AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY (ATS) JOURNAL NEWS TIPS FOR AUGUST
SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS FROM SURGICAL REMOVAL OF BLOOD CLOTS IN PULMONARY VESSELS
A summary of long-term outcome showed that surgery of patients with chronic thrombo- embolic pulmonary hypertension greatly improves survival, enhances functional status, improves quality of life, and reduces health care costs. It involves removal of blood clot material from the major pulmonary vessels to restore pulmonary blood flow to normal levels. Without surgery, most of the 308 patients would have died within 2 to 3 years after diagnosis. Over 76 percent of the patients said their quality of life was much improved and over 65 percent said they now felt good to very good. The study appears in the August issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
FIRST HOME-BASED AEROBIC PULMONARY EXERCISE PROGRAM DEMONSTRATES TRAINING EFFECT
A home-based aerobic exercise training program for patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) reduced dyspnea (shortness of breath) and leg fatigue during exercise. Patients between the ages of 45 to 75 trained at home on a stationary cycle five days per week for 20 minutes each day. They were encouraged to push themselves to the limits of their dyspnea, without exceeding 85 percent of their maximal heart rate. Patients in the cycle ergometry training and the cycle training plus respiratory muscle strengthening groups demonstrated significant increases in peak work rate and peak oxygen intake. The study appears in the August issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
ATS CONSENSUS STATEMENT ON SARCOIDOSIS
In the August issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a panel of 13 experts produced a consensus statement specifically designed to improve care of patients with sarcoidosis. This chronic disease of unknown origin characterized by the formation of nodules in the lungs, lymph glands, liver, spleen, or on the skin has a tendency to go into remission in 55 to 90 percent of patients with early-stage disease. A highly variable illness, with a tendency to wax and wane, sarcoidosis peaks between the ages of 20 to 29 and shows higher rates in black persons. Corticosteroid therapy is a mainstay of treatment, and topical steroid therapy may be all that is required for mild disease. About 1 to 5 percent of patients eventually die from the illness.
For the complete text of the articles, see the ATS Journal Online Website at www.atsjournals.org. To request complimentary journalist access to the site, or to be put on a mailing list for a monthly ATS Media Memo and News Briefs, please contact Lori Atkins at (212) 315-6442, by fax at (212) 315-6455, or by e-mail at [email protected].
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