Spirometry parameters in patients undergoing hemodialysis with bicarbonate and acetate dialysates.

Introduction: End-stage renal disease causes impairment of all body organs including the heart and the lung. The main problems in the afflicted patients are pulmonary edema due to increased permeability of the capillaries, intravascular and interstitial volume overload, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. These changes cause altered physiologic and mechanical function of the lungs and subsequently increase in airway resistance.

Pulmonary function test in transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia patients.

Beta-thalassaemia is the most common hemoglobinopathies in our region with treatment of regular blood transfusion. Iron overload and hemosiderosis can cause organ involvement. Recent studies have focused on pulmonary involvement and pathophysiology of lung damage.

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the role of formoterol in the management of acute asthma.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of formoterol delivered by Aerolizer in the emergency department.

Methods: A single-centre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel group study was conducted in patients seeking emergent care for an acute exacerbation of asthma. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: group 1 (salbutamol), receiving a total dose of 600 microg salbutamol (200+200+200) delivered by a meter-dose inhaler into a spacer device as two puffs at 20 min intervals; and group 2 (formoterol), receiving formoterol 24 microg (12+12) as two dry powder capsules each containing 12 microg of formoterol via Aerolizer at 20 min intervals.