Long-term use of doxycycline can improve chronic asthma and possibly remodeling: the result of a pilot observation.

Unlabelled: Progressive loss of lung function and reversibility characterize chronic asthma. The conventional therapy is targeted to control the disease without targeting the loss of lung function or reversibility. In a prospective real-world observation of long-term use of add-on doxycycline as a matrix-metalloproteinase inhibitor, we documented significant improvement in lung function with possible reversal of remodeling.

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in COPD may manifest myocardial ischemia.

Background: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is observed frequently in advanced COPD and it appears unrelated to the co-presence of its common risk factors as hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, etc. The patho-physiology of this association is yet unclear. We postulated that ischemia not apparent in the routine clinical evaluation could be the cause of such LVDD.

Prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Background: Reduction of bone mineral density (BMD) is a known and established phenomenon in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there have been no data regarding osteoporosis/osteopenia in COPD patients in India.

Aim: To look for the degree and frequency of osteoporosis/osteopenia in our OPD patients being diagnosed as COPD.

An alternative therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by doxycycline through matrix metalloproteinase inhibition.

Background: Idiopatiic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease of dysregulated fibrogenesis with abnormal matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) activity, angiogenesis, and profibrotic milieu wherein MMPs inhibition appears to be target-based therapy. We evaluated the role of doxycycline as a nonspecific inhibitor of MMPs in IPF patients.

Materials And Methods: Patients of IPF diagnosed on the basis of ATS-ERS consensus criteria were put on oral doxycycline in an open prospective trial.

Treatment of asthma: Identification of the practice behavior and the deviation from the guideline recommendations.

Background: Despite an exponential development of the understanding of the disease with availability of good therapy and feasibility of good control along with availability of globally accepted guidelines, there remains a significant gap between the guidelines and prevailing practice behavior for treating asthma all over the globe. This perhaps stands as the single most deterrent factor for good asthma care worldwide. The objective of the study is to analyze the asthma prescriptions to find out the available status of the practice behaviour and the deviations from the guideline in asthma practice.

The role of long-term doxycycline in patients of idiopathic pulmonaryfibrosis: The results of an open prospective trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of long term use of doxycycline in IPF patients.

Materials And Methods: Patients of IPF, selected randomly from out patient services and diagnosed on the basis of HRCT chest, were put on doxycycline in an open prospective trial. They were followed up with monitoring of subjective well being along with measurement of pulse rate and arterial oxygen saturation at rest and after a fixed and certain exercise, forced vital capacity, six minutes walk test, St Georges Respiratory questionnaire, and serial chest X-rays.