[Contemporary therapeutic methods for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. / Soucasné postupy v lécbe stabilizované chronické obstrukcní nemoci plicní.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CHOPN) has worldwide increasing prevalence and mortality. It represents significant medicinal and also economical problem. With the rising incidence of CHOPN both the direct and indirect costs are increasing. World initiative (GOLD) struggles to improve prevention and treatment of CHOPN. Present recommendations relay on the proved findings on the pathogenesis of CHOPN and from the contemporary experience with the most effective therapy.

[Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis]. / Plícní alveolární mikrolitiáza.

The authors present two of their own observations where, based on the clinical course of the disease and the X-ray finding, they diagnosed the condition as pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis. They present a review of the literature as regards new views on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of the condition. They evaluate the contribution of scintigraphy 99 mTc, bronchial lavage and X-ray methods with a high differentiating capacity (HRCT). As regards therapeutic possibilities, transplantation of the lungs should be considered in advanced stages of the disease.

[Symptoms of diseases of the respiratory system and their importance in diagnosis. Summary and conclusions of research]. / Príznaky chorob dýchacího ústrojí a jejich význam pro diagnózu. Souhrn a závery vyzkumného úkolu.

The status in the sphere of diagnosis of respiratory diseases and the revealed shortcomings in this area stimulated workers of the First Clinic for TB and Respiratory Diseases to elaborate two investigations, the aim of which was to reveal in the course of the eighties (1983-1988) the most important problems in the diagnostic process and thus contribute to the improvement of the present state. Another task was to record developmental trends as regards the contents of the discipline of pneumology. A relatively large number of patients (2207 subjects) and the period of investigation made it possible to draw some general conclusions. The results proved persisting shortcomings, in particular a slow diagnostic process which e.g. in bronchogenic carcinoma and some other diseases very much restricts effective treatment and in TB there is the danger of infection of the healthy population. From this ensue necessary provisions at all levels of medical care (in particular comprehensive examinations of patients, interdisciplinary collaboration, improved preventive provisions and attention paid to changes in the frequency and clinical picture of lung diseases as a result of different factors).

[Bronchopulmonary changes in patients with idiopathic intestinal inflammation]. / Bronchopulmonální zmeny u nemocných s idiopatickými strevními zánety.

The authors examined a total of 64 patients with idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases, 33 patients with Crohn's disease and 31 patients with proctocolitis to assess the possible frequency of pulmonary complications. An impaired ventilation was recorded in 33% patients with Crohn's disease and 25% patients who proctocolitis, in both groups an obstructive ventilation disorder predominated. In four patients (12.5%) with Crohn's disease cytological examination of bronchoalveolar lavage revealed alveolitis. The authors draw attention to relatively frequent bronchopulmonary complications of non-specific inflammatory bowel disease which are usually clinically silent.

[Initial experience with high-resolution computer tomography in diffuse pulmonary diseases]. / První zkusenosti s výpocetní tomografií s vysokou rozlisovací schopností (HRCT) u difúzních plicních onemocnení.

The authors describe their initial experience with the use of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in diffuse lung diseases. They analyze in detail the examination technique, different parameters of the visualization modus, aiming of the scan and the standard procedure in HRCT examinations. They demonstrate also the picture of normal anatomical structures on HRCT pictures and morphological types of changes reflecting pathological processes in the pulmonary parenchyma. In a group of 21 patients the most frequent disease was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or suspected fibrosis, suspected carcinomatous lymphopathy, pulmonary emphysema incl. the vanishing lung syndrome, exogenous allergic alveolitis and alveolar microlithiasis, diffuse pulmonary affections in collagenoses and Crohn's disease. When the clinical findings are considered concurrently, the HRCT picture is fairly pathognomic and contributes to the establishment of the final diagnosis. In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis CT and HRCT give a more accurate idea of the extent, grade and frequently also stage of the disease, and as compared with a simple X-ray of the chest, it is a more accurate and more sensitive method. It may be assumed that gradually it will become a standard examination method in diffuse pulmonary diseases.