RESUMEN
Objective: To evaluate the action of 2% lidocaine on the culture results of bronchial fluid in patients suspected of having lower respiratory tract infections
Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study
Place and Duration of Study: Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran, from November 2014 to November 2015
Methodology: Patients suspected of lower respiratory tract infections referred to bronchoscopy unit of the Hospital were included. Those with incomplete questionnaire and bronchoscopy contraindication were excluded. Bronchial fluid was aspirated before and after local application of 2% lidocaine and cultured, according to the suspected clinical diagnosis. Finally, statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 17.0. For statistical comparisons, McNemar's test was used. Level of significance was kept at p <0.05
Results: The mean age of the study population was 51.83 +/- 15.93 with a range of 25 - 80 years. Out of 130 patients, 60 patients had positive culture results. Nineteen [31.7%] cases had positive culture for tuberculosis and 41 [63.3%] cases had positive results for other bacteria before intervention that did not change after using 2% lidocaine [p=1]. In 70 [53.84%] cases, results were negative before and after use of 2% lidocaine
Conclusion: No significant difference was found between culture results before and after the use of lidocaine. Therefore, lidocaine can be used during bronchoscopy to increase patient tolerance
RESUMEN
Background and Aims: recent evidence suggests that T helper 17 [Th17] cells are involved in the emergence of asthma. Th17 cells have a key role in inducing inflammation in asthmatic airways. Thus interleukin [IL]-17A, the main cytokine of Th17, contributes to airways inflammation
Materials and Methods: we evaluated the level of IL-17A and total immunoglobulin E [IgE] by ELISA method in sera of 100 asthmatic patients and 81 healthy controls, to determine if serum concentration of IL-17A is associated with asthma severity. We classified patients into three groups; mild [n=28], moderate [n=33] and severe asthma [n=39]
Results: serum IL-17A and IgE concentrations were significantly higher in the asthmatic patients than the control group [p=0.026 and p<0.01, respectively]. Mean serum IL-17A and IgE values were 37.73 pg/ml and 39.02 IU/ml in the control group, but 68.55 pg/ml and 295.87 IU/ml in the patients group, respectively. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences between the three groups of asthmatic patients. Mean serum IL-17A and IgE values were 94.17 pg/ml and 255.07 IU/ml in the mild group, 71.29 pg/ml and 271.27 IU/ml in the moderate group, and 47.85 pg/ml and 345.97 IU/ml in the severe group, respectively. Moreover, there was no correlation between serum levels of IL-17A and IgE
Conclusion: it was found that IL-17A, like IgE, rises in sera of asthmatic patients though in a different manner. IgE increases in serum consistent with disease severity though the increase of IL-17A in serum has an inverse relationship with IgE elevation
RESUMEN
When considering a patient with dysphagia, an attempt should be made to determine whether the patient has difficulty only with solid boluses [suggestive of mechanical dysphagia] or with liquids and solids [suggestive of a motility dysphagia]. Lesions such as an oesophageal tumor and external pressure effect from a lung tumor or aberrant vessel can lead to mechanical dysphagia. Endoscopy and / or a barium swallow are helpful in identifying the anatomical disarrangement. In this study a patient with progressive mechanical dysphagia is presented that finally diagnosed by as Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma. There were no respiratory symptoms. Diagnosis was made by a computerized tomography scan of the thorax, bronchoscopy and bronchial biopsy