Abnormally high exertional breathlessness predicts mortality in people referred for incremental cycle exercise testing.

Background: Exertional breathlessness is a key symptom in cardiorespiratory disease and can be quantified using incremental exercise testing, but its prognostic significance is unknown. We evaluated the ability of abnormally high breathlessness intensity during incremental cycle exercise testing to predict all-cause, respiratory, and cardiac mortality.

Study Design And Methods: Longitudinal cohort study of adults referred for exercise testing followed prospectively for mortality assessed using the Swedish National Causes of Death Registry.

Heart rate response and recovery in cycle exercise testing - normal values and association with mortality.

Aim: Chronotropic incompetence and impaired heart rate (HR) recovery are related to mortality. Guidelines lack specific reference values for HR recovery. We defined normal values and studied blunted HR response and recovery, and mortality risk.

Early prediction of spontaneous preterm birth before 34 gestational weeks based on a combination of inflammation-associated plasma proteins.

Background: In order to identify and possibly offer prophylactic treatment to women at risk for preterm birth (PTB), novel prediction models for PTB are needed. Our objective was to utilize high-sensitive plasma protein profiling to investigate whether early prediction of spontaneous PTB (sPTB) before 34 gestational weeks (gw) was possible in a low-risk population.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 46 women with sPTB before 34 gw and 46 women with normal pregnancies and term deliveries.

Chemokine and cytokine profiles in preterm and term labor, in preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes, and in normal pregnancy.

The objective of this study was to investigate the immune mechanisms involved in preterm labor (PTL), preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (PPROM), and normal pregnancies. The second objective was to explore immune profiles in PTL for association with early ( < 34 gestational weeks (gw)) or instant ( < 48 h) delivery. This prospective observational multi-center study included women with singleton pregnancies with PTL (n = 80) or PPROM (n = 40) before 34 gw, women with normal pregnancies scheduled for antenatal visits (n = 44), and women with normal pregnancies in active labor at term (n = 40).

Diagnostic patterns of serum inflammatory protein markers in children with Lyme neuroborreliosis.

Definite diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) requires investigation of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Thus, lumbar puncture is necessary, and requires administration of sedating drugs in children. This study aimed to investigate if a pattern of different inflammatory biomarkers in serum could contribute to the selection of children for lumbar puncture in suspected LNB.