Self-management reduces both short- and long-term hospitalisation in COPD.

The aim of the present study was to assess the long-term impact on hospitalisation of a self-management programme for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. A multicentre, randomised clinical trial was carried out involving 191 COPD patients from seven hospitals. Patients who had one or more hospitalisations in the year preceding study enrolment were assigned to a self-management programme "Living Well with COPD(TM)" or to standard care. Hospitalisations from all causes were the primary outcome and were documented from the provincial hospitalisation database; emergency visits were recorded from the provincial health insurance database. Most patients were elderly, not highly educated, had advanced COPD (reflected by a mean forced expiratory volume in one second of 1 L), and almost half reported a dyspnoea score of 5/5 (modified Medical Research Council). At 2 years, there was a statistically significant and clinically relevant reduction in all-cause hospitalisations of 26.9% and in all-cause emergency visits of 21.1% in the intervention group as compared to the standard-care group. After adjustment for the self-management intervention effect, the predictive factors for reduced hospitalisations included younger age, sex (female), higher education, increased health status and exercise capacity. In conclusion, in this study, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who received educational intervention with supervision and support based on disease-specific self-management maintained a significant reduction in hospitalisations after a 2-year period.

Clinical characteristics at initial presentation and impact of dual therapy on the outcome of bacteremic Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia in adults.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10% of patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are bacteremic. Bacteremic Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia (BSPP) is the number one cause of mortality, representing up to 70% of all CAP deaths. In fact, all CAP guidelines have identified this issue as one of the most important issues when establishing their recommendations. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of dual antibiotic therapy in patients with BSPP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All cases of BSPP in patients 18 years of age and older who were hospitalized from 1995 to 2000 were retrospectively analyzed. The standard initial therapeutic regimen used was cefuroxime with or without a macrolide from 1995 to 1997, and ceftriaxone and azithromycin or clarithromycin from 1998 to 2000. During the 1995 to 1997 period, only 16% of the patients initially received a macrolide, whereas all patients in the 1998 to 2000 period received a macrolide at admission. RESULTS: Ninety-five patients (49 men, 46 women) with a mean age of 63 years (range 20 to 98 years) were included in the present study. The mean pneumonia severity index at admission was 113 for the monotherapy cohort and 114 for the dual therapy group. At admission, 30.5% of patients had a leukocyte count greater than 20 109/L, 11.5% had a systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg, 44.2% had a respiratory rate greater than 30 breaths/min and 33.6% had nausea/vomiting, necessitating some form of therapy or preventing the patient from eating. In addition, 16.8% had no fever at admission. Overall, 72.5% became afebrile within 48 h. Fifteen (15.8%) patients died (four within the first 72 h). The mortality rate was significantly higher in the monotherapy group (11 of 42 patients; 25.6%) than in the dual therapy cohort (four of 53 patients; 7.5%) (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.74). Antibiotic resistance was not associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSION: The combination of ceftriaxone plus a macrolide significantly reduced the mortality rate compared with monotherapy (cefuroxime) in patients with CAP that have the highest mortality rate.

Effect of negative pressure ventilation in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The hypothesis that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have chronic inspiratory muscle fatigue was tested in an effectiveness trial in which negative pressure ventilation (NPV) was used to produce inspiratory muscle rest. In a double-blind study 184 patients with severe COPD were randomly allocated active or sham NPV treatment for a 12-week period of home use. The distance walked in a 6 min walk test was the primary outcome variable. Secondary outcome measures were cycle exercise endurance time, severity of dyspnoea, quality of life, arterial blood gas tensions, and respiratory muscle strength. The percentage reduction in amplitude of the diaphragmatic electromyographic signal multiplied by hours of NPV was used to reflect the dose of NPV so we could examine dose-response relations. Analysis was based on intention to treat. We found no evidence of a clinically or statistically significant difference in any outcome measure between active and sham groups. No dose-response relation was observed. Moreover, the intervention was poorly accepted despite substantial clinical support. We conclude that NPV as used in this study is difficult to apply and ineffective when used with the aim of resting the respiratory muscles in patients with stable COPD.

[Pneumonology in Quebec 1991. A specialty with big challenges]. / La pneumologie au Québec 1991. Une spécialité avec de grands défis.

A brief review of the history of pneumology in Quebec is presented. The present situation is however such that while the incidence of respiratory diseases is steadily increasing, it seems that there will soon be a shortage of manpower in respiratory diseases specialists during the 90's. The Quebec Pneumologist Association faces quite a challenge for the coming years. It will have to solve this problem as soon as possible, with the collaboration of our universities, of the Federation of Quebec Medical Specialists, and with the Quebec Government. This is a must if the Quebec population is to receive the respiratory cares which it expects.

[The mortality associated with asthma in Québec 1975-1985]. / Mortalité associée à l'asthme au Québec de 1975 à 1985.

In the last decade, mortality from asthma has increased in most industrialized countries. The analysis of death certificates from 1975 to 1985 for the province of Québec shows a 28.6% increase in deaths associated with asthma, from 1.43 to 1.84 per 100,000 population. Although the mortality rate from asthma is higher in older patients, a steady increase in mortality rates from asthma have been observed in younger asthmatics (less than 35 years old), with rates going from 0.24 to 0.37 per 100,000. The number of deaths has recently increased more rapidly in women and is not different in rural and urban areas. On the other hand, the number of asthma-related hospitalisations has been stable from 1980 to 1985. This increase in mortality from asthma has been considered multifactorial but stresses the importance of improving asthma control. Proposed solutions to improve this situation, such as patient education on asthma and its treatment, regular measurement of expiratory flows, identification of "at-risk" patients and optimization of the treatment are discussed.

A comparison of oral procaterol and albuterol in reversible airflow obstruction.

The efficacy and safety of orally administered procaterol hydrochloride, a potent beta 2-adrenergic bronchodilator, was compared with that of albuterol in an eight-center, double-blind study conducted in 223 patients with mild to moderate, reversible bronchial airway obstruction. After a 1-wk placebo washout period, patients were administered either procaterol 0.05 mg twice daily for 2 wk followed by 0.10 mg twice daily for 10 wk or albuterol 2 mg three times a day for 2 wk followed by 4 mg three times a day for 10 wk. Spirometry determinations 1.5 h postdose showed consistently greater percent improvements from predose in FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75 with procaterol than with albuterol at Weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12. Treatment differences were statistically significant (alpha = 0.05) after 2 wk, 2 months, and 3 months of treatment. Bronchodilatation was evident 0.5 h after dosing and peaked at 1.5 to 3 h postdose for both treatments. The duration of action (i.e., time until spirometry determinations were lower than those at 0.5 h postdose) was at least 5 h after procaterol but only 3 h after albuterol. There was no evidence of tolerance with continued procaterol treatment, whereas a diminished duration of response to albuterol was observed with long-term treatment. Tremor was reported statistically more frequently in patients receiving procaterol than in those receiving albuterol (alpha = 0.05); the frequencies of other adverse events were similar for the two groups. No statistically significant treatment differences were noted for asthma symptoms, global evaluations, ECG results, vital signs, or clinical laboratory measurements.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Respiratory center output following zopiclone or diazepam administration in patients with pulmonary disease.

Mouth occlusion pressure at 0.1 s (P0.1) and minute ventilation (VE) were measured at rest and during progressive hypercapnia in 32 patients. Under double-blind conditions and according to a 2 x 2 Latin-square design, half the patients received one oral dose of diazepam and its placebo. Using the same design, the other half received zopiclone and its placebo. Normocapnic and moderately hypoxemic patients between the ages of 21 and 69 with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were included in the study. Diazepam produced a statistically significant decrease (p less than 0.05) over its placebo in delta P0.1/delta PETCO2 values following CO2 rebreathing. Zopiclone did not influence either delta P0.1/delta PETCO2 or delta VE/delta PETCO2, but produced a significant increase in respiratory frequency. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two active treatments.

The Canadian experience with pulsed magnetic fields in the treatment of ununited tibial fractures.

A clinical survey of 56 patients was conducted at four different centers in Canada to evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency pulsed magnetic fields (PMF) on ununited fractures of the tibia. All ten patients with delayed union and 84% of the 44 patients with nonunion healed. One case with a traumatic pseudarthrosis and one with a congenital pseudarthrosis failed to respond to treatment. These results compare favorably to those reported by others using a system with different pulse characteristics. Prolonged immobilization is necessary and poses problems of rehabilitation. Nonunions with a gap between the tibial fragments and pseudarthroses are better treated with bone grafting and internal fixation prior to electrical stimulation.

Knee menisci. Correlation between microstructure and biomechanics.

Light and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to define the microstructure of human knee menisci. Two structurally different regions were shown: a mesial part that included the innermost two thirds and a peripheral part formed by the remaining outer one third. The organization of collagen bundles of the mesial part demonstrated a radial pattern. Those of the peripheral part were larger and circumferential. The articular surfaces of the mesial part were lined by thinner bundles parallel to the surface, while the outer portion was covered by synovium. This structural organization suggested specific biomechanical functions: mainly compression mesially with tension peripherally and a direct translation of forces from the inner wedge-shaped part to the outermost region. The covering layer is well suited for surface to surface motion. Outward displacement of the menisci by the femoral condyles is resisted by solid anchorage of the peripheral circumferential fibers to the intercondylar bone. The resistance to such displacement would force the femoral condyles inwards. Such an organization of menisci has implications in knee joint stability and in the pathology of meniscal injuries.

Deep-inspiration induced bronchoconstriction: a mechanism for beclomethasone aerosol intolerance.

We studied 17 asthmatic patients complaining of coughing attacks, with or without asthma, when inhaling beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol (Becotide). Specific airway resistance (SRaw) was measured immediately after a maximal inspiration (MI) and after Becotide inhalation. The effect of a second inhalation of Becotide was measured 10 min after inhalation of salbutamol. MI and Becotide induced large, but transient, SRaw increases in all patients; in addition, the latter induced coughing reactions. After salbutamol pretreatment, Becotide inhalation did not increase SRaw but coughing usually persisted. In 6 patients only, the increase in SRaw after Becotide was larger than that observed after MI. In those patients, placebo and Aldecine (similar to Becotide except for the metering valve) aerosols induced SRaw increases similar to that observed after Becotide. These data suggest that Becotide-induced bronchoconstriction is mainly related to the deep breath required for the inhalation. Non-specific irritation of the airways was probably responsible for the additional bronchoconstriction noticed in some patients.

Comparative reflex action of histamine, acetylcholine and serotonin on dog airways.

To dissociate airway stimulation from airway response, a segment of the cervical trachea was isolated from the rest of the bronchial tree in 15 anesthetized dogs; nerve and blood supplies of the segment were preserved. Patency of the intrathoracic airways was assessed with lung resistance (RL) measurements. When doses of aerosolized histamine (His), acetylcholine (ACh) and serotonin (Ser) causing comparable increases in RL were delivered into the intrathoracic airways, concomitant increases in pressure were recorded in the tracheal segment (indicating constriction) with His being the most effective. When the hypoxemia accompanying His- and ACh-induced bronchoconstriction was prevented by inhaling an air-oxygen mixture, the tracheal response persisted (2 dogs). Vagotomy decreased the RL response to His, ACh and Ser and abolished tracheal response (13 dogs). The tracheal response was still abolished when larger doses of His and ACh were given in order to induce an increase in RL similar to that observed before vagotomy (7 dogs). These data suggest the existence of a positive feed-back mechanism in the airways, pharmacological bronchoconstriction causing vagally mediated reflex bronchoconstriction. Direct stimulation of lung irritant receptors by histamine may explain the larger degree of reflex bronchoconstriction observed with this agent.

Airway response of asthmatics to carbachol and to deep inspiration.

Dose-response curves were established in asthmatics by using graded doses of aerosolized carbachol and specific airway conductance (SGaw) measurements. After carbachol inhalation, we evaluated the influence on SGaw of a deep inspiration to total lung capacity followed by a passive expiration to functional residual capacity. When SGaw had returned to its pre-deep-inspiration value, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was obtained. Two groups of patients were selected according to the effect of deep inspiration on SGaw: group A (22 patients) with a less than 25% SGaw increase after deep inspiration, and group B (21 patients) with a more than 75% SGaw increase. Both groups were comparable in age and initial SGaw and FEV1 values. Carbachol inhalation induced a similar SGaw decrease in both groups, whereas FEV1 decreased more (p less than 0.05) in group A than in group B. The two groups did not differ significantly regarding the dose of carbachol causing a 25% SGaw decrease and in the slope of the dose-response curve. We conclude that, in asthmatic patients, airway response to an inhaled broncho-constrictor agent is not related to the airway response to deep inspiration. This suggests that previous studies of airway response to bronchoconstrictor agents which have been performed by using only FEV1 measurements, may need to be reassessed.