Breathing pattern, respiratory center activity respiratory muscle function in schistosomal cor pulmonale: Relation to pulmonary hemodynamics

Breathing pattern, respiratory activity and respiratory muscle function were studied in 25 patients with schistosomal cor pulmonale, with mean pulmonary artery pressure [MPAP] of 47.4 +/- 21.2 mmHg, cardiac index 3.2 +/- 0.5 L/min/m2 and pulmonary vascular resistance [PVR] 7.4 +/- 4.4 units. The pattern of breathing showed near normal tidal volume, increased respiratory frequency, minute ventilation, mean inspiratory flow and decreased inspiratory duty cycle. Respiratory center activity, as measured by the mouth occlusion pressure P 0.1, was increased and demonstrated significant positive correlation with the mean pulmonary artery pressure. Data of the present study also revealed that schistosomal cor pulmonale patients have respiratory muscle weakness as evidenced by a reduction in the maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure, while diaphragmatic function was found to be preserved. The respiratory muscle strength [PI max and PE max] revealed strong negative correlation with MPAP and PVR. Inclusion schistosomal cor pulmonary patients exhibit disturbed breathing pattern and respiratory muscle performance. The study of these parameters should be included in evaluating ventilatory function in such patients, since it reflects changes in pulmonary hemodynamics

Assessment of secretory IgA and neutrophil cell function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This study was performed on twenty male patients having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and ten male normal subjects taken as controls. All of them were subjected to bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] for the determination of protein [total and electrophoresis] total Leucocytic count, alveolar macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophil cell functions using nitro blue tetrazolium dye [NBT] test and secretory of IgA. There was an increase in the total proteins and globulin as well as in the absolute number of macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes compared to the control group. There was increased NBT reduction, i.e. stimulation of neutrophil phagocytosis, also there was significant increase of SIgA compared to the control group. This means that cellular immune response as a defense lung mechanism is stimulated

Study of the humeral immune response in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma

This work included 20 patients with unilateral bronchogenic carcinoma with aim of assessing immunoglobulins G, A and M in both serum and bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] in the tumor bearing side and the normal side. Protein content of the lavage fluid in both normal and tumor bearing side was increased as compared to controls. There was no significant difference between protein content of the normal side and the tumor bearing side. Immunoglobulins G and A were significantly increased in lavage fluid of the diseased side as compared to normal side. Immunoglobulin M was not detected in all the lavage samples. Serum IgS increased as compared to control. These increases suggest that a local response possibly of and immune nature is present by which the host recognizes and reacts against neoplasm