2 research outputs found
Miliary sarcoidosis: A diagnosis which should not be missed
Pulmonary and mediastinal involvement in sarcoidosis is common with variable
radiographic features depending on the stage of the disease. It is randomly
detected on chest radiography of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic
patients, revealing bilateral hilar lymph node enlargement. High resolution
computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest is most sensitive and has typical
findings like micronodules with a perilymphatic distribution, fibrotic changes,
and bilateral perihilar opacities. Miliary pattern is a rare, non-typical thoracic
manifestation of pulmonary sarcoidosis. We describe two cases of female
patients with miliary sarcoidosis who were referred to our department and
treated successfully in the previous year
Sleepiness and Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Study Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study is to explore the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels, a marker of Vitamin D status, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), expressed as increased scores of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), in a group of prospectively enrolled patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: Newly diagnosed patients with OSA, divided into two groups, those with EDS (ESS > 10) and those without EDS (ESS p p = 0.005]. In patients with EDS, serum 25(OH)D levels correlated with average oxyhemoglobin saturation during sleep (r = 0.194, p = 0.043), and negatively with ESS score (r = −0.285, p = 0.003), AHΙ (r = −0.197, p = 0.040) and arousal index (r = −0.256, p = 0.019). Binary regression analysis identified Vit D serum levels (β = −0.045, OR: 0.956, 95% CI: 0.916–0.997, p = 0.035), total sleep time (β = 0.011, OR: 1.011, 95% CI: 1.002–1.021, p = 0.016) and AHI (β = 0.022, OR: 1.022, 95% CI: 1.003–1.043, p = 0.026) as independent predictors of EDS in patients with OSA. In patients with EDS, multiple regression analysis indicated that ESS score was negatively associated with Vit D serum levels (β = −0.135, p = 0.014) and minimum oxyhemoglobin saturation during sleep (β = −0.137, p = 0.043). Conclusions: In the present study, EDS in patients with OSA is associated with low levels of Vitamin D, while sleep hypoxia may play a role in this process