[Characteristics and management of acute exacerbations of COPD in hospital. EABPCO-CPHG study by the college of general hospital respiratory physicians]. / Caractéristiques et prise en charge des exacerbations aiguës de BPCO hospitalisées. Etude EABPCO-CPHG du Collège des pneumologues des hôpitaux généraux.

INTRODUCTION: A cohort was formed to explore the evolution of COPD patients treated in general hospitals for acute exacerbations (AE). The present article describes and compares patient characteristics according to whether COPD was diagnosed before the AE or not. METHODS: Data were analyzed for 1,824 patients admitted between October 2006 and June 2007 to 68 departments of respiratory medicine. RESULTS: Population characteristics were: male, 77%; mean age, 70.3+/-11.3 years; current smokers, 33%; baseline grade 3-4 dyspnoea, 47%; FEV1

[Diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (T(LCO)) and oxygen saturation during exercise in patients with cystic fibrosis]. / Capacité de transfert du monoxyde de carbone (TLCO) et saturation artérielle à l'exercice chez les patients atteints de mucoviscidose.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the value of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (T(LCO)) in patients with cystic fibrosis and to evaluate its ability to predict arterial desaturation during exercise. METHOD: Fourty-four patients (9-30 years) with cystic fibrosis performed pulmonary function tests with measure of T(LCO) and a bicycle incremental exercise test. They represent a wide variation in disease severity: mean Shwachman score: 77.8 (range: 40-100), mean FEV1%: 72.8 (range: 17-131). This study investigated the relationship between T(LCO), lung volumes and exercise data. RESULTS: T(LCO) remained normal for a long time in patients with cystic fibrosis: 82% of them show a normal T(LCO) (mean value: 91.3% of predicted). T(LCO) was significantly correlated with FEV(1), residual volume, maximal work load and maximum oxygen uptake. A fall in arterial oxygen saturation was uncommon in our study (five patients) and not significantly correlated with T(LCO). CONCLUSIONS: T(LCO) is a good criter of severity of cystic fibrosis but remains unreliable to predict values above which physical activity is safe, without arterial desaturation. Exercise tests should be proposed in order to evaluate exercise adaptation of each patient and determine which factor limits maximal performance.

[Exercise-induced laryngomalacia]. / La laryngomalacie induite par l'exercice.

Exercise-induced laryngomalacia is a rare differential diagnosis of exercise-induced asthma. We report the case of a previously fit 14-year-old female patient who presented with dyspnoea on intense exertion and whose condition had not improved with treatment prescribed for a misdiagnosed exercise-induced asthma. A diagnosis of exercise-induced laryngomalacia was eventually made when a variable extra-thoracic airway obstruction on the flow-volume loops was obtained after an incremental exercise test. Flexible fiberoptic rhinolaryngoscopy confirmed this abnormality and demonstrated an anterior prolapse of the arytenoid region, partially obstructing the airway. The patient therefore underwent laser aryepiglottoplasty which produced a satisfactory anatomical outcome in the larynx but which only resulted in a partial functional improvement. Laryngomalacia is rare and its pathophysiology is not well understood. However, it should be considered in patients presenting with exertional dyspnoea, particularly if there is inspiratory embarrassment, who fail to improve with beta-2-adrenergic agonists. The diagnosis can be made from the flow-volume loop and direct laryngoscopy, before and after exercise.

[Fire-eater's lung: report of six cases]. / Le poumon du cracheur de feu: à propos de six cas.

Lung damage due to inhalation of inflammable products, especially Kerdane, is mainly observed in young subjects. Lung damage is rarely severe and the diagnosis is facilitated by the notion of inhalation. These conditions regress favorably in a few days. We report six cases.