Pulmonary diffusing capacity in chronic renal failure.

Reduced carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) is a frequent and often isolated pulmonary physiological abnormality in patients with chronic renal failure. In 20 patients with chronic renal failure who had normal spirometry (FEV1 and FVC greater than 80% of predicted) and near normal chest roentgenograms (three had mild cardiomegaly), the DLCO was significantly reduced compared to values obtained from 25 healthy laboratory staff and renal transplant donors. DLCO and diffusing capacity standardized for alveolar volume (KCO) remained reduced after correction for anaemia. No relationship between anaemia and severity of reduction of DLCO was demonstrated. These observations suggest that in addition to anaemia and ventilatory abnormalities, there may be other factors causing a reduced DLCO in chronic renal failure.

Simultaneous bilateral aspiration of foreign bodies.

Aspiration of foreign bodies into the bronchial lumen continues to be a potential hazard especially in children. Bronchiectasis, lung abscesses, emphysema, or pleuropulmonary fistula may develop if untreated. The treatment of choice is extraction by bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. Our patient simultaneously aspirated two squirrel vertebrae, neither of which produced obstruction. The patient's symptoms were due mainly to the partial obstruction secondary to the formation of granulation tissue. One aspirated vertebra was extracted during the diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy, but a rigid Jackson bronchoscope was necessary to remove the other foreign body. The patient has since been asymptomatic.

Aerosol administration of fenoterol hydrobromide (Th 1165a) in subjects with reversible obstructive airway disease.

Bronchodilatory and side effects of fenoterol hydrobromide (Th1165a; hydroxyphenylorciprenaline; Berotec) and isoproterenol given by inhalation were compared in a double-blind crossover study involving 20 volunteer subjects with reversible obstructive disease of the airways. Subjects inhaled medications from aerosol canisters containing fenoterol hydrobromide (0.1 mg, 0.2 mg, or 0.4 mg) or isoproterenol (0.15 mg) or an inert placebo propellant in a random sequence of five testing days. All active drugs substantially increased the forced expiratory volume in one second, the mean forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the forced vital capacity, and the specific conductance. The onset of bronchodilation after both fenoterol and isoproterenol was rapid, but the effect from fenoterol lasted much longer, up to eight hours. None of the medications cuased significant tachycardia or hypertension. After inhalation of 0.1 mg of fenoterol hydrobromide, none of the subjects reported nervousness, headache, tremor, or nausea, incontrast with results reported for isoproterenol, higher aerosol doses fo fenoterol, or oral administration of fenoterol. No additional therapeutic benefit was found in the administration of higher doses of fenoterol.

Diffusing capacity, specific diffusing capacity and interpretation of diffusion defects.

Six pathophysiologic mechanisms of a reduced single breath CO diffusing capacity are discussed and the usefulness of relating carbon monoxide (CO) uptake to the functioning alveolar volume (DL/VA, specific diffusing capacity) is illustrated for several pulmonary diseases. In patients with emphysema and pulmonary emboli (pulmonary vascular occlusive disease), reduced CO uptake is associated with significantly reduced DL/VA and is compatible with reduction of pulmonary capillary bed. In patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, improvement in CO uptake and DL/VA follows lung lavage and suggests that lung units partially filled with proteinaceous material are responsible for hypoxemia, reduced CO uptake and reduced DL/VA. In most cases of radiation fibrosis, sarcoidosis and miscellaneous interstitial fibrosis, reduced CO uptake is associated with a normal DL/VA and suggests that loss of alveolar units, both capillaries and alveoli, has occurred. New regression equations for DL and DL/VA are established for children and adults. DL/VA is linearly related to height and independent of age and sex, while different predictive equations must be used for DL for the 5 through 17 and 18 through 76 age groups. The new regression equations for DL show better correlation in adults we studied over 50 years of age than previous regression equations which use a constant reduction of 2 to 3 ml CO per minute per mm of mercury for each 10 years of adult aging.