Acetilcisteína: Una actualización clínica y farmacológica sobre su efecto mucolítico. Estudio de revisión / Acetylcisteine. A clinical and pharmacological actualization with special. Reference to its mucolytic efect

The authors present a clinical and farmacological evaluation of the effect and safety of N-acetylcysteine in chronic obstructive diseases. The N-actylcysteine (NAC) is a sulphorated amino acid employed as an mucolytic agent. The efficacy and tolerability of oral NAC as compared with other agents was determined, in the mucolytic treatment on mucus hypersecretion and in the management of respiratory tract fluids and sputums from cigarette smokers, and also as a bronchial mucus fluidifying agent. A sistematic review and analysis of the effect of NAC and its effectiveness. In the treatment of acute respiratory disorders in children was determined

Processo inflamatório na asma e rinite alérgica / Inflammatory process in asthma and allergic rhinitis

Asma e rinite são condições clínicas que frequentemente coexistem em um mesmo paciente, com forte impacto na vida social e no desempenho escolar de crianças e adolescentes. A severidade de ambas as doenças é proporcional, estando a gravidade dos sintomas de rinite alérgica relacionada à necessidade de internações nas crises de asma. Estas doenças apresentam condições fisiopatológicas semelhantes que têm como característica a reação inflamatória que ocorre na mucosa de vias aéreas, resultante de complexas interações entre células inflamatórias, estruturais e mediadores químicos, independente da intensidade da manifestação clínica. A monitoração do grau da inflamação é de fundamental importância para o controle da asma e da rinite e, para tal, são considerados ideais, além de parâmetros clínicos, marcadores laboratoriais como contagem de células inflamatórias em lavado brônquico e de vias aéreas superiores, assim como medida de fração de óxido nítrico exalado (FeNO).

Asthma and rhinitis are medical conditions that often coexist in the same patient, with strong impact on social life and school performance of children and adolescents. The severity of both diseases is proportional, with the severity of symptoms of allergic rhinitis related to the need for hospitalization in asthma attacks. These diseases have similar pathophysiological conditions that are characterized by inflammatory reaction that occurs in the airway mucosa, resulting from complex interactions between inflammatory cells, structural and chemical mediators, regardless of the intensity of the clinical manifestation. Monitoring the degree of inflammation is critical for the control of asthma and rhinitis, and to that end, are considered ideal, in addition to clinical parameters, laboratory markers as inflammatory cell counts in bronchial lavage and upper airway, as well as as fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO).

[Clinical and phmetric evaluation of gastro-esophageal reflux impact on upper airways in adult]

Gastroesophageal reflux is a frequent and benign affection. It represents an etiopathological entity in otorhinolaryngology; that may occasion a large variety of ENT manifestations. To evaluate clinical and pHmetric impact of gastro esophageal reflux on upper airways in adult. Prospective study about 95 cases diagnosed and treated at the ENT department of military hospital of Tunis. Clinical features, pH metric profiles and therapeutic approach are reported and compared to the literature. The mean age was 37 years old. Sex ratio was 1.16. Pharyngolaryngeal symptoms dominated ENT manifestations [41 cases]. Laryngeal dyspnea, cough and dysphonia were predictive of danger. Positive pH metric rate collated to posterior laryngitis and pharyngitis were respectively 81.2% and 79.1%. Posterior laryngitis, dental erosion and chronic sinusitis, seem to have pejorative significance. Otorhinolaryngologist must think about asymptomatic reflux every time when chronic or recurrent ENT affection remain unexplained after complete clinical investigations. PH monitoring confirms gastroesophageal reflux disease

Short-term exposure of mice to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash produces proximal airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with inflammatory cell reactions, tissue destruction and lung remodeling. Many signaling pathways for these phenomena are still to be identified. We developed a mouse model of COPD to evaluate some pathophysiological mechanisms acting during the initial stage of the disease. Forty-seven 6- to 8-week-old female C57/BL6 mice (approximately 22 g) were exposed for 2 months to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash (ROFA), a concentrate of air pollution. We measured lung mechanics, airspace enlargement, airway wall thickness, epithelial cell profile, elastic and collagen fiber deposition, and by immunohistochemistry transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), macrophage elastase (MMP12), neutrophils and macrophages. We observed regional airspace enlargements near terminal bronchioles associated with the exposure to smoke or ROFA. There were also increases in airway resistance and thickening of airway walls in animals exposed to smoke. In the epithelium, we noted a decrease in the ciliated cell area of animals exposed to smoke and an increase in the total cell area associated with exposure to both smoke and ROFA. There was also an increase in the expression of TGF-β1 both in the airways and parenchyma of animals exposed to smoke. However, we could not detect inflammatory cell recruitment, increases in MMP12 or elastic and collagen fiber deposition. After 2 months of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or ROFA, mice developed regional airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling, although no inflammation or increases in fiber deposition were detected. Some of these phenomena may have been mediated by TGF-β1.

Remodelamento das vias aéreas inferiores e superiores: [revisão] / Remodeling of the lower and upper airways: [revision]

Remodelamento pode ser definido como modelar novamente ou de forma diferente, reconstruir. Trata-se de um aspecto crítico do processo de reparação de lesões em todos os órgãos, representando um evento dinâmico de produção e degradação de matriz, em reação a inflamação, levando à reconstrução normal do tecido ou à formação de um tecido patológico. OBJETIVO E MÉTODO: Comparar os dados existentes em literatura entre o remodelamento de vias aéreas inferiores e superiores. RESULTADO: Asma é uma doença inflamatória crônica associada a remodelamento de vias aéreas. Na rinite alérgica, outra doença inflamatória crônica, o remodelamento é ainda pouco entendido. Apesar de a inflamação ser similar na rinite alérgica e asma, a extensão patológica do remodelamento nasal, assim como sua repercussão clínica, pode ser diferente dos brônquios. CONCLUSÃO: O remodelamento nas vias aéreas superiores ocorre em menor intensidade que nas vias inferiores, mas é aparente que a estrutura da mucosa nasal de pacientes com rinite não é normal.

Remodeling is defined as modeling again or differently, as reconstructing. Remodeling is a critical aspect of wound repair in all organs; it represents a dynamic process that associates the production and degradation of matrix in reaction to inflammation. This leads to normal reconstruction or a pathologic process. AIM AND METHODS: To compare data in the current literature on upper and lower airways. RESULTS: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with abnormal airways remodeling. In allergic rhinitis, another chronic inflammatory disease, remodeling is still poorly understood. Even though inflammation is similar in allergic rhinitis and asthma, the pathologic extent of nasal remodeling, as well as its clinical consequences, might be different from those in bronchi. CONCLUSION: Remodeling occurs less in upper airways compared to lower airways; it is apparent, however, that the structure of the rhinitic nose is not normal.