Contribution of four common pulmonary function tests to diagnosis of patients with respiratory symptoms: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Few studies of the diagnostic value of pulmonary function testing are available. We assessed the diagnostic contribution of four basic pulmonary function tests: spirometry, lung volume, airway resistance, and diffusing capacity.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled patients presenting to a pulmonologist with respiratory symptoms but no clear diagnosis from 33 hospitals in Belgium.

Hemoptysis and pulmonary edema in a scuba diver using diclofenac.

Hemoptysis and pulmonary edema associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use is a known condition, but is probably underreported. The mechanisms of induction of pulmonary toxicity are still not well understood. We describe a case of hemoptysis and dyspnea in a scuba diver who was taking diclofenac.

Innervation of the elbow joint: Is total denervation possible? A cadaveric anatomic study.

The aim of this anatomical study was to find out if total denervation of the elbow joint is technically feasible. The endbranches of the brachial plexus of eight fresh-frozen upper arm cadavers were dissected with optical loupe magnification. All major nerves of the upper limb (except the axillary and the medial brachial cutaneous nerve) give some terminal articular endbranches to the elbow.

Resection of calcaneonavicular bar with interposition of extensor digitorum brevis. A questionnaire review.

The purpose of this study was to review the clinical outcome of teenagers who had a resection of a symptomatic calcaneonavicular bar with interposition of the extensor digitorum brevis muscle. After a mean follow-up of almost 5 years, 22 patients were assessed symptomatically and functionally by means of a questionnaire. More than 95% were satisfied with the operation.

The wrong stent at the wrong time: a cautionary tale.

Self-expandable metallic stents have been promoted for a multitude of indications because of their easy insertion and convenience. This may lead to inappropriate use. We report two patients in whom self-expandable metallic stents led to severe early or late complications.

Scintigraphic diagnosis of intrathoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis in alcohol-related macrocytosis.

We report the scintigraphic diagnosis of thoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis in a case of alcohol-related macrocytosis. A patient with liver cirrhosis and alcohol-related macrocytosis showed multiple rounded masses in the low thoracic paraspinal region on chest radiography and CT. Whole-body scintigraphy and SPECT imaging of the thorax, after nanocolloid administration, demonstrated expansion of the bone marrow in the humeri and femora and uptake of the tracer in the mediastinal masses, establishing the diagnosis of mediastinal extramedullary hematopoiesis.

Carbamazepine hypersensitivity syndrome: report of 4 cases and review of the literature.

We report 4 patients who developed a severe systemic hypersensitivity reaction when taking carbamazepine, To prove hypersensitivity to carbamazepine, we performed patch tests and in vitro lymphocyte transformation tests. Patch tests were uniformly and strongly positive in patients and negative in controls. Lymphocyte transformation tests were positive in 3 of 4 patients.

Behaviour of 12 trace elements in serum of uremic patients on hemodiafiltration.

The concentrations of the trace elements As, Au, Cd, Cs, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mo, Rb, Se and Zn were studied in the serum of 5 patients with end-stage renal failure who were undergoing treatment with hemodiafiltration. The concentrations of the following elements differ significantly from the reference values: As, Cd, Cu, Hg and Mo are higher, while Rb, Se, Zn and some of the Cs values are lower. The observed concentration deviations may be due to the uremic state and/or the dialysis process.

The effect of adding Br or Zn supplements to the dialysate on the concentrations of Br and Zn in the blood of hemodialysed patients.

The effect of adding Br or Zn supplementation to the dialysate on the concentrations of Br and Zn in the blood of hemodialysed patients, is investigated. Patients with end-stage renal failure on hemodialysis show an abnormal trace element pattern. Our patients showed lowered serum Br and Zn concentrations.

Interstitial pneumonitis and pulmonary vasculitis in a patient taking an L-tryptophan preparation.

A case is presented of interstitial pneumonitis and pulmonary vasculitis ascribed to the ingestion of an L-tryptophan preparation. An unintended rechallenge supported the causal relationship. There was neither myalgia nor peripheral eosinophilia.

Intravenous versus nebulized terbutaline in patients with acute severe asthma; a double-blind randomized study.

Twenty-three patients with acute severe asthma were treated in a randomized double-blind way by either intravenous terbutaline two times at an hour interval 6 micrograms/kg or inhaled terbutaline two times 0.1 mg/kg. Peak expiratory flow rate in percent of expected value rose from 89 L/min to 128 L/min (P less than .

Accuracy of biological trace-element determinations.

Mounting evidence suggests that the accuracy of much of the published information on trace-element concentrations in biological matrices leaves much to be desired. Potential sources of error are: (a) inadequate sample collection and preparation (sampling errors); and (b) inaccuracies at the moment of the measurement (measurement errors). Probably much of what has been maintained on trace elements in human health and disease in the past will have to be revised in the future.

The effect of theophylline and enprofylline on allergen-induced bronchoconstriction.

The effect on the allergen-induced immediate and late bronchoconstriction of theophylline and enprofylline (3-propylxanthine), a new xanthine derivative with negligible ability to antagonize adenosine, was studied in nine patients with asthma. The patients were challenged three times at weekly intervals with the same dose of allergen. FEV1 and SGaw were followed up to 6 hours after challenge.