To determine the effect of passive smoking on the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among persons who spend a long time in cafes. Materials and methods: The study sample included 348 male smokers who were older than 40 years and spend a long time in cafes. The questions were derived from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) questionnaire. We also inquired about the nature of cafe visits (hours/day, visits/week, visits/month). Results: COPD was found in 18.1% (63/348 subjects) of the smokers aged >=40 years. In these 63 subjects, based on spirometry results, the rate of mild and moderate airflow limitation was 23.8% (15/63) and 76.2% (48/63), respectively. Of the 63, 60 (95%) had no previous diagnosis of COPD. After we had accounted for known risk factors for the development of COPD, we identified new risk factors: time spent in cafes (hours/day), the number of cafe visits per week (visits/week), and the number of cafe visits per month (visits/month), which had higher odds ratios for smokers without COPD (5.376, 2.721, and 2.337, respectively). Conclusion: Spending time in cafes regularly may contribute as an additional risk factor for the development of the COPD.
Background: Smoking is one of the most serious health care issues worldwide, as one third to one half of all people who smoke eventually use tobacco habitually. Chronic smoke exposure causes airway and lung parenchymal inflammation and the destruction of alveolar cell walls. Statins may have anti-inflammatory effects that would play a role in preventing the cellular damage associated with smoking. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether atorvastatin protects against smoking-induced inflammation in alveolar epithelial type I (ATI) and type II (ATII) cells in the lungs of rats. Methods: Adult male albino Wistar rats (200–250 g) were randomly divided into 3 groups and exposed to cigarette smoke 8 hours per day for 15 days. During that 15-day period, the 2 treatment groups received atorvastatin 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg/d in 2 mL of methyl cellulose solution and the control group received 2 mL of methyl cellulose solution alone, all via nasogastric catheter. After the 15 days, the lungs were excised and the tissues were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Results: Thirty rats were divided into 3 groups of 10 rats each. All rats survived the 15 days. In the atorvastatin 0.5-mg group, no changes were found in the ATI cells or in the blood-air barrier. In the atorvastatin 1.0-mg group, we observed hyperplasia in the common basal membranes. Hypertrophy, mitochondrial crystolysis (MC), and intracytoplasmic edema (ICE) were detected in the ATI cells in the 1.0-mg group, while chromatin condensation, atrophic appearance, cell shrinkage, and cyto-plasmic vacuolization were observed in the ATII cells. The rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) tubules of the ATII cells appeared spiral-shaped. In the control group, minimal ICE was detected in the ATI cells. However, microvillus deformation, pseu-dopod formation, edema, mitochondrial swelling, and MC were observed in the ATII cells. We also observed MC, several pinocytic vesicles, and normal rER tubules in the endothelial cells of the control group. Conclusions: The administration of atorvastatin 0.5 mg/kg/d was associated with some attenuation of lung injury caused by smoke inhalation in these rat lungs. However, atorvastatin 1.0 mg/kg/d was associated with lung damage. Future studies are needed to evaluate the dose-response relationship of atorvastatin to smoking-induced alveolar damage.
<i>Background:</i> Better and more rapid tests are needed for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE), given the known limitations of conventional diagnostic tests. <i>Objectives:</i> To estimate diagnostic accuracy of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test (and its components) using data-derived cutoffs in pleural fluid. <i>Methods:</i> The QFT-GIT test was performed on whole blood and pleural fluid from 43 patients with TPE and 29 control subjects (non-TPE). To achieve the objective, QFT-GIT test, estimating likelihood ratios and receiver operating curve analysis were performed. <i>Results:</i> The sensitivity and specificity using the QFT-GIT for the diagnosis of TPE were 48.8% and 79.3%, respectively, in pleural fluid. The best cutoff points for tuberculosis (TB) antigen, nil and TB antigen minus nil results were estimated at 0.70, 0.90 and 0.30 IU/ml, respectively. Area under the curve of TB antigen IFN-γ response was 0.86 (CI: 0.76–0.93), nil tube was 0.80 (CI: 0.69–0.89) and TB antigen minus nil tube was 0.82 (CI: 0.72–0.90). When the best cutoff scores of the nil tubes were set at this value, the results of a likelihood ratio of a positive and a negative test were 9.44 (7.4–12.0) and 0.37 (0.09–1.5), respectively. The percentages of indeterminate results in pleural fluid among the TPE cases were 42% (most of them caused by high nil IFN-γ values) using the QFT-GIT test. <i>Conclusion:</i> QFT-GIT test or its components have poor accuracy in the diagnosis of TPE, largely because of a high number of indeterminate results due to high background IFN-γ production in the TPE.
Metastatic tuberculous abscess (tuberculous gumma) is a rare form of cutaneous tuberculosis. A 16 years old female presented with painless cutaneous swelling at her neck and right thigh. She also suffered from back pain. She was diagnosed as soft tissue abscess according to ultrasound findings. These abscesses were painless and fluctuant. Chest computed tomography revealed an abscess involving the chest wall and the paravertebral area. Smear and sputum culture were negative for M. tuberculosis. In addition, smears and cultures of the abscess were negative for bacteria and fungi. There was no history of tuberculosis and no contact with patients with contagious tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis grew in the abscess culture. She was diagnosed as tuberculous gumma and Pott's disease. The patient recovered after antituberculous treatment. Subcutaneous abscess should be considered as tuberculosis abscess based on the negative smear and nonspecific culture results of pus.
The most common side effect of antituberculous treatment is hepatotoxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of toxic hepatitis and some risk factors for the development of toxic hepatitis during antituberculosis treatment. Records of 212 patients diagnosed as smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis were analysed retrospectively. In 30 of 212 cases (14.1%) hepatotoxicity was developed. In 16 of 30 patients it was toxic hepatitis (7.5%) and the treatment was interrupted. In our study, in 6 of 151 male patients (4%) and in 10 of 61 female patients (16.4%) toxic hepatitis was seen, and it was significantly higher in females than males (p:0.002). Hepatotoxicity was seen during the first two weeks of the treatment in all of the patients. Although serum transaminase levels was reached above five times of the normal levels, we didn\'t interrupt the therapy in two asymptomatic cases and by the follow up the enzyme levels returned to normal. Regarding the age, radiologic appearence and cavitary lesions on chest x-ray, there was not significant differences between patients who did or did not have toxic hepatitis. In conclusion, hepatotoxicity usually develops in the first two weeks of the treatment. We think that in the diagnosis of toxic hepatitis, symptoms of patients and progressive increasing tendency of serum transaminase levels during the follow up are more important than the only one high serum transaminase level.
Introduction: One day point prevalence study to evaluate patient profile in ICUs was planned by Turkish Thoracic Society Respiratory Failure and Intensive Care Group. Methods: The study was cross-sectional and data were obtained by a questionnaire in participating ICUs on October 26th 2016 for 24 hours. A questionnaire evaluating characteristics of patients in ICU was prepared. A total of 78 units declared to participate in the survey. Results: Ten centers were excluded from the study because they couldn't participate on study day. A total of 922 patients were enrolled from 68 units. The mean age was 64.8 ± 17.9 (17-99), 58.6% were male. The mean APACHE II, QSOFA and GCS scores on the study day were 18.5 ± 8.8, 1.4 ±1.4 and 10.2 ± 4.3, respectively, and mean length of stay (LOS) was 20 ± 70 days. The patients were admited from emergency room(44%[n=407]), clinics(39%[n=359]) and other ICUs(17%[n=156]).38.5% of patients had Type 1 respiratory failure(RF),35.6% had Type 2 RF. Comorbidity was seen in 80.6% and malignancy rate was 18.8%. On the study day it was found that 52.1% of the patients underwent invasive mechanical ventilation(IMV),12.3% of the patients had non-invasive ventilation(NIV) 29.1% of them had oxygen therapy. Tracheostomy was performed in 19.7% of patients. 70% of the patients had enteral, 20.7% had parenteral nutrition. The discharge rate was 7% while mortality was 1.1% on that day. Discussion: Most of the patients in ICUs are respiratory failure cases admited from emergency department and clinics. Advanced age, presence of comorbidities and cancer are thought to prolong LOS in ICU. For effective use of ICU beds further regulations for patient admission criteria is necessary.
