BACKGROUND: Salmeterol, a new beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist is a long-acting bronchodilator and benefits patients -with asthma who have nocturnal symptoms. We wished to assess the efficacy of inhaled salmeterol (50 microgram bid) compared to inhaled salbutamol (200 microgram qid) for the treatment of bronchial asthma, particular. ly nocturnal asthma. METHOD: We randomly assigned 35 patents (25 female and 0 male patients, 15 to 50 years old) to one of two treatment groups one group received 50 microgram of salmeterol twice daily and another did 200 microgram salbutamol four times per day. And this study was performed as an open-label and the 6 weeks inhalation period. RESULTS: Analysis of symptom scare; Day and night time symptom score showed significant difference between salmeterol and salbutamol Group (p<0.05). Number of days for additional bronchodilator requirements The number of days and puffs for additional bronchodilator were lower in the salbutamol group in either day and night time (p<0.05). Pulmonary function test; FEV1 showed significant increase in salbutamol group compared to salbutamol group after 2 and 4 weeks inhalation period. Adverse effects, We found no evidence of tolerance to the bronchodilating effects of salmeterol, and adverse reactions to all the treatments were infrequent and mild. CONCLUSION: For the management of bronchial asthma, salmeterol given twice daily is superior to salbutamol given four times daily.
Albuterol* ; Asthma* ; Female ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Male ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Salmeterol Xinafoate

No abstract available.
Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Risk Factors* ; Spirometry*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of Lung, Congenital* ; Humans

A 70-year-old female Patient was admitted due to the impression of lung abscess via local clinic. Chest P-A showed air shadow containing huge mass lesion in the right lower lung field, pericardio phrenic angle. But the patient complained of only mild upper respiratioy tract infection symptoms and the laboratory tests were within normal limits. Barium enema and chest C-T taken right after barium enema were performad in suggesting of the diaphragmatic hernia. Barium tilled transverse colon and associated omentum were in the right anterior hemithorax surrounded by the hernial sac. The mass lesion shown in the chest P-A was compatible with the diaphragmatic hemia, Morgagni type. Operative reduction of the herniated bowel and simple closure of the diaphragm was performed.
Aged ; Barium ; Colon, Transverse ; Diaphragm ; Enema ; Female ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Abscess ; Omentum ; Thorax*

BACKGROUND: Sustained-release theophylline, which is generally prescribed as a twice-daily equal-dose regimen, is one of the more common asthma treatments. the development of a sustained-release drug delivery technology that enables improved control of the theophylline blood levels represents a significant advancement in both the efficacy and safety of dosing. METHOD: A crossover study was conducted with 25 adult chronic asthmatic patients requiring daily bronchodilator therapy. The study group included thirteen males and twelve females with ages ranging from 19 to 71 years. The overall approach was to place the patients first on the twice-daily preparation(Etheophyl®) for 28 days at 8 AM and 8 PM, and measure the pulmonary function and theophylline level on the 28th day. the patients were subsequently switched to the once-daily preparation(Uniphyl®) in the same daily dose at 8 PM on the 29th day and the same parameters were measured on the 56th day. RESULTS: the mean serum levels of theophylline were 8.18±1.66µg/ml in the Etheophyl®-treated period and 8.00±1.75µg/ml in the Uniphyl®-treated period. In addition, the FEV1 showed 71.40±7.48 percent in the Etheophyl®-treated and 69.18±9.00 percent in the Uniphyl®-treated period. Thus there were no significant differences between the once-daily and twice-daily preparation. CONCLUSION: The results indicated little clinical differences between the two medication. The two drugs are equally effective in controlling asthma over the four weeks of treatment.
Adult ; Asthma* ; Cross-Over Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Theophylline

The mucormycosis is a group of serious opportunistic infections caused by fungi of the class Zygomycetes and order Mucorales. Pulmonary mucormycosis is a relatively rare disease but typically manifested by a rapidly progressive, often fatal pneumonia in patients with diabetes mellitus, hematologic malignant neoplasms, or organ transplants. The radiologic manifestations of pulmonary mucormycosis are nonspecific and include progressive lobar or multilobar consolidations, pulmonary masses and pulmonary nodules. Recently, we experienced a pulmonary mucormycosis in 32-year-old man with uncontrolled diabetes. He complained of cough, left pleuritic chest pain and generalized weakness. Initial chest X-ray finding was the consolidation on the lower lobe of the left lung. On the sixth hospital day, bronchoscopic examination with lung biopsy revealed broad, non-septate hyphae with right-angle branching, diagnostic of mucormycosis, and consequently amphotericin B therapy was started. We performed a lobectomy of the left lower lobe of the lung on 29th hospital day.
Adult ; Amphotericin B ; Biopsy ; Chest Pain ; Cough ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Lung ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Opportunistic Infections ; Pneumonia ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Alexithymia refers to a specific disturbance in psychic functioning characterized by difficulties in capacity to verbalize affect and to elaborate fantasies. Although initially described in the context of psychosomatic illness, alexithymic characteristics may be observed in patients with a wide range of medical and psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE: The present study was to evaluate the relationship between the alexithymia and bronchial asthma, and to compare the results with finding from a group of acute infectious illness subjects. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Alexithymia was measured with on Korean translation of the TAS-20 (Toronto Alexithymic Scale-20 Korea version) and the Scored Archetypal 9 Test(SAT9). Thirty patients with bronchial asthma and thirty patients with acute infectious illness completed these tests. The SAT9 and the TAS-20K scores were compared in the both group, considering the age, gender, education level, and duration of illness. RESULT: Bronchial asthma patients had significantly higher score of on the TAS-20K and SAT9 compared with those with infectious illness(p<0.05). The two scales correlated in expected direction. Alexithymia was significantly related to education level(SAT9: r=0.335, TAS-20K: r=-0.376, p<0.01) and duration of illness(asthma group, SAT9: r=-0.383, TAS-20K: r=0.288, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Bronchial asthma patients had significantly higher alexithymic scores. This finding suggests that psycliathic consultation may be considered for the management of asthmatic patients with alexithyria.
Affective Symptoms* ; Asthma* ; Education ; Fantasy ; Humans ; Korea ; Weights and Measures

To maintain an adequate airway in a patient with tracheobronchial narrowing coming from various causes, prosthetic tracheobronchial stents provide palliative treatment for narrowed airways where surgical resection is inadvisable. After insertion, precious reported complications were granuloma formation, dysphagia, suction catheter entrapment and fatal massive hemoptysis. We report a case of complication associated with expandible metallic scent with endobronchial stenosis due to tuberculosis.
Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Deglutition Disorders ; Granuloma ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Palliative Care ; Stents* ; Suction ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: Topical inhaled steroids, budesonide(Bu) and beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), are now established as effective drugs in the management of chronic asthma. These drugs have high topical anti-inflammatory effect with low systemic activity. This study was performed to determine the effects of two inhaled corticosteroids, Bu and BDP, on the adrenocortical supression in 44 patients with bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: The adrenocortical function was assessed by measurement of serum cortisol concentration at 8 o'clock in morning and free cortisol in 24-hour urine collection at interval in 44 patients. No steroid was administered during the pretreatment period of 10 days and the final 6 days of the study. Each subject inhaled BDP or Bu, in daily doses of 800 or 1,600 micrograms for 12 days. The dose was delivered by metered dose inhaler (MDI) or diskhaler or large spacing device attached to MDI. RESULTS: The levels of serum cortisol and 24-hour urinary free cortisol were decreased during the treatment period in patients inhaled Bu delivered by MDI in daily doses of 800 and 1,600 micrograms. In contrast, serum cortisol level was decreased on 6 and 12th day of treatment period in patients with BDP diskhaler in daily doses of 800 micrograms. In daily doses of 1,600 micrograms, the serum cortisol and 24hour urine free cortisol levels were decreased on 6, 9 and 12th day of treatment period in patients with BDP disk haler. The serum cortisol and 24-hour urinary free cortisol levels were not significantly decreased during the treatment period in patients inhaled Bu delivered by large spacing device attached to a MDI. CONCLUSION: These results showed that 1) the endogenous cortisol secretion was suppressed after inhalation of BDP and Bu in daily doses of 800 and l,600micrograms, 2) Bu with MDI suppressed the adrenocortical function more than BDP with diskhaler, in daily doses of 1600 micrograms, and 3)large spacing device attached to a MDI might decrease the risk of suppression in the hypothalamic -pituitary- adrenal axis.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Asthma ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Beclomethasone ; Budesonide ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone* ; Inhalation ; Metered Dose Inhalers ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Steroids* ; Urine Specimen Collection

No abstract available.
Asthma* ; Eosinophils*