Comparison of Sputum and Serum Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP) Levels in Nonatopic Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether sputum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) concentrations could be a useful marker in the differential diagnosis between intrinsic asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For this purpose total blood eosinophil counts were obtained and concentrations of serum and sputum ECP from 10 nonatopic asthmatics with a mild attack and 9 COPD patients with acute exacerbation were measured by radioimmunoassay. Mean serum ECP concentration was 54.3 ± 23.0 g/L in the asthmatic group and 83.3 ± 79.2 g/L in the COPD group (p: n.s.). In the group of asthmatics mean sputum ECP level was 984.5 ± 1245.5 mg/L/g sputum and in the COPD group it was 417.5 ± 363.5 mg/L/g sputum. There was no significant difference in sputum ECP levels between patients with asthma and COPD. We conclude that neither sputum nor serum ECP levels are useful markers in differential diagnosis of asthma attack and acute exacerbation of COPD.     

Utility of pulmonary function testing in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This study sought to measure the effect of pulmonary function testing (PFT) data on the decisions made by generalist physicians in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 148 physicians were randomly assigned to two groups, both of which were asked to manage two identical fictitious but representative cases of COPD, which included history, physical, x-ray, and laboratory results. The experimental group received PFT results in addition. No significant difference was noted between the two groups in management based on availability of PFT data. The optimum utility of PFT data in the management of COPD may be exaggerated and has yet to be determined. Received from the Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, October 28, 1992, Chicago, Illinois.     

经阴道彩色多普勒诊断未破裂型输卵管妊娠

本文介绍经阴道彩色多普勒诊断未破裂型输卵管妊娠２６例，１３例经手术及病理检查证实，１３例经临床确诊，符合２５例，诊断符合率９６．１５％；误诊１例，误诊率３．８５％。经阴道彩色多普勒检查其二维图像清晰，彩色血流灵敏，能更早发现输卵管妊娠包块内特异的滋养层周围血流及同侧卵巢的黄体血流，使输卵管妊娠在破裂前就能作出诊断，具有较高的临床应用价值。     

舒利迭加无创通气治疗稳定期慢性阻塞性肺疾病的临床研究

目的探讨舒利迭(吸入型肾上腺皮质激素与长效β2-受体激动剂的预混制剂)联合双水平气道正压通气(B iPAP)对稳定期慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)的治疗作用。方法稳定期COPD病人52例,舒利迭TM50/250,1吸/次,2次/d;B iPAP,吸气压力(IPAP)10~20cm H2O,呼气压力(EPAP,也称PEEP)3~6cm H2O,吸氧浓度(FiO2)3L/m in,每天夜间通气6~8h。观察治疗前、治疗后12周病人临床症状、生活质量、健康状态和肺功能。结果治疗前、治疗后12周病人的临床症状、急性加重次数及严重程度、健康状态和生活质量、肺功能等指标比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论舒利迭联合B iPAP治疗稳定期COPD病人能够明显改善其症状,提高生活质量,有一定的临床应用价值,对减缓COPD病人肺功能下降有积极意义。     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病呼吸驱动影响因素分析

目的:探讨慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)病人呼吸驱动与肺功能、血气及静息能量代谢之间的关系.方法:26例COPD和21例正常对照者分别测定口腔阻断压P0.1、呼吸肌功能[最大吸气压(PIMAX)、最大呼气压(P EMAX)]、肺通气功能[努力肺活量(FVC)、一秒率(FEV,%)]、残气(RV/TLC)、弥散功能(DLCO)、静息能量代谢(REE)、呼吸商(RQ)、血气分析及Borg分级等.结果:COPD组P0.1和P0.1/PIMAX高于对照组(P＜0.01).相关分析COPD组P0.1与PaO2、SaO2负相关(r分别为-0.62,-0.53,P均＜0.05),而与PaCO2相关性不明显.Borg分级与P0.1正相关(r=0.63,P＜0.05),P0.1与FVC、FEV1%、RV/TLC、DLCO以及RQ无相关性,P0.1/PIMAX与REE有正相关关系(r=0.41,P＜0.05).结论:COPD呼吸驱动增高,不仅与PaO2,SaO2相关,还与静息能量代谢及Borg分级等相关.     

CT对肝内,外阻塞性黄疸的鉴别诊断价值

笔者通过对３５例阻塞怀黄疸的ＣＴ所见，指出了胆道扩张征象可作为鉴别肝内、阻阻塞性黄疸的可靠指标，再结合临床及ＣＴ的初期征象，可更加提高其鉴别诊断准确率。本文对这些指标的可靠性进行重点讨论。提出了该特点是特别胆道管囊肿的重要指征，即后者的胆道扩张为局部性或节段性。本文对良、恶性病变所致的胆道扩张形态亦进行了对照分析，发现二阻之间无明显性差异。     

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征对飞行员认知功能的影响

目的 探讨阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)对飞行员认知功能的影响.方法 对13名经多导睡眠图(PSG)确诊的中重度OSAHS患者及10名正常体检健康飞行员进行Epworth嗜睡程度问卷(ESS)评分,以及进行闪光融合频率、多项反应时、空间位置记忆广度、注意力集中能力、警戒性等认知功能测试,并对OSAHS组进行ESS评分、睡眠呼吸紊乱指数(AHI)、最低血氧饱和度与各项认知功能测试结果间进行相关性分析.结果 OSAHS组ESS评分明显高于对照组(P＜0.01),闪光融合频率、空间位置记忆广度分值、注意力集中能力时间明显低于对照组(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),对黄、绿色的选择反应时明显慢于对照组(P＜0.05),对红色的选择反应时与对照组相比无显著差异.OSAHS组警戒性作业总错误率明显高于对照组(P＜0.01).OSAHS组ESS评分与警戒性作业的总错误率呈显著正相关(r=0.789 0,＜0.01).结论 中重度OSAHS患者有不同程度的认知功能减退,可能损害飞行操作能力,造成飞行安全隐患.临床未进行有效治疗的患者应暂时或永久取消飞行资格.     

Effects of obstructive jaundice on neutrophil production and acquisition of chemotactic activity in the bone marrow

Background and Aims:  Increased numbers and enhanced functions of peripheral neutrophils have been observed in obstructive jaundice. However, the effects of obstructive jaundice on the bone marrow, that is neutrophil production and acquisition of neutrophil chemotactic activity, have been poorly understood. In the present study, differentials of bone marrow cells and chemotactic activity of bone marrow neutrophils were evaluated in bile duct-obstructed rats.
Methods:  Male Wistar rats underwent either bile duct obstruction for 10 days or bile duct obstruction for 4 days followed by 6 days' internal biliary drainage. Differentials of peripheral blood and bone marrow cells were sequentially determined. Chemotactic activity of peripheral and bone marrow neutrophils was evaluated with a modified Boyden method using interleukin-8 (recombinant rat Gro-β) as a chemoattractant.
Results:  Numbers of peripheral neutrophils significantly increased after bile duct obstruction. Significant increases in the myeloid/erythroid (M/E) ratio of bone marrow cells were observed after bile duct obstruction. The neutrophil proliferative pool (promyelocytes and myelocytes) increased initially, followed by an increased neutrophil storage pool (metamyelocytes, bands, and segmented neutrophils). The M/E ratio as well as the neutrophil proliferative and storage pools normalized after internal biliary drainage. Chemotactic activity was enhanced in both peripheral and bone marrow neutrophils after bile duct obstruction, and enhanced chemotaxis was alleviated with internal biliary drainage.
Conclusion:  The present results strongly suggest the principal role of the bone marrow in increasing the number of neutrophils and their chemotactic activity during obstructive jaundice.     

The severity of airways obstruction as a determinant of treatment response in COPD

Guidelines recommend that patients with COPD are stratified arbitrarily by baseline severity (FEV₁) to decide when to initiate combination treatment with a long-acting β₂-agonist and an inhaled corticosteroid. Assessment of baseline FEV₁ as a continuous variable may provide a more reliable prediction of treatment effects. Patients from a 1-year, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial comparing 50 μg salmeterol (Sal), 500 μg fluticasone propionate (FP), the combination (Sal/FP) and placebo, (bid), were categorized post hoc into FEV₁ <50% and FEV₁ ≥50% predicted subgroups (n=949/513 respectively). Treatment effects on clinical outcomes – lung function, exacerbations, health status, diary card symptoms, and adverse events – were investigated. Treatment responses based on a pre-specified analysis explored treatment differences by severity as a continuous variable. Lung function improved with active treatment irrespective of FEV₁; Sal/FP had greatest effect. This improvement appeared additive in milder disease; synergistic in severe disease. Active therapy significantly reduced exacerbation rate in patients with FEV₁ <50% predicted, not in milder disease. Health status and breathlessness improved with Sal/FP irrespective of baseline FEV₁; adverse events were similar across subgroups. The spirometric response to Sal/FP varied with baseline FEV₁, and clinical benefits were not restricted to patients with severe disease. These data have implications for COPD management decisions, suggesting that arbitrary stratifications of baseline severity are not necessarily indicative of treatment efficacy and that the benefits of assessing baseline severity as a continuous variable should be assessed in future trials.     

EVALUATION OF INDOCYANINE GREEN RETENTION AND AMINOPYRINE BREATH TESTS IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT BILIARY OBSTRUCTION

Impaired hepatic function is a major contributory factor to the high incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Dynamic hepatic function tests such as indocyanine green (ICG) retention and aminopyrine breath tests were evaluated in such patients to define whether they were clinically useful for prediction of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Forty-four patients with malignant biliary obstruction undergoing surgery for relief of obstructive jaundice were recruited into the study. Indocyanine green retention and aminopyrine breath tests were carried out in all patients pre-operatively and repeated in 36 patients postoperatively. The ICG retention was abnormal in all patients before surgery and there was significant improvement 2 weeks after surgery (32.8 ± 2.5%vs 18.3 ± 2.8%, P= 0.001). The change in ICG retention levels correlated with the serum bilirubin levels but the pre-operative ICG retention value could not predict postoperative morbidity and mortality. The aminopyrine breath test was abnormal in all but one patient. It correlated with pre-operative prothrombin time of the patients before surgery but it did not improve significantly after surgery and was not predictive of postoperative outcome. It is concluded that both ICG retention and aminopyrine breath tests have limited clinical value in the pre-operative evaluation of patients with malignant biliary obstruction.