ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The effect of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) on the bone status of asthmatic patients is still uncertain, because it can differ by race and because there have been few cases in Japan. In this study, the bone status of ICS users with asthma was evaluated in an actual clinical setting in Japan. METHODS: In 7 participating hospitals, ICS users with asthma and control subjects were age- and gender-matched and recruited into this study. To assess bone status, ultrasound measurements of each individual's calcaneus were made using an AOS-100. The ratio of the osteo sono-assessment index (OSI) to the average OSI corrected for age and gender was denoted as %OSI and used for quantitative assessment. The second %OSI measurement was performed 6 months after the first %OSI one. During the study period, individual treatment remained unchanged. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the 1st and 2nd %OSI between the ICS users and control subjects. However, the 2nd %OSI significantly decreased compared with 1st %OSI in female ICS users, although there were no significant changes in the male and female control subjects and male ICS users. CONCLUSIONS: The 6 month management of asthma in the actual clinical setting, including regular ICS use, might have a harmful influence on the bone status of female asthmatic patients. It may be necessary to manage and treat female patients for potent corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis, although further analyses of bone status in asthma patient ICS users will be required.
Subject(s)
Adrenal Cortex Hormones/adverse effects , Anti-Asthmatic Agents/adverse effects , Asthma/drug therapy , Bone and Bones/drug effects , Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging , Administration, Inhalation , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/administration & dosage , Aged , Anti-Asthmatic Agents/administration & dosage , Asthma/complications , Calcaneus/diagnostic imaging , Calcaneus/drug effects , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
AIM: To examine the effects of inhaled procaterol (Meptin Air : MA), a short-acting beta2-agonist, for proactive use rather than rescue use in dyspnea and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who complained of dyspnea in daily activities despite treatment with long-acting bronchodilators. METHODS: Patients with moderate to most severe COPD who were on maintenance therapy with tiotropium and other long-acting bronchodilators were studied. Severity of dyspnea was evaluated with the Shortness of Breath Questionnaire (SOBQ) and patients were recommended to use MA on an as-needed basis before daily activities which had caused dyspnea. The effects of MA were evaluated with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and MRC dyspnea scale. Baseline and post-administrative lung functions and exercise capacity (6-minute walking test) were measured. RESULTS: SOBQ revealed that all patients still had dyspnea in daily activities despite maintenance therapy. Inhalation of MA to prevent dyspnea in daily activities on an as-needed basis significantly improved QOL in SGRQ, lung function and MRC scales. Six-minute walking distances showed a tendency to improve. CONCLUSION: Proactive use of MA as needed (assist use) improved QOL and continuing dyspnea despite maintenance drugs. Assist use of MA before effort improved exercise capacity, suggesting that it might improve the ability of activity of daily living (ADL).
Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Adrenergic beta-Agonists/administration & dosage , Dyspnea/prevention & control , Procaterol/administration & dosage , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/drug therapy , Quality of Life , Administration, Inhalation , Aged , Dyspnea/etiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/complications , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
A three-year old girl, who had severe cerebral palsy, severe mental retardation, and symptomatic epilepsy, was suffering from intractable hiccup that lasted for more than an hour since she was 2 years and 10 months old when she undertook tracheotomy and laryngotracheal separation. Sometimes this intractable hiccup was followed by respiratory arrest. Although the hiccup was resistant to conventional medications, the nose drops of small amount of vinegar showed a favorable effect on the hiccup. Intranasal vinegar might stimulate dorsal wall of nasopharynx where the pharyngeal branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve, which is thought as an afferent of the reflex arch of hiccup, is distributed. The administration of intranasal vinegar is a safe and handy method to stimulate dorsal wall of nasopharynx. We believe that intranasal vinegar administration could be a useful nonpharmacologic therapy to cease intractable hiccup.
Subject(s)
Acetic Acid/administration & dosage , Cerebral Palsy , Hiccup/etiology , Hiccup/therapy , Intellectual Disability , Administration, Intranasal , Child, Preschool , Electroencephalography , Female , HumansABSTRACT
A member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase superfamily, MAK, has been proposed to have an important role in spermatogenesis, since Mak gene expression is highly restricted to testicular germ cells. To assess the biological function of MAK, we have established MAK-deficient (Mak(-/-)) mice. Mak(-/-) mice developed normally, and no gross abnormalities were observed. Spermatogenesis of the Mak(-/-) mice was also intact, and most of the mice were fertile. However, Mak(-/-) male-derived litter sizes and their sperm motility in vitro were mildly reduced. These data show that function of MAK is not essential for spermatogenesis and male fertility.
