Cardiorespiratory comorbidity: a new challenge for physical and rehabilitation medicine specialist.

Background: The cardiorespiratory comorbidity can reduce the participation in the rehabilitation project of patients with motor disorders.

Aim: The first aim of the study was to assess the frequency of cardiopulmonary comorbidity in inpatient rehabilitation units in Italy. The second aim was to evaluate the influence of cardiorespiratory comorbidity on some process and outcome indicators.

[Oxygen therapy via Ventimask. Personal cases].

Eleven patients suffering from seriously hypoxaemic chronic respiratory insufficiency with slight hypercapnia have been assessed. A comparison between the results obtained with continuous oxygen therapy carried out with a Ventury mask and that done with the Ventimask was made in the case of each patient. Distribution of O2 with the Ventimask made it possible to obtain higher average pO2 levels than with the Ventury mask.

[Morphine combined with marcaine in long-term epidural analgesia in patients with Pancoast's syndrome caused by bronchogenic carcinoma of the apex of the lung].

The long-term, epidural administration of morphine and marcaine (bupivacaine) in 12 patients suffering from bronchogenic carcinoma of the pulmonary apex and consequent Pancoast's syndrome has been examined. In 75% of cases the technique provided satisfactory results and the administration system was well tolerated by the patient.

[Goodpasture's syndrome. Clinical case and diagnostic problems].

Goodpasture's syndrome is characterised clinically by the association of haemoptysis and haematuria and is therefore the expression of lesions localised in two different apparatus, the respiratory and the renal, with an autoimmune type mechanism (production of circulating antibodies against the glomerular and alveolar basal membrane). A case of Goodpasture's syndrome in a male of 28 is reported in which the two basic clinical signs were not in evidence, making differential diagnosis more complicated.