The Perception of Nursing Professionals Working in a Central Sterile Supplies Department regarding Health Conditions, Workload, Ergonomic Risks, and Functional Readaptation.

Background: The central sterile supply department (CSSD) is wrongly seen as a place in the hospital environment that does not require skills and physical effort, being commonly a hospital sector for the relocation of functionally-readapted professionals. However, CSSD is a work environment that demands professional experience and presents itself as a sector that does not have a healthy work environment. This study aims to evaluate the frequency of comorbidities and functionally-readapted people among nursing professionals allocated to a CSSD and, also, to seek the perception of these professionals about the ergonomic risks and the degree of difficulty to perform activities within a CSSD.

Forced oscillation technique for early detection of the effects of smoking and COPD: contribution of fractional-order modeling.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of the forced oscillation technique (FOT) for the early diagnosis of the effects of smoking and COPD. The contributions of the integer-order (InOr) and fractional-order (FrOr) models were also evaluated.

Patients And Methods: In total, 120 subjects were analyzed: 40 controls, 40 smokers (20.

Functional changes are associated with tracheal structural abnormalities in patients with acromegaly.

Introduction: Although impaired pulmonary function and respiratory sleep disorders are described as responsible for increased mortality in acromegalic patients, little is known about the tracheal abnormalities in this group of patients. Thus, the objectives of this study were to describe the tracheal structural abnormalities and correlate these changes with the respiratory function and clinical data of acromegalic patients.

Material And Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was carried out at two university hospitals.

Within-breath respiratory impedance and airway obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: Recent work has suggested that within-breath respiratory impedance measurements performed using the forced oscillation technique may help to noninvasively evaluate respiratory mechanics. We investigated the influence of airway obstruction on the within-breath forced oscillation technique in smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and evaluated the contribution of this analysis to the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Methods: Twenty healthy individuals and 20 smokers were assessed.

Respiratory impedance and response to salbutamol in healthy individuals and patients with COPD.

Background: Recent studies suggested that the bronchodilator response depends on airway obstruction. The forced oscillation technique (FOT) may help improve our understanding of the changes in respiratory mechanics that occur after the application of a bronchodilator.

Objectives: We aimed to (1) assess the response to salbutamol and to compare the impedance changes in healthy individuals and COPD patients, (2) investigate the effects of airway obstruction on this response and (3) evaluate the utility of the FOT as a complementary measurement to assess the response to the bronchodilator.

On the respiratory mechanics measured by forced oscillation technique in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: Pulmonary complications are the most common cause of death and morbidity in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The forced oscillation technique (FOT) offers a simple and detailed approach to investigate the mechanical properties of the respiratory system. We hypothesized that SSc may introduce changes in the resistive and reactive properties of the respiratory system, and that FOT may help the diagnosis of these abnormalities.

Contrasting diagnosis performance of forced oscillation and spirometry in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and respiratory symptoms.

Objectives: Pulmonary involvement in rheumatoid arthritis is directly responsible for 10% to 20% of all mortality. The best way to improve the prognosis is early detection and treatment. The forced oscillation technique is easy to perform and offers a detailed exam, which may be helpful in the early detection of respiratory changes.

Forced oscillation technique in the detection of smoking-induced respiratory alterations: diagnostic accuracy and comparison with spirometry.

Introduction: Detection of smoking effects is of utmost importance in the prevention of cigarette-induced chronic airway obstruction. The forced oscillation technique offers a simple and detailed approach to investigate the mechanical properties of the respiratory system. However, there have been no data concerning the use of the forced oscillation technique to evaluate respiratory mechanics in groups with different degrees of tobacco consumption.

Influence of the ageing process on the resistive and reactive properties of the respiratory system.

Introduction: In an increasingly old society, the study of the respiratory system changes and new techniques dedicated to older patients are of interest in physiologic studies as well as in the diagnosis of respiratory diseases.

Objectives: (1) To investigate the impact of ageing on the resistive and reactive properties of the respiratory system, and (2) to compare the easiness of accomplishment of spirometry and forced oscillation for assessing lung function.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in which forced oscillation was used to investigate respiratory system resistive and reactive properties, while spirometry was used as a reference test to evaluate 80 normal subjects aged between 20 and 86 years.

Bronchodilation in COPD: beyond FEV1-the effect of albuterol on resistive and reactive properties of the respiratory system.

Objective: Current debates on the bronchodilator response in COPD patients and whether the variation in FEV1 can be considered as an indicator of complete reversibility in such patients motivated us to conduct this study. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of albuterol on the resistive and reactive properties of the respiratory system in COPD patients.

Methods: We evaluated 70 patients with COPD, divided into two groups based on spirometry findings: bronchodilator (BD)-negative (n = 39); and BD-positive (n = 31).