BACKGROUND: Blunted perception of dyspnea, which may be related to the increased mortality, has been demonstrated in patients with a history of near-fatal asthma and in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the perception of dyspnea and the severity of asthma. METHOD: Baseline spirometry and Borg score change(A Borg score) during breathing through an inspiratory muscle trainer were measured in 27 consecutive asthma patients and 11 normal subjects. RESULTS: The baseline Borg score was negatively related to FEV1 A Borg score was significantly lower in asthmatics than in controls at high level of loads. A Borg score was lower in severe asthma than in mild asthma. A Borg score was positively related to the baseline FEV1. Seventy-five percent of severe asthma, 62.5% of moderate one, and 9.1% of mild one showed impaired dyspnea perception. Dyspnea perception was related to age(r, = -0.49, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Three quarters of patients with severe asthma showed impaired dyspnea perception to inspiratory resistive load. Dyspnea perception was related to asthma severity and age.
Aged ; Asthma ; Dyspnea* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Respiration ; Spirometry

A clinical analysis was performed on 61 cases of patent ductus arteriosus experienced at Yeungnam University Hospital during 3 years period from April, 1984 to December, 1986. Of the 61 patient of PDA, 13 patients were male and 48 patient were female and age ranged 2 months to 26 years old with the average age of 9.4 years. The chief complaints on admission were frequent URI and dyspnea on exertion. diagnostic procedure were Doppler echocardiogram (in 53 among 61). Three postoperative complication were developed, but there was no operative mortality.
Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications

Transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a serious, potentially life-threatening complication of transfusion therapy that is sometimes under diagnosed and under reported. Patients with TRALI present with dyspnea/respiratory distress and fever. The symptoms, signs and chest radiological findings in TRALI are similar to transfusion associated circulatory overload, which makes it is difficult to distinguish it from circulatory overload. Although the mortality rate in cases of TRALI is relatively low, TRALI is the third most common cause of fatal transfusion reactions next to ABO blood type incompatibility and hepatitis. Mild-to-moderate cases of TRALI may be misdiagnosed as volume overload. Recently, we encountered two cases where the patients suffered from dyspnea and fever after a transfusion. and review of the relevant literature.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Blood Transfusion ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Mortality ; Thorax

A clinical review of 34 cases of aortic dissection which were admitted to Yeungnam University hospital between March 1983 and April 1992. The results are as follows: 1. The peak incidence was in 5th, 6th decade and male to female ratio was 1.83:1. 2. The most common cause of aortic dissection was atherosclerosis and hypertension (79%). 3. The most common presenting symptom was pain (73%). but dyspnea, palpable mass, murmur, shock were also observed. 4. Abnormal electrocardiographic finding was myocardial ischemia in 6 cases, arrhythmia in 5 cases, LVH in 5 cases. 5. The X-ray findings showed abnormal aortic contour in 10 cases but normal X-ray finding was observed in 63% of DeBaKey Type III. 6. The most common diagnostic procedure was echocardiogram and abdominal Ultrasonography. 7. The mortality of all cases was 20%, operation mortality was 18% but no death of medically treatment in medical indication.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atherosclerosis ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Mortality ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Shock ; Ultrasonography

Tracheobronchial rupture is one of the less-common injuries associated with blunt chest trauma. The diagnosis of tracheobronchial rupture is not easy, but failure to diagnosis may lead to death or long-term disability. Early diagnosis and appropriate management can reduce the mortality and morbidity. Bronchoscopy is the diagnostic method of choice for patients with tracheobronchial rupture. We report a case of tracheal rupture after blunt chest trauma. A 40-year-old man was transferred to our hospital for dyspnea after blunt chest trauma. He was promptly diagnosed as tracheal rupture by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and chest computed tomogram. He was successfully managed by thoracotomy and primary repair.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mortality ; Rupture* ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax*

Tracheobronchial rupture is one of the less-common injuries associated with blunt chest trauma. The diagnosis of tracheobronchial rupture is not easy, but failure to diagnosis may lead to death or long-term disability. Early diagnosis and appropriate management can reduce the mortality and morbidity. Bronchoscopy is the diagnostic method of choice for patients with tracheobronchial rupture. We report a case of tracheal rupture after blunt chest trauma. A 40-year-old man was transferred to our hospital for dyspnea after blunt chest trauma. He was promptly diagnosed as tracheal rupture by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and chest computed tomogram. He was successfully managed by thoracotomy and primary repair.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mortality ; Rupture* ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax*

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rar, incurable, and progressive clinical entity. When associated with pregnancy, the prognosis of primary pulmonary hypertension is worsened with maternal mortality rates of at least 50%. The patient was a 29-year-old mother in her 2nd pregnancy, with previous uncomplicated gestation, 5 years ago. She had been well until the 28th week of present gestation when she was admitted because of increasing dyspnea on exertion. She was a housewife with no remarkable family and past histories. We have experienced a patient with primary pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy. She was treated with an oral calcium-channel blocker and low-molecular-weight heparin and was delivered vaginally with good maternal and fetal outcome. So we report a case of primary pulmonary hypertension associated with pregnancy and review literature.
Adult ; Dyspnea ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Maternal Mortality ; Mothers ; Pregnancy* ; Prognosis

A ruptured aneurysm of the pancreaticoduodenal arteries is an emergency condition, with a high mortality rate. Therefore, early diagnosis and adequate management are needed. Recently, treatment with a transcatheter arterial embolization has decreased the mortality rate. A 68-year-old man presented with persistent abdominal pain and dyspnea. Contrast abdominal computed tomography revealed a large retroperitoneal hematoma, with an actively bleeding focus. An urgent celiac and superior pancreaticoduodenal arteriogram showed a contrast extravasation, about 15 X 8 mm in size, with a saccular aneurysm of the distal anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery; therefore transcatheter arterial embolization was performed. The patient's condition improved without complication after the embolization.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Aneurysm* ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Arteries* ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mortality

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rare disorder and rarely present in pregnant woman, but it make high risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. When a woman with subclinical primary pulmonary hypertension is pregnant, physiologic increase in maternal plasma volume aggravates pulmonary pressure cause cardiac arrest and maternal death. We diagnosed primary pulmonary hypertension in a pregnant woman who didn't present any symptoms before pregnancy but had dyspnea from 2nd trimester of gestation. She expired due to sudden aggravation of pulmonary overloading. We reports this case with brief review of literature.
Dyspnea ; Female ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Maternal Death ; Mortality ; Plasma Volume ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women

Pulmonary artery sling is an uncommon and potentially lethal vascular anomaly that can produce airway obstruction. Despite the availibility of a corrective operation, the mortality rate remains very high due to the high incidence of associated obstructive anomalies of the tracheobronchial tree. We experienced a 70-day-old male infant who was admitted to our unit because of sudden dyspnea, cyanosis, coarse expiratory wheezing and inspiratory stridor. At first, he was treated with bronchodilator and steroid under the impression of infantile asthma, but the symptoms went on without interval change. We performed magnetic resonance imaging study followed esophagography and two dimensional echocardiography. Finally he was diagnosed as a vascular sling. We report this with a brief review and related literatures.
Airway Obstruction ; Asthma ; Cyanosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mortality ; Pulmonary Artery ; Respiratory Sounds