1/239. mucoepidermoid tumor of trachea.Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the trachea is rare. Its occurence in a 14-year-old boy is reported here. This case illustrates the typical course of tracheal tumors with clinical manifestations of cough, wheezing, and hemoptysis, the intially reported normal chest roentgenogram, and the common failure to diagnose tracheal tumor for several months. Early use of tomographic studies and bronchoscopic examination in any person with recent onset of airway obstruction unresponsive to bronchodilator therapy is recommended.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/239. Pseudo-steroid resistant asthma.BACKGROUND: Steroid resistant asthma (SRA) represents a small subgroup of those patients who have asthma and who are difficult to manage. Two patients with apparent SRA are described, and 12 additional cases who were admitted to the same hospital are reviewed. methods: The subjects were selected from a tertiary hospital setting by review of all asthma patients admitted over a two year period. Subjects were defined as those who failed to respond to high doses of bronchodilators and oral glucocorticosteroids, as judged by subjective assessment, audible wheeze on examination, and serial peak flow measurements. RESULTS: In 11 of the 14 patients identified there was little to substantiate the diagnosis of severe or steroid resistant asthma apart from symptoms and upper respiratory wheeze. Useful tests to differentiate this group of patients from those with severe asthma appear to be: the inability to perform reproducible forced expiratory manoeuvres, normal airway resistance, and a concentration of histamine causing a 20% fall in the forced expiratory volume (FEV1) being within the range for normal subjects (PC20). Of the 14 subjects, four were health care staff and two reported childhood sexual abuse. CONCLUSION: Such patients are important to identify as they require supportive treatment which should not consist of high doses of glucocorticosteroids and beta2 adrenergic agonists. Diagnoses other than asthma, such as gastro-oesophageal reflux, hyperventilation, vocal cord dysfunction and sleep apnoea, should be sought as these may be a cause of glucocorticosteroid treatment failure and pseudo-SRA, and may respond to alternative treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.31602497796791keywords = upper (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/239. Occupational asthma and contact dermatitis in a spray painter after introduction of an aziridine cross-linker.A 23-year-old spray painter developed contact dermatitis and respiratory difficulty characterized by small airways obstruction shortly after the polyfunctional aziridine cross-linker CX-100 began to be used in his workplace as a paint activator. The symptoms resolved after he was removed from the workplace and was treated with inhaled and topical steroids. Painters may have an increased risk of asthma due to exposure to a variety of agents, such as isocyanates, alkyd resins, and chromates. This case illustrates the importance of using appropriate work practices and personal protective equipment to minimize exposure. Occupational asthma is diagnosed by a history of work-related symptoms and exposure to known causative agents. The diagnosis is confirmed by serial pulmonary function testing or inhalational challenge testing. The risk of asthma attributable to occupational exposures is probably underappreciated due to underreporting and to inappropriate use of narrow definitions of exposure in epidemiologic studies of attributable risk.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.76338120050665keywords = pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/239. A smoker with paroxysmal dyspnea.A 40-year-old woman who had experienced recurring episodes of dyspnea for 28 years presented to the emergency department with increasing shortness of breath, wheezing, and dry cough of three days' duration. She had been seen at another hospital shortly after symptoms began but left against medical advice. She did not have fever, chills, or other symptoms of upper respiratory infection.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.31602497796791keywords = upper (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/239. bronchiectasis: the 'other' obstructive lung disease.bronchiectasis belongs to the family of chronic obstructive lung diseases, even though it is much less common than asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. Clinical features of these entities overlap significantly. The triad of chronic cough, sputum production, and hemoptysis always should bring bronchiectasis to mind as a possible cause. Chronic airway inflammation leads to bronchial dilation and destruction, resulting in recurrent sputum overproduction and pneumonitis. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, any potential predisposing conditions should be aggressively sought. The relapsing nature of bronchiectasis can be controlled with antibiotics, chest physiotherapy, inhaled bronchodilators, proper hydration, and good nutrition. In rare circumstances, surgical resection or bilateral lung transplantation may be the only option available for improving quality of life. prognosis is generally good but varies with the underlying syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/239. vocal cord dysfunction in a child.vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) involves paradoxical adduction of the vocal cord during the respiratory cycle. This usually occurs during inspiration, but can also be seen in expiration. Vocal cord appositioning produces airflow obstruction sufficient to cause wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. These symptoms often imitate the respiratory alterations of asthma, thus leading to inappropriate treatment; intubation or tracheotomy may prove necessary. An 11-year-old girl was admitted with intractable dyspnea. She had been diagnosed with atopic asthma, although she failed to respond to an increase in antiasthma medication, including high-dose oral steroids. Flow-volume loops were abnormal, with evidence of variable extrathoracic airway obstruction, manifested as a flat inspiratory loop. No structural abnormalities were seen with either computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fibroscopy revealed paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords during the respiratory cycle, no obstructive disorder being observed. After the diagnosis of VCD, the clinical manifestations resolved with psychiatric treatment. Adduction was not demonstrable at repeat fibroscopy after treatment. VCD may simulate bronchial asthma; it may also be associated with that disorder, thus masking the diagnosis. It should be suspected in patients with recurrent wheezing who fail to respond to usual asthma treatment. An early diagnosis avoids unnecessary aggressive management. Treatment should consist of respiratory and phonatory exercises; psychotherapy may be useful.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/239. Sensitization to triglycidylisocyanurate (TGIC) with cutaneous and respiratory manifestations.The case is presented of a man with allergic contact dermatitis and occupational asthma due to triglycidylisocyanurate (TGIC), which is used as a hardener in thermosetting powder paint. The contact dermatitis was confirmed by patch testing (TGIC 0.5% and 5% in petrolatum), and the occupational asthma was confirmed by bronchial provocation testing: two challenges to an aerosol of lactose containing TGIC (0.05% and 0.1%, w/w, each for 0.5 1 2 4 min) led to a maximal decrease in FEV1 of 22% and 31% after 6 and 4 h, respectively. skin prick tests with unconjugated TGIC were possibly positive. This case confirms that exposure to TGIC in powder paints may cause not only contact dermatitis, but also occupational asthma.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.25446040016888keywords = pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/239. Rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma provoked by Asticot maggots.Asticot maggots are used as bait by anglers fishing the rivers, reservoirs and coastal waters of spain. We report the case of a male patient, a keen angler, who used this bait on weekends and suffered allergic reactions that affected his conjunctiva and respiratory system for years. Other baits (earthworms, Eisemia foetida) did not elicit this reaction. In order to confirm the allergic reaction, we used maggots in vivo in the Prick Test, obtaining a positive reaction in 15 to 30 minutes. The patient also had an allergic reaction to house dust mites in prick test. To a lesser extent, he also was sensitive to certain grass pollens (Lollium perenne) and seafood (prawns and squid).- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.12723020008444keywords = pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/239. asthma due to inhaled chemical agents--the macrolide antibiotic spiramycin.One year after starting work in the pharmaceutical industry a 35-year-old non-atopic maintenance engineer developed attacks of sneezing, coughing and breathlessness. These occurred at home during the evening and early morning, never at work during the day. His employment involved contact with a wide variety of chemical agents including the macrolide antibiotic spiramycin. inhalation challenge tests carried out in hospital with gradually increasing quantities of spiramycin reproduced his symptoms and led to the development of late asthmatic reactions, during which the FEV1 fell by 25% and the FEV1/FVC ratio by 15%. No change occurred in the single breath CO transfer factor nor were crepitations heard over the lung fields which remained normal on chest X-ray. The patient showed positive immediate skin prick tests to spiramycin and developed blood eosinophilia during the late asthma attacks. inhalation of sodium cromoglycate either before, or before and hourly after the provocation challenge for 6 hr, failed to prevent the late asthma, although its onset was further delayed. On leaving the pharmaceutical industry the patient's symptoms improved but did not finally clear until his wife, who had worked in a clerical capacity in the same factory also ceased her employment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/239. Seven cases of complete and incomplete forms of churg-strauss syndrome not related to leukotriene receptor antagonists.BACKGROUND: Various forms of churg-strauss syndrome have been reported in association with the use of leukotriene receptor antagonists in asthmatic patients. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to increase awareness that different forms of the churg-strauss syndrome occur in patients not receiving leukotriene modifiers. methods: We searched for all the cases of churg-strauss syndrome that were seen in the University of Rochester Medical Center, new york, in the past 4 years. RESULTS: We identified 7 patients, 6 of whom fulfilled the American College of rheumatology criteria for the classification of churg-strauss syndrome. None of them used leukotriene receptor antagonists. All had asthma and sinus disease. The duration and severity of their asthma varied considerably. In the majority of the patients the features of churg-strauss syndrome became obvious as the systemic corticosteroid dose was being tapered or discontinued, although 3 patients had not been receiving maintenance oral corticosteroids at disease onset. Three patients had positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies test result (perinuclear pattern). There was histologic documentation of vasculitis in 4 patients. Five of 7 patients responded to high-dose corticosteroid treatment. CONCLUSION: Our 7 cases are similar to the various forms of churg-strauss syndrome that have been reported in association with the leukotriene receptor antagonists. Complete or incomplete forms of this syndrome can become apparent in asthmatic patients as systemic corticosteroids are being tapered but can also occur in patients with mild asthma of short duration who use only inhaled corticosteroids.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
| | Next -> |