Pressure stability of nasal CPAP and bilevel devices

Summary Question of the study   Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) prevents collapse of the upper airway during sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea provided that a positive transmural pressure can be maintained during inspiration. We examined pressure-flow characteristics in seven CPAP and bilevel devices during spontaneous breathing.
Methods   The CPAP devices were set to a pressure level of 9.8  hPa (10  cm H₂O) and adapted to a pneumotachograph using a standard CPAP hose and an outlet valve. We continuously measured flow, volume and pressure during resting ventilation and increasing voluntary hyperventilation and analysed the dependence of the variables on a breath-to-breath basis.
Results   Mean CPAP pressures differed between the devices (9.9 – 10.6  hPa) despite the same settings. In all machines pressure fell during inspiration to 8.4 – 9.8  hPa and increased during expiration to 11.1 – 11.7  hPa. This effect increased with higher flow rates. Maximum expiratory pressures rose to 12 – 19  hPa at peak flow rates of 2 l/s, mean expiratory pressures to 9.5 – 16  hPa. Inspiratory pressures dropped to 8.5 – 4.5  hPa (minimum) and 10.5 – 6.0 (mean). Bilevel devices showed a higher stability than CPAP devices. Pressure swings during the respiratory cycle increased the additional work of breathing.
Conclusions   Due to differences in mean and effective CPAP levels CPAP devices are not simply exchangeable but should be individually adapted. Patients with higher minute ventilation might benefit from more stable CPAP machines. The impact on patients' compliance remains to be evaluated.     

纤维支气管镜在急危重病人气道管理中的应用

目的 探讨纤支镜在急危重病人气道管理中的作用。方法 回顾性总结支气管镜对34例重症病人进行气道管理中的清理作用及治疗咯血，肺炎及肺不张等临床经验。结果 10例肺部感染患者，经纤维支气管镜治疗后感染均得到不同程度的控制，其中6例痊愈出院；7例肺不张者，4例行纤支镜1次肺复张，1例行纤支镜2次后复张，余2例配合其它治疗措施后复张；大咯血9例患者，经纤支镜局部应用肾上腺素及凝血酶，6例咯血立即停止，3例明显减轻；机械通气患者4例，2例痰栓致肺不张，其中1例左肺不张纤支镜吸引冲洗后复张2例诊断气管插管球囊滑脱／破裂，指导换管成功。困难气管插管患者均因常规方法失败后经纤支镜引导插管成功。结论 支气管镜是对急危重症病人进行气道管理的极有价值的工具，即可用于协助气管插管，又可胜任气道的清理作用及诊治大咯血，难治性肺部感染及急性肺不张等。     

Lateral position prevents respiratory occlusion during surgical procedure under general anesthesia in the patient of huge anterior mediastinal lymphoblastic lymphoma

Lymphoblastic lymphoma, an aggressive mediastinal mass, is recognized as serious threat to the patient in developing cardiac tamponade or airway obstruction. Surgical procedure is often required to relieve clinical emergency and to establish prompt pathological diagnosis. However, in such a patient, acute respiratory occlusion in the spine position can be a life-threatening complication during general anesthesia. We describe a 17-year-old man whose cardiac tamponade was treated by pericardial-pleural window through a left anterior thoracotomy in the lateral position. The patient recovered from hemodynamic compromise without showing respiratory occlusion during general anesthesia and remained in the lateral position until extubation. Pathological diagnosis was precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma. There were no complications attributable to the operative procedure. Further chemotherapy reduced the mediastinal mass in size after two weeks when the patient developed sepsis and died. Lateral position prevents respiratory occlusion during surgical procedure under general anesthesia in the patient of huge anterior mediastinal tumor with airway obstruction.     

K~+ Channels and Their Effects on Membrane Potential in Rat Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells

In order to investigate the K~+ channels and their effects on resting membrane potential(Em) and excitability in rat bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMCs), the components of outward K~+channel currents and the effects of K~+ channels on Em and tension in rat bronchial smooth musclewere observed by using standard whole-cell recording of patch clamp and isometric tension recordingtechniques. The results showed that under resting conditions, total outward K~+ channel currents infreshly isolated BSMCs were unaffected by ATP-sensitive K~+ channel blocker. There were two typesof K~+ currents: voltage-dependent delayed rectifier K~+ channel (Kv) and large conductance calcium-activated K~+ channel (BK_(Ca)) currents. 1 mmol/L 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, an inhibitor of Kv)caused a significant depolarization (from — 8.7±5.9mV to —25.4±3.1mV, n=18, P<0.001).In contrast, 1 mmol/L tetraethylammonium (TEA, an inhibitor of BK_(Ca)) had no significant effect onEm (from —37.6±4.8 mV to —36.8±4.1 mV, n=12, P>0.05). 4     

双水平压力调节通气与反比通气对健康及急性肺损伤犬心肺功能影响的比较研究

目的 :比较双水平压力调节 (BIPAP)通气和反比通气 (IRV)对心肺功能的影响。方法 :在两种通气模式 0、0 .5和 1.0 k Pa呼气末压 (EEP)时 ,分别测定健康犬及油酸诱发急性肺损伤犬的呼吸力学、血流动力学及血气分析各参数。结果 :无论有无急性肺损伤 ,BIPAP通气时平均气道压 (m Paw )均明显低于 IRV时(P均 <0 .0 5 )。给健康犬用 IRV通气时 ,上述 3种 EEP水平的 m Paw分别为 (0 .437± 0 .10 3) k Pa、(0 .811±0 .0 93) k Pa和 (1.36 0± 0 .119) k Pa;用 BIPAP通气时则分别降为 (0 .2 2 5± 0 .0 71) k Pa、(0 .6 11± 0 .10 5 ) k Pa和(1.10 7± 0 .0 89) k Pa。油酸诱发急性肺损伤后 ,m Paw分别由 IRV时 (0 .72 5± 0 .2 2 2 ) k Pa、(1.186± 0 .2 98) k Pa和 (1.6 0 0± 0 .10 0 ) k Pa降至 BIPAP时 (0 .35 0± 0 .12 9) k Pa、(0 .6 2 5± 0 .15 0 ) k Pa和 (1.12 5± 0 .0 96 ) k Pa;但两种通气模式中气道峰压、心排血量并无明显差异。另外 ,急性肺损伤时 ,BIPAP通气的动脉血氧分压 (Pa O2 )分别为 (9.10± 1.79) k Pa、(11.43± 1.80 ) k Pa和 (13.40± 3.2 0 ) k Pa,较 IRV时 Pa O2 (7.87± 2 .33) k Pa、(9.0 7±3.0 5 ) k Pa和 (9.71± 1.85 ) k Pa增高 (EEP 1.0 k Pa时 ,P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :     

Topical treatment with aqueous solutions of rofleponide palmitate and budesonide in a pollen-season model of allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND: Rofleponide palmitate is an esterified glucocorticosteroid pro-drug with a promising pre-clinical profile designed to deliver topical airway treatment for allergic rhinitis and asthma in a novel manner. Thus, the rofleponide palmitate pro-drug is designed to provide topical exposure of the mucosa to the inactive lipophilic drug, which would be locally metabolized to the more hydrophilic and readily cleared drug rofleponide. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether rofleponide palmitate affects nasal symptoms and peak inspiratory flow (PIF) in a pollen-season model of allergic rhinitis and to compare any such effects with those of another glucocorticosteroid (i.e., budesonide). METHODS: During the pollen-free season, 40 patients with strictly seasonal allergic rhinitis received topical nasal spray treatment with an aqueous solution of rofleponide palmitate 400 microg and an aqueous solution of budesonide 128 microg once daily for 10 days in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, and crossover study. After 3 days of drug treatment, individualized allergen challenges were given once daily for 7 days while the treatment continued. The washout periods between each of the challenge series were 2 weeks. Nasal symptoms and PIF were recorded in the morning and evening, as well as 10 and 20 min after each allergen challenge. The mean recordings obtained during the last 3 days of the allergen-challenge series, when symptoms were established and when the treatment had lasted for 8-10 days, were used in the analysis. RESULTS: Both active treatments reduced nasal symptoms and improved nasal PIF compared with placebo (P<0.01-0.001). There was no overall difference in efficacy between rofleponide palmitate 400 microg and budesonide 128 microg. CONCLUSIONS: Topical treatment with aqueous solutions of rofleponide palmitate attenuates nasal symptoms and improves nasal PIF in allergic rhinitis. The overall efficacy of 400 microg of rofleponide palmitate is similar to that of 128 microg of budesonide in the pollen-season model used in this study.     

Removal of laryngeal mask airway: airway complications in children,anaesthetized versus awake*

The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) must be inserted during deep anaesthesia. There are no guidelines concerning the removal of LMA, i.e., in awake or anaesthetized patients. The aim of this randomized prospective study was to compare the incidence of respiratory complications after LMA removal in anaesthetized or awake paediatric patients. Sixty children (ASA PS I or II), ranging from 4 months to 12 years of age, were studied. In patients breathing spontaneously, anaesthesia was induced and maintained with nitrous oxide, oxygen and halothane. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: group 1 removal of LMA in awake patients, or group 2 removal of LMA in anaesthetized patients, i.e., in patients receiving halothane at an alveolar concentration of 2 MAC adjusted for age and oxygen for 5 min. In both groups, patients received 100% oxygen after removal of LMA. After removal the incidence of respiratory complications was highest (P < 0.05) in group 1. Therefore, in healthy children undergoing elective surgery, the authors conclude that it is safer to perform the LMA removal in anaesthetized patients.     

棉尘及吸烟对肺功能影响的观察

对８３名接触棉尘的健康者作肺功能测定，并与３９名不接触棉尘的健康者对照。其中男性均为吸烟者；女性均为不吸烟者。结果表明，ＭＭＥＦ、ＰＥＦＲ、Ｖ２５％～７５％均明显低于对照组（分别为Ｐ＜０．０１和Ｐ＜０．０５）．在男性吸烟组，ＶＣ，ＭＢＣ，ＦＥＶ１％也有明显下降（Ｐ＜０．０１），作者认为棉尘对人体的危害主要部位在小气道，吸烟者因损害严重可累及大气道。以往对棉尘反应的肺功能评估仅以ＦＥＶ１％为指标，不能反映早期的变化，有必要进一步完善。     

Expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and neuropeptide tyrosine in mouse sympathetic airway-specific neurons under normal situation and allergic airway inflammation

BACKGROUND: The traditional neurotransmitter catecholamine and the neuropeptide tyrosine in sympathetic airway nerves have been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of airway diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of allergic airway inflammation on the expression of catecholamine enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neuropeptide tyrosine (NPY) and tachykinins in mouse sympathetic airway ganglia. METHODS: Using neuronal tracing in combination with immunohistochemistry, the present study was designed to characterize TH, NPY and tachykinin profiles of superior cervical (SCG) and stellate ganglia after allergen challenge. RESULTS: The vast majority of fast blue-labelled SCG neurons (allergen: 97.5+/-1.22% (mean+/-SEM) vs. controls: 94.5+/-1.48%, P=0.18) and stellate neurons (allergen: 95.3+/-1.01% vs. controls: 93.6+/-1.33%, P=0.34) were immunoreactive for TH. Of the TH immunoreactive and fast blue-labelled SCG neurons, 52.0+/-1.01% allergen vs. 51.2+/-3.58% controls (P=0.83) and stellate neurons, 57.3%+/-0.97 allergen vs. 56.4+/-1.65% controls (P=0.64) were positive for TH only but not NPY, whereas 45.3+/-1.05% allergen vs. 43.3+/-1.18% controls (P=0.47) of fast blue-labelled SCG neurons and 37.9+/-0.86% allergen vs. 37.1+/-1.24% controls (P=0.62) of fast blue-labelled stellate neurons were immunoreactive for both TH and NPY immunoreactivities. There was a trend of an increase, but not significant one, in the percentage of TH-/NPY-immunoreactive and fast blue-labelled neurons in allergen-treated animals in comparison with the controls. Tachykinins, however, were not expressed by sympathetic neurons and were also not induced in sympathetic neurons after allergen challenge. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that allergic airway inflammation does not alter the expression of noradrenalin and NPY in sympathetic ganglia and also shows that sympathetic neurons do not respond to allergic airway inflammation with tachykinins induction. However, a participation of catecholamine and NPY in the pathogenesis of allergic airway inflammation cannot be excluded in the present study as a higher neurotransmitter output per neuron following allergen challenge could be possible.