Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and inflammatory markers in schizophrenia: A comparative analysis of drug-naive schizophrenia patients, remitted patients, and healthy controls.

This study aims to examine the plasma concentrations of NGAL and other inflammatory parameters, including TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IFN-γ, in schizophrenia patients and healthy volunteers. It also investigates potential associations between these biomarkers and symptom severity in schizophrenia and the utility of NGAL as a potential diagnostic and monitoring biomarker for schizophrenia. The study included 49 drug-naive schizophrenia patients (DNS), 59 patients with schizophrenia in remission (REM) on antipsychotic treatment, and 58 healthy volunteers (HC). The Positive and Negative Symptoms Evaluation Scale (PANSS) was utilized to assess the severity of symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IFN-γ, and NGAL were measured for all participants. NGAL levels were significantly lower in the DNS group than in HC. Significantly lower TNF-α levels were observed in both the DNS and REM groups compared to the HC group. Notably, a statistically significant positive correlation was detected between TNF-α and NGAL levels. The findings of this study are noteworthy, as they demonstrate that drug-naive individuals with schizophrenia exhibit significantly diminished levels of NGAL and TNF-α compared to healthy controls. These identified biomarkers hold promise for providing valuable insights into the complex and evolving pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

The Effect of Exercise on Oxygen Content in Anemic Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is reported in one-third of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Anemia, by decreasing oxygen content, can be a contributing factor for hypoxemia. We determined to find whether anemia causes more prominent hypoxia by decreasing the total oxygen content after exercise in anemic patients with COPD. METHODS: Stable moderate-to-severe COPD patients with and without anemia were recruited. Arterial blood gas analyses were performed on room air before and after a 6-minute walking test (6MWT). Walking distance, oxygen saturation, and heart rate were recorded in each case before and after the 6MWT. Pulmonary function test measurements and other data were obtained from the chart. The mean and standard deviations were calculated for continuous variables. The independent t-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed for numerical covariate and univariate analyses. The paired t-test was used for the analyses of data before and after exercise. RESULTS: A total of 24 male patients were included in the study; 12 of which were anemic. The oxygen content was decreased in the anemic group (15.22 ± 1.28 vs 15.07 ± 1.22) after exercise, but it was not significant. In the non-anemic group, no oxygen content decrease was observed after exercise (18.83 ± 1.41 vs 18.9 ± 1.37). Interestingly, the Spo2, but not Sao2, was significantly lower after exercise in anemic patients with COPD (93.46% ± 5.06% vs 88.20% ± 6.35% before and after exercise, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Anemia does not cause more prominent hypoxemia after exercise in patients with COPD. However, the recorded Spo2 levels were significantly lower after exercise in the anemic patients with COPD.

Mycobacterium avium intracellulare infection complicated by allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in a non-asthmatic patient.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) most often develops in patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. We present a 91-year-old non-asthmatic patient with pre-existing Mycobacteriumavium complex (MAC) infection who got diagnosed with ABPA. Treatment of the two conditions can be challenging as immunosuppression with steroids for treatment of ABPA may exacerbate the underlying MAC infection. Treatment with steroids and antibiotics resulted in significant improvement in the patient's condition.

Effect of personality traits on adherence with positive airway pressure therapy in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

PURPOSE: Patient adherence with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is a significant clinical problem in obstructive sleep apnea treatment. Personality traits may be a factor for non-adherence. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between PAP therapy adherence and patient personality traits. METHODS: Patients were screened and recruited during their visit to a sleep clinic. Baseline data were collected from each patient's electronic chart. Behavioral inhibition system/behavioral activation system (BIS/BAS) scales, short measure of five-factor model personality traits (mini-IPIP), positive and negative affect score (PANAS), and appetitive motivation scores (AMS) tests were used to measure personality traits. Data from the PAP device were obtained following a minimum of an initial 30 days, with adherence defined as >4 h/night on 70% of nights. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression and Pearson correlation tests were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A total of 400 patients were recruited. Three hundred twenty-one patients had all the data and were included in the study. Behavioral activation system-fun seeking (BAS-FS) and, to a certain extent, negative affect were significantly associated with adherence. Intellect/imagination was marginally significant. Additionally, older age (>65 years), profession, PAP type, side effects, efficiency, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and residual AHI showed significant associations with patient adherence with PAP therapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that BAS-FS was still a significant predictor of adherence even after adjusting for other covariates. CONCLUSION: BAS-FS, negative affect, and intellect/imagination are significant factors for adherence to PAP therapy in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Effect of Positive Airway Pressure Therapy on Body Mass Index in Obese Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Prospective Study.

Because obesity is a common cause of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), weight loss can be an effective treatment. OSAS also may cause weight gain in some patients. Effective treatment of sleep apnea may facilitate weight loss in obese patients. We hypothesize that positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is associated with weight loss in obese patients with OSAS. This was a single-center observational prospective cohort study. Forty-five patients were diagnosed with OSAS after polysomnographic analysis in sleep laboratory and underwent continuous positive airway pressure titration. Patients were followed for 3 months in terms of change in body mass index (BMI) and compliance with PAP therapy. Of the 45 patients recruited, 3 patients were eliminated because of miss recruitment. Nine patients had incomplete data, and the rest (n = 33) were included for analysis. The mean age was 54.9 ± 16.9 years (mean ± SD), 93.9% were male, and 90.9% were whites. Mean apnea-hypopnea index was 36.3 ± 28.17 events per hour. Mean BMI before treatment was 34.7 ± 3.9 kg/m. Fifteen patients (45.5%) were compliant with therapy of OSAS with PAP. There was no difference in age, gender, neck circumference, BMI, and apnea-hypopnea index of patients compliant to therapy when compared with those who were not. There was a significant decrease in BMI in patients compliant with PAP therapy compared with noncompliant patients (-1.2 ± 0.7 vs. 0.3 ± 0.9 kg/m, P ≤ 0.001). PAP therapy may cause significant loss of weight within 3 months in obese patients with OSAS. Further study is needed to elucidate the physiological basis of this change.

Role of Anemia in Home Oxygen Therapy in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients.

Anemia is a known comorbidity found in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Hypoxemia is common and basically due to ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) mismatch in COPD. Anemia, by decreasing arterial oxygen content, may be a contributing factor for decreased delivery of oxygen to tissues. The objective of this study is to determine if anemia is a factor in qualifying COPD patients for home oxygen therapy. The study was designed as a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational chart review. Patients who were referred for home oxygen therapy evaluation were selected from the computerized patient record system. Demographic data, oxygen saturation at rest and during exercise, pulmonary function test results, hemoglobin level, medications, reason for anemia, comorbid diseases, and smoking status were recorded. The χ tests, independent sample t tests, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. Only 356 of total 478 patient referrals had a diagnosis of COPD over a 2-year period. Although 39 of them were excluded, 317 patients were included in the study. The overall rate of anemia was 38% in all COPD patients. Anemia was found significantly more frequent in COPD patients on home oxygen therapy (46%) than those not on home oxygen therapy (18.5%) (P < 0.0001). Mean saturation of peripheral oxygen values were significantly lower in anemic COPD patients both at rest and during exercise (P < 0.0001). Also, in COPD patients, age, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease class, smoking status, hemoglobin level, hematocrit, percent of forced expiratory volume in first second, forced expiratory volume in first second/forced vital capacity, residual volume/total lung volume, percent of carbon monoxide diffusion capacity were significantly different between home oxygen therapy and those not on home oxygen therapy (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that anemia remained a strong predictor for long-term oxygen therapy use in COPD patients after adjusting for other significant parameters. Anemic COPD patients are more hypoxic especially during exercise than those who are not anemic. We conclude that anemia is a contributing factor in qualifying COPD patients for home oxygen therapy.

Effect of visualization of raw graphic polysomnography data by sleep apnea patients on adherence to CPAP therapy.

BACKGROUND: CPAP is considered to be the cornerstone of therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. However, adherence to this treatment is frequently poor, which may lead to ongoing symptoms, including daytime sleepiness and poor cognitive function. We aimed to determine the efficacy of showing patients their raw graphic polysomnography (PSG) data in increasing their CPAP adherence. METHODS: The subjects were patients with obstructive sleep apnea (n = 37, diagnosed on prior PSG), who were prospectively randomized into an experimental arm or a control arm. The patients in the experimental arm (n = 18) were shown detailed PSG data, including graphic data from PSG prior to prescription of CPAP. The patients in the control arm (n = 19) were shown the non-graphic paper report of the PSG. Adherence data, collected using CPAP devices with internal microprocessors (adherence cards), was read at 4 weeks after treatment initiation. RESULTS: There was no difference in age (57.3 ± 11.8 y vs 55.5 ± 11.6 y, P = .64), body mass index (BMI) (32.7 ± 6.3 kg/m(2) vs 32.3 ± 6.6 kg/m(2), P = .85), and apnea-hypopnea index (36.0 ± 27.8 events/h vs 30.5 ± 19.1 events/h, P = .48) between the experimental and control arms. There was no difference in percent of days CPAP was used (58% vs 64%, P = .59) and average number of hours each night CPAP was used (3.9 ± 2.1 h vs 4.1 ± 2.5 h, P = .76) between the experimental and control arms, respectively. In multi logistic regression models, which included age, BMI > 30 kg/m(2), apnea-hypopnea index, and experimental intervention, only BMI was found to increase likelihood of improved adherence (odds ratio = 13.3, P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: Showing patients raw graphic PSG data does not seem to improve adherence to CPAP. BMI is a very strong predictor of CPAP adherence.

Effect of yoga in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Yoga is adjunctively utilized outside the United States in the treatment of a variety of diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but there are no studies assessing its adjunctive efficacy in the United States. We prospectively evaluated the effects of yoga training on the quality of life (QOL) and the parameters of lung function in patients with COPD. Thirty-three patients with documented COPD, per Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease criteria, were recruited. All patients received standard COPD care. The QOL was assessed by the St. George Respiratory questionnaire. Standard spirometry and maximum inspiratory (maximal inspiratory pressure) and expiratory pressure (maximal expiratory pressure) were measured. Patients were taught selected yoga exercises including breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga postures for 1 hour, thrice a week for 6 weeks by a certified yoga therapist. The quality of life and lung function were again assessed at the end of 6 weeks. Twenty-two patients completed the study. Differences in preyoga versus postyoga scores were evaluated using paired t-tests. Statistically significant improvements (P < 0.05) were observed for the St. George Respiratory questionnaire [95% confidence interval (CI) 43.13-58.47], vital capacity (95% CI 2.53-7.65), maximal inspiratory pressure (95% CI 6.62-23.64), and maximal expiratory pressure (95% CI 1.63-13.81). Yoga when practiced by patients with COPD results in improvement in the QOL and lung function on a short-term basis. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings in a randomized controlled trial and in the longer term.

Comparison of pulmonary function in immigrant vs US-born Asian Indians.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether there is a difference in pulmonary function between healthy adult US-born Asian Indians and immigrant Asian Indians attributable to country of birth, environmental, and socioeconomic factors. DESIGN: FEV(1), FVC, and forced mid-expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity (FEF(25-75)) were measured in India-born and US-born subjects residing in the Chicago metropolitan area. Hollingshead Index of Social Position was used to evaluate socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: There were 262 India-born (61.8% male), and 200 US-born (50% male) subjects who were healthy lifelong nonsmokers; their age range was 16 to 36 years. US-born Asian Indian men and women were taller and had higher pulmonary function values for height and age compared with immigrant Asian Indian men and women. The differences were most pronounced in women: about 7% for FVC, 9% for FEV(1), and 17% for FEF(25-75). Immigrant and US-born subjects did not differ in socioeconomic position. CONCLUSION: We conclude that US-born Asian Indian men and women have higher pulmonary function values for age and height compared with immigrant Asian Indian men and women. This probably reflects the effect of differing environmental conditions, which cause year-of-birth trends in lung volumes.

Reference values for pulmonary function in Asian Indians living in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference values for pulmonary function in the Asian-Indian population living in the United States. DESIGN: Five-year cross-sectional study of pulmonary function in healthy adult Asian Indians living in the United States, using American Thoracic Society guidelines for measuring pulmonary function. SETTING: Measurement of pulmonary function in healthy nonsmoking Asian Indians in a pulmonary function laboratory or at festivals, picnics, and ceremonies where subjects could be conveniently recruited. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred sixty subjects from a population of Asian Indians residing in the Chicago metropolitan area. MEASUREMENTS: Spirometry was performed in all subjects with measurements of FEV(1), FVC, and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity (FEF(25-75)). Lung volumes were measured in eighty subjects. Prediction equations for FEV(1), FVC, and FEF(25-75) were derived using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty-three subjects (226 men and 137 women) met the inclusion criteria. Spirometric values derived from our prediction equations, when compared to the values for whites from the selected studies in the literature, showed FVC to be 20 to 24% lower in men and 25 to 28% lower in women. FEV(1) was 16 to 23% lower in men and 20 to 26% lower in women. Differences were not quite as large when compared to values from African Americans and other studies on Asians. CONCLUSIONS: We provide reference values for pulmonary function in nonsmoking Asian Indians living in the United States. These reference values should be used for evaluation of pulmonary function in this population.