The Effects of Sleep Hypoxia on Coagulant Factors and Hepatic Inflammation in Emphysematous Rats

OBJECTIVES: To develop a sleep hypoxia (SH) in emphysema (SHE) rat model and to explore whether SHE results in more severe hepatic inflammation than emphysema alone and whether the inflammation changes levels of coagulant/anticoagulant factors synthesized in the liver. METHODS: Seventy-five rats were put into 5 groups: SH control (SHCtrl), treated with sham smoke exposure (16 weeks) and SH exposure (12.5% O(2), 3 h/d, latter 8 weeks); emphysema control (ECtrl), smoke exposure and sham SH exposure (21% O(2)); short SHE (SHEShort), smoke exposure and short SH exposure (1.5 h/d); mild SHE (SHEMild), smoke exposure and mild SH exposure (15% O(2)); standard SHE (SHEStand), smoke exposure and SH exposure. Therefore, ECtrl, SHEShort, SHEMild and SHEStand group were among emphysematous groups. Arterial blood gas (ABG) data was obtained during preliminary tests. After exposure, hepatic inflammation (interleukin -6 [IL-6] mRNA and protein, tumor necrosis factor α [TNFα] mRNA and protein) and liver coagulant/anticoagulant factors (antithrombin [AT], fibrinogen [FIB] and Factor VIII [F VIII]) were evaluated. SPSS 11.5 software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Characteristics of emphysema were obvious in emphysematous groups and ABGs reached SH criteria on hypoxia exposure. Hepatic inflammation parameters and coagulant factors are the lowest in SHCtrl and the highest in SHEStand while AT is the highest in SHCtrl and the lowest in SHEStand. Inflammatory cytokines of liver correlate well with coagulant factors positively and with AT negatively. CONCLUSIONS: When SH is combined with emphysema, hepatic inflammation and coagulability enhance each other synergistically and produce a more significant liver-derivative inflammatory and prothrombotic status

Determinants of elevated healthcare utilization in patients with COPD

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) imparts a substantial economic burden on western health systems. Our objective was to analyze the determinants of elevated healthcare utilization among patients with COPD in a single-payer health system.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three-hundred eighty-nine adults with COPD were matched 1:3 to controls by age, gender and area of residency. Total healthcare cost 5 years prior recruitment and presence of comorbidities were obtained from a computerized database. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) indices were obtained using validated questionnaires among a subsample of 177 patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Healthcare utilization was 3.4-fold higher among COPD patients compared with controls (p < 0.001). The "most-costly" upper 25% of COPD patients (n = 98) consumed 63% of all costs. Multivariate analysis revealed that independent determinants of being in the "most costly" group were (OR; 95% CI): age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (1.09; 1.01 - 1.2), history of: myocardial infarct (2.87; 1.5 - 5.5), congestive heart failure (3.52; 1.9 - 6.4), mild liver disease (3.83; 1.3 - 11.2) and diabetes (2.02; 1.1 - 3.6). Bivariate analysis revealed that cost increased as HRQoL declined and severity of airflow obstruction increased but these were not independent determinants in a multivariate analysis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Comorbidity burden determines elevated utilization for COPD patients. Decision makers should prioritize scarce health care resources to a better care management of the "most costly" patients.</p

Several clinical interests regarding lung volume reduction surgery for severe emphysema: meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>We aim to address several clinical interests regarding lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) for severe emphysema using meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eight RCTs published from 1999 to 2010 were identified and synthesized to compare the efficacy and safety of LVRS vs conservative medical therapy. One RCT was obtained regarding comparison of median sternotomy (MS) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). And three RCTs were available evaluating clinical efficacy of using bovine pericardium for buttressing, autologous fibrin sealant and BioGlue, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Odds ratio (95%CI), expressed as the mortality of group A (the group underwent LVRS) versus group B (conservative medical therapies), was 5.16(2.84, 9.35) in 3 months, 3(0.94, 9.57) in 6 months, 1.05(0.82, 1.33) in 12 months, respectively. On the 3^rd, 6^thand 12^thmonth, all lung function indices of group A were improved more significantly as compared with group B. PaO2 and PaCO2 on the 6^thand 12^thmonth showed the same trend. 6MWD of group A on the 6^thmonth and 12^thmonth were improved significantly than of group B, despite no difference on the 3^rdmonth. Quality of life (QOL) of group A was better than of group B in 6 and 12 months. VATS is preferred to MS, due to the earlier recovery and lower cost. And autologous fibrin sealant and BioGlue seems to be the efficacious methods to reduce air leak following LVRS.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>LVRS offers the more benefits regarding survival, lung function, gas exchange, exercise capacity and QOL, despite the higher mortality in initial three postoperative months. LVRS, with the optimization of surgical approach and material for reinforcement of the staple lines, should be recommended to patients suffering from severe heterogeneous emphysema.</p

Self-reported sleep quality and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Jeanne Geiger-Brown,1 Sarah Lindberg,2 Samuel Krachman,3 Charlene E McEvoy,4 Gerard J Criner,3 John&nbsp;E Connett,2 Richard K Albert,5 Steven M Scharf6 1Center for Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, 2University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Biostatistics, Minneapolis, MN, 3Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 4Health Partners Institute of Education and Research, St Paul, MN, 5The Medicine Service, Denver Health and Department of Medicine, the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, 6Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Background: Many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer from poor sleep quality. We hypothesized that poor sleep quality in otherwise stable patients predicted exacerbations in these patients. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the results of a previously published randomized trial of azithromycin in 1,117 patients with moderate to severe COPD who were clinically stable on enrollment. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Other quality of life indices included the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey and the St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire. Outcomes included time to first exacerbation and exacerbation rate. Results: Sleep quality was &ldquo;poor&rdquo; (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index &gt;5) in 53% of participants but was not related to age or severity of airflow obstruction. Quality of life scores were worse in &ldquo;poor&rdquo; sleepers than in &ldquo;good&rdquo; sleepers. Major classes of comorbid conditions, including psychiatric, neurologic, and musculoskeletal disease, were more prevalent in the &ldquo;poor&rdquo; sleepers. Unadjusted time to first exacerbation was shorter (190 versus 239 days) and exacerbation rate (1.7 versus 1.37 per year) was greater in the poor sleepers, but no differences were observed after adjusting for medications and comorbid conditions associated with poor sleep. Conclusion: Poor sleepers had greater exacerbation rates than did good sleepers. This appeared to be due largely to them having more, or more severe, concomitant medical conditions and taking more medications. Keywords: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, SF-36, St George&rsquo;s Respiratory Questionnair

Cheyne-stokes respiration in patients with heart failure: prevalence, causes, consequences and treatments

Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) is characterized by a pattern of cyclic oscillations of tidal volume and respiratory rate with periods of hyperpnea alternating with hypopnea or apnea in patients with heart failure. CSR harms the failing heart through intermittent hypoxia brought about by apnea and hypopnea and recurrent sympathetic surges. CSR impairs the quality of life and increases cardiac mortality in patients with heart failure. Thus, CSR should actively be pursued in patients with severe heart failure. When CSR persists despite optimal therapy of heart failure, noninvasive adaptive servoventilation is currently the most promising treatment

Subjective sleep quality during average volume assured pressure support (AVAPS) ventilation in patients with hypercapnic COPD. A Physiological Pilot Study.

Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV) is an advanced treatment (1) aimed to improve both physiological (2-4) and clinical outcomes (5-7), including sleep (8-10), during the long-term management of patients with Chronic Respiratory Failure (CRF) due to severe hypercapnic Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Several studies evaluating the nocturnal application of mask ventilation in stable COPD patients (11-13) have shown a limited effectiveness of pressure based modes of NPPV in this patient group. However, further studies have shown that compliance to ventilation may influence the long-term efficacy of this treatment as patients who are compliant with NPPV are able to maintain arterial blood gase (ABG) improvements over 6-months when compared with those who discontinued this therapy (14).A new NPPV modality, called Average Volume Assured Pressure Support (AVAPS), combines both the pressure and volume characteristics of ventilation and, accordingly, delivers a range of inspiratory pressures to guarantee a pre-fixed inspiratory tidal volume. This hybrid mode of ventilation has been studied in intubated patients with acute respiratory failure (15) and in patients with chronic hypoventilation linked to obesity (16,17) and other conditions (16). Under these circumstances AVAPS is able to induce high pulmonary volumes and reduce muscle workload, thus providing physiological benefits and comfort similar to those achieved by pressure support (PS) modes. However, positive effects on sleep quality have not yet been confirmed.This pilot evaluated short-term compliance, night-time efficacy and physiological responses to Average Volume Assured Pressure Support (AVAPS) ventilation in patients with stable hypercapnic COPD