Azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine in hospitalised patients with confirmed COVID-19: a randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Combining the antibiotic azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine induces airway immunomodulatory effects, with the latter also having antiviral properties. This may improve outcomes in patients hospitalised for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: Placebo-controlled double-blind randomised multicentre trial.

[Electrical stimulation against loss of muscles and function in a patient admitted with COVID-19].

This is a case report of a hospitalised 62-year-old male patient with COVID-19, who received unilateral neuromuscular electrical stimulation treatment with a customised anti-embolic compression stocking and maintained muscle mass as well as maximum voluntary quadriceps contraction and balance during six days of illness-induced immobilisation. This illustrates, that short durations of neuromuscular electrical stimulation can help maintaining muscle mass and physical function in patients with SARS-CoV-2.

Mortality associated with cardiovascular drugs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and right-sided heart failure - A danish nationwide registry-based study.

Background: The optimal medical treatment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and right-sided heart failure (RHF) is unknown. We aimed to estimate the risks of all-cause mortality associated with the current clinical use of various cardiovascular drugs in this patient-group.

Methods: We followed all patients with registered COPD and RHF (defined as a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension plus use of loop-diuretics) for the risk of all-cause mortality (Jan 1, 1995 to Dec 31, 2015) using the Danish nationwide administrative registries.

Differentiation of adult severe asthma from difficult-to-treat asthma - Outcomes of a systematic assessment protocol.

Background: Guidelines recommend a differentiation of difficult-to-treat asthma from severe asthma. However, this might be complex and to which extent this distinction is achievable in clinical practice remains unknown.

Objective: To evaluate to which degree a systematic evaluation protocol enables a differentiation between severe versus difficult-to-treat asthma in patients in specialist care on high intensity asthma treatment, i.

[Hypercalcaemia can be the only initial symptom of sarcoidosis].

Sarcoidosis is an ordinary systemic inflammatory disease that can affect many organs. It is characterized by development of non-necrotizing granulomas. It commonly affects lungs (80%) while hypercalcaemia is found in 5% and reflects an activation of T-cells within the granulomas that causes an overproduction of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

Echocardiographic predictors of exercise capacity and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) reduces exercise capacity, but lung function parameters do not fully explain functional class and lung-heart interaction could be the explanation. We evaluated echocardiographic predictors of mortality and six minutes walking distance (6MWD), a marker for quality of life and mortality in COPD.

Methods: Ninety COPD patients (GOLD criteria) were evaluated by body plethysmography, 6MWD and advanced echocardiography parameters (pulsed wave tissue Doppler and speckle tracking).

Radiological patterns of primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation evaluated by 64-multi-slice computed tomography: a descriptive study.

We evaluated the diagnostic value of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images generated from 64 detector multi-slice CT scanners (HRCT(64-MSCT) imaging) in relation to primary graft dysfunction (PGD) after lung-transplantation (LUTX) in a pilot study. PGD has mortality rates ranging from 17 to 50% over a 90-day period. Detailed HRCT lung images, reconstructed using 64-MSCT, may aid diagnostic and therapeutic efforts in PGD.

[Palliative care of patients with terminal obstructive pulmonary disease].

Terminal chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and advanced cancer have similar prognosis and symptom burden. However, palliative care of patients with terminal COPD has been neglected in Denmark. We describe the symptoms of terminal COPD and suggest criteria for defining the palliative phase of the disease.

[Endobronchial mediastinal ultrasound with biopsy].

Introduction: Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a minimally invasive diagnostic modality, by which it is possible to visualize and do biopsy of structures adjacent to the trachea and the central bronchial system. EBUS is mostly used for staging of lung cancer patients, but EBUS is now used worldwide as a diagnostic tool in patients with mediastinal tumours or adenopathy.

Material And Methods: In this paper, we report of the result of the first 100 EBUS patients referred for further investigation of mediastinal adenopathy or tumour found via CT.

Regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increases the risk of adult-onset asthma: a population-based follow-up study.

Background: Little is known about the relation between regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the risk of asthma at the population level. The aim of this study was to examine a possible association between intake of NSAIDs and risk of adult-onset asthma.

Methods: Using data from two multidisciplinary postal questionnaire surveys concerning health and lifestyle, we prospectively studied 19 349 adult twins enrolled in the nationwide Danish Twin Registry.

Primary graft dysfunction; possible evaluation by high resolution computed tomography, and suggestions for a scoring system.

We have reviewed and discussed current knowledge on existing scoring systems regarding high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images for the assessment of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) after lung transplantation. Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been more widely studied and appears to have many morphological features similar to what is found in PGD, and might, therefore, be usefully extrapolated to PGD. Principles of HRCT, scoring systems based on HRCT and various terms describing PGD were reviewed and summarized.

Preoperative staging of lung cancer with combined PET-CT.

Background: Fast and accurate staging is essential for choosing treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this randomized study was to evaluate the clinical effect of combined positron-emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT) on preoperative staging of NSCLC.

Methods: We randomly assigned patients who were referred for preoperative staging of NSCLC to either conventional staging plus PET-CT or conventional staging alone.

Intake of paracetamol and risk of asthma in adults.

Intake of paracetamol has been associated with development of asthma. The aim of this study was to address a possible association between intake of paracetamol and risk of adult-onset asthma. Using a multidisciplinary postal questionnaire survey concerning health and lifestyle we prospectively studied 19,349 adult twins enrolled in the nationwide Danish Twin Registry.

[The importance of physical activity and body mass index for body satisfaction].

Introduction: Body satisfaction has mostly been investigated among patients with psychiatric diseases. A few studies have found an association between physical activity, obesity and body satisfaction in the healthy population, but the focus has mostly been on the risk of developing diseases. The aim of the present study has been to study the association between body satisfaction, BMI, physical activity and chronic diseases.

Importance of genetic factors in the etiology of atopic dermatitis: a twin study.

The susceptibility to develop atopic dermatitis can be attributed both to genetic and environmental causes. We estimated the relative impact of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of atopic dermatitis in a population-based sample of twins. From the birth cohorts of 1953-1982 who were enrolled in The Danish Twin Registry, a total of 11,515 twin pairs were identified in a nationwide questionnaire survey.

Genetic and environmental contributions to hay fever among young adult twins.

Background: The susceptibility to develop hay fever is putatively the result both of genetic and environmental causes. We estimated the significance and magnitude of genetic and environmental contributions to hay fever among young adult twins.

Methods: From the birth cohorts 1953-82 of The Danish Twin Registry 11,750 twin pairs were identified through a nationwide questionnaire survey.

The incidence of asthma in young adults.

Study Objectives: Longitudinal data on adult asthma are sparse. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of asthma and to establish the risk factors for the development of asthma in subjects who were 12 to 41 years old over an 8-year period.

Design: From birth cohorts over the period 1953 to 1982 in The Danish Twin Registry, 19,349 subjects with no history of asthma, as determined by a questionnaire-based survey in 1994, answered a follow-up questionnaire in 2002.