Exhaled markers in the monitoring of airways inflammation and its response to steroid's treatment in mild persistent asthma.

The measure of inflammatory cytokines in the exhaled breath condensate has been recently proposed for use in monitoring asthma and the therapeutic response to steroids. The aim of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of measuring exhaled IL-6, IL-4 and pH in mild persistent asthma. Furthermore the effects on these markers of inhaled steroids were assessed.

Supplementary oxygen in healthy subjects and those with COPD increases oxidative stress and airway inflammation.

Background: Hyperoxia increases oxidative stress through the generation of reactive oxygen species and may therefore enhance inflammation in the lungs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether short term supplementary oxygen (28%) increases oxidative stress and inflammation in the airways by measuring 8-isoprostane and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations in exhaled breath condensate.

Methods: Twenty three healthy subjects (12 men, mean (SD) age 48 (7) years) and 23 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; 15 men, mean (SD) age 56 (5) years) were studied.

Exhaled Interleukine-6 and 8-isoprostane in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: effect of carbocysteine lysine salt monohydrate (SCMC-Lys).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by an airways inflammation and by an enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species. The aim of our study was to assess the inflammation and the oxidative stress in airways of COPD patients with acute exacerbation of disease and in stability. Furthermore, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of 6 months treatment with carbocysteine lysine salt monohydrate (SCMC-Lys) in COPD.

Endothelin-1 is increased in the breath condensate of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

Unlabelled: One recent line of cancer research is currently directed to the study of growth factors. Of increasing interest is endothelin-1 (ET-1), a mitogenic factor already investigated in several human cancer cell lines, which has been found to participate in the development and progression of tumours. This peptide has an important role also in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) where ET-1 expression has been found in 100% of cell lines.

8-Isoprostane, a marker of oxidative stress, is increased in exhaled breath condensate of patients with obstructive sleep apnea after night and is reduced by continuous positive airway pressure therapy.

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent apnea during sleep that may compromise oxidative balance. Oxidative stress is increased in the blood and in the airways of OSA patients.

Design: The aim of this study was to investigate whether oxidative stress is determined by nocturnal apneas and could be reduced by CPAP therapy, and whether there is a relation between local and systemic oxidative stress in these patients.

C-C chemokine receptor 2 and sarcoidosis: association with Lofgren's syndrome.

Sarcoidosis is thought to result from the interaction between an unknown environmental antigenic trigger and the host's genetic susceptibility. We hypothesized that sarcoidosis, or one of the disease subsets, could be associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms of C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) gene. Eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms in CCR2 were studied in a total of 304 Dutch individuals (90 non-Löfgren sarcoidosis, 47 Löfgren's syndrome, 167 control subjects).

Increased inflammatory markers in the exhaled breath condensate of cigarette smokers.

Cigarette smoking induces an inflammatory response in the airways that may play a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Noninvasive markers of inflammation may, therefore, be useful in monitoring the airways of smokers as well as in the screening of subjects at high risk of developing airway obstruction. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-6, is increased in the exhaled breath condensate of smokers and whether the number of cigarettes smoked has any influence on the exhaled concentrations.

Increased 8-isoprostane and interleukin-6 in breath condensate of obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repeated episodes of upper airways obstruction during sleep that result in episodes of hypoxia. An increase of systemic biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress has been found in patients with OSA and obesity.

Design: The aim of this study was to measure the levels of markers of inflammation (interleukin [IL]-6) and oxidative stress (8-isoprostane) in the exhaled breath condensate of OSA and obese patients.

Interleukin-6 is increased in breath condensate of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Despite recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), most patients still present with advanced stage disease at the time of diagnosis. Recent studies suggest that IL-6 is involved in the development of lung cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the measurement of IL-6 levels in the breath condensate of NSCLC patients could be used to bring forward the moment of diagnosis and to monitor the progression of the disease.

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in Italian patients.

Of 91 adult patients with respiratory tract infections, 13 (14%) had serological evidence of recent infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae. The clinical picture was consistent with asthmatic bronchitis in three patients, whilst exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were present in five subjects and, pneumonia was diagnosed in the remaining five. Our findings provide evidence of an aetiological association between C.

[Changes in spirometric values induced by nasally administered beclomethasone dipropionate in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis].

Authors showed that it's possible to control the asthmatic component in patients with persistent allergical rhinitis without bronchodilatory drugs. AA. compared two groups of ten patients: Group A has been treated with antihystaminical drugs or ketotifen per os and Disodium chromoglycate per nasal spray, Group B has been treated with the same drugs and Beclomethasone Dipropionate per nasal spray more (400 mcg a day).

[Aerosol thymopentin in the prevention of relapse of chronic bronchitis].

In this study the Authors have verified the efficacy of Thymopentin administered via aerosol in the prevention of recurrent catarrhal episodes in the patients affected by COPD during the winter season, compared to the previous winter. In October, 1 phial of Thymopentin was administered via aerosol to 15 patients affected by COPD, daily, for 10 consecutive days; all patients were evaluated at monthly clinical control for 4 months and all patients were invited to keep a diary of daily variations. After 4 months from treatment a net improvement was observed in the clinical parameters studied: sputum (volume and purulence), cough and dyspnoea, but the most interesting datum was the total absence of recurrent episodes of infection, associated to the reduction in quantity of antibiotics, mucolytics and number of days of illness and with noticeable improvement in the quality of life of the patients.

[Epidemiology and diagnosis of tuberculosis].

Major epidemiological aspects of tuberculosis, a worldwide diffuse disease, are examined with regard to socio-economical consequences in different countries. These data are compared with the latest statistical informations collected in Italy. Although incidence and prevalence of tuberculosis in our country are constantly decreasing, the disease is still a problem both from the diagnostic and therapeutic point of view and from the social one, also in view of the diminished surveillance on the disease.

[The place of citicolin in pulmonological therapy (author's transl)].

Citicolin, a psychodrug, is usually used for the treatment of ischemic cerebropathies. Its introduction into pulmonological therapy is suggested because Citicolin has the following properties: 1. Prevention of "acute respiratory distress syndrome" in neonates.

[Position of cyticholine in pneumologic therapy].

The position of cyticholine in lung lipid metabolism and hence in pneumological therapy (the subject of a personal hypothesis) is discussed. A summary is given of personal experimental work and papers read at the 1974 Padua meeting (11th December) held by the Societas Europae Physiologiae Clinicae Respiratoriae. It is shown that cyticholine may: 1) prevent the onset of acute neonatal respiratory distress; 2) improve chronic pneumogenous respiratory insufficiency; 3) prevent postoperative hypoventilation; 4) improve ventilation mechanics in hyperelastic lung syndromes; 5) increase the gas permeability of the air-blood barrier; 6) counterbalance the loss of surfactants caused by endobronchial aspiration in patients with tracheal tubes.

[Use of 48/80 in the diagnosis and therapy of allergic asthma].

A review of the relevant literature is followed by the presentation of experimental and clinical results obtained with intradermal administration of the histamine releaser 48/80. The value of this substance in the diagnosis and treatment of bronchial asthma is stressed.

[Prognostic evaluation of cardiorespiratory insufficiency in chronic bronchitis].

The course of chronic bronchitis is examined with particular stress on the most important clinical and functional factors for the purposes of the prognostic judgment on the disease. Phenomena of reoccurrence of cardiorespiratory insufficiency are also examined.