Positive emotion reduces dyspnea during slow paced breathing

Slow breathing is used to induce cardiovascular resonance, a state associated with health benefits, but it can also increase tidal volume and associated dyspnea (respiratory discomfort). Dyspnea may be decreased by induced positive affect. In this study, 71 subjects (36 men, M = 20 years) breathed at 6 breaths per min. In condition one, subjects paced their breathing by inhaling and exhaling as a vertical bar moved up and down. In condition two, breathing was paced by a timed slideshow of positive images; subjects inhaled during a black screen and exhaled as the image appeared. Cardiac, respiratory, and self‐reported dyspnea and emotional indices were recorded. Tidal volume and the intensity and unpleasantness of dyspnea were reduced when paced breathing was combined with pleasant images. These results show that positive affect can reduce dyspnea during slow paced breathing, and may have applications for induced cardiovascular resonance.     

Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Uric Acid in Patients with Acute Dyspnea

Background

Uric acid was shown to predict outcome in patients with stable chronic heart failure. Its impact in patients admitted in the Emergency Department with acute dyspnea, however, remains unknown.

Methods

We prospectively investigated the diagnostic and prognostic value of uric acid in 743 unselected patients presenting to the Emergency Department with acute dyspnea.

Results

Uric acid at admission was higher in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (51% of the cohort) as compared with patients with noncardiac causes of dyspnea (median, 447 μmol/L vs 340 μmol/L, P <.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the accuracy to detect acute decompensated heart failure was inferior for uric acid (0.70) than for B-type natriuretic peptide (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.91, P <.001). Patients in the highest uric acid tertile more often required admission to the hospital (92% vs 74% in the first tertile, P <.001) and had higher in-hospital mortality (13% vs 4% in the first tertile, P <.001). Cumulative 24-month mortality rates were 28% in the first, 31% in the second, and 50% in the third tertile (P <.001). After adjustment in multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis, uric acid predicted 24-month mortality independently of B-type natriuretic peptide (P = .003).

Conclusions

Our study first shows that uric acid, measured at Emergency Department admission or hospital discharge, is a powerful predictor of long-term outcome in dyspneic patients.     

Randomized controlled trial of an internet-based versus face-to-face dyspnea self-management program for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: pilot study

Background

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continue to experience dyspnea with activities of daily living (ADL) despite optimal medical management. Information and communication technologies may facilitate collaborative symptom management and could potentially increase the reach of such interventions to those who are unable to attend face-to-face pulmonary rehabilitation or self-management programs.

Objective

The purpose of this randomized study was to test the efficacy of two 6-month dyspnea self-management programs, Internet-based (eDSMP) and face-to-face (fDSMP), on dyspnea with ADL in people living with COPD.

Methods

We randomly assigned 50 participants with moderate to severe COPD who were current Internet users to either the eDSMP (n = 26) or fDSMP (n = 24) group. The content of the two programs was similar, focusing on education, skills training, and ongoing support for dyspnea self-management, including independent exercise. The only difference was the mode (Internet/personal digital assistant [PDA] or face-to-face) in which the education sessions, reinforcement contacts, and peer interactions took place. Participants returned to one of two academic clinical sites for evaluation at 3 and 6 months. The primary outcome of dyspnea with ADL was measured with the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes of exercise behavior, exercise performance, COPD exacerbations, and mediators, such as self-efficacy and social support, were also measured. A satisfaction survey was administered and a semistructured exit interview was conducted at the final visit.

Results

The study was stopped early due to multiple technical challenges with the eDSMP, but follow-up was completed on all enrolled participants. Data were available for 39 participants who completed the study (female: 44%; age: 69.5 ± 8.5 years; percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s: 49.6 ± 17.0%). The fDSMP and eDSMP showed similar clinically meaningful changes in dyspnea with ADL from baseline to 3 months (fDSMP: + 3.3 points; eDSMP: + 3.5 points) and sustained these improvements at 6 months (fDSMP: + 4.0 points; eDSMP: + 2.5 points; time effects P < .001; group by time P = .51). Self-reported endurance exercise time (P = .001), physical functioning (P = .04), and self-efficacy for managing dyspnea (P = .02) also showed positive improvements over time in both groups with no significant differences with respect to program modality. Participants who completed the study reported favorable satisfaction with the programs.

Conclusions

Although there were numerous technical challenges with the eDSMP, both dyspnea self-management programs were effective in reducing dyspnea with ADL in the short term. Our findings will need to be confirmed in a larger randomized trial with more mature Web and personal digital assistant tools, use of a control group, and longer follow-up.

Trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00102401","term_id":"NCT00102401"}}NCT00102401, http://www.webcitation.org/5X8CX4gLC     

踏车锻炼对慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者吸气肺功能的影响及与运动能力改善的关系

目的 探讨踏车锻炼对慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)患者吸气肺功能的影响及与运动能力改善的关系.方法 对12例中、重度COPD患者进行12周的下肢踏车运动训练.在运动训练前后分别进行常规肺通气功能、弥散功能、肺容积、最大用力吸气峰流速(PIF)、最大吸气压(MIP)、症状限制递增功率心肺运动试验和高强度恒定功率心肺运动试验.在高强度恒定功率运动中,每隔1 min记录受试者潮式呼吸流速-容积(TBFV)曲线.结果 踏车锻炼后COPD患者运动持续时间(T)(t=7.357,P＜0.001)和峰运动功率(WRpeak)(t=3.614,P＜0.05)显著增加;MIP(t=4.754,P＜0.001)和PIF(t=2.440,P＜0.05)显著增加;踏车锻炼后COPD患者在等时间点潮式呼吸吸气峰流速(t=-2.747,P＜0.05)和呼气峰流速(t=-4.487,P＜0.05)均较前显著下降,最大吸气流速储备较前显著增加(t=2.755,P＜0.05),最大呼气流速储备较前无显著变化(t=1.326,P＞0.05).受试者下肢踏车锻炼后MIP的增加(r=0.613,P＜0.05)、PIF的增加(r=0.497,P＜0.05)和等时间点最大吸气流速储备的增加(r=0.592,P＜0.05)分别与运动持续时间的增加呈显著正相关.结论 下肢运动训练可改善COPD患者吸气肺功能指标;运动训练后吸气肌肉力量、PIF和运动中吸气流速储备的增加可能是COPD患者运动能力改善的主要原因.

Abstract：

Objective To explore the effect of treadmill training on inspiratory function and its association with improvement of exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods The 12 moderate to severe COPD patients were allocated to lower-limb exercise training for 12weeks. The routine tests of pulmonary ventilation function, diffusion function,lung volume, peak inspiratory flow (PIF), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), symptom-limited progressive cycle ergometer exercise tests and constant work rate exercise tests were administered before and after the training program. During the constant work rate exercise tests, tidal breathing flow volume (TBFV) curves were recorded every 1 mir. Results After treadmill training, the exercise duration (T) (t=7. 357, P＜0. 001), peak work rate (WRpeak) (t=3. 614, P＜0.05), MIP (t=4.754, P＜0. 001) and PIF (t=2. 440, P＜0. 05) increased significantly. The tidal PIF (t=- 2.747, P＜0.05) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) (t = - 4.487, P＜ 0.05 ) decreased significantly at isotime. Maxium inspiratory flow reserve (△FLOWinsp) (t = 2. 755, P ＜ 0. 05 ) increased significantly at isotime, and maxium expiratory flow reserve (△FLOWexp) (t = 1. 326, P ＞ 0.05)showed no significant changes; The△T were positively correlated with △MIP (r=0. 613, P＜0. 05),△PIF (r=0.497, P＜0.05) and △FLOWinsp (r=0.592, P＜0.05). Conclusions Lower limb exercise training improves inspiratory function of COPD patients. The improvement of exercise endurance in moderate to severe COPD patients after lower limb exercise training is due to increases of inspiratory muscle strength, maxium PIF and inspiratory flow reserve.     

Hospital without dyspnea: rationale and design of a multidisciplinary intervention

Dyspnea is a common and disabling symptom of respiratory and heart diseases, which is growing in incidence. During hospital admission, breathlessness is under-diagnosed and under-treated, although there are treatments available for controlling the symptom. We have developed a tailored implementation strategy directed to medical staff to promote the application of these pharmacological and non-pharmacological tools in dealing with dyspnea. The primary aim is to decrease the rate of patients that do not receive an adequate relief of dyspnea. This is a four-stage quasi-experimental study. The intervention consists in two teaching talks that will be taught in Cardiology and Respiratory Medicine Departments. The contents will be prepared by Palliative Care specialists, based on available tools for management of dyspnea and patients’ needs. A cross-sectional study of dyspnea in hospitalized patients will be performed before and after the intervention to ascertain an improvement in dyspnea intensity due to changes in medical practices. The last phase consists in the creation of consensus protocols for dyspnea management based in our experience. The results of this study are expected to be of great value and may change clinical practice in the near future and promote a changing for the better of dyspnea care.     

Evaluation and management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a most common progressive interstitial lung disease (ILD) of unknown etiology, although majority of patients are elderly male smokers. The main pathogenesis is aberrant recovery of epithelial injury and collagen deposition. Fibrotic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, connective tissue disease (CTD) especially rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated ILD, and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonia(CHP) are important differential diagnosis. Main symptoms are non-productive cough and progressive exertional dyspnea. Crucial physical findings are scalene muscle hypertrophy, bibasilar fine crackles, and finger clubbing. The serum markers such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) are sensitive for ILD detection and activity. Both pulmonary function test (PFT) and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) are useful tool for evaluation of disease progression of IPF. Serial changes of forced vital capacity (FVC) and 6MWT distance predict mortality in IPF effectively. Recently published international IPF guidelines highlight the importance of chest high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings such as honeycombing, traction bronchiectasis (TBE), and sub-pleural reticular opacity. IPF is chronic and progressive; therefore, tracking disease behavior is crucial. Unifying clinical, physiological, and imaging information over time is useful. With regard to its management, two anti-fibrotic drugs such as pirfenidone and nintedanib have been available. These drugs can slow the decline of FVC and prevent acute exacerbation (AE). In this review, I outline the clinical characteristics of IPF, physiological, imaging, pathological findings and review diagnosis process and management.     

Giant Osteoma of Mandible Causing Dyspnea: A Rare Case Presentation and Review of the Literature

Osteomas are benign slow growing tumors of bone. Tumors are usually asymptomatic until they attain remarkable size and cause asymmetry or dysfunction. In view of few reported cases of giant osteoma of mandible, this article presents a case of giant osteoma of left mandible in a 53-year old male causing dyspnea due to compression of air way space.