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Biomedical subjects

E S Edell

Publications and source records attributed to E S Edell.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor in pulmonary and renal circulations during hypoxia.

The pulmonary and renal vasculatures, in contrast to the systemic vasculature, constrict during hypoxia. The endothelium has been implicated in mediating these vascular responses to acute hypoxia via the production of endothelium-derived vasoactive factors. The present study, performed in anesthetized dogs, was designed to investigate the role of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) to attenuate the vasoconstrictor response of the pulmonary and renal circulations during acute hypoxia. In response to hypoxia, pulmonary (2.2 +/- 0.3 to 4.5 +/- 0.6 mmHg.l-1.min) and renal (0.60 +/- 0.07 to 0.90 +/- 0.14 mmHg.ml-1.min) vascular resistances increased. Inhibition of endogenous EDRF with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine resulted in similar increases in pulmonary (3.0 +/- 0.1 to 4.8 +/- 0.4 mmHg.l-1.min) and renal (0.67 +/- 0.07 to 0.90 +/- 0.09 mmHg.ml-1.min) vascular resistances as in hypoxia. However, in the presence of both hypoxia and EDRF inhibition, an exaggerated pulmonary vascular response was observed (2.2 +/- 0.2 to 7.4 +/- 0.9 mmHg.l-1.min), in contrast to the renal vascular response to EDRF inhibition during hypoxia (0.61 +/- 0.05 to 0.95 +/- 0.10 mmHg.ml-1.min), which was not different from hypoxia or EDRF inhibition individually. The endothelium-derived contracting factor endothelin, which modestly increased during hypoxia (11.7 +/- 1.9 to 15.6 +/- 2.4 pg/ml), may also contribute to this vasoconstrictive response to hypoxia. This study suggests in the intact animal that EDRF serves to oppose the pulmonary vasoconstrictor response to hypoxia and further characterizes the role of endothelium-derived factors in the regulation of vascular function during hypoxia.

Animals

Photodynamic therapy in the management of early superficial squamous cell carcinoma as an alternative to surgical resection.

Photodynamic therapy has been used since 1980 at our institution for the management of cancer of the tracheobronchial tree. We identified 13 patients (14 cancers) who were thought to be surgical candidates but who elected to have photodynamic therapy. Thirteen cancers (93 percent) had a complete response to hematoporphyrin-derivative phototherapy. Ten cancers (71 percent) showed a complete response after single treatment, and three (21 percent) required a second course of therapy to achieve a complete response. Ten (77 percent) of 13 cancers have shown no local recurrence. Three patients with persistent cancer underwent surgical resection and were found not to have nodal involvement. We concluded that photodynamic therapy is an alternative to surgical resection in the management of early superficial squamous cell carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

Primary biliary cirrhosis: relation between hepatic function and pulmonary function in patients who never smoked.

We studied the relationship between selected variables of hepatic and pulmonary function in 47 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, who were participating in a prospective study to assess sequential pulmonary function at yearly intervals. An additional 20 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, who were liver transplant candidates awaiting transplantation, were studied. None of the 67 patients ever smoked cigarettes. Severity of primary biliary cirrhosis was characterized by histological stage and the Mayo risk score derived from a Cox regression model that used the following variables: serum bilirubin and serum albumin levels, age, prothrombin time and clinical severity of edema. Pulmonary function assessment included key variables describing expiratory airflow (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec divided by forced vital capacity) and efficiency of gas exchange (steady-state diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide). We found a significant relationship between histological stage of primary biliary cirrhosis and steady-state diffusing capacity (p = 0.02) and between the Mayo risk score for disease severity and steady-state diffusing capacity (p = 0.03). Progressive deterioration of steady-state diffusing capacity was associated with increasing severity of primary biliary cirrhosis. No relationship existed between pulmonary function and the presence of sicca complex or Sjögren's syndrome or the clinical manifestations of portal hypertension (e.g., esophageal varices, ascites and splenomegaly). No significant relationship existed between expiratory airflow and severity of primary biliary cirrhosis. We conclude that in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis who have never smoked, a statistically significant relationship exists between the severity of the liver disease and the efficiency of gas exchange measured by steady-state diffusing capacity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Humans

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica.

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica is an unusual disease of obscure causation characterized by cartilaginous or bony outgrowths into the lumen of the tracheobronchial tree. Our retrospective review of 15 patients, 8 of whom were women, revealed a mean age of 63.5 years. The most common symptoms were cough (66%), hemoptysis (60%), dyspnea on exertion (53%), and wheeze (30%). Thirteen percent of the patients were asymptomatic. Chest radiography was not helpful in the diagnosis. Tracheal tomography revealed typical beaded intraluminal calcification in 4 of the 12 patients tested. Mirror laryngoscopy initially revealed the abnormalities in 30% of the patients, and bronchoscopy confirmed the diagnosis and determined the extent of the disease in all patients. Even though upper airway involvement has been thought to be uncommon, 40% of our patients demonstrated abnormalities of the larynx and upper trachea. Histologic confirmation of heterotopic bone formation was obtained in 60% of the patients. Pulmonary function tests showed mild obstructive lung disease. There were no deaths directly attributable to the disease. Treatments attempted included cryotherapy, laser excision, external beam irradiation, and bronchoscopic removal of the obstructing lesions.

Adult

The assessment of major airway function in a ventilator-dependent patient with tracheomalacia.

A 60-pack-year smoker presented with cough, dyspnea and orthopnea of three months' duration. Spirometry revealed severe reduction in maximal expiratory flow; CT of the chest and bronchoscopy demonstrated expiratory collapse of a mid-tracheal segment, and a presumptive diagnosis of tracheomalacia was made. A right lateral thoracotomy was performed to resect the unstable segment and improve maximal expiratory flow. Diffuse major airway disease with absence of cartilaginous rings from the thoracic inlet to the mainstem bronchi was encountered. The trachea and mainstem bronchi were stented externally. A high resistance to airflow and absence of expiratory flow limitation were present, suggesting a fixed rather than variable intrathoracic obstruction of major airways. This case illustrates some potential pitfalls in preoperative assessment of patients with tracheomalacia. Recordings of airway pressure and flow during mechanical ventilation are useful in distinguishing between fixed and variable intrathoracic obstruction and may complement tests of airway anatomy.

Airway Resistance

Tracheopathia osteoplastica: familial occurrence.

Tracheopathia osteoplastica is an unusual disease characterized by cartilaginous or bony projections into the tracheobronchial lumen, with sparing of the posterior membranous portion of the tracheobronchial tree. The cause of this disorder is unknown. The diagnosis is seldom made because of the chronic and asymptomatic nature of the condition. More than 90% of the cases are diagnosed at postmortem examination. Symptoms may include dyspnea, coughing, hemoptysis, hoarseness, and wheezing. Tomography of the trachea may reveal beaded calcification of the tracheobronchial cartilages. Bronchoscopy is diagnostic. Histologically, the abnormal growths show heterotopic bone formation. No known treatment is available. We describe two female patients, one with hemoptysis and another with asthmalike symptoms, in both of whom bronchoscopy established the diagnosis of tracheopathia osteoplastica. The first patient had recurrent episodes of pneumonia attributable to bronchial obstruction by bony projections. In the second patient, removal of large lesions that obstructed the upper part of the trachea relieved the dyspnea. Of interest is the fact that the first patient was the biologic mother of the second. To our knowledge, this constitutes the first report of familial occurrence of tracheopathia osteoplastica.

Aged

Severe hypoxemia and liver disease.

Severe hypoxemia and orthodeoxia in patients with chronic liver disease is uncommon, but, when present, it is incapacitating. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of alveolar ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) in six patients with mild liver disease and severe hypoxemia (PaO2 at rest in sitting or standing position ranged from 35 to 67 mm Hg). Orthodeoxia was documented with improvement in PaO2 in the supine position in each patient (PaO2 at rest in supine position ranged from 46 to 75 mm Hg). VA/Q distribution was measured by the multiple inert gas elimination technique. The dispersion of VA/Q was increased with small portions of the cardiac output (0.5 to 14.8%) perfusing low VA/Q areas (O less than VA/Q less than 0.1). Another major finding was a large right-to-left shunt (VA/Q less than 0.005) that ranged from 4 to 28%. The VA/Q mismatching and the right-to-left shunt both contributed to the hypoxemia. The predicted PaO2 was 5.5 mm Hg (p less than 0.01) larger than the measured PaO2. In each patient, the mean pulmonary artery pressure was low and the cardiac output was elevated. These results show that the low PaO2 in these patients was due to both increased right-to-left shunt and VA/Q mismatching, but impaired diffusion could not be ruled out.

Adult

Bronchoscopic localization and treatment of occult lung cancer.

The flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope is currently the standard tool for localization of radiographically occult carcinomas of the tracheobronchial tree. It allows direct inspection of proximal airways and can establish the location of most occult lung cancers. A small percentage of patients present with bronchoscopically as well as radiographically occult carcinoma, particularly challenging because definitive localizations is required before a therapeutic plan can be outlined. Selective cytologic brushing of each lobar segment, taking random biopsy specimens, has been used to assist in localization of these early cancers. Recently, fluorescent compounds have been used to assist in localizing early lung cancers and in the treatment of radiographically occult carcinoma. We review the current methods of bronchoscopic localization and treatment of radiographically occult lung cancer.

Bronchoscopy

Combined effects of hematoporphyrin derivative phototherapy and adriamycin in a murine tumor model.

Hematoporphyrin derivative phototherapy (HpD-PT) is currently being used experimentally in the treatment of various malignancies. The effectiveness of HpD-PT appears to be limited to superficial malignancies because of its inability to penetrate more than 0.5-1 cm. The mechanism of action has been demonstrated to result from the formation of toxic singlet oxygen and other oxygen radicals. Preliminary work suggested that the addition of other chemical agents known to produce toxic oxygen radicals may enhance the effect of HpD-PT. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effectiveness of HpD-PT in the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma with and without Adriamycin. Tumor kill was estimated by calculating the area of necrosis on photomicrographic sections. From this area, a radius of tumor necrosis was determined and compared among various control and experimental groups. HpD-PT was effective in this model when compared to control groups (radius of necrosis 3.79 +/- 0.97 mm vs. 2.60 +/- 1.26 mm, P less than .05). The addition of Adriamycin significantly increased the radius of necrosis when compared to HpD-PT (4.57 +/- 1.70 mm vs. 3.69 +/- 0.97 mm, P less than .01). From this work we conclude that HpD-PT demonstrates effective tumor killing in this murine model. The addition of Adriamycin significantly increased tumor kill.

Animals

Bronchoscopic phototherapy with hematoporphyrin derivative for treatment of localized bronchogenic carcinoma: a 5-year experience.

Between December 1980 and April 1986 at our institution, 38 patients with cancer that involved the tracheobronchial tree (a total of 40 carcinomas) completed at least one course of hematoporphyrin derivative phototherapy. A complete response occurred in 13 patients (with 14 carcinomas). Eleven of these carcinomas did not recur during follow-up periods that ranged from 3 to 53 months. Three carcinomas recurred at 9, 12, and 35 months, respectively. For 26 carcinomas, the response was less than complete, and alternative therapy was necessary. The carcinomas in patients with a complete response were radiographically occult, were less than 3 cm2 in surface area, and appeared superficial at bronchoscopy. Our experience supports the use of hematoporphyrin derivative phototherapy as an alternative to surgical resection in carefully selected patients.

Adult