Tele-assistance Respiratory card: feasibility of self-reporting in patients with severe COPD.

Objective: Respicard is a clinical scoring system used during tele-assistance of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in order to assess variations during nurse phone contacts. Strategies to prevent occurrence of unreported COPD exacerbations are needed. We evaluated (1) comparison between administration of Respicard by the nurse during phone calls with self-administration by the patient and (2) patient compliance with Respicard use.

Feasibility and effectiveness of an educational program in Italian COPD patients undergoing rehabilitation.

Background: Self-management education is associated with improvement in quality of life and reduction of hospital admissions. Nevertheless, the data are insufficient to formulate clear recommendations regarding the type and content of education programs for COPD patients, and few data are available on knowledge of the disease itself.

Objective: To test the level of patients' knowledge of their disease and therapy at baseline and after an educational program (COPD-EP); the feasibility of structured educational sessions; the influence of clinical status (degree of severity of disease, presence of comorbidities, oxygen use), demographics status (age, sex), previous knowledge level, previous lessons attendance and adherence of COPD-EP to the variation of knowledge after program.

OSA, metabolic syndrome and CPAP: effect on cardiac remodeling in subjects with abdominal obesity.

Background: We evaluated whether obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment influence left ventricular (LV) remodelling independently of abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: Cardiorespiratory examination, 24-h BP monitoring and echocardiogram were performed in overweight/obese patients with increased abdominal adiposity and symptoms suggesting OSA : OSA/MetS (n.50), OSA/noMetS (n.

Cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in patients studied for suspected obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose: The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and atherosclerosis-related inflammation has been poorly investigated, particularly focusing on functional responses of immune cells playing a key role in atherogenesis and in comparison with control groups with similar cardiovascular risk factors which are known to be themselves associated with inflammation. We sought to determine cellular tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and interleukin (IL)-8 release from neutrophils (PMNs) in patients studied for suspected OSA.

Methods: Thirty-six consecutive patients who underwent a nocturnal complete cardiorespiratory evaluation for suspected OSA were initially evaluated.

Preventive effects of sublingual immunotherapy in childhood: an open randomized controlled study.

Background: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been proved to be effective in allergic rhinitis and asthma, but there are few data on its preventive effects, especially in children.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and preventive effects of SLIT in children by assessing onset of persistent asthma and new sensitizations, clinical symptoms, and bronchial hyperreactivity.

Methods: A total of 216 children with allergic rhinitis, with or without intermittent asthma, were evaluated and then randomized to receive drugs alone or drugs plus SLIT openly for 3 years.