The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism increased airway inflammation during an acute exacerbation. A total 68 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in a stable phase were enrolled and followed-up for 2-3 yrs. Inflammatory cells analysed, interleukin (IL)-8, neutrophil elastase, eotaxin, tryptase RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed secreted) measured sputum, both Out patients, 30 (unstable group) developed exacerbation expectorated adequate sputum...

This study describes the clinical characteristics of patients with CPFE and compares these COPD. It should therefore be noteworthy that prevalence lung cancer might high in patients.Patients combined pulmonary fibrosis emphysema (CPFE) are sometimes seen, we speculate have some different from COPD patients. clarifies patients.This was a retrospective 47 stable concurrent diffuse parenchymal disease fibrosis, based on findings chest CT (CPFE patients). The were compared those...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma may overlap converge in older people (overlap syndrome). It was hypothesized that patients with syndrome have different clinical characteristics such as sputum eosinophilia, better responsiveness to treatment inhaled corticosteroid (ICS).Sixty-three stable COPD (forced expiratory volume 1 second [FEV(1)] ≤80%) underwent function tests, including reversibility of airflow limitation, arterial blood gas analysis, analysis inflammatory...

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between structural changes in large and small airways asymptomatic asthmatics quantified by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) airflow obstruction. bronchial wall thickness at trunk apical bronchus (B1) right upper lobe used for assessment airways. Air trapping, evaluated ratio average CT‐determined values bilateral lower lung segments full expiration that inspiration (E/I ratio), Measurements were obtained with a helical HRCT 24...

Background— A defect of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in the lung high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) has been suggested to contribute its exaggerated hypertension. Several polymorphisms have identified gene encoding endothelial synthase (eNOS), which is a key enzyme responsible for NO synthesis, some were reported be associated with vascular disorders. Methods and Results— We studied 41 HAPE-susceptible subjects (HAPE-s) 51 healthy climbers (control group) Japanese population. examined 2...

Objective and background: The present study was performed to clarify the clinical characteristics of patients with COPD classified into phenotypes according dominancy emphysema presence bronchial wall thickening (BWT) evaluated by chest high‐resolution CT. Methods A total 172 stable (FEV 1 < 80%) were examined Emphysematous changes BWT visually, three phenotypes: absence emphysema, little or without (A phenotype), (E phenotype) phenotype (M phenotype). compared among phenotypes. Results...

Objective The purpose of this study was to clarify the differences in physiological properties airways between asthma and COPD using an impulse oscillation system (IOS). Patients Methods Subjects comprised 95 stable patients, 52 never-smoker patients 29 healthy never-smokers >60 years old, all matched for age, whom respiratory impedance examined by IOS. Results In both a significant increase resistance (Rrs5) more negative value reactance (Xrs5) at 5 Hz oscillatory frequency with resonant...

Chest computed tomography (CT) and pulmonary function tests are usually used for the evaluation of emphysema. We performed present study to evaluate more accurately relationship between degree morphological change functional abnormality in a helical CT apparatus obtain images both at full inspiration expiration. classed emphysema into 5 grades (0-4) by visual observation on image obtained two levels, upper lower fields, each side. assigned these score. also calculated average ratio numbers...

Background and objective: To evaluate the characteristics prognostic factors of Japanese patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). Methods: A nationwide survey to identify LAM was conducted by questionnaire. Survival probability estimated using Kaplan–Meier method, were analysed Cox regression. Results: Data collected on 173 pulmonary LAM. The major presenting features pneumothorax (43%) exertional dyspnoea (37%). survival probabilities for (Group A) 85%, 60% 47% after 5, 10 15 years,...

A 71-year-old man was admitted with malaise, mild fever, anorexia, body weight loss, lower back pain, thirst, and polydipsia. He showed bilateral swelling of the submandibular glands. Examinations panhypopituitarism a high serum IgG4 concentration. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) revealed uptake in pituitary gland, hilar mediastinal lymph nodes, mass consistent retroperitoneal fibrosis, but not pancreas. Biopsy specimens from gland indicated sialadenitis fibrosis...

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease. In order examine the association between OSAHS disease, this study measured hypoxia‐inducible atherosclerosis‐associated molecules in peripheral blood. Methods: blood was obtained early morning from 60 consecutive male patients (AHI ≥10 events/h) 30 control subjects without <5 events/h). Serum levels of heat shock protein‐70 (Hsp‐70), tissue...

It has been proposed that subjects susceptible to high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) show exaggerated hypoxemia with relative hypoventilation during the early period of exposure. Some previous studies suggest relationship between blunted hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) and HAPE. To examine whether all HAPE-susceptible consistently HVR at low altitude, we evaluated conventional function test, (HVR), hypercapnic (HCVR) in ten lowlanders who had a history HAPE compared these results those...

Despite the adverse cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea, majority patients remain undiagnosed. To explore an efficient ECG-based screening tool for we examined usefulness automated detection cyclic variation heart rate (CVHR) in a large-scale controlled clinical setting.We developed algorithm autocorrelated wave with adaptive threshold (ACAT). The was optimized 63 studies training cohort, and its performance confirmed 70 Physionet Apnea-ECG database. We then applied to...

Background: The syndrome of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) is a recently described entity associating upper-lobe lower-lobe fibrosis. We sought to evaluate differences in function between CPFE patients with without airflow obstruction. Subjects methods: Thirty-one were divided into two groups according the presence or absence irreversible obstruction based on spirometry (forced expiratory volume 1 second/forced vital capacity <70% following inhalation β 2 -agonist) as...

The role of systemic chemotherapy and optimal regimen in thymic carcinoma remains uncertain. We evaluated the clinical responsiveness ADOC (cisplatin, doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide) for advanced that have distant metastatic or unresectable lesions. From 1996 to 2000, we treated eight cases carcinoma. According classification by Masaoka et al., stage one case was IVa, whereas others were IVb. Histologic subtypes as follows: four squamous cell carcinoma, two undifferentiated,...

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by a high mortality rate. We have studied whether direct hemoperfusion using polymyxin B immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP) effective for acute lung injury (ALI) and ARDS. Two ALI eighteen ARDS patients were evaluated, four congestive heart failure (CHF) evaluated as cardiogenic pulmonary edema, we retrospectively compared the outcome with ten who had been hospitalized between 1990 1998 untreated group. PMX-DHP was carried out twice...

To examine the hypothesis that pathway of adaptation to high altitude in natives differs considerably from newcomers, we measured maximal O2 uptake (VO2max), minute ventilation, anaerobic threshold (AT), blood lactate, and gases during exercise 17 lifelong Tibetan residents 14 acclimatized Han Chinese newcomers living at 4,700 m. The two groups were similar age, height, weight, subjects nonathletes. Although VO2max was significantly lower Tibetans than Hans (30.4 +/- 1.5 vs. 36.0 1.9...

BACKGROUND: The precise mechanism of high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE) remains unclear. purpose this study was to evaluate the role cytokines and P-selectin in development HAPE which occurred at moderate Japan. METHODS: following cellular biochemical markers chemotactic were measured bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluid from four patients with 2857-3180 m Japanese Alps: total proteins, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, receptor antagonist (ra), IL-6, IL-8,...