Serum ghrelin and adiponectin levels are increased but serum leptin level is unchanged in low weight Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients.

Background: Weight loss and muscle wasting are common features reported in COPD patients and they are all related with systemic inflammation. In this study, the relationship between pulmonary functions and inflammatory and metabolic parameters in low weight COPD patients were investigated.

Methods: Fifty male COPD patients were grouped according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria.

A hyperparathyroid case with pulmonary edema: can hypercalcemia trigger pulmonary edema?

Most cases of pulmonary edema presenting with hypercalcemia are associated with malignant hypercalcemia and related with metastatic calcification. Most patients have predisposing factors such as hematological and solid organ malignancies and chronic renal failure. Pulmonary edema, induced by moderate hypercalcemia, which is associated with primary hyperparathyroidism, has not been reported previously.

Follow-up results of 702 patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists and evaluation of risk of tuberculosis.

The objective of this study is to estimate the incidence of active tuberculosis in patients with inflammatory diseases receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) antagonists and to figure out the characteristics of patients who develop tuberculosis. 702 patients with different inflammatory diseases receiving TNF-alpha antagonists were followed up from August 2005 to July 2008 at our department of chest disease. All patients had tuberculin skin test (TST) and postero-anterior chest radiograph (CXR) prior to anti TNF-alpha antagonist treatment.