Estimation of pulmonary artery systolic pressure in hemodialysis patients and its association with cardiorespiratory fitness and pulmonary function.

Purpose: To evaluate the estimated pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) through transthoracic echocardiography in hemodialysis (HD) patients and associate it with cardiorespiratory fitness and pulmonary function.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of HD patients that performed evaluations of cardiac function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and pulmonary function, through transthoracic echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise test, spirometry, and manovacuometry, respectively. All patients underwent the evaluations on a non-dialysis day.

Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors in a Cohort of Adults With Cystic Fibrosis: A 7-Year Follow-Up Study.

Background: Due to the heterogeneity of cystic fibrosis (CF), the longer survival observed in cohorts of adult subjects, and inter-population variations, there is a clear need to seek further information about clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in different cohorts of subjects with CF. Our objectives were to evaluate clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in a cohort of adult subjects with CF after a 7-y follow-up period and investigate longitudinal changes in clinical scores, spirometry, 6-min walk test performance, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure as assessed by Doppler echocardiography.

Methods: A cohort of clinically stable subjects (≥16 y old) who were enrolled in an adult CF program in 2004-2005 underwent clinical evaluation.

Sleep findings and predictors of sleep desaturation in adult cystic fibrosis patients.

Purpose: Questions remain about the polysomnographic findings and the predictors for sleep desaturation in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Our study aimed to evaluate sleep parameters in a sample of adult CF patients comparing them with healthy controls and to determine the best predictors of sleep desaturation in CF patients with awake resting peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) ≥90%.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, with data collected prospectively, 51 clinically stable adult CF patients (mean age 25.

NT-proBNP levels in systemic sclerosis: association with clinical and laboratory abnormalities.

Objective: To identify factors related to NT-proBNP levels in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Design And Methods: NT-proBNP was measured in 119 patients with SSc and 20 controls. Patients with transtricuspid gradient (TG) > or =36 mm Hg or > or =31 mmHg plus dyspnea were considered to have suspected systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SScPAH).

[Chronic bacterial infection and echocardiographic parameters indicative of pulmonary hypertension in patients with cystic fibrosis].

Objectives: To examine the relationship between chronic bacterial infection and pulmonary hypertension, using Doppler echocardiography, in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study involving CF patients (>16 years of age) admitted to a program for adults with the disease. The study included 40 patients with a mean age of 23.

TCRBV20S1 and TCRBV3S1 gene segment polymorphisms in systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To compare the frequencies of variants of TCRBV20S1 and TCRBV3S1 gene segments in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and in controls. The null allele (allele 2) of TCRBV20S1 is associated with reduced levels of Vbeta20+ T-cells in the peripheral blood, while allele 1 of TCRBV3S1 is related to a low frequency of Vbeta3.1+ T-cells.

Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension evaluated by Doppler echocardiography in a population of adolescent and adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), to compare clinical characteristics, radiographic scores, pulmonary function, and echocardiographic parameters in patients with and without PH, and to correlate echocardiographic findings with clinical characteristics, radiographic scores, and pulmonary function.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study involving clinically stable patients (aged 16 or older) enrolled in an adult CF program. The patients were submitted to clinical evaluation, Doppler echocardiography, pulmonary function tests, and chest X-rays.

Doppler echocardiogram, oxygen saturation and submaximum capacity of exercise in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Study Objectives: To determine the relationship between pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) and submaximum capacity of exercise, using the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and to investigate the relation between echocardiographic findings and results of 6MWT, clinical scores, chest radiograph scores and lung function tests.

Design: This was a prospective cross-sectional study in patients with CF (16 years and older) with clinical stability, attending the Adult CF Program at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. The patients had Doppler echocardiography and performed a 6MWT.

Nailfold capillary microscopy can suggest pulmonary disease activity in systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate the association of capillaroscopic alterations with pulmonary disease activity in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Ninety-one patients with SSc were studied by means of interview, physical examination, nailfold capillary microscopy (NCM), serology, pulmonary function tests, esophageal transit scintigraphy, Doppler echocardiography, and pulmonary high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Pulmonary disease activity was diagnosed by the observation of ground-glass opacities on pulmonary HRCT.