PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Emilio Marangio

Publications and source records attributed to Emilio Marangio.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Inhaled corticosteroid therapy in adults with asthma. Current evidences].

Different international guidelines recommend the early introduction of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and their regular use to gain clinical and functional control of persistent asthma. There is now evidence that the starting dose of all ICS is lower than previously regarded. Initial moderate ICS doses appear to be more effective than an initial low ICS dose. The lowest effective dose should always be seeked by a step-down procedure. More than 90% of benefit is achieved by approximately a daily regular dose of 200 microg of fluticasone or 400 microg of beclomethasone or budesonide. The beneficial effects of increasing the dose of ICS alone appear to be modest in most cases. Intermittent ICS therapy has been successfully used in the long term treatment of mild asthma. In general, twice-daily administration of ICS provides greater therapeutic benefit than a once-daily regimen in moderate asthma. When asthma control has been obtained, a once-daily regimen can be tried. In clinical practice, this has the potential advantage of increasing patients' compliance. Chlorofluorocarbon-free formulations of old ICS have also remarkably improved their clinical efficacy mainly through an increased peripheral deposition pattern. Despite some limitations due to poor response in neutrophilic asthma and to potential systemic side effects, ICS will certainly be the cornerstone of asthma therapy even the next future.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2004

Cardiorespiratory response to walk in multiple sclerosis patients.

To ascertain whether fatigue perception is linked to exertion dyspnea and/or to an impaired cardiorespiratory response during walk, 11 patients (8 females, age range 21-46 years) with multiple sclerosis (MS) and mild disability underwent the 6-min walk test. Ten healthy subjects (7 females, age range 25-49 years) were studied, as a control group. Patients did not differ from controls in spirometry, lung volumes and respiratory muscle strength. There was a significant difference in walk distance between patients and controls (P<0.001), but not in dyspnea perception. In patients, the walk distance significantly related to disability score (P<0.01), but not to fatigue. Compared to controls, patients had a significant decrease in oxygen pulse during walk (P<0.05) and a significant increase in the ventilatory equivalent of CO2 both at baseline and during walk (P<0.05). The relative contribution of both the tidal volume and of the ratio of inspiratory to total breathing cycle duration to the increase in minute ventilation during walk was significantly less in patients, as compared to controls (P<0.05). We conclude that in MS patients with mild disability, fatigue and exertion dyspnea are different sensations without any link and a peripheral limitation during walk can occur.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Induced sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immunologically induced inflammation of the lung parenchyma, though bronchial airways may be also involved. The aim of this study was to compare the cellular profiles of induced sputum (IS) in patients with newly diagnosed HP to that of healthy subjects, and to examine the relationship between inflammatory cells from IS and BAL. METHODS: Nine HP patients and 9 healthy volunteers were studied. IS was obtained by inhalation of hypertonic saline solution in all subjects. Bronchoscopy was performed on a different occasion in all patients and in five controls. RESULTS: IS was well tolerated and preferred to BAL by all subjects. Both IS and BAL from HP patients showed a significant increase in total cells (P < 0.02 and P < 0.001) and in lymphocytes (P < 0.02 and P < 0.001) and a significant decrease in macrophages (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001), when compared with normal subjects. In HP patients, total cells number in IS was higher than that in BAL (P < 0.02). Moreover, the percentage of lymphocytes was significantly lower in IS than in BAL (P < 0.001). No significant relationship was found between total cells or inflammatory cells from IS and the corresponding ones from BAL and wide limits of agreement were found between lymphocytes from IS and BAL. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that both BAL and IS from newly diagnosed HP patients contained significantly more total cells and lymphocytes, when compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, differential cell counts in HP patients showed that IS and BAL reflected different compartments of inflammation. Thus, IS could represent a complementary, but not alternative tool to bronchoscopy both in research and in the clinical monitoring of HP patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

The lung in immune-mediated disorder: rheumatoid arthritis.

Various pleuro-pulmonary abnormalities are known to complicate vascular collagen diseases, particularly, rheumatoid arthritis. Each component of the respiratory system is affected, either separately or in combination. Although most pulmonary complications appear in an established case of collagen vascular disease, in certain conditions, the lung disease precedes the more typical manifestation. While some complications are asymptomatic and tend to be resolved spontaneously (for e.g. pleuritis and rheumatoid nodules), others may cause severe or fatal conditions (interstitial pneumonia and constrictive bronchiolitis). The incidence of interstitial lung disease is increasing in vascular collagen disease. This may be mainly attributed to the increase use of invasive techniques such as bronchoscopy and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and in part due to the use of high resolution computed tomography, and functional pulmonary tests.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed2004

Pleural involvement in systemic disorders.

The collagen vascular diseases are a heterogeneous group of immunologically-mediated inflammatory disorders. Frequently, these diseases affect organ systems outside the thorax as their primary manifestation, but may involve the pleura as a single presenting feature, as part of multisystem involvement, or as an isolated manifestation of a disease that is otherwise quiescent. In this article, we review the manifestations of respiratory disease caused by rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease, Sjogren's syndrome, Wegener's granulomatosis, and sarcoidosis.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed2003

[Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis? Diagnostic role of high resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT)].

PURPOSE: In the diagnosis of extrinsic allergic alveolitis, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is more sensitive and more specific than radiography; however, the accuracy of HRCT is not absolute. The role of HRCT in this field has scarcely been investigated in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities of HRCT in this field and to analyse the correlations between HRCT and functional parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective blind evaluation the HRCT scans of 24 patients (19 males and 5 females). Twelve were affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF); 12 had chronic extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) or hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The HRCT findings were studied by two radiologists, who were not aware of the diagnoses. The possible differences in evaluation were subsequently resolved by consensus. In the presence of interstitial fibrosis, we recorded the prevailing site and the anatomical extension (with the method of the visual percentage score, described in the literature). In all the cases, we recorded the blood gas values (PaO2, PaCO2, and pH), total lung capacity (TLC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), Vital Capacity (VC), Tiffeneau index (FEV1/VC) and monoxide carbon diffusion (DLCO). The statistical significance of the correlations was investigated using the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests. Student "t"-test and Pearson's chi squared were used to compare the variables of the different groups. A value of p< or =0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Overall, the diagnosis was formulated with a high degree of confidence in 13 of 24 cases (54.1%); in these patients, the result was correct in 84.6% of cases (11 of 13). In the diagnosis of EAA, HRCT sensitivity was 50%, with 91.6% specificity, 70.8% accuracy. In the diagnosis of IPF, HRCT sensitivity was 75%, with 83.3% specificity, 79.1% accuracy. The HRCT signs of interstitial fibrosis were visible in 11 cases of IPF (91.6%) and in 4 cases of EAA (33.3%), with significant statistical difference (p<0.005). In the analysis of the whole series (24 patients) we found a significant inverse correlation between the HRCT score of fibrosis and the extension of the areas with air-trapping (p<0.003). There was no significant difference between IPF and EAA considering age, FEV1, PaO2, PaCO2 and pH. We found inverse correlation (p<0.001) between HRCT extension of the fibrosis and DLCO. There was a significant difference between pulmonary fibrosis and extrinsic allergic alveolitis considering TLC (in average, respectively: 65% and 84.3%; p<0.02), and DLCO (respectively 40.4% and 74.7%; p<0.03). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: HRCT is a reliable and strong method to be used in particularly complex fields. We found signs of interstitial fibrosis more frequently in IPF than in EAA (91.6% versus 33.3%). In IPF cases, the extension of the fibrosis--evaluated with the visual score method--was higher then in EAA (34.7% versus 6%). The presence of fibrosis with basal and peripheral distribution was characteristic of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, with good sensitivity and specificity (75%), whereas in chronic extrinsic allergic alveolitis the areas of fibrosis often presented an irregular and heterogeneous distribution, in 91.6% of cases. However, 25% of extrinsic allergic alveolitis cases had a distribution mimicking idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The presence of areas with increased ground-glass opacity is more common in EAA than in IPF (66.6% versus 33.3%). Areas of mosaic attenuation, visible in inspiratory CT scans, are not rare in IPF (41.6% of cases), and generally have a basal distribution. The presence of hyperlucent lobules inside the fibrotic areas does not exclude the diagnosis of IPF. The finding of the expiratory air-trapping is more common in chronic EAA than in IPF, and the extension of this areas is greater in EAA (17.3% versus 6.5%). We found an inverse correlation between the extension of the fibrosis and the expiratory trapping. Signs of emphysema were observed in 25% of cases, wiema were observed in 25% of cases, with equal prevalence and the same extension in IPF and in EAA. All patients were smokers or ex-smokers. Smoking has not been demonstrated to have a protective effect against EAA. The areas of mosaic perfusion during inspiration do not represent a sound criterion for the differential diagnosis between IPF and chronic EAA. In fact, they can also be frequently found in IPF. HRCT can be employed in clinical practice for the differential diagnosis between IPF and chronic EAA with good (but not absolute) accuracy.

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗
PubMed2003

Inhaled steroids and airway remodelling in asthma.

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration and by some long-lasting structural changes of bronchial wall, defined as airway remodelling. Airway remodelling can significantly affect two important functional characteristics of asthma, i.e. airway hyperresponsiveness and bronchial obstruction reversibility. Airway remodelling might be responsible for most of the inter-individual variability of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and might also determine the irreversible component of the airway obstruction, sometimes detectable in asthmatic patients. Among anti-asthma drugs, inhaled steroids are the most effective on inflammation and remodelling of airway wall. Recent evidences indicate that high doses of inhaled corticosteroids can significantly reduce not only inflammatory cells but also some components of airway remodelling, such as the increased airway wall vascularity and the basement membrane thickness. Conversely, low doses of inhaled corticosteroids can significantly act only on airway cell infiltration.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2003

[Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterised by a progressive decline in lung function, reduced exercise performance, and worsening of health status. Exacerbations are important clinical events in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and are defined as sudden worsening of respiratory symptoms and function requiring medical intervention. The most common causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations are bacterial or viral infections, but comorbidity may be important. A major issue is the decision regarding home management or hospital management of exacerbations. Because of exacerbations, a frequent assessment of severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is required for targeting pharmacological therapy.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pulmonary function testing in interstitial lung diseases.

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are functionally characterized by a restrictive ventilatory defect due to a reduced distensibility of the lung parenchyma. ILD patients also show a reduced exercise tolerance, the main factors limiting exercise capacity being ventilatory and gas exchange abnormalities. Functional abnormalities in ILDs are typical, but not specific. Despite the fact that different lung function patterns have been described among ILDs, they overlap and their practical application to differentiate ILDs is poor. Resting pulmonary function and exercise-induced hypoxemia can aid in defining the prognosis of ILDs and in referring patients for lung transplantation. Additionally, spirometry and diffusing capacity are useful to monitor the response of patients to therapy.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychological implications of respiratory health and disease.

The possibility that a subject's psychological status may influence respiratory sensations and that chronic respiratory disease may have psychological consequences has sparked great interest among clinicians and researchers. This paper reviews the existing research on the association between respiratory symptom perception and the psychological status and between chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and psychological disturbances. Moreover, it focuses on the role of stressful events in determining asthma exacerbations. The recent literature suggests that in patients with chronic respiratory diseases, the evaluation of breathlessness perception, psychological disturbances and the recording of any stressful events should be considered as relevant as the physical and functional assessment of respiration.

Chronic Disease↗