Background: The N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) is the most popular individual protective device to reduce exposure to particulate matter. However, concerns have been raised with regard to its use because it can increase respiratory resistance and dead space. Therefore, this study assessed the safety of N95 use in patients with COPD and air-flow limitation.
Methods: This prospective study was performed at a tertiary hospital and enrolled 97 subjects with COPD. The subjects were monitored for symptoms and physiologic variables during a 10-min rest period and 6-min walking test while wearing an N95.
Results: Of the 97 subjects, 7 with COPD did not wear the N95 for the entire test duration. This mask-failure group showed higher British modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale scores and lower FEV percent of predicted values than did the successful mask use group. A modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale score ≥ 3 (odds ratio 167, 95% CI 8.4 to >999.9; = .008) or a FEV < 30% predicted (odds ratio 163, 95% CI 7.4 to >999.9; = .001) was associated with a risk of failure to wear the N95. Breathing frequency, blood oxygen saturation, and exhaled carbon dioxide levels also showed significant differences before and after N95 use.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that subjects with COPD who had modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale scores ≥ 3 or FEV < 30% predicted wear N95s only with care.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.4187/respcare.06713 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
November 2024
Vascular Surgery, Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, GBR.
Introduction: The results of patients at one hospital who were judged eligible for conservative care of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are examined in this research. Optimizing patient care and management tactics requires an understanding of the mortality trends and causes of death within this group.
Methodology: Sunderland Royal Hospital carried out a single-center retrospective analysis between May 2018 and January 2024.
Physiol Behav
December 2024
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address:
Object: This study aimed to investigate the physiological responses of patients with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) during incremental expiratory resistive loading (ERL).
Method: Nine stable subjects with very severe COPD and hypercapnia were recruited. Baseline data were collected through spontaneous breathing for 10 minutes without resistive load.
Cureus
November 2024
Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Tottori, JPN.
A saber-sheath trachea is a type of tracheal deformity characterized by coronal narrowing and sagittal widening of the intrathoracic trachea. In this case report, we describe a 76-year-old man with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and repeated episodes of type 2 respiratory failure that responded poorly to inhaled long-acting β2 agonists, long-acting muscarinic antagonists, and corticosteroids. The patient was admitted to our hospital due to a COPD exacerbation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
November 2024
General Surgery, Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, New York, USA.
and are anaerobic bacteria rarely encountered in clinical practice, making their identification in bacteremia significant. These organisms are typically found in the human gut and oral flora and are generally considered low-virulence. However, in patients with compromised immunity or significant comorbidities, they can lead to severe infections, including bacteremia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
November 2024
Internal Medicine, Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Huntington, USA.
Prosthetic joint infection (PJI), caused by Streptococcus bovis group (SBG), is uncommon and related to colorectal cancer. We present here a case of an 84-year-old male who had a past medical history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, iron deficiency anemia, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, gout, hypertension, bilateral knee replacement with left knee pain and swelling. We initially suspected gout and treated him with prednisolone, but it did not relieve him.
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