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Frontiers in Medicine 2024Multiple targets are considered as the causes of ambient fine particulate matter [aerodynamic diameters of < 2.5 μm (PM)] induced lung function injury. Qiju granules...
INTRODUCTION
Multiple targets are considered as the causes of ambient fine particulate matter [aerodynamic diameters of < 2.5 μm (PM)] induced lung function injury. Qiju granules are derived from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula known as Qi-Ju-Di-Huang-Wan (Lycium, Chrysanthemum, and Rehmannia Formula, QJDHW), which has been traditionally used to treat symptoms such as cough with phlegm, dry mouth and throat, and liver heat. This treatment approach involves attenuating inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis response. This study investigated the effects of Qiju granules on protecting lung function against PM exposure in a clinical trial.
METHODS
A randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial was performed among 47 healthy college students in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province in China. The participants were randomly assigned to the Qiju granules group or the control group based on gender. Clinical follow-ups were conducted once every 2 weeks during a total of 4 weeks of intervention. Real-time monitoring of PM concentrations in the individually exposed participants was carried out. Data on individual characteristics, heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and lung function at baseline and during the follow-ups were collected. The effects of PM exposure on lung function were assessed within each group using linear mixed-effect models.
RESULTS
In total, 40 eligible participants completed the scheduled follow-ups. The average PM level was found to be 64.72 μg/m during the study period. A significant negative correlation of lung function with PM exposure concentrations was observed, and a 1-week lag effect was observed. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), forced expiratory flow at 75% of forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEF), forced expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (FEF), and forced expiratory flow at 25% of FVC (FEF) were significantly decreased due to PM exposure in the control group. Small airway function was impaired more seriously than large airway function when PM exposure concentrations were increased. In the Qiju granules group, the associations between lung function and PM exposure were much weaker, and no statistical significance was observed.
CONCLUSION
The results of the study showed that PM exposure was associated with reduced lung function. Qiju granules could potentially be effective in protecting lung functions from the adverse effects of PM exposure.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
identifier: ChiCTR1900021235.
PubMed: 38741765
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1370657 -
BMC Pulmonary Medicine Jan 2024Exposure to wood dust can cause respiratory symptoms, like cough, phlegm, breathlessness, and chest pain, reduce lung function.
BACKGROUND
Exposure to wood dust can cause respiratory symptoms, like cough, phlegm, breathlessness, and chest pain, reduce lung function.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and associated factors among woodwork workers in Bahir-Dar city, Ethiopia.
METHODS
A comparative cross-sectional study was employed among 229 exposed and 228 unexposed groups. Participants for the study were selected using simple random sampling technique. The chronic respiratory symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire adopted from the American Thoracic Society. The data was entered using Epi-Data version 4.6 and export to SPSS version 22 for analysis. Poisson regression, Multivariate linear regression and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors associated with woodworkers, general population and in pooled analysis.
RESULT
The prevalence of having at least one chronic respiratory symptom was higher among exposed group (59.4%) than unexposed group (18.0%) with PR = 3.03(95%CI: 2.45, 4.45). In woodworker; Not taking health and safety training(5.15,95%(CI:1.93-13.76),primary educational(3.85,95%,CI:(1.1,13.47), not using Mask(6.38, 95%CI:(2.69-15.76) & number of families(3.05,95%,CI:1.04-9.028), In general population; Number of family members(2.75, 95%CI:1.1-7.19)& lower monthly income (3.3, 95%CI: (1.49-7.4), and In pooled analysis; wood dust exposure status 14.36 95%, CI:(7.6-27.00),primary education(2.93,95%CI:1.24-6.92), number of families(3.46,95%CI:1.8-6.64), lower monthly income(2.13,95%CI:1.19-3.81), & smoking (6.65, 95%CI:1.19-36.9) were associated with respiratory symptom.
CONCLUSION
Prevalence of respiratory symptoms was higher among exposed group than unexposed group. Reduced wood dust exposure status, Provision of occupational safety and health training, use of respiratory protective devices is recommended to reduce respiratory symptoms among woodwork workers.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Prevalence; Ethiopia; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Dust
PubMed: 38166969
DOI: 10.1186/s12890-023-02812-x -
Environmental Research Jul 2024In 2014, a fire at an open cut coalmine in regional Victoria, Australia burned for 6 weeks. Residents of the nearby town of Morwell were exposed to smoke, which...
In 2014, a fire at an open cut coalmine in regional Victoria, Australia burned for 6 weeks. Residents of the nearby town of Morwell were exposed to smoke, which included high levels of fine particulate matter (PM). We investigated whether the long-term effects of PM on respiratory health were moderated by diet quality. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of data collected 8.5 years after the mine fire from 282 residents of Morwell and 166 residents from the nearby unexposed town of Sale. Primary outcomes were respiratory symptoms. Exposure was coalmine fire-related PM and diet quality was assessed as Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) derived using the Australian Eating Survey (AES). The moderating effect of diet quality on respiratory outcomes associated with PM was assessed using logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounders. Diet quality was poor in this sample, with 60% in the lowest category of overall diet quality. Overall diet quality and fruit and vegetable quality significantly attenuated the association between PM and prevalence of chronic cough and phlegm. Sauce/condiment intake was associated with a greater effect of PM on COPD prevalence. No other moderating effects were significant. The moderating effects of overall diet quality and vegetable and fruit intake aligned with a priori hypotheses, suggesting potential protective benefits. While more evidence is needed to confirm these findings, improving diets, especially fruit and vegetable intake, may provide some protection against the effects of smoke exposure from fire events.
Topics: Humans; Particulate Matter; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Victoria; Aged; Adult; Fires; Air Pollutants; Environmental Exposure; Coal Mining; Respiratory Tract Diseases
PubMed: 38685296
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119014 -
Respirology Case Reports May 2024Primary tracheal tumours are extremely rare, that originate from Schwann cells. We report a case of a primary tracheal schwannoma. A 60-year-old male who presented with...
Primary tracheal tumours are extremely rare, that originate from Schwann cells. We report a case of a primary tracheal schwannoma. A 60-year-old male who presented with noisy breathing, shortness of breath, and blood streaked phlegm. Chest CT scan showed an endotracheal mass which was resected bronchoscopically using Rigid bronchoscopy, electrocautery snare and cryoextraction. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma.
PubMed: 38808151
DOI: 10.1002/rcr2.1390 -
Medicine Mar 2024Cryptococcosis presenting as endobronchial obstruction and lung collapse is an extremely rare occurrence. While these patients were treated with antifungal agents,... (Review)
Review
RATIONALE
Cryptococcosis presenting as endobronchial obstruction and lung collapse is an extremely rare occurrence. While these patients were treated with antifungal agents, unfortunately, half of them showed a suboptimal response.
PATIENT CONCERNS
A 45-year-old immunocompetent male was admitted to the hospital due to a cough, yellow phlegm, and dyspnea persisting for 5 months. Chest computer tomography revealed a mass in the right main bronchus accompanied by right lower lobe atelectasis.
DIAGNOSES
Endobronchial cryptococcosis presenting as endobronchial obstruction and lung collapse.
INTERVENTIONS
Early rigid bronchoscopic therapy was performed to resect endobronchial obstruction, which combined with antifungal agent.
OUTCOMES
The patient recovered well with completely clinical and radiologic resolution at 1 year follow-up.
LESSONS
This case provides a good example of successful utilization of the early respiratory interventional therapy combined with antifungal agent in obstructive endobronchial cryptococcosis.
Topics: Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Antifungal Agents; Cryptococcosis; Bronchi; Lung; Bronchial Diseases; Pulmonary Atelectasis; Airway Obstruction
PubMed: 38518007
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000037455 -
Medicine Nov 2023Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) is a common anaerobic parasitic protozoan. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are few reports documenting T. vaginalis...
RATIONALE
Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) is a common anaerobic parasitic protozoan. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are few reports documenting T. vaginalis infection outside the genitourinary tract. Severe pneumonia caused by T. vaginalis infection has been rarely reported.
PATIENT CONCERNS
The 80-year-old female patient had a 20-year history of type II diabetes; however, she was not on regular medication. She was hospitalized due to a coma which continued 2 hours caused by trauma after a car accident. After her admission, she was provided with continuous mechanical ventilation; during the ventilation, she was still in a coma, accompanied by repeated fever and presence of much yellow sticky phlegm. The head CT scan indicated temporal lobe hematoma and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The lung CT scan showed bilateral pulmonary inflammatory consolidation and mass lesions.
DIAGNOSES
She was initially diagnosed with severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Subsequently, fiberoptic bronchoscopy was conducted, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected and sent for metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). The result indicated the presence of abundant sequences from the T. vaginalis genome. Thus, she was diagnosed with pulmonary T. vaginalis infection.
INTERVENTION
Anti-infective ornidazole treatment has significantly improved her symptoms.
OUTCOMES
After treatment, the patient regained consciousness and was able to communicate, and there was no obvious expectoration, fever, or positive bronchus sign in the lungs. Thereby, she was discharged from the hospital.
LESSONS
Special attention should be paid to infections other than common bacterial infections, such as T. vaginalis. Moreover, infection of rare pathogenic microorganisms might show symptoms similar to common bacterial infection, leading to misdiagnosis, further highlighting the usefulness of mNGS in detecting pathogens in a timely, sensitive, and accurate manner.
Topics: Humans; Female; Aged, 80 and over; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Trichomonas vaginalis; Coma; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Pneumonia; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Fever
PubMed: 37960810
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000035777 -
BMJ Global Health Jun 2024The use of traditional medicine is a global phenomenon, and the WHO advocated its appropriate integration into modern healthcare systems. However, there is a hot debate...
The use of traditional medicine is a global phenomenon, and the WHO advocated its appropriate integration into modern healthcare systems. However, there is a hot debate about the legitimacy of traditional medicine among the general public. Here, we investigated the debate in the Chinese digital context by analysing 1954 responses related to 100 questions about traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment against COVID-19 on the Zhihu platform. Attitude function theory was applied to understand the reasons underlying public attitudes.Results showed that Zhihu users generally held a supportive attitude toward TCM. Their attitudes mainly came from their own experience and traditional media. The general users were more negative while medical professionals were more positive toward TCM. Ego defence (eg, derogating evidence sources) was used the most to support attitudes, followed by value expression (eg, believing in science). Supporters showed fewer expressions of faith (eg, the use of TCM is a kind of faith), politics (eg, supporting TCM is about politics) and science value (eg, TCM is a field of science), fewer ego defence, more patriotism and cultural confidence expressions (eg, TCM is a cultural pride) and more knowledge explanation (eg, TCM accelerates the metabolism of phlegm) than expected. Opposers showed fewer utilitarian and knowledge functions, fewer expressions of patriotism and more expressions of faith, politics and economics, but more ego defence functions than expected. Opposing posts were more likely to attract engagement than supporting and neutral posts. Posts that mentioned attitude functions generally attracted more engagement.Our findings indicate that TCM debate in modern China is not only relevant to medical science and health, but also rooted deeply in cultural ideology, politics and economics. The findings can provide global insights into the development of proactive policies and action plans that will help the integration of traditional medicine into modern healthcare systems.
Topics: Humans; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; COVID-19; China; SARS-CoV-2; Social Networking; Public Opinion; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; Male; Adult; Female
PubMed: 38857946
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014398 -
Preventing Chronic Disease May 2024We estimated the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk level, and receipt of a breathing test among adults without...
We estimated the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk level, and receipt of a breathing test among adults without reported COPD in 26 states and the District of Columbia by using 2017-2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Among adults without reported COPD, the 3 respiratory symptoms indicating COPD (chronic cough, phlegm or mucus production, shortness of breath) were common (each >10%). About 15.0% were at higher COPD risk (based on the number of symptoms, age, and smoking status); 41.4% of adults at higher risk reported receipt of a breathing test. Patient-provider recognition and communication of risk symptoms, appropriate screening, and follow-up are important for early diagnosis and treatment.
Topics: Humans; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Male; Middle Aged; Female; United States; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; Adult; Aged; Prevalence; District of Columbia; Risk Factors; Young Adult; Adolescent; Mass Screening
PubMed: 38723273
DOI: 10.5888/pcd21.230399 -
Respiratory Medicine Case Reports 2024Dupilumab inhibits interleukin-4Rα and suppresses type 2 inflammation. Careful administration of dupilumab is required because it increases the blood eosinophil count...
Dupilumab inhibits interleukin-4Rα and suppresses type 2 inflammation. Careful administration of dupilumab is required because it increases the blood eosinophil count secondary to a decrease in local eosinophil counts, sometimes resulting in eosinophilic complications. We herein report a case of recurrent chronic eosinophilic pneumonia after switching from benralizumab to dupilumab. A 54-year-old man with a history of eosinophilic pneumonia presented to our hospital with symptoms of cough, fever, and phlegm production six months after beginning dupilumab administration for recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis. When using dupilumab, it is essential to carefully monitor patients' eosinophil trends and pulmonary symptoms.
PubMed: 38274702
DOI: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2023.101968 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023The objective of this study was to investigate associations between baseline body constitutions (BCs) in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and all-cause mortality in...
Associations of traditional Chinese medicine body constitution and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort study of a Taiwanese medical center.
INTRODUCTION
The objective of this study was to investigate associations between baseline body constitutions (BCs) in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and all-cause mortality in Chinese individuals with type 2 diabetes.
METHODS
A total of 887 individuals with type 2 diabetes who were enrolled in managed care in 2010 were included. These individuals were followed up until 2015, and their mortality status was determined through the use of Taiwan National Death Datasets. At baseline, BC status of participants, including Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, and phlegm stasis, was assessed using a well-developed Body Constitutions Questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.
RESULTS
During 6807.2 person-years of follow-up of 887 participants, with an average follow-up period of 7.7 years, a total of 190 individuals died, resulting in an incidence density of 0.0279 person-years. Yin deficiency was associated with all-cause mortality (HR, 95% CI: 1.39, 1.02-1.90). This study indicates that individuals diagnosed with Yin deficiency in TCM, characterized by symptoms such as thirst, reduced urine volume, hard stool, and hot flushes, had a 39% higher risk of all-cause mortality.
DISCUSSION
The findings may provide information for TCM practitioners on tailoring treatment plans for persons with type 2 diabetes. No conclusive statements can be made on the basis of the preliminary data presented here. Controlled prospective studies are warranted.
PubMed: 38249989
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1320861