Pitolisant for Residual Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in OSA Patients Adhering to CPAP: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in individuals with OSA syndrome persisting despite good adherence to CPAP is a disabling condition. Pitolisant is a selective histamine H3-receptor antagonist with wake-promoting effects.

Research Question: Is pitolisant effective and safe for reducing daytime sleepiness in individuals with moderate to severe OSA adhering to CPAP treatment but experiencing residual EDS?

Study Design And Methods: In a multicenter, double-blind, randomized (3:1), placebo-controlled, parallel-design trial, pitolisant was titrated individually at up to 20 mg/day and taken over 12 weeks.

Pitolisant for Daytime Sleepiness in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Who Refuse Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment. A Randomized Trial.

Excessive daytime sleepiness is a common disabling symptom in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pitolisant, a selective histamine H3 receptor antagonist with wake-promoting effects, for the treatment of daytime sleepiness in patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea refusing continuous positive airway pressure treatment. In an international, multicenter, double-blind, randomized (3:1), placebo-controlled, parallel-design trial, pitolisant was individually titrated at up to 20 mg/d over 12 weeks.

Cognitive Impairment and Affective Disorders in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Sleep-related breathing disorders could be accompanied by or caused by a variety of medical conditions. They are considered to be a significant medical and social problem. Together with excessive daytime sleepiness, patients with obstructive sleep apnea experience neuropsychological symptoms such as anxiety, attention deficits, cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms and other psychological disturbances leading to social adjustment difficulties.

Pericardial Effusion in Obstructive Sleep Apnea without Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Daily Hypoxemia - is it Unusual?

Background: Pericardial effusion in chronic hypoxemic lung diseases, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome, usually occurs after the development of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, data about the frequency of pericardial effusions in Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome without pulmonary arterial hypertension and/or daytime hypoxemia are still scarce, and their pathogenesis is unclear.

Aims: To assess the prevalence of pericardial effusions and their volume and location in patients with obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome without pulmonary arterial hypertension and/or hypoxemia.

Assessment of the expectancy, seriousness and severity of adverse drug reactions reported for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy.

Introduction: Adverse drug reactions can cause increased morbidity and mortality, and therefore information needs to be studied systematically. Little is known about the adverse drug reactions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy. The goal of this study is to assess the expectedness, seriousness and severity of adverse drug reactions during chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy based on their reporting in the national pharmacovigilance system.

8-isoprostanes and resistin as markers of vascular damage in non-hypersomnolent obstructive sleep apnoea patients.

Background: Oxidative stress and inflammation are assumed as the main pathological triggers for vascular damage in hypersomnolent obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, whereas their exact role in less symptomatic population is currently unknown.

Aim: To determine whether oxidative stress (urinary 8-isoprostane concentration) and inflammation (plasma resistin levels) are associated with vascular damage in non-hypersomnolent (Epworth Sleep Score <11) OSA patients.

Methods: A total of 325 consecutive patients have undergone standard polysomnography, and 256 of them were diagnosed with OSA.

Risk factors for lung diseases after renal transplantation.

Background: Lung diseases are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality after renal transplantation. The aim of the study is to define the risk factors for infectious and noninfectious pulmonary complications in kidney transplant patients.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively studied 267 patients after renal transplantation.

Resistin - the link between adipose tissue dysfunction and insulin resistance in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Resistin is an adipocytokine, associated with obesity and inflammation. Its exact role in insulin resistance and diabetes in the general population is still controversial. The relation between resistin plasma levels, insulin resistance and risk of impaired glucose metabolism in OSA patients has not been investigated.

The role of small heat-shock protein αB-crystalline (HspB5) in COPD pathogenesis.

Background: αB-crystallin (HspB5) is a chaperone whose role as a marker of innate immunity activation as well as its therapeutic potential have recently been investigated in several inflammatory diseases: multiple sclerosis, myocardial ischemia, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the role of αB-crystallin in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis and inflammation.

Materials: Plasma levels of αB-crystallin were studied in 163 patients: 52 healthy non-COPD smokers; 20 COPD smokers in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stages I-II; 43 COPD smokers in GOLD stages III-IV.

EGFR and hTERT Expression as a Diagnostic Approach for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer in High Risk Groups.

Objective: The early detection of NSCLC is of importance because it provides chances for better outcomes. The aim of the study was to explore the clinical utility of EGFR and hTERT mRNA expression as markers for diagnosis of NSCLC.

Methods: EGFR and hTERT mRNA were quantified by quantative reverse transcription real time polymerase chain reaction in plasma of 45 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 40 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, selected by certain spirometric characteristics that made them at high risk of developing lung cancer in future.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and depressive symptoms.

A strong body of evidence has emerged over the recent years suggesting a relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and depressive symptoms. The frequent co-occurrence of the two conditions makes it necessary that their co-morbidity and the pathogenetic relations between them should be studied in detail. Most of the studies to date have found a significant correlation between depressive symptoms and OSA.

Clinical usefulness of alpha-crystallin antibodies in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

The non-invasive approach of finding biomarkers in peripheral blood of cancer patients makes it useful for clinical application and cancer screening. The aim of the study was to explore the clinical utility of alpha-crystallin antibodies as markers for diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and screening among high-risk groups. Alpha-crystallin antibodies were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 51 NSCLC patients, 38 high-risk chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and 52 age and sex matched healthy volunteers.

Expression profile of the small heat-shock protein alpha-B-crystallin in operated-on non-small-cell lung cancer patients: clinical implication.

Objective: Alpha-B-crystallin, a small heat-shock protein, recently gained major interest because of its differential expression during tumourigenesis and metastasis in various epithelial tumours. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of alpha-B-crystallin and its biologic and prognostic significance in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on a tissue microarray slide containing samples from 146 NSCLC patients who were operated on between 2004 and 2005.

Gemifloxacin once daily for 5 days versus 7 days for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia: a randomized, multicentre, double-blind study.

Objectives: Short-course therapy has been advocated for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We compared the efficacy and safety of 5 and 7 day courses of gemifloxacin for outpatient treatment of mild-moderate CAP.

Patients And Methods: In a multicentre, double-blind, parallel group study, patients were randomized to receive 320 mg of oral gemifloxacin once daily for 5 or 7 days.