[A comparison of clinical features between patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis combined with emphysema and without emphysema].

Objective: To investigate the differences of clinical features, pulmonary function tests, chest imaging and prognosis between patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) combined with emphysema and without emphysema.

Methods: Of the 117 patients diagnosed as IPF for the first time in the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from January 2002 to January 2007, 23 cases met the diagnostic criteria for combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). Thirty-three cases with isolated IPF from 2002 to 2003 were selected as the control group.

[A retrospective cohort study of prognostic factors for death in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Objective: To investigate the prognostic implications of clinical, radiographic, and physiological variables in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods: The clinical, pulmonary physiological, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cell differentials and lung high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) at diagnosis in 126 patients with IPF were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis was used to evaluate various parameters associated with hazard ratio (HR).

[Effect of corticosteroids upon the prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of corticosteroids upon idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and the impact of corticosteroids upon survival time.

Methods: Clinical data of 94 corticosteroid treatment and 32 non-corticosteroid treatment IPF patients during 2000 - 2004 were retrospectively analyzed and their survival rates compared between two groups. The corticosteroid treatment patients were divided into 3 groups: improved, steady and worsened group according to the pulmonary function data.

[Serum retinol and retinol binding protein-4 levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their relationship to nutritional status.].

Objective: To explore the serum retinol and retinol binding protein-4 (RBP(4)) levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to investigate their relationship with the nutritional status.

Methods: The serum retinol level was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 110 outpatients with stable COPD during Sept. 2006 to Sept.

[Cell profiles of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as prognostic indicators of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Objective: To determine whether clinical and physiologic variables and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cell profiles affect the survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods: There were 43 patients with clinically diagnosed IPF in the study. The Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-rank test were used to estimate the survival in the two groups and Cox proportional hazard regression was used to evaluate the Hazard Ratio in the IPF patients.

[Effects of vitamin A on the proliferation and apoptosis of alveolar cells of experimental emphysema in rats].

Objective: To study the effect of vitamin A on experimental emphysema in rats, and on the proliferation and apoptosis of the alveolar cells.

Methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a control group (C), an emphysema model group (M) and a vitamin A treatment emphysema group (V), with 8 rats in each group. Experimental emphysema was induced by instilling elastase into the lungs of the rats in group M and group V.

[Retinoic acid inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced injury in human lung epithelial cells].

Objective: To study the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on the proliferation and apoptosis of type II lung alveolar epithelial cells and the regulation of retinoic acid (RA) to this effect.

Methods: Human type II lung alveolar epithelial cells of the line A569 were cultured and divided into 2 groups: control group (cultured in culture fluid only), TNF-group (cultured in the culture fluid with TNF-alpha 10 micromol/L for 24 or 46 h respectively), RA group (cultured in culture fluid without RA 1 microg/L), and TNF-alpha plus RA group (cultured in culture fluid with TNF-alpha 10 micromol/L + RA 1 microg/L). MTT method was used to test the proliferation of the A549 cells.

[Changes of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and the serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Objective: To detect the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and to evaluate the significance of the changes in the pathogenesis of IPF.

Methods: Enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the BALF and serum of 30 patients with IPF.

Results: The levels of MMP-9 in the BALF and serum of the patients showed no significant difference as compared with those of the control group.

[The analysis of risk factors correlated to pulmonary hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients during awake state].

Objective: To investigate the development of pulmonary hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients and to analyze the correlated factors.

Methods: Pulmonary arterial pressure was monitored by right cardiac catheterization in 15 OSAS patients, and simultaneously polysomnography was performed. Blood gas analysis and lung function were also measured.

[Regulation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and growth hormone axis in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome patients].

Objective: To explore the regulation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and growth hormone (GH) axis in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Methods: OSAHS patients (OSAHS group) and subjects with obesity alone (control group) were monitored by polysomnography (PSG). The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), corticotropin (ACTH), cortisol and growth hormone levels in plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay before and after sleep.

[The effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia to hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and growth hormone level in rats during sleep].

Aim: To research the effect of intermittent hypoxia during sleep on hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and growth hormone (GH) level.

Methods: Rats were respectively exposed to intermittent hypoxia, room air and continuous hypoxia, after 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and 30 days, mRNA levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) in hypothalamus of rats were detected using RT-PCR, and the levels of CRH, GHRH, corticotropin(ACTH), cortex ketone, and growth hormone in plasma were measured.

Results: After 30 days, the CRH mRNA levels in rats hypothalamus which exposed to intermittent hypoxia were increased significantly than those exposed to continuous hypoxia as well as normal control but GHRH decreased, there was no difference between continuous hypoxia and normal control.

[Serum resistin and leptin in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their relationship to nutritional state].

Objective: To investigate the serum resistin and leptin levels, their relationship to nutritional state and the associated factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: The serum resistin and leptin levels in 57 stable COPD patients and 31 healthy controls were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radio-immunoassay respectively. Correlated factors of serum resistin and leptin were analyzed.

[Study of the mechanisms of dyspnea during exercise in COPD].

Aim: To study the relationships between dyspnea and respiratory drive or respiratory muscle function in COPD.

Methods: Thirty-one patients with COPD and 26 normal subjects were involved in the study. Routine pulmonary function, pulmonary diffusing capacity, P0.

[The effect of retinoic acid on C3 and factor B secretion of human alveolar type II epithelial cells induced with cytokines].

Aim: To explore the effect of retinoic acid (RA)on C3 and factor B (Bf) secretion by human alveolar type II epithelial cell line A549 induced with cytokines.

Methods: The levels of C3 and Bf in culture supernatant of A549 cells induced with cytokines were detected by ELISA. The expression of C3 and Bf mRNAs was analyzed by RT-PCR.

[Cell apoptosis and the change of Fas/FasL gene in experimental pulmonary fibrosis].

Objective: To investigate the changes and significance of cell apoptosis and Fas/FasL gene in pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods: Forty mice were divided into two groups randomly, each group contained twenty mice. TUNEL, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to detect the change of cell apoptosis, Fas/FasL mRNA and protein in mice with pulmonary fibrosis caused by bleomycin.

[Ventilatory control in familial obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the genetic abnormality of ventilatory control may play a role in the familial aggregation of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Methods: Ten severe patients with OSAHS, 16 first relatives of them and 14 obese subjects were studied and the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR), the hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) and the results of PSG were analyzed. HVR and HCVR of OSAHS patients were re-examined in the first, second and third month of continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) treatment.

[Respiratory control in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome].

Objective: To evaluate the role of ventilatory control in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Methods: Thirty-five patients with OSAHS were compared with 15 obese controls in pulmonary function, hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR), hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) and polysomnography (PSG).

Results: (1) There were no differences in HVR and HCVR between patients with OSAHS and the control (t = 1.

[Change of prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-12, interleukin-13 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and the serum of the patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Objective: To detect the levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-13 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and to investigate the significance of their change in the pathogenesis of IPF.

Methods: Radioimmunoassay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the levels of PGE2 and IL-12, IL-13 in the BALF and the serum of patients with IPF.

Results: In the BALF of patients with IPF, the levels of PGE2 (591 +/- 88) ng/L and IL-13 (38 +/- 5) ng/L were higher than that of the control group (P < 0.

[Evaluation of interleukin-13 in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Objective: To study the significance of interleukin-13 (IL-13) in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods: The level of IL-13 was determined with ELISA in the serum and BALF of 17 patients with IPF and 8 subjects with non-interstitial lung diseases (non-smokers).

Results: The level of IL-13 in the BALF of the patients with IPF was significantly higher than that in non-interstitial lung disease group [(301 +/- 86) ng/L vs.

[Relation of resting energy expenditure to respiratory mechanics and arterial blood gases in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients].

Objective: To investigate the relationships of the rest energy expenditure to the respiratory mechanics and arterial blood gases in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

Methods: Twenty six patients with COPD and 21 healthy subjects were involved in the study. The rest energy expenditure (REE), oxygen consumption (VO(2)), carbon dioxide production (VCO(2)) and respiratory quotient (RQ) were measured with indirect energy measurements of canopy test; the arterial blood gases were measured soon after energy measurements; then routine pulmonary function, P(0.