Study of energy expenditure during activities of daily living using and not using body position recommended by energy conservation techniques in patients with COPD.

Study Objectives: To assess the energy spent by COPD patients using or not using energy conservation techniques (ECTs) during activities of daily living (ADL).

Method: The patients were evaluated in two different situations as stated above. For both applications, the following variables were measured during four ADL with or without using postures recommended by ECTs: metabolic (oxygen consumption [V(O2)] and carbon dioxide production [V(CO2)]), ventilatory (minute ventilation), cardiovascular (heart rate [HR] and oxygen pulse), and dyspnea (Borg score).

Study of respiratory muscle strength, vital capacity, and ventilometry in the postoperative period of spinal surgery by posterior access.

Study Design: Prospective.

Objective: To analyze tidal volume (TV), minute volume (VE), respiratory frequency (f), vital capacity (VC), maximal inspiratory (PImax), and expiratory (PEmax) pressures in patients submitted to spinal surgery for tumor or herniated disc by posterior access, and to investigate a possible association of respiratory function with surgery duration, site of surgical access, and diagnosis.

Summary Of Background Data: A reduction in pulmonary volumes is usually seen in patients submitted to thoracic or upper abdominal surgery, and recent studies have demonstrated such alterations during the postoperative period in patients submitted to craniotomy.

Acid susceptibility of arrested enamel lesions: in situ study.

Arrested lesions are more resistant to a new cariogenic challenge, but the degree of surface rehardening needed to achieve this is unknown. The aim of this in situ study was to analyze the acid susceptibilityof newly formed and arrested enamel lesions with known arrestment period and surface microhardness. Six individuals wore an oral appliance with human enamel blocks for 3 periods: (1) 21 days of demineralization due to plaque accumulation and cariogenic challenge, 4 blocks/person (nonfluoride dentifrice); (2) 75 days of arrestment, brushing with fluoride dentifrice, 2 blocks/person; (3) 21 days of demineralization, 5 blocks/person: 1 sound block, 2 demineralized blocks and 2 demineralized and arrested blocks (nonfluoride dentifrice).

Six-minute walk test in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

The 6-min walk test is a simple, rapid, and low-cost method that determines tolerance to exercise. We examined the reproducibility of the 6-min walk test in 16 children with cystic fibrosis (11 female, 5 male; age range, 11.0 +/- 1.

Development of a primary-care tool to assess treatment success in COPD: consensus report from a closed meeting of respiratory and primary-care specialists.

A 1-day meeting, attended by invited respiratory and primary-care specialists all of whom had an international profile and a specific interest in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), considered specific research recommendations from the Global Initiative in Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) workshop report. Attendees discussed developing a tool to complement spirometry and help primary-care physicians assess treatment success in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Discussion focused on the requirement of such a tool, and the limitations of existing tools.

Linguistic validation of cystic fibrosis quality of life questionnaires.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to validate the Portuguese translations of four cystic fibrosis quality of life questionnaires (CFQ). The first three were developed for patients with cystic fibrosis aged from 6 to 11 years, from 12 to 13 years and 14 years or more, while the fourth was developed for the parents of patients aged 6 to 13 years.

Material And Methods: The four CFQ translations contained from 35 to 50 questions covering nine domains and were validated as follows: translation from English to Portuguese, pilot application, back translation and then approval by the author of the English versions.

Moxifloxacin versus levofloxacin against acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis: the Latin American Cohort.

We compared the efficacy and safety of moxifloxacin and levofloxacin for the treatment of patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB) using a prospective, randomized, double blind, parallel-group clinical trial design. A total of 563 patients with AECB were enrolled (437 efficacy-valid) at 34 centers in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Patients were randomized to oral therapy with either moxifloxacin 400 mg once daily for 5 days or levofloxacin 500 mg once daily for 7 days.

[Variability in walk test conditions in pulmonary rehabilitation programs in Latin America and on the Iberian peninsula].

Objective: 1) To determine the frequency of use of the 6-minute walk test in pulmonary rehabilitation programs in Latin America and on the Iberian Peninsula; 2) to identify how the test is performed and possible variations from center to center.

Materials And Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 55 pulmonary rehabilitation centers in Latin America, Portugal, and Spain.

Results: Forty-nine (89.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in five Latin American cities (the PLATINO study): a prevalence study.

Background: Both the prevalence and mortality attributable to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) seem to be increasing in low-income and middle-income countries, but few data are available. The aim of the PLATINO study, launched in 2002, was to describe the epidemiology of COPD in five major Latin American cities: São Paulo (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Mexico City (Mexico), Montevideo (Uruguay), and Caracas (Venezuela).

Methods: A two-stage sampling strategy was used in the five areas to obtain probability samples of adults aged 40 years or older.

Future perspectives in COPD.

The pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is complex. The development of a multidimensional index--such as the BODE index--provides a means of classifying patients with COPD that also correlates with their prognosis. The individual components of the BODE index--body mass index (B), airflow obstruction (O) dyspnoea (D) and exercise capacity (E)--incorporate the pulmonary as well as the systemic effects seen in patients with COPD.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and associated factors: the PLATINO Study in São Paulo, Brazil.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is now a major public health concern; deaths attributable to COPD in Latin America have increased by 65.0% in the last decade. This study was aimed at evaluating COPD prevalence and associated factors in adults (> 40 years) living in Greater Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil.

Brazilian version of airways questionnaire 20: a reproducibility study and correlations in patients with COPD.

This study describes the correlations and reproducibility of AQ20, a simple health status questionnaire with 20 questions, which was designed to be useful especially in time sparing situations. A formal language validation process was done, in order to validate the AQ20 before studying its reproducibility. Thirty stable COPD patients answered the final version twice within 15 days.

Evaluation of pulmonary function and quality of life in women with osteoporosis.

Osteoporotic vertebral fractures generally result in an increased kyphotic angle, which in turn may lead to disturbances in pulmonary function. The objective of the present study was to evaluate pulmonary function and quality of life in a group of osteoporotic patients. Fifteen women with osteoporosis and thoracic vertebral fractures (group 1), 20 women with osteoporosis without vertebral fracture (group 2) and 20 control women (group 3) were submitted to spirometry using a Vitatrace-130 SL spirometer and to an SF-36 quality of life questionnaire.

[Pharmacoeconomic study of antibiotic therapy for exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Latin America].

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic bronchitis are highly prevalent diseases. Studies designed to analyze the economic impact of these diseases in Latin American countries have not previously been published. In the present study we analyzed the direct health care costs of treating patients with exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and COPD in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela, applying the real cost of drugs and medical acts in those 7 countries to the pattern of treatment and outcomes obtained from a study carried out in primary care settings in Spain.

Effect of montelukast on exhaled nitric oxide and nonvolatile markers of inflammation in mild asthma.

Study Objectives: Leukotriene receptor antagonists appear to exert anti-inflammatory activity in asthma. We undertook the present study to evaluate the effect of montelukast on levels of exhaled nitric oxide (ENO) and two inflammatory markers, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and cysteinyl leukotrienes (cys-LTs), in the exhaled breath condensate of subjects with mild asthma.

Patients: Twenty stable subjects with mild asthma (15 women and 5 men; mean [+/- SD] age, 34.

Evaluation of two 99mTc-DTPA radioaerosols with different characteristics in lung ventilation studies.

Two radioaerosol preparations, TechneScan -DTPA (99mTc-DTPA, 40 mCi/3 ml; IPEN-CNEN, São Paulo, SP, Brazil) and TechneScan -DTPA/AEROSOL (99mTc-DTPA/A, 15 mCi/1.5 ml with 0.5 ml ethanol; Mallinckrodt Medical, St.

[A comparison of moxifloxacin and amoxicillin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in Latin America: results of a multicenter clinical trial].

Since community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common disease with a high morbidity rate, it is important to obtain information concerning its etiology and susceptibility to antibiotics across different geographic areas. This study presents data obtained in 5 Latin American counties in the course of an international clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of treatment with either moxifloxacin or amoxicillin administered for 10 days to patients suspected of having CAP caused by a pneumococcal infection. Details are given of the pathogens identified, the patterns of sensitivity to antibiotics observed, and the clinical and microbiological results obtained.

New auxiliary indicators for the differential diagnosis of functional cardiorespiratory limitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure.

Objective: To differentiate the nature of functional cardiorespiratory limitations during exercise in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or congestive heart failure (CHF) and to determine indicators that may help their classifications.

Methods: The study comprised 40 patients: 23 with COPD and 17 with CHF. All individuals underwent maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill.

Metabolic and ventilatory parameters of four activities of daily living accomplished with arms in COPD patients.

Study Objective: The upper limbs are involved in the activities of daily living (ADLs). Normal subjects usually perform such activities without noticing the energy cost, but patients with COPD report tiredness when performing them. This study was designed to assess the metabolic and ventilatory demands in patients with COPD during the performance of four ADLs involving the upper limbs.

Effect of nasal triamcinolone acetonide on lower airway inflammatory markers in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are commonly associated, and similar underlying inflammatory processes link both diseases. AR, even in the absence of asthma, is associated with increased levels of exhaled nitric oxide (ENO) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in exhaled breath condensate, 2 noninvasive markers of lower airway inflammation.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the effect of treatment with the nasal steroid triamcinolone acetonide on ENO and exhaled H(2)O(2) in subjects with AR.

Atopy, passive smoking, respiratory infections and asthma among children from kindergarten and elementary school.

Context: It has been demonstrated that children exposed to parents who smoke have more respiratory infections and asthma.

Objective: To study the association of both respiratory infections and asthma attacks with atopy, passive smoking and time spent daily at school, among children aged 4 to 9 years old from a kindergarten and elementary school in the city of São Paulo between May and July of 1996.

Type Of Study: Descriptive study.

Inhaled budesonide for adults with mild-to-moderate asthma: a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

Context: Budesonide is an inhaled corticosteroid with high topical potency and low systemic activity recommended in the treatment of chronic asthma.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the efficacy and safety of inhaled budesonide via a breath-activated, multi-dose, dry-powder inhaler.

Type Of Study: Multicenter randomized parallel-group, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial.