Can reversibility of nasal obstruction predict the grade of bronchial hyperreactivity?

Objective: Aim of the study was to reveal the connection between significance of nasal obstruction and bronchial hyperreactivity.

Background: Allergic rhinitis is the most common IgE-mediated disease with progressively increasing prevalence in population. Chronic inflammation and remodelation of mucosa of the upper airways can be a part of generalized affection of respiratory system including lower airways.

Latent airway hyperresponsiveness: a phenomenon bordering bronchial asthma definition.

The basic features of bronchial asthma are dyspnea with wheezing and objectively confirmed obstructive respiratory disorder reversible after inhalation of bronchodilators. In stable intermittent bronchial asthma, these features are not present; therefore confirmation of asthma consists of the presence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). In the present study, there were 902 bronchoprovocation tests performed for the verification of BHR.

Blood pressure and heart rate variability response to noninvasive ventilation in patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Sympathetic activation and parasympathetic withdrawal are commonly observed during acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We have demonstrated previously that noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NPPV) improves parasympathetic neural control of heart rate in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. We hypothesized that NPPV may exert such beneficial effects in COPD as well.

[Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in the patients with liver cirrhosis].

Aim Of The Study: To assess objective incidence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), laboratory findings, effectivity of the treatment and mortality of cirrhotics with ascites and SBP.

Patients And Methods: From June 1994 to June 1999 we performed 692 abdominal paracenteses in 169 cirrhotic patients (mean age 52,63 +/- 8,02 years, mean Child-Pugh score 10,41 +/- 3,02). Culture of ascitic fluid, total leucocyte and granulocyte count in ascites and total protein, albumin and cholesterol levels in ascites and serum were examinated.

[Infectious complications in patients with liver cirrhosis].

Aim Of The Study: To assess the objective incidence of infectious complications in liver cirrhosis, to find out correlation among stage of liver cirrhosis, number of infectious complications and mortality in cirrhotic patients.

Patients And Methods: 93 patients with liver cirrhosis were hospitalized from June 1996 to November 1998 (age: 53,44 I 8,03 years, Child-Pugh score: 11,58 I 2,12). 6 patients were in class B, 87 in class C of Child-Pugh classification.