Pre-Conception Interventions for Subfertile Couples Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology Treatment: Modeling Analysis.

Background: Approximately 1 in 7 couples experience subfertility, many of whom have lifestyles that negatively affect fertility, such as poor nutrition, low physical activity, obesity, smoking, or alcohol consumption. Reducing lifestyle risk factors prior to pregnancy or assisted reproductive technology treatment contributes to the improvement of reproductive health, but cost-implications are unknown.

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate reproductive, maternal pregnancy, and birth outcomes, as well as the costs of pre-conception lifestyle intervention programs in subfertile couples and obese women undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

Effect of infliximab on local and systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with cachexia is characterized by inflammation reflected by increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

Objectives: In this study, infliximab, an anti-TNF-alpha antibody, was evaluated for its effects on systemic (plasma) and local (exhaled breath condensate, EBC) inflammation in cachectic patients with COPD. Also, baseline levels of new inflammatory markers were compared to control subjects.

Systemic effects of smoking.

Smoking is one of the major lifestyle factors influencing the health of human beings. Life-long cigarette smokers have a higher prevalence of common diseases such as atherosclerosis and COPD with significant systemic impact. The present review evaluates current knowledge concerning possible pathways through which cigarette smoking can affect human health, with special focus on extrapulmonary effects.

Systemic inflammation in COPD: is genetic susceptibility a key factor?

COPD is a multicomponent disease characterized by abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles that is accompanied by systemic effects like weight loss, muscle wasting, reduced functional capacity and impaired health status. A persistent low-grade systemic inflammatory response reflected by enhanced levels of acute phase proteins like C-reactive protein (CRP) and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, is present in part of the COPD population. The production of inflammatory proteins is partly genetically determined.

COPD as a multicomponent disease: inventory of dyspnoea, underweight, obesity and fat free mass depletion in primary care.

Aims: To describe the distribution of COPD disease severity in primary care based on airway obstruction, and to assess the extent to which dyspnoea scores, body mass index (BMI) and fat free mass (FFM) index contribute to the distribution of COPD severity in primary care.

Design: Cross sectional population-based study.

Methods: 317 patients with COPD were recruited from an outpatient disease management programme.

Pulmonary cachexia, systemic inflammatory profile, and the interleukin 1beta -511 single nucleotide polymorphism.

Background: Cachexia is common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is thought to be linked to an enhanced systemic inflammatory response.

Objective: We investigated differences in the systemic inflammatory profile and polymorphisms in related inflammatory genes in COPD patients.

Design: A cross-sectional study was performed in 99 patients with COPD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages II-IV), who were stratified by cachexia based on fat-free mass index (FFMI; in kg/m2: <16 for men and <15 for women) and compared with healthy control subjects (HCs).

Optimizing oral nutritional drink supplementation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Nutritional support is indicated in some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to restore nutritional status and improve functional capacity. However, the efficacy of nutritional supplements is sometimes disappointing, partly owing to a compensatory drop in habitual food intake. We retrospectively studied the effect of nutritional drink supplements, differing in portion size and energy content, on weight gain and body composition.

A role for anabolic steroids in the rehabilitation of patients with COPD? A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.

Study Objectives: Skeletal muscle weakness commonly occurs in patients with COPD. Long-term use of systemic glucocorticosteroids further contributes to muscle weakness. Anabolic steroids could be an additional mode of intervention to improve outcome of pulmonary rehabilitation by increasing physiologic functioning, possibly mediated by increasing erythropoietic function.

Efficacy of nutritional supplementation therapy in depleted patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: Weight loss and muscle wasting adversely affect morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Maintenance systemic glucocorticosteroids, prescribed in a substantial number of patients, further contribute to muscle weakness. We investigated the efficacy of oral nutritional supplementation therapy in depleted patients with COPD.

Systemic effects in COPD.

The pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of COPD are not restricted to pulmonary inflammation and structural remodeling. Rather, this disorder is associated with clinically significant systemic alterations in biochemistry and organ function. The systemic aspects of COPD include oxidative stress and altered circulating levels of inflammatory mediators and acute-phase proteins.