Can immune parameters be used as predictors to distinguish between pulmonary multidrug-resistant and drug-sensitive tuberculosis?

Introduction: Despite the development and wide implementation of Directly Observed Therapy Strategies (DOTS), multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a serious global health threat. In this study, the role of host immune response in patients with MDR-TB is investigated and compared with that of patients with smear-positive drug-sensitive tuberculosis (SP-TB

Symptoms, Clinical Findings and Paraneoplastic Syndromes in Lung Cancer

Signs and symptoms of lung tumours depend on tumour location and size, extent of the tumour or its stage and presence or absence of metastasis. Common symptoms are Cough (especially persistent cough), Hemoptysis, Dyspnea, Wheezing, Chest pain, and, Hoarseness. Less commonly, symptoms may arise due to introthoracic tissue and organ involvement, superior vena cava syndrome, Horner's syndrome or distance metastasis. Systemic effects like weight loss, anorexia, weakness may be seen and symptoms of paraneoplastic syndrome observed

Comparison of arterial and venous blood gases in patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome and neuromuscular disease

OBJECTIVES: Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and some neuromuscular diseases (NMD) present with hypercapnic respiratory failure. Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis is important in the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment response of these diseases. However, ABG sampling is difficult in these patients because of excessive subcutaneous fat tissue, muscle atrophy, or contracture. The aim of this study is to investigate the value of venous blood gas (VBG), which is an easier and less complicated method, among stable patients with OHS and NMD. METHODS: The study included stable OHS and NMD patients who had been previously diagnosed and followed up between March 2017 and May 2017 in the outpatient clinic. ABG was taken from all patients in room air, and peripheral VBG was taken within 5 min after ABG sampling. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with OHS and 46 patients with NMD were included in the study. There was a moderate positive correlation between arterial and venous pH values for all patients (rs= 0.590, P < 0.001). There were a strong and very strong positive correlations between arterial and venous pCO2and HCO3values (rs= 0.725 and rs= 0.934, respectively) (P < 0.001). There was no correlation between arterial and venous pO2and saturation values. There was an agreement in BlanduAltman method for the values of ABG and VBG (pH, pCO2, and HCO3). CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between ABG and VBG values (pH, pCO2, and HCO3). VBG parameters (pH, pCO2, and HCO3) can be used safely instead of ABG parameters which have many risks, during treatment and follow-up of patients with OHS and NMD

Investigation of parameters related to prognosis in diffuse parenchymal lung diseases prognosis in interstitial lung diseases

Introduction: Parameters related to prognosis in diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD) have a decisive influence on treatment and follow-up processes. We aimed to define baseline characteristics and factors that effect the mortality of the group of patients with DPLD and to determine distinctions between subgroups

Nebulized Lidocaine as an Alternative Therapy for Reactive Airway Dysfunction Syndrome

Reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (RADS) is a variant of irritant-induced asthma that develops in subjects without prior bronchoobstructive disease, following high-level exposure to nonimmunogenic irritants. Recommended maintenance treatment for RADS is not different from asthma. But in some cases, severe symptoms may persist despite the bronchodilators and corticosteroids. We describe the first case of a patient with RADS, unresponsive to all medical agents, who was successfully treated with lidocaine