Anti-inflammatory action of steroid inhalers

With mucosal inflammation contributing to the pathogenesis of asthma, it is increasingly accepted that long term steroid inhalers may induce remission in chronic long standing asthmatics. The present study involved 44 stable asthmatics who were randomly given either beclomethasone dipropionate inhaler (50 ug) 2 puffs qds or salbutamol inhaler (100 mcg) 2 puffs tds in addition to their oral bronchodilators. Pulmonary function testing, bronchoalveolar lavage and complete blood count were done at basal and weekly intervals and at the end of the study. The absolute eosinophil count showed a significant drop in the beclomethasone group as compared to the salbutamol group. Serial lung functions showed a significant improvement in the pre-bronchodilator PEFR and the pre-bronchodilator FVC in the beclomethasone group as compared to the salbutamol group. There was no significant change in the lavage eosinophil count pre and post-bronchodilator in both groups. Steroid inhalers are thus useful in long term management of bronchial asthma especially with respect to reducing bronchodilator requirement.

Pulmonary function tests in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic portal hypertension

OBJECTIVE

To determine pulmonary functions in portal hypertension of different etiologies and with various grades of ascites.

SETTING

Gastrointestinal clinic in a large community based and secondary referral hospital.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty five patients with portal hypertension, including 19 cirrhotics with tense ascites, 8 with moderate ascites, 6 with no ascites and 12 patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. All patients underwent basal pulmonary function testing by spirometry and helium dilution technique, and arterial blood gas estimation and measurement of ascitic fluid pressure. Patients with tense ascites underwent paracentesis of up to 2 liters following which ascitic fluid pressure and pulmonary functions were estimated again.

MAIN RESULTS

In cirrhotic patients without ascites, FVC (forced vital capacity), RV (residual volume), TLC (total lung capacity) and FRC (functional residual capacity) were lower than predicted values. In patients with ascites, FVC, FEV1 (forced expired volume in one second) and FEF25-75 (forced expired volume in one second) and FEF25-75 (forced expiratory flow rate between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity) were significantly lower as compared to predicted values. FVC, FEV1, FEF25-75, pO2, pCO2 and SaO2% decreased significantly with increasing ascites. Paracentesis in patients with tense ascites led to clinical improvement and significantly improved lung volumes.

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary functions are impaired in patients with cirrhosis, and ascites causes further deterioration. Patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension have normal pulmonary functions.

Assessment of exercise tolerance in chronic bronchitis and interstitial lung disease

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing has a definitive place in objective evaluation of the subjective sensation of breathlessness. In the present study 21 patients with COPD, 10 with ILD and 17 normals were subjected to stage 1 exercise testing and correlations were sought between Vo2 and work, FVC, FeV1, Ve, respiratory rate and tidal volume and between VCO2 and work. In COPD and ILD the Vo2 correlated with work, Fev1, Fvc and Ve whereas in normals it correlated with the VE but not with the FeV1 and FVC. In COPD VO2 correlated with TV though this was not the case in ILD. Thus stage 1 exercise testing can be a useful additional method to assess the disability in COPD and ILD although differentiation between these two respiratory diseases on basis of exercise testing alone may not be possible.

Foreign body aspiration: a hazard of metered dose inhalers

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Effect of bromhexeine on sputum amoxycillin levels in lower respiratory infections

Bromhexeine has been widely used as an adjunct in the management of lower respiratory infections and is useful in altering the physical characteristics of sputum. Its effect on the sputum penetration of an antibiotic has been sparsely studied. The present study highlights the improvement in sputum amoxycillin (amoxy) levels when a combination tablet, amoxy 500 mg plus bromhexeine 8 mg, is administered as compared to plain amoxy 500 mg. Sputum amoxy levels were significantly higher in the combination group (0.674 +/- 0.588 micrograms ml-1) as compared to 0.272 +/- 0.19 micrograms ml-1 in the amoxy group (P = 0.028). The clinical responses assessed by the physician as well as the patient were significantly better in the amoxy plus bromhexeine group as compared to the amoxy group. The radiological and bacteriological responses were similar in both groups. There was no increase in the side-effects due to bromhexeine and, overall, its use can be recommended in the treatment of acute lower respiratory infections.

Effect of 3 week oxygen therapy on functional and haemodynamic parameters in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Sixteen patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and stable chronic respiratory failure (pO2 less than 60 mm Hg, pCO2 greater than 45 mm Hg) were given 2-3 L/min oxygen 18 hours/day for 3 weeks. These were serially assessed for changes in pO2, pCO2, ECG, chest radiographs and haemodynamics. Initially all patients were in grade IV heart failure. There was no change in lung function after oxygen treatment but right descending pulmonary artery diameter and cardiothoracic ratio decreased significantly (P less than 0.01), as also the height of the P wave in ECG (P less than 0.05). There were significant changes in mean pO2 (51.8 to 61.9 mmHg; P less than 0.01), pCO2 (55.3 to 47.6 mmHg; P less than 0.001), mean pulmonary artery pressure (41.8 to 34.5 mmHg; P less than 0.01) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) (346.4 to 163.3 dynes; P less than 0.05). The initial (P less than 0.05) and 3 week (P less than 0.01) pO2 levels correlated with the right descending pulmonary artery diameter. The height of the P wave also correlated with pO2 (P less than 0.01). The changes in pO2 levels correlated with those of the PVR and pulmonary blood flow (P less than 0.05). Three week oxygen therapy resulted in objective improvement in advanced COPD cases.