Objective: Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is an under-recognized cause of dyspnea and is difficult to diagnose. The symptoms caused by exercise-induced VCD (IEVCD) often falsely suggest asthma, but there is sometimes a real association between the two diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate a new, simple method for analyzing vocal cord behavior in the diagnosis of IEVCD, and to clarify the prevalence of IEVCD in an uncontrolled asthma population with unexplained exertional dyspnea.
Methods: This single-center study was conducted prospectively between April 2012 and March 2013. The main inclusion criterion was uncontrolled asthma with unexplained dyspnea. The assessment included cardiopulmonary exercise testing and supraglottal laryngoscopy during exercise with measurement of the vocal cord-opening angle (VCOA). Data from 15 asthmatic patients were compared with those from 10 non-asthmatic dyspneic patients (controls) to define specific criteria for the endoscopic diagnosis of IEVCD.
Results: Endoscopy during bicycle exercising was well tolerated. Normal value of inspiratory VCOA (itVCOA) was>49°. Values for the itVCOA were lower for asthmatics than for controls when exercising at 50% maximal power (52.8°±13.3° and 64.5°±8.3°, respectively). Four of the 15 asthmatics (26%) demonstrated IEVCD characterized with itVCOApeak of less than 49°.
Conclusion: Measurement of VCOA represents a new, simple method for obtaining objective data in the exploration of VCD. The prevalence of IEVCD in uncontrolled asthmatic patients is important (26% in our small sample). IEVCD is probably an under-diagnosed aggravating factor in asthma, and its diagnosis and management could avoid the therapeutic climbing in asthma. This method of analysis may help to accurately and objectively assess vocal cord dysfunction.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lpm.2014.05.017 | DOI Listing |
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
January 2025
Department of Otolaryngology, Robert Debre Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP) and Paris University, 48, Boulevard Sérurier, 75019, Paris, France.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify factors predicting postoperative ICU admission, the need for orotracheal intubation (OTI), and the occurrence of supraglottic stenosis in children undergoing supraglottoplasty for laryngomalacia.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 31 children (Dear Reviewer, we would have greatly preferred to include a larger sample size. However, as you know, this type of management is rare, and we deliberately selected a 7-year period to ensure a minimum of 30 children while avoiding significant differences in management guidelines over time.
Updates Surg
January 2025
1St Propaedeutic Surgical Department, University Hospital of Thessaloniki AHEPA, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 5462, Thessaloniki, Greece.
The unprecedented technical and technological evolution in thyroid surgery has labelled it as an extremely safe and efficient procedure, and indeed "typifies perhaps better than any other operation the supreme triumph of the surgeon's art."-William Halsted, 1852-1922. Surgeon's experience reflected by annual case load is the most important denominator in thyroid surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cardiothorac Surg
January 2025
Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 65, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Background: A broncho-esophageal fistula (BEF) is a medical and surgical disaster. Treatment of BEF is often limited to palliative stent treatment that may migrate or cause erosions and tissue necrosis. Surgical repair of BEF is the only established definite treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomacromolecules
January 2025
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Green Materials for Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
Silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel has been proven to have excellent applications in the field of pressure sensors, but its sensing performance still needs improvement. A flexible hydrogel prepared from natural macromolecular materials was developed, and lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) were introduced during the preparation of the SF hydrogel. When LNPs account for 3% of SF, the sensing unit of the SF-LNPs hydrogel exhibits high stress sensitivity (1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Intensive Care Med
January 2025
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
Introduction: Endotracheal tube (ETT) malpositioning can result in a myriad of complications. Daily chest radiographs (CXR) is the gold standard in monitoring these complications. Point-of-care transtracheal ultrasound (TTUS) is an emerging imaging modality for ETT positioning.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!