[Relationship between quality of life and BODE index of stable ex-smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. / Vztah mezi kvalitou zivota a BODE indexem u bývalých kuráku ve stabilní fázi chronické obstrukcní plicní nemoci.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study was carried out to assess relationship between quality of life (QoL) and disease severity expressed by multifactorial prognostic index (BODE) in ex-smokers suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), minimally 8 weeks free of exacerbation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The evaluation was performed in 98 randomly recruited COPD patients enrolled into a cross-sectional, observational CILIARY study at the Department of Pneumology, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové. In them, quality of life evaluation using the SGRQ questionnaire and the BODE index calculation was performed. We statistically compared interrelationship between BODE and COPD stages, SGRQ and COPD stages and interrelation of BODE and SGRQ. RESULTS: We found significant differences in QoL of COPD patients and QoL in group of healthy volunteers (p <0.001). Lower QoL and higher BODE score were associated with a higher stages of COPD (p < 0.001), with the exception non-significant difference in QoL (SGRQ score) and BODE index between stages I and II. Our study found positive correlation between the all SGRQ scores and multidimensional prognostic BODE index (r = 0.431-0.704). The strongest correlation (r = 0.704) was evident in activity domain of SGRQ. CONCLUSION: Our results proved close correlation ofquality of life (SGRQ) and multidimensional prognostic score (BODE) in stable COPD exsmokers' population. Both these scoring systems are useful tools for the assessment of clinical course and stratification of severity of COPD. However at present both scales are minimally used in the Czech Republic.

[Examination of function and structure of respiratory cilia of adult patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)--comparison of nasal and bronchial mucosa (pilot of CILIARY STUDY)]. / Porovnání struktury a funkce nazální a bronchiální sliznice u nemocných s CHOPN (pilotní projekt ciliární studie).

INTRODUCTION: Borderline between upper and lower respiratory tract pathology is probably artificial (bronchial asthma). Also inflammation of bronchial mucosa during chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is likely combined with inflammatory involvement of nasal mucosa. Ciliary edge of respiratory epithelium is very important part of mucosa layer. AIM: To investigate and compare nasal and bronchial ciliary beat frequency (CBF), degree of nasal and bronchial ciliary dyskinesia, presence of ciliary akinesia and incidence of spinocellular metaplasia in the both mucosa localities among of stable COPD patients (pts). METHOD: Nasal and bronchial mucosa were obtained in the course of bronchoscopy examination of COPD pts in general intravenous anesthesia. Native samples of mucosa tissue were assessed by digital high-speed video microscopy (1,000x magnification). Paired t-test was used to evaluate differences in average frequencies. Significance level was alpha = 0.05. Mode was used to describe "index of dyskinesia", as a measure of association was used K coefficient. MATERIAL: Seventeen COPD pts (6 weeks free of exacerbation) at the age 47-80 (average 64.2 years +/- 9.7) were examined (13 male), average FEV1 61% predic. value (21-81, +/- 15). All patients were active smokers (average 42 pack years +/- 22.8) and all suffered from bronchitic (daily sputum production) phenotype of COPD. RESULTS: We did not find any difference in average ciliary beat frequencies between nose (6.0 Hz +/- 1.3) and bronchus (5.9 +/- 1.3) locality (p = 0.427). We find weak association between nose and bronchus in "ciliary akinesia" (kappa = 0.282) but medium association in "metaplasia" (kappa = 0.485), in index of dyskinesia (kappa = 0.733). CONCLUSION: We did not find in our data any difference in nasal and bronchial ciliary beat frequencies and we found medium association between nasal and bronchial spinocellular metaplasia and index of ciliary dyskinesia. Possible generalization of these results would require further investigation and analysis.

[News in the examination of the ciliary activity in the respiratory tract mucosa]. / Novinky ve vysetování aktivity rasinek sliznice respiracního traktu.

Ciliary activity assessment attracts a great interest and has undergone dynamic progress since the last decades. The ciliary function is typically impaired in primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). The cilia are mostly examined in vitro, the sample is taken away from the nasal mucosa. Digital videomicroscopy is accessible for the cilia observation in vitro and represents a gold standard. Manual reading using this method is lengthy in comparison with a photomultiplier. Using the photomultiplier, light captured in an optical fibre is analysed automatically by a computer. With technological progress other methods gain ground such as automatical analysis of variance of grey degrees or photomultiplier connected with a scanning confocal microscope. A medium 199 is mostly used for preservation of the functioning cilia. To retain ciliary beat frequency (CBF) it is necessary to use a heated microscope stage. Average physiological CBF value is 11.5 Hz in adult population and 12.8 Hz in children.