Nonsevere acute pulmonary embolism: prognostic CT pulmonary angiography findings.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the prognostic parameters of computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiographic findings in nonsevere (hemodynamically stable) pulmonary embolism (PE) patients and to assess the predictive value of these parameters for mortality within 1 month of the initial diagnosis.

Materials And Methods: Retrospectively, 67 consecutive patients (28 men, 39 women; mean age, 63.25 ± 18 years) from 2 centers with nonsevere PE diagnosed using CT and a clinical evaluation were included in the current study.

Short-term positive airway pressure therapy response in obstructive sleep apnea patients: impact of treatment on the quality of life.

Introduction: We aimed to assess the compliance of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients of whom we planned positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy by using "Calgary Sleep Apnea Quality of Life Index (SAQLI)","Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS)","OSAS Symptoms Questionnaire (OSQ)" and, to investigate the early effects of treatment on the quality of life.

Patients And Methods: A total of 30 adult (male/female: 23/7) OSA patients who applied to Sleep Research Laboratory at the University Hospital, complaining of symptoms related to sleep and polysomnographically verified as OSAS with PAP therapy indications were included to the study. Their written consent were obtained.

Lung cancer and pregnancy.

Lung cancer in the pregnant woman is a very rare and dramatic coincidence with poor prognosis. Treatment depends on the gestational week of the pregnancy, patient's medical status, social, personal, familial, and even religious beliefs. We present a case of adenocarcinoma of the lung in a 34-year-old pregnant patient whose initial complaints were cough, dyspnea, fever and fatigue.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and anthropometric obesity indexes.

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the general body adiposity or regional adiposity was a risk factor in the evolution of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) by examining the relationships between the anthropometric obesity indexes such as waist (WC) and neck circumference index (NC), body mass index (BMI), and OSAS in Turkish adult population, and to access the possible differences by gender.

Methods: The data related to polysomnographic, demographic, and anthropometric indexes of the 499 subjects were examined retrospectively. The patients whose apnea-hypopnea index was ≥5 were determined as OSAS group.

Microscopic bilateral posterior cordotomy in severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

Background: Vocal cord paralysis is a rare cause of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury after thyroid gland surgery is one of the leading causes of acquired vocal cord paralysis.

Report: A 46-year-old woman with OSAS due to bilateral abductor vocal cord paralysis was presented.

Analysis of obstructive sleep apnea patients with "sawtooth sign" on the flow-volume curve.

Purpose: The aims of the present study are to determine whether there is an obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) subgroup presenting with sawtooth sign on the spirometric flow-volume curve, and to identify the clinical importance of the sawtooth sign in these patients.

Methods: The study subjects consisted of 134 OSA patients (≥18 years) whose spirometric tests were made on the same day with the polysomnography. Patients without sawtooth sign were taken as the control group.

Bronchial hyperreactivity and airway wall thickening in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Purpose: Hypoxia/reoxygenation episodes in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) results in the alteration of the oxidative balance, leading to the development of inflammation. Airway wall thickening and inflammatory changes are suggested as a primary cause of the airway hyperresponsiveness in asthmatics. Bronchial hyperreactivity (BH) may also occur in patients with OSA.

Homocysteine levels and echocardiographic findings in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Background: The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by repeated upper airway obstruction during sleep together with decreases in oxygen saturation leading to a series of pathological events, primarily in the cardiovascular system. Elevated plasma homocysteine levels have recently been considered as an independent risk factor for vascular disease, and increased levels are attributed to cardiovascular diseases.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the possible relationship between homocysteine levels and echocardiographic findings in OSAS patients at different stages of disease.