Carotid intima-media thickness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and survival: A multicenter prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a noninvasive method assessing atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVE: It was aimed to determine relationship and survival between COPD and CIMT. METHODS: CIMT was measured using Doppler ultrasound (USG) in 668 stable COPD patients at 24 centers. Patients were followed-up for 2 years. RESULTS: There were 610 patients who completed the study. There were 200 patients CIMT with <0.78 mm (group 1), and 410 with CIMT ≥ 0.78 mm (group 2). There was a significant difference at the parameters of age, gender, smoking load, biomass exposure, GOLD groups and degree of airway obstruction (FEV1) between groups 1 and 2. Our results revealed positive correlations between mean CIMT and age, smoking load (pack-years), biomass exposure (years), exacerbation rate (last year), duration of hypertension (years) and cholesterol level; negative correlations between CIMT and FEV1 (P < 0.05). According to logistic regression model, compared with group A, risk of CIMT increase was 2.2-fold in group B, 9.7-fold in group C and 4.4-fold in group D (P < 0.05). Risk of CIMT increase was also related with cholesterol level (P < 0.05). Compared with infrequent exacerbation, it was 2.8-fold in the patients with frequent exacerbation (P < 0.05). The mean survival time was slightly higher in group 1, but not significant (23.9 vs 21.8 months) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study is the first regarding CIMT with combined GOLD assessment groups. It has revealed important findings supporting the increase in atherosclerosis risk in COPD patients. We recommend Doppler USG of the carotid artery in COPD patients at severe stages.

Importance of laboratory parameters in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and their relationship with cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: Ostructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular events. Platelet activation and inflammation are the mechanisms involved in the association between OSA and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The markers of platelet activation and inflammation are the mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil- lymphocyte ratio (NLR). We aimed to define the association of NLR, PLR, RDW, and MPV with the severity of disease and the presence of CVD. METHODS: This study consisted of 300 patients who were admitted to the sleep laboratory. The patients were classified according to their apnea- hypopnea index (AHI) scores as OSA negative (Group A: AHI<5), mild (Group B: AHI: 5-15), moderate (Group C: AHI=15-30), and severe OSA (Group D: AHI >30). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the NLR, PLR, and MPV among the groups (P>.05); only RDW differed significantly (P=.04). RDW was significantly higher in patients with than without risk factors for CVD [15.6% (15.4-15.7) vs 15.3% (15.1-15.3), respectively; P=.02]. CONCLUSIONS: NLR, PLR, MPV, and RDW are widely available and easily obtained from a routinely performed hemogram. Among these laboratory parameters, only RDW can demonstrate the reverse consequences of OSA-associated comorbidities, because vascular damage due to systemic inflammation is an important underlying mechanism in these diseases. RDW might be used as a marker of the response and patient compliance with continuous positive airway pressure treatment.

Relation Between Pulmonary Hypertension and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary hypertension has been reported to occur in a considerable proportion of patients with end-stage renal disease. End-stage renal disease affects the health-related quality of life of patients. There is a lack of specific information on the relation between pulmonary hypertension and health-related quality of life in patients with end-stage renal disease in the literature. We aimed to evaluate this relation in patients undergoing hemodialysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective case-control study included 68 patients treated with hemodialysis and 30 healthy participants as controls. Group 1 comprised hemodialysis patients with pulmonary hypertension, group 2 comprised patients without pulmonary hypertension, and group 3 were healthy subjects. Each patient's health-related quality of life was measured with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form health survey. Doppler echocardiography was performed to determine pulmonary artery pressure in all patients. The groups were compared with respect to health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Pulmonary hypertension was found in 47.1% of patients (mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure of 48.9 ± 11.8 mmHg). Significant differences were observed among the 3 groups regarding the physical function, physical role, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional role, mental health, and physical component summary (P = .001). There was no significant correlation between pulmonary artery pressure and health survey scores. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodialysis patients had significantly lower quality of life scores than healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in terms of health survey domains between the hemodialysis patients with and without pulmonary hypertension. This may be due to the severe adverse effects of end-stage renal disease on health-related quality of life. We conclude that, because end-stage renal disease has so many adverse effects on health-related quality of life, the additional effects of pulmonary hypertension on health-related quality of life could not be revealed.

Approach of pulmonologists in Turkey to noninvasive mechanical ventilation use at home for chronic respiratory failure.

INTRODUCTION: To define approach of pulmonologists in Turkey to noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) use for chronic respiratory failure (CRF), the most currently applied technique for home mechanical ventilation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 38-question survey, developed and tested by the authors, was distributed throughout Turkey to 2205 pulmonologists by e-mail. RESULT: Twenty-seven percent of the pulmonologists responded (n=596). Domiciliary NIV was reported to be prescribed by 340 physicians [57.1% of all responders and 81% of pulmonologists practicing NIV at clinical practice (n= 420)]. NIV prescription was associated with physician's title, type of hospital, duration of medical license, total number of patients treated with NIV during residency and current number of patients treated with NIV per week (p< 0.05). Main estimated indications were listed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (median, 25-75 percentile of the prescriptions: 75%, 60-85), obesity hypoventilation syndrome (10%, 2-15), overlap syndrome (10%, 0-20) and restrictive lung disease (5%, 2-10). For utilization of NIV at home, Bilevel positive airway pressure-spontaneous mode (40%, 0-80) and oronasal mask (90%, 60-100) were stated as the most frequently recommended mode and interface, respectively. Pressure settings were most often titrated based on arterial blood gas findings (79.2%). Humidifier was stated not to be prescribed by approximately half of the physicians recommending domicilliary NIV, and the main reason for this (59.2%) was being un-refundable by social security foundation. CONCLUSION: There is a wide variation in Turkey for prescription of NIV, which is supposed to improve clinical course of patients with CRF. Further studies are required to determine the possible causes of these differences, frequency of use and patient outcomes in this setting.

Serum YKL-40/chitinase 3-like protein 1 level is an independent predictor of atherosclerosis development in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The inflammatory process plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular complications in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). YKL-40/chitinase 3-like protein 1 is a novel biomarker of systemic inflammation. This study aimed to investigate whether carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), a useful marker for early atherosclerosis, is associated with serum YKL-40/chitinase 3-like protein 1 levels in patients with normotensive and nondiabetic OSAS. METHODS: The study included 40 OSAS patients and 40 age- sex- and body mass index-matched healthy controls. Serum YKL-40 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CIMT was measured by B-mode ultrasound. RESULTS: The patients with OSAS had significantly increased CIMT and higher YKL-40 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels than those of the controls. CIMT was strongly correlated with serum YKL-40 levels (r=0.694, p<0.001), hsCRP (r=0.622, p<0.001), age (r=0.525, p=0.001), and weakly correlated with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (r=0.365, p=0.021) and the percentage of recording time spent (PRTS) of oxygen saturation<90% (r=0.488, p=0.001). Moreover, it was detected that serum YKL-40 levels were strongly correlated with AHI (r=0.617, p<0.001), and weakly correlated with SaO2<90% of PRTS (r=0.394, p=0.012) and hsCRP (r=0.486, p=0.001). In multiple regression analyses, age and serum levels of YKL-40 and hsCRP were found to be independent predictors of CIMT. CONCLUSION: In patients with OSAS, CIMT was increased. This increase was associated with serum YKL-40 level. Increased serum level of YKL-40 may be an early predictor of atherosclerosis development in patients with OSAS.

Approach of pulmonologists in Turkey to noninvasive mechanical ventilation use in acute respiratory failure.

INTRODUCTION: Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) has been increasingly used worldwide for acute respiratory failure (ARF), especially in patients with chronic lung disorders. We aimed to define the approach of pulmonologists in Turkey to NIV use for ARF management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 38-question survey, developed and tested by authors, was distributed by e-mail to a total of 2.205 pulmonologists in Turkey. RESULT: Response rate was 27% (n= 596). Seventy-one percent of responders were practicing NIV in clinic. NIV use was found to be associated with responder's academic title, age, duration of medical license, type of physician's hospital and its region, patient load, NIV experience during residency, and duration of NIV and intensive care unit (ICU) experience (p< 0.001). Based on sub-group analysis of responders using NIV, median number of NIV patients followed-up per week was 4 [interquartile range (IQR): 2-6]. Most of the NIV users reported employment of wards (90%) and/or ICUs (86%) to follow-up patients, while 8.4% of the responders were applying NIV only in ICU's. Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) (99.5%), obesity hypoventilation syndrome (93.7%) and restrictive lung disease (89.4%) were the most common indications. Majority of NIV users (87%) were applying NIV to > 60% of patients with COPD, and success rate in COPD was reported as over 60% by 93% of users. Oronasal mask (median and IQR 90, 80-100%, respectively) and home care NIV ventilators (median and IQR 50, 10-85%, respectively) were the most commonly utilized equipment. CONCLUSIONS: NIV use in ARF varies based on hospital type, region and, especially, experience of the physician. Although consistent with guidelines and general practice, NIV use can still be improved and increased.

Evaluation of choroidal thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a comparative study.

AIM: To assess choroidal thickness in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and compare them with healthy controls, using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: In this observational, cross-sectional study, choroidal thicknesses of 23 newly severe OSAS patients and 23 body mass index- age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were measured using a high-speed, high-resolution frequency domain-OCT device (λ=840 nm, 26000 A-scans/s, 5 µm axial resolution). All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination before the measurements. OCT measurements were taken at the same time of day (9:00 a.m.), in order to minimize the effects of diurnal variation. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in median choroidal thickness between the OSAS patients (201 µm; range 145-237 µm) and the controls (324 µm; range 296-383 µm; P<0.001). There were significant differences at all measurement points (P<0.001 for all). The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) values were more than 30 in all OSAS patients and the mean AHI was 48.57±6.54. The interexaminer intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the mean choroidal thickness was 0.938 (95%CI, 0.908-0.985) and ICC was greater than 0.90 for all measurement points. CONCLUSION: The decreased choroidal thickness of patients with severe OSAS might be related to the the autonomic disregulation associated with this disease. Further studies are needed to evaluate the etiopathologic relationship between choroidal thickness and OSAS.

[Pulmonary involvement of scleroderma presenting with nodules]. / Nodüllerle seyreden skleroderma akciger tutulumu.

Scleroderma is a generalized connective tissue disease characterised by inflammatory, vascular and fibrotic changes of skin and a variety of internal organs. Pulmonary disease is estimated to occur in 70% to 85% of patients with scleroderma. Lung involvement is usually seen as diffuse and bilateral basilar reticulonodular infiltrates. A 45 year old woman was admitted to the hospital because of coughing for a period one month and detected multiple, diffuse, irregular pulmonary nodules reported in chest computerised tomography. The thickening of the skin of the fingers, face and neck, sclerodactyly and the loss of substance from the finger pad were found in physical examination. No clinical or laboratory findings suggesting malignancy was found. Elevated liver function tests, antinuclear antibody, antimitochondrial antibody and anticentromer antibody were detected in blood analyse. In the bronchoalveolar lavage of the patient whose DLCO was decreased, 61% lymphocyte, 13% eosinophil was seen. The computerised tomography guided lung biopsy was reported as nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, liver biopsy was reported as portal inflammation and fibrosis. With these findings the patient was diagnosed as scleroderma and treated with cyclophosphamid and corticosteroid. At the end of the first month of the treatment nodular lesions were disappeared in the chest computerised tomography. With the unusual radiologic manifestation, scleroderma should be also considered in the etiology of multipl pulmonary nodules.

[The effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy in patients with massive and submassive pulmonary thromboembolism]. / Masif ve submasif pulmoner tromboembolide trombolitik tedavi sonuçlarimiz.

Thrombolytic therapy is the most effective therapy for massive pulmonary embolism (PTE). In this study we evaluated the symptoms, clinical and radiologic features and response to thrombolytic therapy in patients who had massive or submassive PTE. Thrombolytic therapy was administered for a mean period of 3 (1-5) hours to 19 patients with a mean age of 63.7 years who had the diagnosis of PTE based on symptoms which lasted for an average of 72 (2-240) hours and findings of echocardiography, spiral computed tomography (CT) angiography and perfusion scan. The patients to whom heparin infusion and oral anticoagulant treatment were given after thrombolytic therapy were evaluated. Bleeding as a complication was noted in six patients after thrombolytic therapy. Two patients died due to this complication. Control spiral CT angiography was performed to 12 of 15 (80%) patients who were initially diagnosed PTE by spiral CT angiography. While marked regression was noted in 5 (41.7%) patients in the early phase (second week), in 7 (58.3%) patients in the late phase (sixth month) PTE findings were completely disappeared. The median value of pulmonary artery pressure was 65 (45-70) mmHg before and 39.5 (30-45) mmHg after the treatment. Of the genetic factors studied before thrombolytic therapy, antithrombin III deficiency was found as the most common one. This study demonstrates that spiral thorax CT angiography is a very accurate diagnostic tool for the definitive diagnosis and transthoracic echocardiography is very useful for the rapid diagnosis and to decide for thrombolytic therapy, in especially patients who are not hypotensive and have submassive to massive PTE, and support the idea that thrombolytic therapy is life saving after reaching the certain diagnosis.