Hyperosmolar saline has been used for many years for sputum induction as an aid to diagnosing lower respiratory infections, especially tuberculosis.1 More recently 7% saline has been used as a therapeutic aerosol to assist airways clearance in persons with cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis. Studies have shown that the regular, twice daily inhalation of 7% saline aerosol is safe for...

1 Spruit MA, Singh SJ, Garvey C, et al. An official American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society statement: key concepts and advances in pulmonary rehabilitation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2013; 188: e13–e64. 2 Vanfleteren LE, Spruit MA, Groenen M, et al. Clusters of comorbidities based on validated objective measurements and systemic inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive ...

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a comprehensive intervention designed to improve the physical and psychological condition of people with chronic respiratory disease and promote the long-term adherence to health-enhancing behaviours. During the 2013 European Respiratory Society Annual Congress in Barcelona, Spain, a Clinical Year in Review session was held focusing on the latest developments in pulm...

OBJECTIVES Although patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who adhere to a pulmonary rehabilitation program are better able to manage their illness and experience a better health-related quality of life, pulmonary rehabilitation remains underused. This study aims to describe the experiences of patients who are in a pulmonary rehabilitation program, and explore the perception...

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is part of the recommended management plan of pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) and is important to better quality of life and exercise tolerance. This study aimed at determining effectiveness of PR on exercise capacity. Retrospective chart analysis was conducted on patients referred to our PHTN clinic for PR. Patients who had PHTN diagnosed on right heart catheterizat...

M ore than one of every five persons in the United States has cardiovascular disease. Despite the declining mortality rate due to cardiovascular illness observed since 1950,43% of all deaths are currently attributed to cardiovascular causes. Mortality among the 1.5 million persons who have a myocardial infarction (MI) accounts for more than 485 000 deaths annually. The morbidity and subsequent ...

BACKGROUND The impact of short-term preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation on exercise capacity of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease undergoing lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer is evaluated. METHODS A prospective observational study was designed. Inclusion criteria consisted of an indication to lung resection because of a clinical stage I or II non-small cell lung can...

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation can improve the functional capacity, but has a variable effect on the low fat-free mass (FFM) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Hypothesis: Pulmonary rehabilitation would not affect catabolic drives such as systemic inflammation and also protein breakdown. Methods: Patients (n = 40) were studied at the start of an 8-week in-patient pulm...

BACKGROUND Pulmonary rehabilitation can improve the functional capacity, but has a variable effect on the low fat-free mass (FFM) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. HYPOTHESIS Pulmonary rehabilitation would not affect catabolic drives such as systemic inflammation and also protein breakdown. METHODS Patients (n = 40) were studied at the start of an 8-week in-patient pul...