One dose of an anticholinergic agents has about the same bronchodilatory effect as one of a beta 2-agonist. Anticholinergic agents may be used first in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, because of the possible adverse effects of beta 2-agonists. One puff of a metered-dose inhaler will not cause a maximal bronchodilatory effect. Both anticholinergic and beta-adrenergic drugs cause dose-dependent bronchodilation when given as aerosols from metered-dose inhalers, and a combination of the two can provide better results. If the response to a single agent is unsatisfactory, use of higher doses is advised and the use of a combination of anticholinergic agents and beta-agonists is recommended. With regard to inhaled corticosteroids, a high dose of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (1,500 micrograms per day) can be a effective as oral corticosteroids. Step-by-step pharmacologic therapy with the drugs mentioned above should be used in outpatient management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Although the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been assessed by generic or disease-specific HRQoL measures, the responsiveness of the generic HRQoL measures is generally weak.To investigate the responses generated by generic and disease-specific HRQoL questionnaires, we prospectively followed the clinical course of patients with newly detected COPD after the initiation of treatment.A prospective, longitudinal study with a 1-year follow-up was designed. The forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)), forced vital capacity (FVC), the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) as a generic HRQoL measure, and the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ) as a disease-specific HRQoL measure were measured at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after the initiation of standard treatment.Eighty-two patients completed the study. The FEV(1), FVC, and NHP and CRQ scores improved significantly during the first 3 months (p < 0.05). During the last 6 months, although the FEV(1) declined (p < 0.05), the HRQoL assessed by the NHP and CRQ remained elevated. Except for the score on the social isolation section of the NHP at 12 months, all HRQoL scores at 6 and 12 months were significantly improved compared to baseline (p < 0.05).In new patients with COPD, the NHP as well as the CRQ was able to detect changes in the HRQoL associated with effective medical interventions. The influence of the changes in airflow limitation on the HRQoL was weak.
Abstract Background Ceftriaxone (CTRX) and ampicillin/sulbactam (ABPC/SBT) are recommended by various guidelines as the first-line antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, which of these antibiotics is more effective for treating non-aspiration CAP remains unclear. Methods This study was a prospective, single-center, open-label, quasi-randomized controlled trial. Patients with adult CAP without risk for aspiration were allocated to either a CTRX or ABPC/SBT group based on the date of hospital admission. Macrolide was added to patients in each group. The primary outcome was the clinical response in the validated per-protocol (VPP) population at end of treatment (EOT). The secondary outcomes were clinical response during treatment and at end of study (EOS) in the VPP population, and mortality rate at day 30 in the modified intention-to-treat (MITT) population. Results Of 696 screened patients, 433 patients were excluded and 263 patients were allocated to receive either of the treatments. Males comprised 54% of patients and mean age and PSI were 62.1 ± 19.8 years and 69.3 ± 30.0, respectively, with 124 patients allocated to the CTRX group and 138 patients allocated to the ABPC/SBT group. The clinical effectiveness rate for the VPP population at EOT was 90% in the CTRX and 96% in the ABPC/SBT group ( p = 0.072, 95% confidence interval [CI] of risk difference [RD]: − 12.6–0.8%). No significant difference in effectiveness at day 4 was observed between the CTRX and ABPC/SBT groups ( p = 0.079, 95%CI of RD: − 12.1–0.4%), but at day 7, ABPC/SBT was significantly more effective than CTRX in the VPP population ( p = 0.047, 95%CI of RD: − 13.3–-0.4%). No significant difference in late response at EOS was seen between CTRX and ABPC/SBT groups: cure (89 [86%] and 102 [94%]), relapse (5 [5%] and 1 [1%]) and failure (10 [10%] and 5 [5%]; p = 0.053). Deaths within 30 days in MITT population was higher in CTRX group (4 [3%]) than in ABPC/SBT group (0 [0%]) ( p = 0.048, 95%CI of RD: 0.1–6.3%). Conclusion No significant difference in effectiveness was found between ABPC/SBT and CTRX at EOT. However, ABPC/SBT might be more effective in the early phase of treatment. Trial registration UMIN-CTR, UMIN000037464. Registered 25 July 2019 – Retrospectively registered, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000042262
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by the presence of airflow obstruction caused by emphysema or airway narrowing, or both. Low attenuation areas (LAA) on computed tomography (CT) have been shown to represent macroscopic or microscopic emphysema, or both. However CT has not been used to quantify the airway abnormalities in smokers with or without airflow obstruction. In this study, we used CT to evaluate both emphysema and airway wall thickening in 114 smokers. The CT measurements revealed that a decreased FEV1 (%predicted) is associated with an increase of airway wall area and an increase of emphysema. Although both airway wall thickening and emphysema (LAA) correlated with measurements of lung function, stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the combination of airway and emphysema measurements improved the estimate of pulmonary function test abnormalities. We conclude that both CT measurements of airway dimensions and emphysema are useful and complementary in the evaluation of the lung of smokers.
Abstract Background Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. With the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) into pediatric national immunization programs, the serotype distribution of pneumococcal disease among adults has changed due to herd immunity. In Japan, PCV15 and PCV20 have been introduced, and PCV21 has been under review for approval in adults. This study aimed to assess the distribution of pneumococcal serotypes among adults with pneumococcal pneumonia in Japan between May 2019 and December 2022. Methods This multicenter observational study enrolled patients aged ≥18 years with community-acquired, culture-positive pneumococcal pneumonia from May 2019 to December 2022. Pneumococcal isolates were serotyped using the Quellung reaction, and proportions of individual and vaccine-covered serotypes were analyzed. Results A total of 583 adult patients with pneumococcal pneumonia were included. The median age was 74 years (interquartile range: 66–82 years), 383 (65.7%) patients were male, and 387 (66.4%) patients had one or more underlying medical conditions. The most common serotypes were serotype 3 (12.5%), 35B (12.0%), 15A (7.7%), 11A (6.7%), and 23A (6.3%). The proportion of serotypes covered by PCV13, PCV15, PCV20, PPSV23, and PCV21 were 24.0, 28.0, 43.7, 44.1, and 71.9%, respectively. The proportions of vaccine-covered serotypes were similar between patients aged <65 and ≥65 years. Notably, serotype 3 was more prevalent among patients living in nursing homes (25.9%) compared with those living at home (11.2%). Conclusion Serotypes 3 and 35B were the most common in adults with pneumococcal pneumonia in Japan during the study period. The proportions of PCV20- and PCV21-covered serotypes suggest that these new vaccines may offer additional protection against adult pneumococcal pneumonia. With the availability of newly developed PCVs for adults in Japan, it is time to reassess the optimal pneumococcal vaccination policy for adults.
We studied the hemodynamic effects of frequent inhalation of aerosolized procaterol hydrochloride (PRC) in the treatment of status asthmaticus. Twenty patients were enrolled and divided into 2 groups; younger group (less than 55 years; n = 11) and older group (more than 55 years; n = 9). All patients were treated with intravenous hydrocortisone (4 mg/kg/4 h) and PRC inhalation (30 micrograms; 0.3 ml) every hour via a jet nebulizer with 3 l/min oxygen for four consecutive days. Holter ECG monitoring was performed on the 1st, 4th, and 7th days of hospitalization to evaluate mean heart rate, tachycardiac incidence, and arrhythmias. Blood pressure, serum potassium levels, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were measured on the same day. Even though the total dosage of inhaled PRC on the 1st day was 496.4 +/- 62.61 micrograms for the younger group and 490.0 +/- 36.73 micrograms for the older group (p = NS), total arrhythmic ratios were less than 1% in both group. Both blood pressure and heart rate decreased with improvement of symptoms and PEFR value. Serum potassium levels tended to decline according to the administered dosage of PRC (p < 0.01); however, severe hypokalemia less than 3.0 mmol/l was not observed. We conclude that frequent inhalation of PRC (up to 500 micrograms/day) via a jet nebulizer provides rapid relief from acute asthmatic attacks, and is safe clinically even in aged asthmatics receiving intravenous steroids.
In 8 stable patients with chronic asthma, the reproducibility of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measured and recorded 4 times per day for longer than 1 month at home and at work was assessed. Average %PEFRs of individuals through the periods observed were higher than 80%, and coefficients of variation were less than 10% regardless of the time measured. This suggested that a decrease in %PEFR more than 10% reflects early phase of deterioration of airways narrowing and frequent measurement of PEFR is essential for long-term management and for self-assessment of chronic asthma.
In this study, we analyzed the relationships of exercise capacity and health status to mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We recruited 150 male outpatients with stable COPD with a mean postbronchodilator FEV1 at 47.4% of predicted. Their pulmonary function, progressive cycle ergometry, and health status using the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire, the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and the Breathing Problems Questionnaire were measured at entry. Among 144 patients who were available for the 5-year follow-up, 31 had died. Univariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that the SGRQ total score and the Breathing Problems Questionnaire were significantly correlated with mortality; however, with the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire, the total score was not significantly correlated. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that the peak oxygen uptake and the SGRQ total score were both predictive of mortality, independent of FEV1 and age. Stepwise Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that the peak oxygen uptake was the most significant predictor of mortality. We found that exercise capacity and health status were significantly correlated with mortality, although different health status measures had different abilities to predict mortality. These results will have a potentially great impact on the multidimensional evaluation of disease severity in COPD.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been associated with AKI. Their association with nephrotic syndrome has not been systematically studied. This study aimed to assess the risk of nephrotic syndrome associated with NSAID use.
Design, setting, participants, & measurements
A matched case-control study was performed in the UK primary care database. Cases were patients with a first diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome and controls were those without nephrotic syndrome. NSAID exposure (grouped either based on cyclooxygenase enzyme selectivity and chemical groups) was classified as either current (use at the nephrotic syndrome diagnosis date and corresponding date in the control group), recent, or past use. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression analysis.
Results
We included 2620 cases and 10,454 controls. Compared with non-use, current use of 15–28 days and >28 days of conventional NSAIDs was associated with a higher relative risk of nephrotic syndrome: adjusted OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.70, and OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.79 to 2.55, respectively. Also, recent use (discontinuation 1–2 months before nephrotic syndrome diagnosis date; OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.11 to 2.15) and past use (discontinuation 2 months-2 years; OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.43), but not current use of <15 days (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.31) nor past use (discontinuation >2 years; OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.09) were associated with a higher relative risk of nephrotic syndrome as well as past use of selective COX-2 inhibitors (discontinuation 2–24 months; OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.58). Categorization based on chemical groups showed that acetic acid and propionic acid derivatives were associated with a higher risk of nephrotic syndrome.
Conclusions
The use of conventional NSAIDs was associated with a higher risk of nephrotic syndrome starting from at least 2 weeks of exposure, as well as for recent and past exposure up to 2 years before the diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome. This higher risk appeared mainly attributable to acetic acid and propionic acid derivatives.
