BACKGROUND In cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, it has been suggested that systemic inflammation may be an important risk factor for poor health outcomes. The relationship of plasma inflammatory biomarkers to lung function and hospitalization history remains largely unexplored. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 58 consecutive, clinically stable adults from the CF Clinic at St. Paul's H...

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a widespread necrotizing vasculitis affecting small vessels characterized by nonthrombocytopenic purpura. Pulmonary involvement is a rare fatal complication with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage. The objective of this study was to evaluate possible early lung function abnormalities and to establish any relationship with the clinical activity of the disease. Fifteen...

Background: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects synovial joints and causes joint damage due to stresses caused by an abnormality in any of the synovial joint tissues, including articular cartilage, subchondral bone, ligaments, menisci, periarticular muscles, peripheral nerves, and synovium. Objectives: To compare the effect of Sensory Motor Training versus Impairment Ba...

Sepsis predisposes the host to a number of infectious sequelae, particularly the development of nosocomial pneumonia. Mechanisms by which sepsis results in impairment of lung antibacterial host defense have not been well defined. Alveolar macrophages (AM) represent important immune effector cells of the lung airspace. In this study, we examined the effects of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) o...

cromolyn sodium, a mast cell stabilizing agent, provides an immediate protective effect against the exercise-induced bronchoconstriction while being used before the exercise. however, cromolyn is ineffective in reversing asthmatic bronchospasm; it is used as a maintenance therapy and has a prophylactic role in chronic asthma.    the purpose of this study was to determine the extent of change in...

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between radiographically detectable pleural changes and lung function in pleural asbestosis. One hundred and twenty chrysotile asbestos-exposed workers were enrolled in this retrospective study. For each examinee the length of asbestos exposure and the degree of dust cover at the workplace were assessed as well as the radiological and functi...

Background Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with variable natural history and prognosis. Several definitions SSc-ILD progression have been proposed including minimal clinical important worsening forced vital capacity (FVC MCIW), EUropean Scleroderma Trials Research group (EUSTAR) progression, Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical (OMERACT)...