Resting respiratory variables and exercise capacity in adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

Introduction: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-limiting, recessively inherited disease in the white population, associated with significantly high morbidity and mortality rates; CF pulmonary disease, assessed by pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases and the Schwachman score, remains the most prevalent in terms of morbidity in the adult CF population.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between resting respiratory variables and exercise capacity in adult patients with CF.

Results: Study investigations undertaken in 18 CF patients and 11 healthy volunteers showed that among the resting lung function parameters, inspiratory capacity (IC) at rest was the only significant predictor of VO(2) peak (r=0.

Leptin alterations in the course of sepsis in humans.

Neuroendocrine response to sepsis may be divided into acute and prolonged phase. As leptin is implicated in the stress response, leptin's profile during both phases, and the possible relationships between leptin and the neuroendocrine response to sepsis were investigated. Thirty adult patients with sepsis in an intensive care unit were studied.

Cytogenetic data as a prognostic factor in multiple myeloma patients: involvement of 1p12 region an adverse prognostic factor.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is charecterized by great clinical heterogeneity. Among known prognostic factors the cytogenetic abnormalities are thought to be of major importance. The aim of this study was to correlate certain chromosomal abnormalities with immunoglobulin isotype and survival in MM patients.

Numerical aberrations of chromosomes 9 and 11 detected by FISH in Greek bladder cancer patients.

Background: Bladder cancer is a genetically heterogeneous disease. The chromosomal aberrations observed are non-random and they are often correlated with disease progression. Several environmental risk factors have also been reported to be implicated in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Dynamic hyperinflation and tolerance to interval exercise in patients with advanced COPD.

Dynamic hyperinflation (DH) contributes importantly to the limitation of constant-load exercise (CLE) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, its role in the limitation of interval exercise (IE) remains to be explored. The change (Delta) in inspiratory capacity (IC) was measured to reflect changes in DH in 27 COPD patients (forced expiratory volume in one second mean+/-SEM % predicted: 40+/-3) at the end of a symptom-limited CLE test at 80% of peak work capacity (WRmax) and an IE test at 100% WRmax (30 s of work, alternated with 30 s of unloaded pedalling).

Exercise-induced flow limitation, dynamic hyperinflation and exercise capacity in patients with bronchial asthma.

It is known that, in stable asthmatics at rest, tidal expiratory flow limitation (EFL) and dynamic hyperinflation (DH) are seldom present. This study investigated whether stable asthmatics develop tidal EFL and DH during exercise with concurrent limitation of maximal exercise work rate (WRmax). A total of 20 asthmatics in a stable condition and aged 32+/-13 yrs (mean+/-SD) with a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of 101+/-21% of the predicted value were studied.

Respiratory muscles and weaning failure.

Weaning failure is, unfortunately, a rather common phenomenon for mechanically-ventilated patients (especially those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)), and the respiratory muscles play a pivotal role in its development. Weaning fails whenever an imbalance exists between the ventilatory needs and the neurocardiorespiratory capacity. This can happen if there is an increase in the energy demands of the respiratory muscles, a decrease in the energy available, a decrease in neuromuscular competence, or if the respiratory muscles pose an impediment to the heart and blood flow.