Add-on montelukast vs double-dose budesonide in nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis: a pilot study.

Background: Budesonide at 800 μg/d is generally suggested for treatment of nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB). In asthma, adjunctive therapy with montelukast has been shown to confer addictive anti-inflammatory effects to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS). However, whether such effects could be extrapolated to NAEB is not known.

Retrospective analysis of 76 immunocompetent patients with primary pulmonary cryptococcosis.

Background: Pulmonary cryptococcosis typically occurs in immunocompromised patients, but it can also occur in immunocompetent patients. Our objective was to describe the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of primary pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 76 patients with primary pulmonary cryptococcosis who were admitted to our hospital from 1995 to 2010.

[Diagnostic values of the clinical characteristics of chronic cough].

Objective: To evaluate whether the clinical characteristics of chronic cough were helpful in determining its specific causes.

Methods: Patients with chronic cough were evaluated by a validated systematic diagnostic protocol. The patients with identified single cause were divided into 4 groups accordingly: cough-variant asthma (CVA), upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) or post-nasal drip syndrome (PNDS), eosinophilic bronchitis (EB), gastroesophageal reflux related cough (GERC), and the characteristics of the timing, character, onset and associated manifestations of chronic cough in different causes were compared.

[Etiology and a diagnostic protocol for patients with chronic cough].

Objective: The spectrum and frequency of causes and the diagnostic protocol for chronic cough were explored.

Methods: A total of 194 patients with at least 3 weeks of chronic cough and normal chest radiographs were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases between July 2003 to June 2004. The causes were investigated using a well-established protocol.

[Expression and significance of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-X4 protein in lungs of SARS patients].

Objective: To investigate the significance of severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-X4 protein expression in lungs of patients with SARS.

Methods: Pathological features of the lungs from 4 SARS patients were examined and the expression of SARS-CoV-X4 protein in the lungs was evaluated with immunohistochemical staining using specific antibodies against protein X4.

Results: Microscopically, all lungs from 4 cases showed edema, erythrocyte and fibrin exudates in the alveoli, hyperplasia of alveolar epithelium, necrosis, hyaline membrane formation and fibroblast foci.

[The clinical features and the diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux induced cough].

Objective: Gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) is an important etiological factor inducing chronic cough. This study aims to identify the clinical features for the diagnosis of GER induced cough (GERC).

Methods: A modified Irwin's diagnostic protocol and continuous 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring were performed in 50 patients with chronic cough.

[Clinical analysis of gastroesophageal reflux induced cough].

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux induced cough (GERC).

Methods: The continuous ambulatory esophageal pH measurement was performed for 24 hour in 41 cases with chronic cough who had normal chest roentgenographic presentation, negative histamine provocation test and no abnormality of nasal cavity. The symptom association probability (SAP) was adopted to analyze the correlation of cough with gastroesophageal reflux.

[Severe acute respiratory syndrome in 78 patients: a retrospective study].

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Methods: Seventy-eight patients with SARS referred to the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases (GIRD), China from December 22, 2002 to March 2003 were studied retrospectively. The data reviewed included those of clinical manifestations, laboratory investigation and roentgenology.