A comparison trial of eight weeks versus twelve weeks of exercise program in interstitial lung diseases.

Exercise training have been shown to be the effective approach for functional outcomes in interstitial lung diseases (ILD). In many studies, the duration of exercise programs (EPs) varies between 8-12 weeks. However, the optimal duration of EPs is still unknown.

Prospects for new and emerging therapeutics in severe asthma: the role of biologics.

Asthma is a common and heterogeneous disease. While current conventional therapies are effective in the majority of the patients, a significant subgroup remain uncontrolled despite these treatments. Different biological agents are currently approved or undergoing development for treatment of asthma, including anti-IgE, anti-interleukin (IL)-5, anti-IL-13, anti-IL-4 and anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin agents.

Sex-related differences in COPD Assessment Test scores of COPD populationswith or without significant anxiety and/or depression.

Background/aim: Sex-related differences have not been thoroughly explored in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to evaluate possible sex-related differences in COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores of COPD patients with or without significant anxiety and/or depression.

Materials And Methods: Stable COPD patients were prospectively enrolled in the study between July 2013 and April 2014.

The utility of EBUS-TBNA in mediastinal or hilar lymph node evaluation in extrapulmonary malignancy.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes (LNs) in patients with known extrapulmonary malignancy.

Materials And Methods: Between March 2011 and August 2013, 378 EBUS-TBNA procedures were performed. Sixty-three (16.

Assessment of Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis in Two Provinces of Turkey.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the main health issues in Turkey. Extrapulmonary TB cases have significant proportion comparing pulmonary TB cases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) cases in two regions of Turkey, which have different demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Urinary uric acid excretion as an indicator of severe hypoxia and mortality in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: Uric acid (UA) is the end product of adenosine triphosphate degradation, and could increase due to hypoxia. We investigated the association of UA metabolites with nocturnal hypoxemia, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) usage and five-year mortality.

Materials/subjects And Methods: We obtained urinary specimen before and after the night polysomnography in order to measure UA excretion and overnight change in urinary UA/creatinine ratio (ΔUA/Cr) in 75 subjects (14 controls, 15 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without nocturnal hypoxemia (NH), 15 COPD with NH, 16 obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) without NH, 15 OSAS with NH).

Are Meteorological Parameters a Risk Factor for Pulmonary Embolism? A Retrospective Analysis of 530 Patients.

Background: The influence of meteorological conditions on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has been known for a long time. However, few reports have been published on the influence of meteorological parameters on the occurrence of acute pulmonary embolism (PE).

Aims: In this retrospective study, we compared the meteorological parameters between PE patients with risk factors and idiopathic PE patients.

A randomized controlled trial comparing the ventilation duration between adaptive support ventilation and pressure assist/control ventilation in medical patients in the ICU.

Background: Adaptive support ventilation (ASV) is a closed loop mode of mechanical ventilation (MV) that provides a target minute ventilation by automatically adapting inspiratory pressure and respiratory rate with the minimum work of breathing on the part of the patient. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ASV on total MV duration when compared with pressure assist/control ventilation.

Methods: Adult medical patients intubated and mechanically ventilated for > 24 h in a medical ICU were randomized to either ASV or pressure assist/control ventilation.

Effect of prone positioning in mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Background: Sleeping in prone position could be effective in the management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome by reducing the gravity effect on the upper airway and hence collapsibility. Effect of pure prone positioning (PPP) treatment was investigated in mild to moderate OSA.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-nine mild to moderate OSA patients (17 males, 12 females) who gave informed consent were tested with polysomnography at diagnostic and PPP nights.

The incidence of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension secondary to acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

Introduction: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a curable and partially preventable complication, with a substantial incidence, leading to severe morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to find out the incidence of CTEPH secondary to acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) using non-invasive procedures such as ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy and pulmonary multidetector CT (MDCT) angiography in determining the diagnosis of CTEPH.

Materials And Methods: The study included a total of 99 patients diagnosed with initial PTE between January 2010 and December 2012.

Primary lung cancer coexisting with active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Setting: Lung cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) comorbidity is a clinical problem that presents a challenge for the diagnosis and treatment of both diseases.

Objective: To clarify the clinical and survival characteristics of cases with both lung cancer and active pulmonary TB.

Design: From 2008 to 2013, 3350 TB patients admitted to the TB Department of the Chest Diseases Hospital of Izmir, Turkey, were evaluated.

Does CPAP therapy alter urinary albumin level in adult patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?

Background: Urinary albumin is a marker of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and also it has been viewed as a marker for vascular endothelial dysfunction in both the kidneys and systemic vasculature. Lowering urinary albumin is associated with fewer cardiovascular and renal diseases. We investigated the change in urinary albumin after 1 month of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

The clinical significance of hematologic parameters in patients with sarcoidosis.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic inflammatory granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. No suitable biomarkers are available to evaluate the prognosis of this disease, which still has an unpredictable clinical course. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential clinical usefulness of hematologic markers.

Clinical characteristics of patients with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma: a retrospective study of 44 cases.

Background: Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is considered a subtype of adenocarcinoma of the lung. Recently BAC has been variously termed adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, lepidic predominant invasive adenocarcinoma, and invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma. The aim of the study was to analyze and detect prognostic factors of patients with BAC over a 7-year period.

Markers of lower respiratory tract infections in emergency departments.

Background: Acute respiratory tract infections are the common causes for admission to emergency department. Appropriate diagnosis and initiating treatment on time are important for reducing morbidity and mortality rate due to lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). The aim of this study is to determine if C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and white blood cells (WBC) count are considerable markers to help rapid diagnosis and prediction of antibiotic need for lower respiratory infections in emergency departments.

Molecular diversity of drug resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Western Turkey.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular diversity and clonal relationship of drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in Western Turkey.

Materials And Methods: A total of 87 strains isolated between 2006 and 2009, eight of which were rifampicin monoresistant and 79 were multidrug resistant, were analyzed with IS6110 RFLP and spoligotyping methods.

Results: The results of spoligotyping showed that 7% of the strains were orphans, and 8% were undefined for family in the SpolDB4 database.

Association of duration of sleep and cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities in sleep apnea syndrome.

Background/Aim. Previous population-based studies found association between duration of sleep and cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities. Our aim was to investigate the association between the duration of sleep and cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities in OSAS.

Assessment of lymph node tuberculosis in two provinces in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to evaluate lymph node tuberculosis (LNT) cases in two provinces in Turkey with different demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. A total of 109 LNT cases were reviewed retrospectively. The cases were analyzed and compared for symptoms, findings, age, vaccination status, and diagnostic procedures.

Patterns of drug resistance in pulmonary tuberculosis cases in the Izmir district, Turkey.

Antituberculosis drug resistance patterns were investigated among the new and previously treated pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases in Izmir district, retrospectively. Proportions of resistance patterns were determined using a number of resistant cases using as a denominator. Resistance to at least one drug was found in 304 (29.