Respiratory Diseases

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For seasonal flu strains that were slightly different than predicted, the traditional killed-virus vaccine in 2004-2005 was about 75% effective, while a live attenuated-virus nasal spray was less effective, researchers reported.

The goals of therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are to ameliorate symptoms, improve daily function, preserve lung function, identify and reduce exacerbations and, if possible, decrease mortality. A comprehensiveapproach that includes prevention, early identification, and pharmacotherapy-and oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and/or surgery when appropriate-can optimize patient outcomes.

Although the estimates of prevalence vary, there is convincing evidence that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk for depression. Moreover, depression has been associated with diminished functional status, increased symptoms, and increased mortality in patients with COPD. Encouraging news comes from Nguyen and Carrieri-Kohlman, who report that a dyspnea self-management program that includes exercise can reduce both dyspnea and depressed mood in these patients.

NPPV should be considered theventilatory modality of first choicein patients presenting to an acutecare hospital with an exacerbationof COPD. This is based on the findingsof multiple randomized controlledtrials as well as meta-analyses.These have shown that NPPVused in such patients brings about amore rapid improvement in dyspnea,vital signs, and PaCO2 thandoes oxygen therapy with standardmedical treatment. Use of NPPV resultsin significant reductions in theneed for intubation, morbidity andmortality rates, and in some studies,the length of hospital stay. These latterbenefits are unquestionably relatedto the avoidance of the complicationsof intubation, includingnosocomial infections, that increasein occurrence as the duration of intubationbecomes prolonged.

Increasing evidence demonstrates that adolescents with asthma are at greater risk for anxiety and depression. However, few studies have investigated the association of psychological disorders with asthma symptoms, an important factor in evaluating asthma treatment. Now the results of a large population-based study of adolescents with asthma confirm that anxiety and depression are highly associated with increased asthma symptoms.

Abstract: Because of the impact of allergen exposure on asthma control, all patients with asthma should be evaluated for allergic sensitization. Such patients can be referred to an allergist for evaluation, or radioallergosorbent tests can be ordered by the primary care provider. The major groups of aeroallergens that can trigger asthma attacks include furred-pet, dust mite, cockroach, rodent, mold, and pollen allergens. When assessing a patient's exposure history, remember that furred-pet allergens are found not just in the home, but in other settings, such as schools, and these allergens are passively transferred from one environment to another. Allergen avoidance measures are essential to the management of asthma in sensitized patients and can significantly improve asthma control. First-line dust mite control measures include installing allergen-proof mattress and pillow encasements, washing all bedding every 1 to 2 weeks in hot water, removing stuffed toys, vacuuming and dusting regularly, and reducing indoor relative humidity. (J Respir Dis. 2006;27(12):511-526)

The association between asthma and pneumococcal disease has been suspected by many clinicians; however, formal investigations confirming an increased risk of pneumococcal disease in patients with asthma are rare.

ATLANTA -- The seasonal flu season is here, but tell that to the viruses. The quixotic little pathogens haven't yet flexed their muscles in earnest, according to the CDC.

PHILADELPHIA -- Teens with asthma are more likely to be depressed and to smoke than their non-asthmatic peers, according to a preliminary analysis of CDC survey data.

TORONTO -- A flu shot appears to increase the relative risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome by 45%, according to researchers here.

The 2006-2007 influenza season is upon us. Influenza epidemics have been associated with an average of about 36,000 deaths per year in the United States from 1990 to 1999.1 In July of this year, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated its recommendations for the prevention and control of influenza.2

Although the overall rates of asthma-related hospitalization and death are about 2.5 to 5 times higher among black than white patients, it has not been known whether hospital deaths also are increased in black patients with asthma exacerbations. Investigators from Johns Hopkins who studied this issue found there were no significant race differences in hospital deaths.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Acid reflux atop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with twice as many COPD exacerbations a year compared with patients without acid reflux, researchers here said.

When a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presents with what appears to be an acute exacerbation, you should consider the possibility of pulmonary embolism (PE). This is the message conveyed by a prospective cohort study in France.

The authors report the incidental finding of a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) during the routine placement of a left subclavian central line in an elderly man with acute renal failure.

Can early intervention with inhaled corticosteroids help prevent irreversible lung function decline in patients with asthma? Yes, according to results of the international Inhaled Steroid Treatment as Regular Therapy in Early Asthma (START) study.

Perhaps surprisingly, limited published data exist on the effects of smoking cessation on symptoms, lung function, and corticosteroid responsiveness in smokers who have asthma. However, in a prospective controlled study, Scottish researchers found that 6 weeks af-ter smoking cessation, patients with asthma had significant improvement in lung function and a decrease in sputum neutrophil count compared with patients who continued to smoke.

A 19-day-old infant was brought to the emergency department (ED) after a day of fever, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. He had been born at full term via vaginal delivery. There was no history of prolonged rupture of membranes. The mother was group B streptococcus-positive and had been treated appropriately before the delivery. The infant received 48 hours of empiric antibiotic therapy after his birth; blood cultures were negative at the birth hospital. The infant had been doing well before the ED visit.

Staphylococcal pneumonia can be classified as either primary or secondary. In primary disease, the infection is caused by direct inoculation of the respiratory tract. Secondary disease occurs by hematogenous spread (eg, as in endocarditis).

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Inhaled corticosteroids sharply reduce the risk of death from all causes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to researchers here.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Inhaled corticosteroids sharply reduce the risk of death from all causes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to researchers here.

BOSTON -- The sharp drop in air travel after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 slowed the spread of the 2001-2002 seasonal flu and delayed its peak by almost two weeks, according to researchers here. The finding showed that air travel contributes to influenza's spread.

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Women who are on long-term oxygen therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are 54% more likely to die than men.

Previous receipt of the pneumococcal vaccine is associated with improved survival, reduced risk of respiratory failure, and decreased length of stay among patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This finding was reported by Fisman and associates, who evaluated data from 109 community and teaching hospitals.

Increased attention is being given to the potential use of bronchial thermoplasty in the management of patients with asthma. This procedure uses radiofrequency ener- gy to reduce the mass of smooth muscle in the walls of conducting airways, thereby reducing the potential for smooth muscle-mediated bronchoconstriction. Is bronchial thermoplasty safe, and does it work? Yes, according to a study conducted in Canada by Cox and associates.

Abstract: A number of factors can contribute to a delay in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in pregnant women, including the presence of nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue and cough; extrapulmonary manifestations; and asymptomatic disease. The diagnostic evaluation is the same as for nonpregnant patients and includes tuberculin skin testing and, when indicated, chest radiography (with appropriate shielding) and acid-fast bacillus stain and culture. Antituberculous therapy during pregnancy is generally safe and effective, although streptomycin should not be used because of the risk of vestibular or auditory damage to the fetus. For patients with active tuberculosis, treatment should be initiated as soon as the diagnosis is established. The treatment of latent infection is somewhat more controversial. The timing of the initiation of therapy is based on the risk of progression to active disease. (J Respir Dis. 2006;27(8):338-347)

Effective asthma control involves the assessment of symptoms, changes in pulmonary function, and effects on quality of life and functional ability. A 5-item, patient-administered survey, the Asthma Control Test (ACT), has been developed as an assessment tool (Table). Investigators evaluated the reliability and validity of the ACT in a longitudinal study of patients with asthma who were new to the care of an asthma specialist.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Rescue inhalers for asthmatics don't keep track of bronchodilator doses used or remaining, leaving some patients in the lurch when they need the drugs most.

MADRID -- Lung function of Medicare-age patients, as measured by standard spirometry, can suggest how likely they are to develop dementia in the next five to six years, researchers reported here.

STANFORD, Calif -- Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who used inhaled beta-2 agonists had more than twice the risk for respiratory death than those who used anticholinergic agents, according to investigators here.