BACKGROUND: Wheezing which is defined as a continuous sound with a musical quality is commonly auscultated in patients with chronic obstructive airway diseases. The correlation between wheezing and airway obstruction is unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the relationships among wheezing, severity of airway obstruction, and pulmonary function tests. METHOD: Forty-one subjects were examined by the same observer. Wheezing during normal breathing and maximal forced exhalation, was auscultated respectively. Posterior lung bases were auscultated bilaterally with the seated patient taking repeated inspiratory capacity breaths through an open mouth. To quantify wheezing intensity, a regional score was assigned for each area after a minimum of 3 breaths, according to the following scale: zero, no wheezing heard: one, faint or intermittent wheezes: two, moderate wheezing during every expiration: three, loud wheezing during every expiration. The lung function tests by standard pneumotachograph were performed by skilled technicians. RESULTS: Wheezing was auscultated more in forced exhalation than in normal breathing in patients with asthma and COPD [8/9(88%) vs 1/9(11%), p<0.01 ll/15(73%) vs 1/15(6%), p<0.05)]. Forced expiratory wheezes group (n=25) compared to no wheezes group (n=16) had significantly lower FEVl (75+-5.8% vs 95.6+-6.6%, p<0.05). Compared to no wheezes group, the group with forced expiratory wheezes had lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC (50.4+- 21.3% vs 81.15+-27.7%, 70.4+-22.4% vs 92.5+-19.3%, respectively, p<0.05). Bronchial asthma compared with COPD tended to have higher wheezing scores (Wheeze scores Bronchial asthma 3.5 vs COPD 2.4, p=0.08). Wheezing scores were correlated to FEV1 (normal breathing: r=-0.35, p<0.05: forced exhalation: r=-0.45, p<0.05), but no differences were found in wheezing incidence according to severity of airway obstruction. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that wheezing on maximal forced exhalation may be a useful physical indicator for evaluating the severity of airway obstruction.
Airway Obstruction ; Asthma ; Exhalation ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inspiratory Capacity ; Lung ; Mouth ; Music ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Respiration ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory Sounds*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and the reliability of the Activity Index to ascertain its value in the functional evaluation of stroke patients. METHOD: The Activity Index consists of sixteen variables divided into three main parts(mental capacity, motor activity, and ADL function) with a total value ranging from 16 to 92 points. A group of 96 stroke patients were included in this study. To determine the validity, kappa statistics between the Functional Independence Measure and the Activity Index were measured. RESULTS: In the validity study, the kappa statistics between the Functional Independence Measure and Activity Index were 0.79 and 0.84 for an initial total score and a discharge total score respectively, indicating a reasonable agreement between the two tests. In the reliability study, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.97 for the total score indicating a good internal consistency. CONCLUSION: The Activity Index demonstrated an acceptable validity and reliability for the evaluation of functional capacity of stroke patients in clinical practice.
Activities of Daily Living ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Reproducibility of Results ; Stroke*

BACKGROUND: The recent studies shows that LV relaxation abnormalities are the important factors of heart failure in elders. To determine the association between LV diastolic functions and heart failure, we assessed LV diastolic functions in elderly patients with pulmonary congestion and in asymptomatic elders by using pulsed doppler echocardiography. METHODS: In order to assess LV diastolic function, we performed pulsed doppler echocardiography to elderly patients with pulmonary congestion and asymptomatic elders from Mar.2001 to Sep.2001. The following parameters were used as indices of LV diastolic function; Mitral E wave(E), Mitral A wave(A), Deceleration time(DT), Isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT), Systolic pulmonary venous flow(PVs), Diastolic pulmonary venous flow(PVd). RESULTS: In elderly patients groups, there was significant increase in deceleration time compared with asymptomatic elders(255.83+/-54.41 vs 210.80+/-48.53, p<0.05). There was significant increase in isovolumic relaxation time in elderly patient group compared with asymptomatic elders(123.06+/-25.07 vs 98.78+/-15.12, p<0.01). Although there was no significant difference, decreased E/A ratio and increased PVs/PVd were noted in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results shows that the impairments of LV diastolic function were noted in both groups. Especially DT and JVRT were significant increase in elderly patient group with pulmonary congestion. Therefore these parameters, such as DT, IVRT, can be helpful as predictive indices of diastolic heart failure in elders.
Aged* ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Heart Failure ; Heart Failure, Diastolic ; Humans ; Relaxation

No abstract available.
Hemodynamics* ; Hepatocytes* ; Ischemia* ; Liver* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator* ; Verapamil*

Previous studies have demonstrated that enalapril and verapamil seem to attenuate the cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. However, the mechanisms have not been completely understood, especially on molecular events. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of individual or combined treatment on osteopontin, TGF-beta, endothelin-1 and procollagen alpha 1(I) mRNA expressions. Enalapril (50 mg/L in drinking water) and verapamil (0.5 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously), alone or in combination, were administered to rats with chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity (cyclosporine, 25 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously) (n = 5 each). Five rats treated with olive oil vehicle were used as control. After 4 weeks, biochemical parameters were measured, and renal cortical mRNA levels were evaluated by Northern blot analysis. Cyclosporine reduced renal creatinine clearance significantly and induced renal cortical osteopontin, TGF-beta, endothelin-1 and procollagen alpha 1(I) gene expressions around 13.5 +/- 1.3, 2.4 +/- 0.2, 1.5 +/- 0.1, 1.9 +/- 0.1 folds, respectively. Individual treatment with enalapril or verapamil significantly suppressed the osteopontin and TGF-beta mRNA expression, but not endothelin-1 and procollagen alpha 1(I). Combined treatment also inhibited the osteopontin and TGF-beta mRNA expression but there was no difference between combined and individual treatment. In conclusion, enalapril or verapamil significantly blunted the cyclosporine-induced osteopontin and TGF-beta gene expressions. However, combined treatment did not show any additive effect.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Animal ; Calcium Channel Blockers/therapeutic use* ; Cyclosporine/adverse effects ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Enalapril/therapeutic use* ; Enalapril/administration & dosage ; Endothelin-1/metabolism ; Endothelin-1/genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects ; Immunosuppressive Agents/adverse effects ; Kidney Cortex/metabolism ; Male ; Nephritis/drug therapy* ; Nephritis/chemically induced ; Procollagen/metabolism ; Procollagen/genetics ; RNA, Messenger/analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sialoglycoproteins/metabolism ; Sialoglycoproteins/genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics ; Verapamil/therapeutic use* ; Verapamil/administration & dosage

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Lysozyme, a major serous component of airway epithelial secretions, plays an important role in airway defense. However, little is understood about the regulation of its expression and the associated signaling pathway. The object of this study is to investigate the regulation of lysozyme expression, the downstream signaling pathway of lysozyme expression, and the related protein kinases under inflammatory conditions using the IL-1beta, which acts as a significant cytokine in many airway inflammations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After the IL-1beta treatment of normal human nasal epithelial cells (NHNE), lysozyme mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR. Expressed levels of ERK/p38 kinase were determined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: IL-1beta treated NHNEcells had over-expressed lysozyme compared to the control group. Activated ERK/p38 kinase level showed marked increment by treating NHNE with IL-1beta. Lysozyme expression and ERK/p38 kinase levels decreased when inhibitors of ERK/p38 MAP kinases were added to the IL-1beta treated cells. Finally, expression of lysozyme and activated level of ERK/p38 MAP kinases decreased in a dominant-negative cell line even when treated with IL-1beta. CONCLUSION: From these results, we concluded that IL-1beta induces over-expression of lysozyme via ERK/p38 MAP kinase signaling pathways in airway epithelial cells.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Muramidase* ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases* ; RNA, Messenger

BACKGROUND: Mivacurium is a non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent which has short duration of action. The goal of this study was to describe a technique which could shorten the onset time of mivacurium for rapid endotracheal intubation by using priming principle. METHODS: Thirty-one patients were randomly allocated into four groups. Patients in group I(n=8) received a single dose of 0.12 mg/kg mivacurium. Those in group II(n=10), III(n=6), and IV(n=7) received 0.015 mg/kg pancuronium, 0.012 mg/kg vecuronium, and 0.008 mg/kg mivacurium 4 minutes before the intubating dose of 0.12 mg/kg mivacurium was given respectively. Accelerographic response to train-of-four(TOF) stimulation of ulnar nerve at 15 seconds interval was used for neuromuscular monitoring. The onset time, the duration and recovery indices were compared between groups. RESULTS: The onset time in group II (2.9 0.49 min) and III (2.33 0.4 min) were significantly faster than that in group I (5.19 0.47 min). In the group II, the duration (26.3 1.9 min) and recovery index (12.35 2.45 min) were significantly prolonged than those in group I (9.12 1.21 and 4.75 0.52 min), respectively. CONCLUSION: The onset time is more rapid when pancuronium or vecuronium is used as priming agent than when mivacurium as single bolus injection or priming agent.
Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Neuromuscular Monitoring ; Pancuronium* ; Pharmacology ; Ulnar Nerve ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Severe cough may contribute to serous coplications such as pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, rib fracture, subconjunctival hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage and cough syncope. However abdominal wall hematoma is a rare complication. Because it usually presents with abdmoianal pain, abdominal wall hematoma needs to be differentiated from the acute surgical abdomen. A 78-year-old woman was admitted with right lower quadrant abdominal pain and a palpable mass for several days. She experienced abdominal pain after violent coughing associated with an upper respiratory tract in fection. Abdominal computed tomography revealed an approximately 7×4 cm sized, ill-defined, soft tissue density lesion in the right lower posterolateral abdominal wall. An abdominal wall hematoma was diagnosed. After admission, she had persistent right lower abdominal pain and an increasing mass. The mass was surgically removed and she was discharged without complications. In summary, when a patient complains of abdmonial pain after severe coughing, an abdominal wall hematomas as a differential diagnosis must be considered.
Abdomen ; Abdomen, Acute ; Abdominal Pain ; Abdominal Wall* ; Aged ; Cough ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hematoma* ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Pneumothorax ; Respiratory System ; Rib Fractures ; Syncope

BACKGROUND: Early defibrillation is the treatment of choice in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) with initial shockable rhythms. However, the relationship between the frequency of defibrillation and neurological outcome was not clear. In this study, the frequency of defibrillation and other factors related to neurological outcome were investigated. METHODS: Records of 255 adult patients, who were admitted to the hospital after resuscitation from OHCA between November 2008 and March 2012, were retrospectively reviewed. 6 months after the return of spontaneous circulation, patients were divided into two groups based on the cerebral performance category (CPC) score for neurologic prognosis. The frequency of defibrillation during resuscitation and other variables were analyzed between the two groups. RESULTS: In the study group, initial rhythm was divided into two groups, non shockable rhythm (200, 78.4%) and shockable rhythm (55, 21.6%). The frequency of 1-7 defibrillations was significantly associated with good neurological outcome (OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.328-6.850). In addition, shockable initial rhythm (OR 4.520, 95% CI 1.953-10.459), arrest caused cardiac origin (OR 2.945, 95% CI 1.334-6.500), time to BLS (OR 1.139, 95% CI 1.033-1.256) and lower APACHII score (OR 1.095, 95% CI 1.026-1.169), which were associated with good neurological outcomes, independently. CONCLUSIONS: In those patients who survived from OHCA, adequate defibrillation was important to improve the neurological outcome, whether the initial rhythm was shockable or not. Frequency of 1-7 times defibrillation was associated with good neurological outcome.
Adult ; Humans ; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest ; Prognosis ; Resuscitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia(PCP) remains the leading cause of death in patients with AIDS. Although the most common radiographic presentation of PCP is the developme-nt of diffuse, bilateral interstitial or alveolar infiltrates in 48 to 86 per cent of AIDS patients, PCP may also present with either a completely normal or only minimally abnormal chest radiograph in 6 to 23 per cent of patients. We experienced two patients with AIDS presenting high fever and chest pain but normal chest radiograph, who had been proved to have PCP by bronchoalveolar lavage and trans-bronchial lung biopsy.
Biopsy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Bronchoscopy ; Cause of Death ; Chest Pain ; Fever ; Humans ; Lung ; Pneumocystis carinii ; Pneumonia* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thorax*