Changes in diaphragm thickness and 6-min walking distance improvement after inspiratory muscle training in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Clinical trial.

Aim: Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) improves respiratory muscle function and exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the detailed mechanism is unclear. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the mechanism of functional improvement by IMT from P, an index of respiratory central output, and thickness of diaphragm (Tdi), a noninvasive and reliable ultrasound examination.

Methods: This clinical trial study enrolled 13 elderly patients with COPD.

Differences in Characteristics Between Physical Frailty Assessments in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Purpose: Assessment for frailty is important as it enables timely intervention to prevent or delay poor prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aims of this study, in a sample of outpatients with COPD, were to (i) assess the prevalence of physical frailty using the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study (J-CHS) criteria and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and the degree of agreement between the findings of the two assessments and (ii) identify factors associated with the disparity in the results obtained with these instruments.

Patients And Methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study of individuals with stable COPD enrolled in four institutions.

Multimodal Telemonitoring for Weight Reduction in Patients With Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Telemonitoring the use of CPAP devices and remote feedback on device data effectively optimizes CPAP adherence in patients with OSA.

Research Question: Can expanding the scope of telemonitoring and remote feedback to body weight (BW), BP, and physical activity enhance efforts for BW reduction in Patients with OSA receiving CPAP?

Study Design And Methods: Participants were recruited from patients at 16 sleep centers in Japan with OSA and obesity who were receiving CPAP therapy. Obesity was defined as a BMI of ≥ 25 kg/m, based on Japanese obesity guidelines.

Home High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy for Stable Hypercapnic COPD: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The long-term effects of using a high-flow nasal cannula for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remain unclear. To assess whether long-term high-flow nasal cannula use reduces the number of exacerbations and improves other physiological parameters in patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We enrolled 104 participants (aged ⩾40 yr) with daytime hypercapnia (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages 2-4) receiving long-term oxygen therapy (⩾16 h/d for ⩾1 mo) and randomly assigned them to high-flow nasal cannula/long-term oxygen therapy and long-term oxygen therapy groups.

Early Intervention of Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease Is a Favorable Factor for Short-Term Improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life.

Patients with fibrosing interstitial lung disease (FILD) have poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). We analyzed predictors of short-term improvement of HRQOL after starting pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in moderate to severe FILD patients. This study involved 28 consecutive patients with FILD (20 males, median age of 77.

Association between Telomere-Related Polymorphisms and the Risk of IPF and COPD as a Precursor Lesion of Lung Cancer: Findings from the Fukuoka Tobacco-Related Lung Disease (FOLD) Registry.

Background: Lung cancer coexisting with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can lead to poor prognosis.  Telomere-related polymorphisms may be implicated in the pathogenesis of these three lung diseases.  As to elucidate the mechanism of lung cancer via IPF or COPD may enable early detection and early treatment of the disease, we firstly examined the association between telomere-related polymorphisms and the risk of IPF and COPD in a case-control study.

Characteristics of tobacco-related lung diseases in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan: A prospective, multi-institutional, observational study.

Background: Tobacco smoking causes a variety of smoking-related diseases, death, and economic damage. Despite targeted anti-smoking campaigns, tobacco-related deaths are expected to increase in Japan. We investigated the current state of non-cancerous lung diseases such as idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE), which are known to be highly related to tobacco smoking.

[Sleep-disordered breathing in occupational places: from screening to Health and Productivity Management].

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), represented by sleep apnea, is highly prevalent in the general population and is associated with alcohol intake and obesity. Since SDB is further associated with hypertension, diabetes, and future cardiovascular diseases, as well as accidents and injuries in workplaces, there is a need for complete SDB assessment in workers, including screening and the application of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Results: Currently, it appears that SDB assessment is not sufficiently conducted, even among commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, despite CMV drivers with SDB being at a high risk of serious traffic accidents.

Oral health under use of continuous positive airway pressure and interest in alternative therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea: a questionnaire-based survey.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is considered first-line treatment for sleep apnoea patients, but there are few studies on oral health in patients with OSA who are using CPAP.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of oral symptoms and interest in alternative treatments such as oral appliance (OA) therapy in CPAP users.

[Efficacy and safety of azithromycin infusion in patients with mild or moderate community-acquired pneumonia].

Azithromycin (AZM) is one of 15-membered rings macrolide antibiotics with wide spectrum of antimicrobial efficacy for Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and also atypical bacteria. So far, there had been no reports of the prospective studies evaluating efficacy and safety of AZM infusion in patients with mild or moderate community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This study was conducted to evaluate prospectively the efficacy and safety of AZM in patients with mild or moderate CAP.

High-resolution CT scoring system-based grading scale predicts the clinical outcomes in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: The 2011 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) guidelines are based on the diagnosis of IPF using only high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). However, few studies have thus far reviewed the usefulness of the HRCT scoring system based on the grading scale provided in the guidelines. We retrospectively studied 98 patients with respect to assess the prognostic value of changes in HRCT findings using a new HRCT scoring system based on the grading scale published in the guidelines.

The relationship between cephalometric carotid artery calcification and Framingham Risk Score profile in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose: The morbidity rate of arteriosclerosis becomes clinically manifested as acute cardiovascular events. In the progress of atherosclerosis, the carotid artery calcifies and sometimes appears as a calcified mass on a cephalometric radiograph. This study was designed to evaluate cardiovascular risks according to the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) between subjects with and without visible carotid artery calcification on a cephalogram.

[Retrospective analysis of the safety of four hours administration of liposomal amphotericin B in patients with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis].

We have retrospectively analyzed the safety of 4 hours administration of liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB) compared to less than or equal to 3 hours administration in patients with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (CNPA). The elevation of serum creatinine in the group with 4 hours administration of L-AMB in patients with CNPA was equal to the group with shorter administration time (less than or equal to three hours). During the administration of L-AMB, the group with 4 hours administration of LAMB had significantly a safer profile in relation to hypokalemia during L-AMB treatment than the group with shorter administration time.

The reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Appraisal of Diabetes Scale for type 2 diabetes patients.

Aims: An appropriate questionnaire for measurement of the psychological burden of self-management or behavior modification in type-2 diabetes patients has yet to be developed in Japan. This study was conducted to test the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Appraisal of Diabetes Scale (ADS).

Methods: the study enrolled 346 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: 200 men and 146 women who were 63.

Craniofacial changes after 2 years of nasal continuous positive airway pressure use in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Many patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) use nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) as a first-line therapy. Previous studies have reported midfacial hypoplasia in children using nCPAP. The aim of this study is to assess the craniofacial changes in adult subjects with OSA after nCPAP use.

Cephalometric calcified carotid artery atheromas in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: In the progress of atherosclerosis, the carotid artery calcifies and sometimes appears as a calcified mass on a cephalometric radiograph.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of calcification in cephalometric radiographs of OSA patients and to identify the differences between subjects with and without carotid artery calcification.

Methods: A total of 1,520 X-rays were evaluated.

Validation of "lung age" measured by spirometry and handy electronic FEV1/FEV6 meter in pulmonary diseases.

Objective: The concept of "lung age" is thought to be useful for understanding pulmonary function. In this study, we validated "lung age" to detect pulmonary function abnormalities in pulmonary diseases.

Methods: We used both spirometry and an electronic FEV(1)/FEV(6) meter (FEV(6) meter) to perform pulmonary function tests.

Effect of add-on therapy of tiotropium in COPD treated with theophylline.

Background: Although combination therapy with bronchodilators is recommended for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), there is insufficient evidence for the efficacy of some combinations of long-acting bronchodilators.

Objective: We investigated the effects of a combination therapy with tiotropium and theophylline in COPD patients.

Methods: In a 12-week, open-labeled, parallel-group randomized study, pulmonary functions and dyspnea scores were compared between the combination and theophylline alone therapy at baseline, and 4 and 8 weeks after randomization in COPD.

[Surveillance of industrial physicians' knowledge and concern about sleep apnea syndrome].

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a risk factor in lifestyle-related disease known to be closely associated with traffic and occupational accidents. Because of its high morbidity in middle-aged men, early diagnosis and management by industrial physicians are important. We clarified the degree of knowledge and concern about SAS among industrial physicians.