22868381
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis: lessons from 126 patients attending a chest clinic in north India.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To describe the experience of screening patients with asthma for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) presenting to a chest clinic. The clinical, serologic, radiologic, and treatment aspects including outcome of ABPA are also described.


METHODS
All consecutive patients with asthma presenting to the chest clinic over a period of 2 years were screened with an Aspergillus skin test. Patients who were found to be positive were further investigated for ABPA. Patients were also arbitrarily classified as ABPA-seropositive (ABPA-S), ABPA with central bronchiectasis (ABPA-CB), and ABPA-CB with other radiologic findings (ABPA-CB-ORF) based on the high-resolution CT findings.


RESULTS
Five hundred sixty-four patients were screened using an Aspergillus skin test; 223 patients (39.5%) were found to be positive, and ABPA was diagnosed in 126 patients (27.2%). There were 34 patients (27%) with ABPA-S, 42 patients with ABPA-CB, and 50 patients with ABPA-CB-ORF. Fifty-nine patients (46.8%) had received antitubercular therapy in the past. The vast majority of patients had bronchiectasis at presentation to our hospital. High-attenuation mucous impaction was noted in 21 patients (16.7%). There was no significant difference between the stages of ABPA and the duration of illness, the severity of asthma, and the serologic findings (ie, absolute eosinophil count, IgE levels [total] and IgE levels [for Aspergillus fumigatus]). The median duration of follow-up was 13 months (range, 9 to 38 months). All patients went into "remission" at 6 weeks. Twenty-five patients had a "relapse" during the course of their treatment. One hundred nine patients had "complete remission," 17 patients were classified as having "glucocorticoid-dependent ABPA," and 7 patients were classified as having "end-stage ABPA."


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high prevalence of ABPA in asthmatic patients presenting at our hospital. The disease entity is still underrecognized in India; the vast majority of patients have bronchiectasis at presentation, and almost half are initially misdiagnosed as having pulmonary tuberculosis. There is a need to redefine the definitions of ABPA and the optimal dose/duration of glucocorticoid therapy. This study reinforces the need for the routine screening of asthmatic patients with an Aspergillus skin test.
45999589
Noninvasive ventilation in acute heart failure.
26068481
Efficacy and safety of iodopovidone pleurodesis through tube thoracostomy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of iodopovidone as an agent for pleurodesis through tube thoracostomy in patients with recurrent pleural effusions and pneumothorax.


METHODS
This was a prospective study in which pleurodesis was performed with a solution of 20 mL 10% iodopovidone and 80 mL normal saline solution infused through a tube thoracostomy and left in the pleural cavity for 4 h.


RESULTS
A total of 64 patients (34 men) with a mean (+/-SD) age of 47.1 +/- 15.4 years were included. There were 37 cases of pleural effusion and 27 of pneumothorax. A complete response (neither reaccumulation of fluid nor recurrence of pneumothorax) was obtained in 32 (86.5%) patients with pleural effusion and 25 (92.6%) patients with pneumothorax. A second procedure (i.e. repeated pleurodesis) was attempted successfully in four patients in the pleural effusion group. All patients experienced chest pain to a varying degree as recorded on a Visual Analogue Scale (median 50.5, range 10-95). Seven patients developed fever and one immunocompromised patient developed empyema following the procedure. There were no recurrences at a median follow up of 5 months (range 3-15 months) in the pleural effusion group, and 13 months (range 6-24 months) in the pneumothorax group.


CONCLUSIONS
Iodopovidone can be used as an effective and safe agent for (chemical) pleurodesis (through tube thoracostomy), which is inexpensive and readily available.
33491888
Noninvasive ventilation in ARDS caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis: report of three cases and review of literature
22528299
Pulmonary hypertension as a presenting manifestation of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
The case of a 46-year-old lady who presented with respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension in the absence of clinical signs of asthma or bronchiectasis, and in whom a diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergilloma [ABPA] was made subsequently on the basis of radiological and laboratory investigations is reported. Symptomatic and objective improvement was seen with corticosteroid therapy. To the best of the authors' knowledge, such an occurrence has not been reported previously. This case highlights the importance of keeping a high index of suspicion while investigating a patient with pulmonary hypertension in whom the aetiology is not apparent on initial evaluation. Identification of the disease, in its early-stage, can prevent progression to bronchiectasis and fibrotic lung disease, and thus, patients can be saved from the morbidity related to end-stage disease.
3038618
Is the mortality higher in the pulmonary vs the extrapulmonary ARDS? A meta analysis.
BACKGROUND AND AIM
ARDS can occur from the following two pathogenetic pathways: a direct pulmonary injury (ARDSp); and an indirect injury (ARDSexp). The predisposing clinical factor can influence the pathogenesis and clinical outcome of ARDS. This metaanalysis was aimed at evaluating whether there is any difference in mortality between the two groups.


METHODS
We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases for relevant studies published from 1987 to 2007, and included studies that have reported mortality in the two groups of ARDS. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess mortality in patients with ARDSp vs patients with ARDSexp and pooled the results using three different statistical models.


RESULTS
Our search yielded 34 studies. In all, the studies involved 4,311 patients with 2,330 patients in the ARDSp group and 1,981 patients in the ARDSexp group. The OR of mortality in ARDSp group compared to the ARDSexp group was 1.11 (95% CI, 0.88 to 1.39), as determined by the random-effects model; 1.04 (95% CI, 0.92 to 1.18), as determined by the fixed-effects model; and 1.04 (95% CI, 0.92 to 1.18), as determined by the exact method, indicating that mortality is similar in the two groups. The mortality was no different whether the studies were classified as prospective (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.87 to 1.51) or retrospective (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.69); small (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.77 to 1.60) or large (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.82 to 1.49); or observational (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.82 to 1.49) or interventional (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.19). There was methodological and statistical heterogeneity (I(2), 50.9%; 95% CI, 21.3 to 66.2%; chi(2) statistic, 67.22; p = 0.0004).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that there is no difference in mortality between these two groups. Further studies should focus on specific etiologies within the subgroups rather than focusing on the broader division of ARDSp and ARDSexp.
13054088
Volume-associated ambulatory blood pressure patterns in hemodialysis patients.
Although volume excess causes hypertension, whether it also affects circadian patterns of arterial pressures among hemodialysis patients remains unknown. To test the notion of whether volume overload is associated with a unique blood pressure (BP) "signature," a posthoc analysis was performed among 145 patients participating in the Dry-Weight Reduction in Hypertensive Hemodialysis Patients randomized, controlled trial. Using 400 ambulatory BP recordings over 8 weeks composed of 35 302 measurements, the trended cosinor model was found to be the best descriptor of BP chronobiology. The trended cosinor model may be described as a pattern of sinusoidal oscillation around a straight line with an upward trend during the interdialytic period that has an intercept at the postdialysis time. Augmented volume removal therapy reduced the intercept systolic BP and increased the rate of rise in systolic BP over the interdialytic interval but had no effect on the systolic BP fluctuation (amplitude). Thus, an elevated intercept and blunted slope pattern characterize the "volume-overload BP pattern" on ambulatory BP monitoring. Similar changes were seen for diastolic BP. Augmented volume removal therapy neither restored dipping nor was associated with a lag phenomenon for either the wake or the sleep systolic BP. Lowering of systolic BP was greater than diastolic BP such that pulse pressure was reduced. An observational cohort of 37 patients followed for 6 months confirmed these findings. Randomized trials are now needed to evaluate the clinical impact of augmented volume removal therapy on hard outcomes, because reduction of pulse pressure with this simple expedient has the potential to improve survival in hemodialysis patients.
5404131
How can we prevent intradialytic hypotension?
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) produces uncomfortable symptoms for the patient and reduces the efficiency of dialysis.


RECENT FINDINGS
IDH may be an important cause of vascular access thrombosis. Automatic biofeedback-controlled dialysis changes dialysate conductivity and ultrafiltration during dialysis. A number of trials suggest that automatic feedback-controlled dialysis improves IDH in part by improvement in myocardial stunning and preservation of cardiac function. However, the effects of automatic biofeedback dialysis are inconsistent between studies and sample sizes are small. Acetate even in small amounts may trigger IDH especially in predisposed patients. Cool temperature dialysate causes vasoconstriction, activates the sympathetic nervous system, preserves central blood volume, and mitigates IDH. Increasing the treatment time to at least 4 h three times a week and limiting dialysate and dietary sodium intake are effective ways to reduce IDH. Ultrafiltration profiling needs further work, but it appears that removing more fluid during the first hour of dialysis and reducing the rate later on may also reduce IDH.


SUMMARY
Adequate prescription and frequency of dialysis treatments, limiting dietary and dialysate sodium, ultrafiltration profiling, automatic biofeedback-controlled dialysis, avoidance of acetate, and cool temperature dialysate may be effective strategies to reduce IDH.
42063247
Prognostic importance of clinic and home blood pressure recordings in patients with chronic kidney disease.
Blood pressure (BP) measured only in the clinic substantially misclassifies hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The role of out-of-clinic recordings of BP in predicting end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and death in patients with CKD is unknown. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 217 Veterans with CKD. BP was measured at home and in the clinic by 'routine' and standardized methods. Patients were followed over a median of 3.5 years to assess the end points of total mortality, ESRD or the composite outcome of ESRD or death. Home BP was 147.0+/-21.4/78.3+/-11.6 mmHg and clinic BPs were 155.2+/-25.6/84.7+/-14.2 mmHg by standardized method and 144.5+/-24.2/75.4+/-14.7 mmHg by the 'routine' method. The composite renal end point occurred in 75 patients (34.5%), death in 52 patients (24.0%), and ESRD in 36/178 patients (20.2%). One standard deviation (s.d.) increase in systolic BP increased the risk of renal end point by 1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.60) for routine clinic measurement, by 1.69 (95% CI 1.32-2.17) for standardized clinic measurement and by 1.84 (95% CI 1.46-2.32) for home BP recording. One s.d. increase in home systolic BP increased the risk of ESRD by 1.74 (95% CI 1.04-2.93) when adjusted for standardized clinic systolic BP, proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and other risk factors. In patients with CKD, BPs obtained at home are a stronger predictor of ESRD or death compared to BPs obtained in the clinic. Systolic home BP is an independent predictor for ESRD.
11856758
B-type natriuretic peptide is not a volume marker among patients on hemodialysis.
BACKGROUND
Although the cardiac biomarker B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is strongly related to mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), whether it is a predictor of weight change or blood pressure (BP) response upon probing dry weight among hypertensive hemodialysis patients remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine among people with hypertension on hemodialysis whether BNP is a biomarker of excess volume.


METHODS
Hypertensive hemodialysis patients (n = 150) were randomized to a control group (n = 50) or an ultrafiltration group (n = 100) and followed up for 30 dialysis treatments. After a baseline run-in of six treatments, those assigned to the ultrafiltration group had dry weight probed over 8 weeks. Forty-four-hour interdialytic ambulatory BP and predialysis BNP were measured at the end of run-in period, at 4 weeks and at 8 weeks.


RESULTS
The median BNP concentration was 93 pg/mL (interquartile range 31-257 pg/mL). The magnitude of decline in the BNP depended on the baseline concentration of BNP, but did not require probing dry weight or weight loss. No relationship existed between decline in postdialysis weight upon probing dry weight and baseline BNP. Furthermore, reduction in the BNP was not required for decline in postdialysis weight. Predialysis log BNP modestly predicted ambulatory systolic and pulse pressure independently of other risk factors. No relationship was found between decline in BP upon probing dry weight and baseline BNP. Upon probing dry weight, reduction in BNP was not required for decline in systolic ambulatory BP.


CONCLUSION
Taken together, these data suggest that among hypertensive patients on hemodialysis BNP is not a volume marker.
8134220
Prognostic factors in ovarian cancer: how close are we to a complete picture?
Prognostic factors in ovarian cancer: how close are we to a complete picture? Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in women, but is the most lethal of the gynaeco-logical malignancies with 30–40% overall survival at 5 years [1]. This is in part because the majority of patients with ova-rian cancer present with advanced disease, and treatment options at presentation are confined to a combination of debulking surgery and platinum based chemotherapy, which are only partially effective [2]. Consequently, almost all patients with advanced disease ultimately relapse and die of their disease. Advances in the management of these patients are therefore urgently required. Prognostic factors are defined as phenotypes which correlate with overall survival. In general prognostic factors reflect the intrinsic biology of a tumour (e.g. histological subtype, grade), disease extent (e.g. stage) and/or the capacity of a patient to cope with the morbidity associated with the tumour and treatment (e.g. performance status). As well as these pretreatment factors, others which may impact on outcome include the treatment received by a patient (e.g. optimal surgical cytore-duction, platinum-based chemotherapy), and the effect of treatment on the tumour (e.g. complete response) or the patient (e.g. myelosuppression). As clinical tools, prognostic factors can potentially help in individualising treatment for patients. In properly staged early disease (stage Ia/b), patients have a better prognosis and the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy may be confined to those with adverse features (e.g. histological subtype or grade) [3]. In this context a prognostic factor with a good positive or negative predictive value for individual patients, would be useful in deciding which patients should receive chemotherapy and those for whom the toxicity was not justified. In contrast, in advanced disease, the majority of patients benefit from paclitaxel –carboplatin chemotherapy and debulking surgery. As there are no established alternatives for patients with either good or poor prognosis, pretreatment prognostic stratification has little influence on clinical management [2]. Instead, pre-treatment markers predictive of response or resistance to individual cytotoxic drugs would be more useful in this context for treatment selection. As research tools, prognostic factors can help identify subgroups of patients with especially poor prognosis and alert us to the need to develop alternative treatment strategies for these patients, while in clinical trials prognostic factors are used to balance patients between treatment arms to minimise the risk of confounding. Prognostic factor studies can also provide useful insights into …