Validation of the Forced Oscillation Technique in the diagnostic of respiratory changes in patients with silicosis

Silicosis is a typical occupational respiratory disease characterized by irreversible alterations throughout the alveolar and interstitial structure. The objectives of this study were (1) investigate the potential of the Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) in the analysis of the patients with silicosis, and (2) evaluate the ability of FOT to identify early alterations in the respiratory mechanics of these patients. Sixty-one volunteers were analyzed: 20 healthy subjects and 41 with silicosis; these, were divided into 4 groups according to spirometric results: normal spirometric exam (n = 11); mild obstruction (n = 20); moderate and severe obstruction (n = 10.). A significant (p〈0.0001) increase in total resistance (R0) and mean resistance (Rm) were observed, as well as a decrease in the dynamic compliance (p〈0.0003) and mean reactance (p〈0.000004). R0 and Rm obtained adequate accuracy for clinical use (>80%). FOT parameters adequately described the pathophysiological changes associated with silicosis and presented adequate accuracy for clinical use, indicating that this technique can be helpful in the evaluation respiratory mechanics in this disease.

Diagnostic performance of the Forced Oscillation Technique in the detection of early respiratory changes in rheumatoid arthritis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical potential of the Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) in the detection of the early alterations in respiratory mechanics of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients. A total of 36 individuals were analyzed, 18 healthy and 18 with RA. The clinical usefulness of the parameters was evaluated investigating sensibility (Se), specificity (Sp) and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). In the RA group, all the 3 studied parameters obtained high accuracy for clinical use (AUC>0.9), while in spirometric parameters, no parameter obtained appropriate accuracy for clinical use (AUC < 0.7). In conclusion, the parameters obtained by FOT presented adequate Se and Sp, indicating that this technique can be helpful in the evaluation of the early respiratory mechanical alterations in patients with RA.

Steroids and triterpenes from Eleocharis acutangula and E. sellowiana (Cyperaceae)

From the hexane extract of the underground parts of Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb.) Schult., lup-20(29)-ene-3beta,16beta-diol and a mixture of campesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol were isolated. The hexane extracts of aerial and underground parts of E. sellowiana Kunth furnished two new substances, namely neohop-13(18)-en-3alpha-ol and stigmast-22-en-3beta,6beta,9alpha-triol, together with a mixture of steroids, betulinic acid, stigmast-4-en-6beta-ol-3-one and fern-9(11)-en-3alpha-ol. The molecular structures were determined by spectral analysis (1D- and 2D-NMR experiments and MS) and comparison with literature data.