Predicting parameters of airway dynamics generated from inspiratory and expiratory plethysmographic airway loops, differentiating subtypes of chronic obstructive diseases.

Background: The plethysmographic shift volume-flow loop (sR-loop) measured during tidal breathing allows the determination of several lung function parameters such as the effective specific airway resistance (sR), calculated from the ratio of the integral of the resistive aerodynamic specific work of breathing (sWOB) and the integral of the corresponding flow-volume loop. However, computing the inspiratory and expiratory areas of the sR-loop separately permits the determination of further parameters of airway dynamics. Therefore, we aimed to define the discriminating diagnostic power of the inspiratory and expiratory sWOB (sWOB, sWOB), as well as of the inspiratory and expiratory sR (sR and sR ), for discriminating different functional phenotypes of chronic obstructive lung diseases.

Assessment of functional diversities in patients with Asthma, COPD, Asthma-COPD overlap, and Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the discriminating power of spirometric and plethysmographic lung function parameters to differenciate the diagnosis of asthma, ACO, COPD, and to define functional characteristics for more precise classification of obstructive lung diseases. From the databases of 4 centers, a total of 756 lung function tests (194 healthy subjects, 175 with asthma, 71 with ACO, 78 with COPD and 238 with CF) were collected, and gradients among combinations of target parameters from spirometry (forced expiratory volume one second: FEV1; FEV1/forced vital capacity: FEV1/FVC; forced expiratory flow between 25-75% FVC: FEF25-75), and plethysmography (effective, resistive airway resistance: sReff; aerodynamic work of breathing at rest: sWOB), separately for in- and expiration (sReffIN, sReffEX, sWOBin, sWOBex) as well as static lung volumes (total lung capacity: TLC; functional residual capacity: FRCpleth; residual volume: RV), the control of breathing (mouth occlusion pressure: P0.1; mean inspiratory flow: VT/TI; the inspiratory to total time ratio: TI/Ttot) and the inspiratory impedance (Zinpleth = P0.

Effects of EPs 7630 on the duration of inability to work in acute bronchitis - a meta-analysis.

Background: Acute bronchitis (AB) has an enormous economic impact through lost working time. We investigated whether treatment with extract EPs 7630 may reduce the time of inability to work.

Methods: A meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials with adult patients suffering from AB was performed.

Functional Predictors Discriminating Asthma-COPD Overlap (ACO) from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Background: A significant proportion of patients with obstructive lung disease have clinical and functional features of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), referred to as the asthma-COPD overlap (ACO). The distinction of these phenotypes, however, is not yet well-established due to the lack of defining clinical and/or functional criteria. The aim of our investigations was to assess the discriminating power of various lung function parameters on the assessment of ACO.

Effects of Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs 7630 on acute cough and quality of life - a meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials.

Background: Cough is a leading symptom of viral acute respiratory infections such as acute bronchitis (AB) and the common cold (CC), which can be debilitating and may persist for several weeks. We investigated whether treatment with extract EPs 7630 may reduce cough and improve disease-related quality of life (QoL).

Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials investigating the efficacy of EPs 7630 in AB or CC.