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Demosthenes Bouros

Publications and source records attributed to Demosthenes Bouros.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Histopathologic subsets of fibrosing alveolitis in patients with systemic sclerosis and their relationship to outcome.

Fibrosing alveolitis associated with systemic sclerosis (FASSc) has a better prognosis than idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In view of recent reports that idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) has a better prognosis than idiopathic usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), we classified histologic appearances of surgical lung biopsies performed in 80 patients with FASSc. NSIP (n = 62, 77.5%), subcategorized as cellular NSIP (n = 15) and fibrotic NSIP (n = 47) was much more prevalent than UIP (n = 6), end-stage lung disease (ESL, n = 6), or other patterns (n = 6). There were 25 deaths (NSIP 16/62, 26%; UIP/ESL 6/12, 50%). Five-year survival differed little between NSIP (91%) and UIP/ESL (82%); mortality was associated with lower initial carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DL(CO)) and FVC levels (p = 0.004 and p = 0.007, respectively). Survival and serial FVC and DL(CO) trends did not differ between cellular and fibrotic NSIP. Increased mortality in NSIP was associated with lower initial DL(CO) levels (p = 0.04), higher BAL eosinophil levels (p = 0.03), and deterioration in DL(CO) levels during the next 3 years (p < 0.005). We conclude that NSIP is the histopathologic pattern in most patients with FASSc. However, outcome is linked more strongly to disease severity at presentation and serial DL(CO) trends than to histopathologic findings.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Prognostic value of serum tumor markers in patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of tumor markers in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer is under investigation. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of pre-therapeutic levels of various serum tumor markers, CYFRA 21-1, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 125 and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCAg), in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: We studied 102 consecutive patients (mean age 65.2 +/- 11 years) with newly diagnosed lung cancer (96 males, 94%, with a mean age of 66.3 +/-10.5 years). All patients had a 5-year follow-up. Measurements of the serum tumor markers were performed on initial diagnosis. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients (82%) had non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 18 (18%) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). From the 84 patients with NSCLC, 34 patients (33%) had squamous-cell lung cancer, 23 (22%) adenocarcinoma and 23 (22%) large-cell carcinomas. The overall median survival was 8.5 months. All SCLC patients had extensive disease with a median survival of 10.1 months and NSCLC patients of 8.4 months. Significant differences in the mean values of NSE and CYFRA 21-1 were observed between SCLC and NSCLC. In NSCLC, CYFRA 21-1, TPA, CA 125 and SCCAg serum levels were related to the stage of the disease at diagnosis, and CYFRA 21-1, NSE, TPA and CA-125 were related to a poor outcome. None of the above tumor markers was related to survival in the SCLC group. CONCLUSION: CYFRA 21-1 and NSE may help to differentiate cell types in lung cancer patients. Also, CYFRA 21-1 with TPA and CA 125 may provide useful information regarding the staging of the disease at diagnosis and the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2002

Exhaled H(2)O(2) in steady-state bronchiectasis: relationship with cellular composition in induced sputum, spirometry, and extent and severity of disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the concentration of exhaled H(2)O(2) in patients with bronchiectasis, and to study the relationship between levels of exhaled H(2)O(2), extent of disease, symptoms score, spirometry, and cellular composition obtained from induced sputum; furthermore, to account for possible confounding effects of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) usage, long-term oral antibiotic treatment, and chronic colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PATIENTS: Thirty patients with steady-state bronchiectasis. RESULTS: Mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) exhaled H(2)O(2) levels were significantly elevated in patients with bronchiectasis compared to normal subjects: 1.1 (0.87 to 1.29) microM vs 0.3 (0.19 to 0.36) microM, respectively (p < 0.0001). Patients treated with ICS had similar values as steroid-naïve patients. The group of patients with P aeruginosa colonization showed a significantly increased concentration of H(2)O(2) compared to the group without P aeruginosa colonization. Patients receiving long-term oral antibiotic treatment had significantly higher values of H(2)O(2) compared to those not receiving antibiotics. There was a significant positive correlation between H(2)O(2) and either the percentage of neutrophils in induced sputum or the extent of the disease as defined by high-resolution CT. A significant negative correlation was found between H(2)O(2) and FEV(1) percent predicted. Finally, there was a significant positive correlation between H(2)O(2) and the symptoms score. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with bronchiectasis in stable condition showed increased levels of exhaled H(2)O(2). The above-mentioned levels were not decreased either by ICS or long-term oral antibiotic treatment, but were significantly affected by chronic colonization with P aeruginosa. H(2)O(2) levels could be an indirect index of neutrophilic inflammation, impairment of lung function, and extension and severity of the disease.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2002

The relationships among hydrogen peroxide in expired breath condensate, airway inflammation, and asthma severity.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate which cells are the main source of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) production in stable patients with asthma and the associations among H(2)O(2) levels, airway inflammation, and disease severity. SETTING: Inpatient respiratory unit and outpatient clinic in tertiary-care hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty stable asthmatic patients with disease severity ranging from mild to moderate. METHODS: H(2)O(2) was measured in expired breath condensate and was correlated with variables expressing both asthma severity (ie, FEV(1) percent predicted, peak expiratory flow rate [PEFR] variability, symptom score, and histamine airways responsiveness) and airway inflammation (ie, differential cell counts from induced sputum and levels of eosinophil cationic protein [ECP]). RESULTS: The mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) concentration of H(2)O(2) was significantly elevated in patients with asthma compared to that in control subjects (mean, 0.67 microM [95% CI, 0.56 to 0.77 microM] vs 0.2 microM [95% CI, 0.16 to 0.24 microM]; p < 0.0001). The difference was primarily due to the elevation of H(2)O(2) in patients with moderate asthma whose expired breath H(2)O(2) level of 0.95 microM (95% CI, 0.76 to 1.12 microM) was significantly higher from that of patients with mild-persistent and mild-intermittent asthma (mean, 0.59 microM [95% CI, 0.47 to 0.7 microM] and 0.27 [95% CI, 0.23 to 0.32 microM], respectively; p < 0.0001). H(2)O(2) concentration was positively related to sputum eosinophilia as well as to ECP concentration. A similar correlation was found between H(2)O(2) and neutrophils in patients with moderate asthma. A positive correlation was observed between H(2)O(2) level, symptom score, and PEFR variability. H(2)O(2) level was negatively related to FEV(1) percent predicted. Further analysis showed that only patients with moderate asthma who were not receiving inhaled steroids were found to have a strong relationship with the variables tested. CONCLUSIONS: Eosinophils are the predominate cells that generate H(2)O(2) in all forms of the disease, while neutrophils might be responsible for the highest levels that are observed in the more severe forms of the disease. The role of H(2)O(2) concentration in predicting the severity of the disease as well as in the inflammatory process is limited and depends on the use of inhaled steroid therapy and the classification of the severity of the disease.

Asthma↗
PubMed2002

Diagnostic value of interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor in pleural effusions.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were measured in pleural fluid from 57 patients with pleural effusion in order to evaluate the diagnostic utility of these cytokines. We studied 20 patients with malignant pleural effusion, 11 patients with parapneumonic pleural effusion, 9 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion, and 17 patients with transudative pleural effusion. Cytokines were measured by radioimmunoassay. SETTING: University tertiary hospital. RESULTS: The mean values of the three cytokines measured in pleural fluid or in serum were significantly higher in patients with exudates than with transudates (p < 0.05). The ratio of IL-6 in pleural fluid to serum was significantly higher in exudates than in transudates (p < 0.05). The level of IL-6 in pleural fluid was significantly higher in tuberculous than malignant (p < 0.007) or parapneumonic pleural effusions (p < 0.04). No significant difference between the three types of exudates was found in pleural fluid levels of IL-1alpha or TNF-alpha. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of IL-1alpha, TNF-alpha, and in particular IL-6 can distinguish exudates from transudates, while pleural fluid IL-6 levels could be useful as an additional marker in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous, malignant, and parapneumonic exudates. Finally, our results suggest that there is local cytokine production in exudative pleural effusions.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Association of malignancy with diseases causing interstitial pulmonary changes.

A number of studies have shown a high incidence of lung cancer in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (9.8 to 38%) compared to control subjects (2 to 6.4%). A similar trend occurs in other entities that affect the interstitial lung compartment, such as systemic sclerosis and sarcoidosis, as well as occupational diseases. The pathogenesis of lung cancer in patients with diffuse pulmonary fibrosis is still unclear. Recent progress in molecular and cellular biology has shed some light on the possible interactions of several types of inflammatory cells, following the deleterious effects of toxic factors leading to alveolitis, and destruction and disorganization of lung parenchyma, which results in fibrosis. Further research in the field would enhance our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of cancer development in these patients, and to explain the reason for the different incidence of lung cancer in patients with various interstitial lung diseases.

Cell Transformation, Neoplastic↗
PubMed2002

Comparison of sputum induction with bronchoalveolar lavage cell differential counts in patients with sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Induced sputum (IS) has been proposed as a useful non-invasive method mainly for the assessment of airway diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate IS cellular composition and T-lymphocyte subpopulations and to compare them with those of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in patients with sarcoidosis. METHODS: We studied prospectively 20 patients (12 female, 8 male) of median age 46 yr (range 25-65) with sarcoidosis and 10 normal subjects (5 female, 5 male) of median age 39 yr (range 26-60). IS was performed with hypertonic saline solution using an ultrasonic nebulizer (De Vilbis 2000). BALF was performed by conventional procedure using fiberoptic bronchoscopy. May-Giemsa-Grunewald stained preps were differentially counted and T-lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow activated cell sorter (FACS). RESULTS: The percentage of macrophages was significantly lower in IS than in BALF (p < 0.0001), the percentage of neutrophils was significantly lower in BALF than in IS (p < 0.0001), while there was no difference in the percentage of lymphocytes (p = 0.693) and eosinophils (p = 0.25) in IS vs BALF in patients with sarcoidosis. A significant correlation was found between BALF and IS lymphocyte counts (r = 0.61, p = 0.004), macrophages (r = 0.51, p = 0.02), and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (r = 0.700, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the inflammation in sarcoidosis could be effectively and non-invasively determined by the analysis of cell differential counts and T-lymphocyte subsets in IS. Further studies are needed to explore the role of IS vs BALF in the follow-up of these patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Faster onset of bronchodilation with formoterol than with salmeterol in patients with stable, moderate to severe COPD: results of a randomized, double-blind clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the onset and magnitude of bronchodilation after dry powder inhalations of formoterol fumarate (Foradil Aerolizer) versus salmeterol xinofoate (Serevent Diskus) with respect to normalized (*) forced expiratory volume in 1 s area under the curve 0 to 1 h after inhalation (FEV1 AUC*0-1 h). DESIGN: A double-blind, double-dummy, multicentre, randomized, placebo controlled, single-dose, five-period crossover study. SETTING: Five centres in four countries - one centre each in France, Greece and Italy, and two centres in the Netherlands. PATIENTS: Forty-seven patients aged 42 to 80 years (mean age 63.5 years) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) stage II and III, and mean baseline FEV1 1.17 L (range 0.56 to 1.77 L). INTERVENTIONS: Patients inhaled single doses of formoterol dry powder (12 and 24 mg), single doses of salmeterol (50 and 100 mg) and matching placebo on five separate days. MAIN RESULTS: The estimates of treatment difference in absolute terms (0.086 L) and percentage change from predose baseline (7.8%) for the primary end point, FEV1 AUC*0-1 h, showed that formoterol 12 mg was statistically significantly superior to salmeterol 50 mg (P=0.0044 and P=0.0021, respectively). In addition, both doses of formoterol were statistically superior to placebo for both absolute improvement and percentage change (P=0.0001). The analysis of secondary variables also confirmed the superiority of formoterol over salmeterol. CONCLUSIONS: Formoterol is associated with a faster onset of bronchodilation than salmeterol in patients with COPD.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sleep apnea syndrome and diastolic blood pressure elevation during exercise.

BACKGROUND: Several studies assessing the role of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) as an independent risk factor for hypertension have produced conflicting results. Although the sleep apnea syndrome is associated with hypertension, there are no references regarding the blood pressure response of normotensive OSAS patients during exercise. STUDY OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between diastolic blood pressure (DBP) response during exercise and the severity of OSAS. METHODS: We performed exercise testing a day after polysomnography in 17 normotensive males who were admitted for the first time because of OSAS and in 10 normal subjects who were members of the same families. During maximal incremental exercise test (bicycle ergometry) oxygen consumption (VO(2)) and the DBP were estimated at rest and at peak exercise. VO(2) was also measured when DBP were 100 and 110 mm Hg. RESULTS: At peak exercise DBP was significantly higher in OSAS patients (115.3 +/- 9.2 mm Hg) than in normal subjects (101 +/- 8.4 mm Hg, p < 0.01). OSAS patients reached a DBP of 110 mm Hg with a significantly lower VO(2) than normal subjects (1,881.5 +/- 703.4 vs. 1,972.3 +/- 108.6 ml/min, p = 0.045). VO(2) was not different between the two groups at a DBP of 100 mm Hg (1,211.2 +/- 371.7 vs. 1,536.6 +/- 267.2 ml/min, p = 0.089) but OSAS patients had a significantly lower heart rate than normals (111.2 +/- 13 vs. 118.6 +/- 27.6, p = 0.009). None of the aspects of quality of life, according to the Nottingham Health Profile Questionnaire, Part 1, were significantly different between patients and normal subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Normotensive OSAS patients develop DBP elevation at an earlier stage during exercise compared to normal subjects. This hypertensive response was not correlated with the severity (apnea-hypopnea index, oxygen desaturation parameters) of OSAS. DBP elevation could be a limiting factor of physical performance in this group of patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

E-cadherin expression on fine-needle aspiration biopsies in primary lung adenocarcinomas is related to tumor differentiation and invasion.

UNLABELLED: E-cadherin, a cell surface molecule that mediates cell-cell adhesion in normal epithelium, has been shown in recent studies of tissue biopsy to be related to tumor differentiation and invasiveness. The aim of the study was to explore if preoperative E-cadherin expression on fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) specimens can predict cell differentiation and mediastinal lymph node spread and therefore tailor treatment in patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma. We studied prospectively the relationship between E-cadherin expression on FNABs and the pathological features of 50 cases of primary lung adenocarcinomas, which were diagnosed cytologically and confirmed histologically post-operatively. Expression of E-cadherin was found in 36 (72%) cases. Decreased expression of E-cadherin was correlated with poor grade adenocarcinomas (low grade 33% vs. 100% in high grade, p < 0.005) and lymph node metastasis (positive 43% vs. negative 93%, p < 0.005). No relationship was found between E-cadherin expression and tumor size. CONCLUSION: E-cadherin expression of FNAB specimens can be helpful in predicting tumor cell differentiation, invasiveness and defining a subpopulation of patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma with possible poor outcome, which should be taken into consideration in the proper management of the disease.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Triplet chemotherapy with docetaxel, gemcitabine and liposomal doxorubicin, supported with subcutaneous amifostine and hemopoietic growth factors, in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

The activity of a triplet of chemotherapeutic drugs, namely docetaxel, gemcitabine and liposomal doxorubicin, was investigated in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The regimen was supported with amifostine cytoprotection (1000mg injected subcutaneously) and hemopoietic growth factors (rhuG-CSF and rhuEPO) in an attempt to minimize the substantial toxicity reported in previous studies investigating docetaxel/gemcitabine chemotherapy. Twenty chemotherapy- naïve patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (18 with stage IV and 2 with stage IIIb) were recruited. None of the patients presented with grade 3-4 hematological or non-hematological toxicity. Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia grade 2 was noted in 6/20 (30%), mucositisloesophagitis grade 2 in 3/20 (15%) and mild alopecia in 6/20 (30%) patients. No case of interstitial pneumonia was noted. The overall response rate (complete and partial) in 18 evaluable patients was 33% (6/18), with 1/18 (5%) patients achieving complete response. The median survival was 11 months. The efficacy of the regimen was as high as the one reported in gemcitabine/docetaxel studies, but the toxicity was remarkably lower. Amifostine may have contributed to the better tolerance profile observed.

Aged↗