Agreement Between Transthoracic Echocardiography and Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography for Detection of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Pulmonary Embolism.

Background: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) is the main determinant of mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). Thus, guidelines recommend the assessment of RVD with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) or computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) among these patients. In this study, we investigated the agreement between TTE and CTPA for the detection of RVD.

Diagnosis and Treatment Patterns of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia: A Registry Study.

Background: Patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in countries with limited resources have, to date, been poorly represented in registries.

Objective: This work assesses the epidemiology, diagnosis, hemodynamic and functional parameters, and treatment of CTEPH in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A prospective, cohort, phase IV, observational registry with 3-year follow-up (n = 212) in patients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with CTEPH was created.

Clinical efficacy, safety, tolerability, and survival outcome of long-term inhaled iloprost treatment in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension: Data from prospective multicenter observational OPTION study.

Objective: To evaluate clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of long-term inhaled iloprost treatment in the daily practice for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods: A total of 115 patients with PAH on inhaled iloprost treatment were included. New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) were recorded at baseline and at 3rd to 24th month visits.

[The clinical and polysomnographic differences between obese and non-obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea].

Introduction: Obesity has been considered to be one of the important risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We aimed to investigate the clinical and polysomnographic differences of obese and non-obese OSA patients and how these differences, if any, can be reflected in our daily clinical practice.

Materials And Methods: The polysomnographic data of 157 consecutive patients that underwent a sleep study were analyzed.

[Assessing the knowledge in primary health care following an educational course structured in the context of GARD chronic airway diseases national control program].

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases are common causes of disease in the community and account for considerable percent of the caseload in primary health care facilities. For this reason, it is important to question and improve the knowledge of primary health care physicians. This study is designed to assess the level of knowledge for bronchial asthma and COPD of the primary healthcare physicians, both before and immediately after an educational course structured in the context of GARD Chronic Airway Diseases National Control Program.

Comorbidities and their impact on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disease that is associated with devastating outcomes resulting from lung involvement and several comorbidities. Comorbidities could impact on symptomology, quality of life, the complications, the management, economic burden and the mortality of the disease. The importance of comorbidities originates from their impact on the outcome of COPD.

The factors affecting survival in patients with bronchiectasis.

Background/aim: There is limited information about the rate and modifiers of mortality in noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Materials And Methods: This study enrolled a total of 56 bronchiectasis patients. Patients' body mass index, smoking habit, previous therapies, comorbid disorders, history of vaccination, bronchiectasis type and radiological extent, arterial blood gas analysis, respiratory function tests, and laboratory results were recorded.

The risk factors for late failure of non-invasive mechanical ventilation in acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Introduction: Non-invasive mechanical ventilation provides early improvement in most of the patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. The aim of our study was to determine the risk factors for late failure of non-invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Materials And Methods: Ninety three patients were prospectively evaluated.

Familial Behçet's disease of adult age: a report of 4 cases from a Behçet family.

A familial aggregation of Behçet's disease (BD) has long been noted. These studies have supported the direct role of HLA-B5 in the pathogenesis of BD. Despite the fact that familial clustering is characterized by genetic anticipation, accounting for the earlier disease onset in successive generations, we present two brothers and two cousins from the same family who were diagnosed when they were over twenty years old.

[Smoking cessation in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases].

Objective: To determine the smoking cessation rates of outpatients with cardiopulmonary disease and the differences between non-cardiopulmonary diseases.

Methods: Two hundred and two active smokers with comorbid diseases were prospectively evaluated between September 2004 and January 2008 in this observational study. All of the patients answered Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence with a regular questionnaire of general characteristics.

[Comparing the effectiveness of different treatment modalities on the smoking cessation rates].

The social patterns of smoking have changed significantly in the past two decades but smoking is still as prevalent in the lowest socioeconomic groups as it was widespread. For the solution of this enormous problem many kinds of treatment modalities have been proposed but there is no single successful method for quitting. To determine the smoking cessation rates with behavioural treatment, behavioural + pharmacological treatments and compare the differences between each approaches.

Mycobacterium simiae infection in an immunocompetent patient, with DNA analyses verification.

Mycobacterium simiae is a non-tuberculosis mycobacterium that does commonly cause clinical disease in immunocompromised patients with or without AIDS. We describe a case of M. simiae pulmonary infection in a patient without immunodeficiency syndrome, who had a history of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections.

[Update on pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Secondary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a well known possible feature in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Owing to its frequency advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common cause of PH. The studies that have focused on this topic have shown that PH is frequent during sleep, exacerbations or exercise but mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) is usually between 20 to 35 mmHg.

Associated factors with non-invasive mechanical ventilation failure in acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Our aim was to determine associated factors with non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) failure in acute hypercapnic respiratory failure ninety live patients treated with NIMV for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure were evaluated. While success of NIMV was defined as absence of need of intubation with the patient's discharge from hospital, failure of NIMV was defined as death or need of intubation. The pretreatment pH level was 7.

Health-related quality of life in patients with sleep-related breathing disorders: relationship with nocturnal parameters, daytime symptoms and comorbid diseases.

Background: Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) are frequently encountered health problems in the general population. Habitual snoring and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) constitute most SRBD diagnoses. Although the decrease in quality of life is a well-known entity in SRBD patients, there is not enough data regarding the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms to explain this deterioration.

Analysis of the factors related to mortality in patients with bronchiectasis.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a common disabling but rarely fatal disease. However the long-term prognosis and risk factors for mortality are not well known.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine prospectively the survival and predictive factors of mortality in patients with bronchiectasis, during 4-year follow-up.

Inhaled iloprost as a long-term additional therapy to oral sildenafil in severe idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is an uncommon and devastating disease which, if untreated, progresses rapidly and leads to right heart failure and death. The course of the disease has been altered by advances in medical therapies. However, the effects of long-term alternative therapies and responses to each treatment protocols are not definite.

Is there any difference between effects of ipratropium bromide and formoterol on exercise capacity in moderate COPD patients?

The effects of anticholinergic agents or long acting beta(2)-agonists on exercise capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) improves various out come measures but there is not enough double-blind study which included comparison of different medications. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of ipratropium bromide and formoterol on exercise capacity and also to determine the relationship between this improvement in functional parameters and exercise capacity for each treatment in patients with COPD. This study was performed as randomized, double blind and two period crossover design.

Side effects due to primary antituberculosis drugs during the initial phase of therapy in 1149 hospitalized patients for tuberculosis.

Objective: Side effects of the most commonly used primary antituberculosis (anti-TB) drugs may be mild as well as fatal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the side effects of and the risk factors for developing side effects against anti-TB drugs.

Patients And Methods: Records of 1149 patients with established tuberculosis who initially received anti-TB therapy were evaluated retrospectively.