on smoking behaviour.

Methods: Our trial used a novel waiting list randomised controlled trial design, nested within a case-finding cohort study. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Nov;10(11):6298-6309

Sana Clinic Group Franken, Department of Cardiology/Pulmonology/Intensive Care/Nephrology, "Hof" Clinics, University of Erlangen, Hof, Germany.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~85% of lung cancers. Our understanding of driver mutations and genotype directed therapy has revolutionized the management of advanced NSCLC. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Nov;10(11):6002-6009

Department of Internal Medicine, International St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea.

Background: We investigated the associations between hand grip strength (HGS) and spirometric parameters.

Methods: A total of 5,303 participants over 40 years of age, who underwent spirometry and HGS testing, were selected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014-2015. Outcome measures were forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV/FVC, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Read More

BMJ Open Respir Res 2018 18;5(1):e000358. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Introduction: The eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea (EVH) challenge is used to screen for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Several criteria have been proposed to determine the decrease in lung function (fall index, FI) following EVH. We compared three published FI calculation methods to determine if they affect the diagnostic classification. Read More

Respir Care 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Pulmonary/Critical Care Service, Department of Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio Texas.

Background: There is significant concern about the respiratory health of deployed military service members given the reported airborne hazards in southwest Asia, which range from geologic dusts, burn pit emissions, chemical exposures, and increased rates of smoking. There has been no previous comparison of pre- and post-deployment lung function in these individuals.

Methods: Military personnel who deployed to southwest Asia in support of ongoing military operations were recruited from the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at Fort Hood, Texas, from 2011 to 2014. Read More

Radiat Oncol 2019 Jan 8;14(1). Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano- structures of Ministry of Education and Center for Electronic Microscopy, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.

Background: Due to the heterogeneity of patient's individual respiratory motion pattern in lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), treatment planning dose assessment using a traditional four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT_traditional) images based on a uniform breathing curve may not represent the true treatment dose delivered to the patient. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accumulated dose discrepancy between based on the 4DCT_traditional and true 4DCT (4DCT_true) that incorporated with the patient's real entire breathing motion. The study also explored a novel 4D robust planning strategy to compensate for such heterogeneity respiratory motion uncertainties. Read More

Front Pediatr 2018 11;6:380. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States.

Fitness can improve asthma management. However, children from disadvantaged and minority communities generally engage less in physical activity, and have increased obesity and asthma disease burden. The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate (1) the feasibility of an exercise intervention program in a school-based setting (attendance and fitness improvement) and (2) the effect of the intervention on fitness, asthma, and clinical outcomes in normal weight and overweight/obese children with asthma from low-SES population. Read More

Eur Radiol 2019 Jan 7. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.

Objective: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with diverse clinical phenotypes that have been identified via cluster analyses. However, the classification of phenotypes based on quantitative CT (qCT) is poorly understood. The study was conducted to investigate CT determination of uncontrolled asthma phenotypes. Read More

Ann Rehabil Med 2018 Dec 28;42(6):798-803. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between peak cough flow (PCF), pulmonary function tests (PFT), and severity of dysphagia in patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods: This study included patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke, who underwent videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), PCF and PFT from March 2016 to February 2017. The dysphagia severity was assessed using the videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS). Read More

Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2019 Jan 3. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Service de pneumologie, groupement hospitalier Est, hospices civils de Lyon, 69677 Bron, France; Université de Lyon, Inra, UMR754, 69007, Lyon, France. Electronic address:

Background: Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) is a common genetic condition which predisposes to emphysema and liver disorders. It is estimated that 10-15% of homozygous individuals for the Z allele (PiZZ) may develop liver fibrosis. The optimal modalities to detect liver disease in PiZZ adult patients need to be defined. Read More

BMC Pulm Med 2019 Jan 6;19(1). Epub 2019 Jan 6.

K.G. Jebsen Center for Exercise in Medicine, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Background: Although dynamic lung volume is not considered a limiting factor of peak oxygen uptake (VO) in healthy subjects, an association between forced expiratory lung volume in one second (FEV) and VO has been reported in a healthy population aged 69 - 77 years. We hypothesized that a corresponding association could be found in a healthy general population including young and middle-aged subjects.

Methods: In a population-based study in Norway, we investigated the association between FEV above the lower limit of normal (LLN) and VO using linear regression and assessed the ventilatory reserve (VR) in healthy subjects aged 20 - 79 years (n = 741). Read More

Environ Monit Assess 2019 Jan 5;191(2):50. Epub 2019 Jan 5.

Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

The ambient air of hospitals contains a wide range of biological and chemical pollutants. Exposure to these indoor pollutants can be hazardous to the health of hospital staff. This study aims to evaluate the factors affecting indoor air quality and their effect on the respiratory health of staff members in a busy Iranian hospital. Read More

Pediatr Pulmonol 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dallas, Texas.

Objectives: To identify the determinants of nocturnal hypoxemia in children with CF using clinical parameters, polysomnography (PSG), and lung function.

Hypothesis: Sleep hypoxemia in children with CF is predicted by both apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (pFEV1).

Design: Retrospective case series. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(1):e13993

Department of Neurology, Third Central Hospital of Tianjin.

Respiratory failure is common during acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD). Phrenic nerve conduction (PNC), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and cervical magnetic stimulation (CMS) are of great value in identifying the feature and site of AE-COPD.PNC, TMS, and CMS were performed in 20 AE-COPD patients with respiratory failure, and re-examined after weaning. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(1):e13960

Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.

Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) frequently have comorbidity of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Their renal function may deteriorate because of the use of contrast agent after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), which is highly expressed in the site of angiogenesis, plays an important role in both CAD and CKD. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(1):e13951

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is a rare pulmonary complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with high mortality. Chronic bacterial airway infection (CAI) causes exacerbation and progression of several airway diseases, and bacterial airway colonization was shown to be associated with BOS after lung transplantation.We assessed the association between CAI and clinical course in patients with BOS after HSCT. Read More

Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2018 Dec 17;6(12):2354-2358. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Jalan Bunga Lau 17, Adam Malik General Hospital, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia.

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit persistent dyspnea in daily activities and irreversible airflow obstruction. These will finally lead to an inability to carry on daily activities and markedly decrease their quality of life. Endurance training was considered as therapy modality to alleviate several symptoms experienced by COPD patients. Read More

BMC Endocr Disord 2019 Jan 3;19(1). Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland.

Background: Chronic diabetic complications may afflict all organ tissues, including those of the respiratory system. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is an alternative and widely used method of assessing functional capacity and is simple to perform. However, to our knowledge, the impact of diabetes mellitus on 6MWT performance has not been investigated previously. Read More

Respiration 2019 Jan 3:1-7. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellatera, Spain.

Background: Inhaled antibiotics allow the delivery of higher drug concentrations at the site of infection without the systemic adverse effects observed with the use of parenteral or oral antibiotics. These antibiotics have shown to decrease the number of exacerbations, reduce bacterial load or improve pulmonary function in several chronic respiratory conditions.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe changes in the bacteriology of sputum in patients with chronic bronchial infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa treated with nebulised colistin. Read More

Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Departmant of Thoracic Surgery, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.

Objective: Destroyed lung is whole lung destruction secondary to chronic or recurrent lung infections. This clinical condition can result in irreversible changes in the lung parenchyma. In this study, we aimed to evaluate patients undergoing pneumonectomy with a diagnosis of lung destruction in terms of surgical technique, post-operative morbidity and mortality, and long-term outcomes. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2019 21;26:126-130. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Regional Referral Center for Rare Lung Diseases, A. O. U. "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele" Dpt. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.

Introduction: Severe morning stiffness with painful involvement of the girdles are often referred by patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), but the association between ILD and Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is rarely reported. The purpose of the work is to describe a series of patients classified as having PMR with ILD.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients with a diagnosis of PMR referred to our center during the previous year for respiratory symptoms. Read More

Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 2018 Dec 28. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Division of Neurosurgery, Gaffree e Guinle University Hospital, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Background: The phrenic nerve can be transferred to the musculocutaneous nerve using video-assisted thoracoscopy, aiming at the recovery of elbow flexion in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injuries. There are few scientific papers in the literature that evaluate the results of this operative technique.

Objective: To evaluate biceps strength and pulmonary function after the transfer of the phrenic nerve to the musculocutaneous nerve using video-assisted thoracoscopy. Read More

Arch Bronconeumol 2018 Dec 27. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Respiratory Division, Respiratory Rehabilitation Unit, University Hospitals Leuven and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address:

Introduction: Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) is a debilitating disease with limited treatment options that threatens both the quality of life and long-term survival of lung transplant (LTx) recipients. This retrospective longitudinal case-control study was performed to compare the long-term functional evolution of LTx recipients with and without BOS.

Methods: Twenty-four LTx recipients with BOS (BOS=Cases) and 24 without BOS (NON-BOS=Controls) were selected and individually matched according to age, gender, diagnosis and LTx characteristics. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2018 Dec 29;19:1541-1545. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

Qatar University and Weill-Cornell College, Doha, Qatar.

BACKGROUND The clinical presentation in acromegaly is usually insidious, with headaches or visual disturbances being the most common symptoms. Previous studies have shown higher fibrinogen levels, lower protein C and S activity values, and enhanced platelet function in patients with acromegaly compared to a normal population. Nevertheless, the link between hypercoagulability and acromegaly is often overlooked and rarely reported in the literature. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(52):e13701

Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly used to combine with pharmacotherapy for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China and other Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tonifying kidney therapy (Bushen, TK) for stable COPD.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TK for stable COPD were searched from 4 databases including Pubmed, the Cochrane library, CBM (China Biology Medicine disc, CBMdisc), CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from inception to December 2017. Read More

Zhongguo Fei Ai Za Zhi 2018 Dec;21(12):890-895

Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Background: Oscillatory positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) training is a kind of breathing exercise with Acapella. The clinical value of OPEP has been widely discussed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis as well as pulmonary cyst. However, few studies have explored the application of OPEP in surgery lung cancer patients underwent lobectomy. Read More

Zhongguo Fei Ai Za Zhi 2018 Dec;21(12):885-889

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Second Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou 215004, China.

Background: It has been confirmed that high-frequency chest wall oscillatory (HFCWO) is a new type of auxiliary sputum discharge device. However, up to now, the specific therapeutic effect of HFCWO is still uncertain. This study aimed to compare the changes of the sputum volume before and after the treatment of HFCWO, and to investigate the effect of HFCWO on lung function and arterial blood gas analysis after single port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy (S-VATS). Read More

Pediatr Pulmonol 2018 Dec 27. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Biostatistics and Medical Information Technology, Polytechnics University of Marche, Center of Epidemiology, Ancona, Italy.

Rationale: Prospective studies that evaluated the outcome of childhood empyema are limited.

Objective: To compare the outcome of pulmonary function in children with empyema.

Patients And Methods: Children discharged with a diagnosis of empyema underwent a longitudinal study including measurement of pulmonary function and radiographic imaging. Read More

Spine Deform 2019 Jan;7(1):171-175

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA.

Study Design: Case report.

Objectives: To describe use of expansion thoracoplasty (ET) for severe thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS) in an adolescent with severe spinal deformity.

Background: ET is typically performed in young patients with TIS to increase chest cavity volume, improve alveolar expansion, and potentially improve alveolar proliferation. Read More

Ann Agric Environ Med 2018 Dec 5;25(4):701-707. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of ChestDiseases, University School of Medicine, Düzce, Turkey.

Ojective: To investigate respiratory health problems related to pesticide exposure in the inhabitants of agricultural areas.

Material And Methods: This study included 252 participants prior to pesticide application and 66 participants from the first group after pesticide application across four cotton farms. Symptom questionnaires were filled out by participants and respiratory function tests were measured before and after pesticide exposure. Read More