Biomedical subjects

M Tsiamita

Publications and source records attributed to M Tsiamita.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Carcinoid tumour behind bronchiectasis.

This report describes a female patient with bronchiectasis, presented to our department with recurrent hemoptysis. Bronchoscopy revealed nothing else but blood arising from the upper lobe bronchus. High resolution computing tomography of the lung (HRCT) revealed bronchiectasis of the upper lobe. A right upper lobectomy was performed. Behind bronchiectasis multiple nodular lesions, 5-10 mm were observed. Histological and immunohistochemical examination revealed findings consistent with peripheral typical bronchial carcinoids.

Bronchi↗

PubMed2005

Accuracy of pulmonary function tests in predicted exercise capacity in COPD patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine exercise tolerance in patients with COPD from measurements of resting pulmonary function parameters. METHODS: A total of 57 COPD patients were administered the pulmonary function test (PFT) and cardiopulmonary exercise test. The results were analyzed and essentially linear relationships emerged when each subject's VO2 peak was plotted against his individual PFT parameters. Those significant contributors were then introduced in a stepwise multiple regression analysis to determine the best predictor of the VO2 peak. RESULTS: Stepwise multiple regressions in variables revealed that peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) was predicted best by the following equation: VO2 peak=(maximum voluntary ventilation x 0.024)+(forced mid-expiratory flow x 0.47)+(body surface area x 0.988)-0.913 (r=0.90; r2=0.81 SE=0.29 L/min). CONCLUSION: We conclude that exercise capacity was predicted from measurements of resting pulmonary function parameters with excellent accuracy in the COPD patient.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Can high resolution computed tomography predict lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is a useful method for quantifying the extent of emphysema. Few reports have mentioned the relationships between HRCT scans and pulmonary function tests in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For diagnosis, COPD requires chronic airflow limitation and emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis. We examined 20 who were previous smokers with middle to moderate COPD. All were normocapnic with mean arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) 77,52 +/- 16,789 mmHg. Forced spirometry, somatic plethysmography and cardiopulmonary exercise test were performed in each patient. HRCT was performed in both full inspiration and full expiration at three levels through the upper (at the aortic arch), lower (2 cm above the diaphragm), and middle lung (midpoint between upper and lower) levels. During expiration all pulmonary function parameters correlated with the HRCT grade in the middle right and left part of the lungs. The middle right part of the lung during expiration correlated statistically significant with MVV (r = -0.681, p = 0.001), forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = -0.477, p = 0.027), forced expiratory volumein 1 sec (FEV1) (r = -0.632, p = 0.002), resistance (r = 0.674, p = 0.001), residual volume (RV) (r = 0.733, p = 0.001), total lung capacity (TLC) (r = 0.696, p = 0.001), functional residual capacity (FRC) (r = 0.752, p = 0.001) and peak oxygen consumption during exercise (VO2) (r = -0.493, p = 0.023). The middle left part of the lung during expiration correlated statistically significant with MVV (r = -0.673, p = 0.001), FVC (r = -0.493, p = 0.027), FEV1 (r = -0.629, p = 0.003), resistance (r = 0.593,p = 0.005), RV (r = 0.601, p = 0.005), TLC (r = 0.546, p = 0.012), FRC (r = 0.594, p = 0.006) and peak VO2 (r = -0.525, p = 0.015). Forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1), which is a well-established measure of airflow obstruction, correlated with the HRCT grade (1) in the middle left part of the lung during inspiration (r = -0.468, p = 0.035) and during expiration (r = - 0.629, p = 0.003) (2) in the lower right lung during inspiration (r = -0.567, p = 0.007) and during expiration (r = -0.558, p = 0.008) (3) in the lower left lung during inspiration (r = -0.542, p = 0.011) and during expiration (r = -0.558, p = 0.008) (4) in the upper right lung during expiration (r = -0.469, p = 0.037) (5) in the upper left lung during expiration (r = -0.463, p = 0.035) and (6) in the middle right lung during expiration (r = -0.632, p = 0.002). According to our results HRCT was a valuable tool for evaluating the severity of COPD--especially the middle right and left part of the lungs, during expiration--and correlated well with pulmonary function tests.

Exercise Test↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Increased levels of albumin in bronchial washing fluid of patients with bronchial carcinoma. Could albumin be considered as a tumor marker?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of albumin in bronchial washing fluid (BWF) and its relationship to three tumor markers (CEA, CA 19-9 and NSE). METHODS: Serum and BWF samples were collected in a group of 60 patients. Albumin and tumor markers in the BWF and serum of three groups: a control group (CG), a chronic bronchitis group (CBG) and a lung cancer group (CaG), were analyzed in a prospective cross-sectional study. The diagnostic yields of the tests in each environment (serum and BWF) were evaluated by using as cutoff points the values of the corresponding 90th percentile of CG and CBG taken together. RESULTS: A significant difference in albumin level (p < 0.001) was noted in the BWF of patients with cancer compared with the other two groups. In addition, a significant difference in CEA level (p < 0.001) was observed in the serum of cancer patients compared with the other two groups. The cutoff values for CEA in serum and albumin in BWF were 2.20 ng/mL and 2.00 g/dL, respectively. The areas under the corresponding ROC curves were 93% and 97%. Combination of CEA-serum and albumin-BWF by logistic regression analysis increased their diagnostic value. CONCLUSION: Measurement of albumin levels in BWF could be a useful additional diagnostic tool to differentiate malignant from non-malignant lung diseases. Moreover, the combined measurement of CEA in serum and albumin in BWF could be of aid in the follow-up of lung cancer patients.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Recurrent catamenial hemothorax.

Endometriosis is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain and infertility affecting women of reproductive age, but the disease in rare conditions may be extragenital so may be present with a variety of symptoms. This is a report of an unusual case of pelvic endometriosis that presented with a recurrent hemothorax.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An unusual presentation of tuberculosis.

We describe a case of a male with no symptoms and normal chest X ray, diagnosed with TB. The chest computed tomography revealed a cavity formation on the upper left lobe.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Drug-resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Patras, Greece.

BACKGROUND: The global distribution of drug resistant tuberculosis reflects the quality of tuberculosis control worldwide and is still a major public health-problem. To our knowledge, no data exists in literature about resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs in Greece. METHODS: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of resistance to the main anti-tuberculosis drugs in newly and previously treated tuberculosis patients, in the region of Patras, in Greece and to evaluate the contribution of foreign-born and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive cases to drug resistance. RESULTS: A total of 207 initial isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were analysed. All clinical specimens submitted for cultural diagnosis were collected before chemotherapy commenced. The age of the patients varied from 16 to 78 years old. Sex distribution was 144 males (69.56%) and 63 females (30.43%). Nineteen patients (9.17%) were recent immigrants in Greece. All the patients were HIV-negative. One hundred-one initial isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (48.79%) were susceptible to all first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs, isoniazid, streptomycin, ethambutol and rifampicin. The prevalence of primary mono- and poly-drug resistance was lower (isoniazid 5.79%, streptomycin 4.34%, ethambutol 1.93%, isoniazid + streptomycin 3.38%, isoniazid + ethambutol 0.9%, isoniazid + streptomycin + ethambutol 1.44%) when compared with the prevalence of secondary (acquired) mono- and poly-drug resistance (isoniazid 8.69%, streptomycin 10.14%, ethambutol 3.86%, isoniazid + streptomycin 3.86%, isoniazid + rifampicin 1.44%, isoniazid + streptomycin + ethambutol 4.83%, isoniazid + streptomycin + rifampicin 1.44%). No primary mono - resistance to rifampicin, or primary multi - drug resistance (defined here as Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: According to our data, overall drug resistance was high. Fortunately, multi-drug resistance tuberculosis was not common but special efforts are needed to monitor the prevalence of drug resistance and to ensure adequate treatment in all the population.

Adolescent↗