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Giuseppe Emanuele La Piana1, Alessandro Scartabellati1, Lodovico Chiesa1, Luca Ronchi1, Paola Raimondi1, Miriam A Carro1, Silvia Zibetti1, Stefano Aiolfi2 1Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, S. Marta Hospital, Rivolta D'Adda; 2Unit of Pneumology, AO Ospedale Maggiore di Crema, Crema, Italy Background: Lack of adherence with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the major cause of treatment failure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. We evaluated the effectiveness of our intensive educational program on adherence in the short term and the long term. Methods: The educational program consisted of: intensive training, whereby each patient performed individual and collective sessions of three hours receiving information about obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, familiarizing themselves with CPAP tools, on six consecutive days; long-term training; and support meetings, with reassessment at three months and one year. Results: In 202 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, the mean (standard deviation) apnea/hypopnea index was 45 ± 22, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was 14 ± 5, and the average titration pressure was 10 ± 2 cm H2O. At three months, 166 patients (82%) used CPAP for an average of 7.3 hours per night. At one year, 162 (80%) used CPAP for about seven hours per night. At two years, 92 patients (43%) used CPAP for about five hours per night. The level of satisfaction remained higher in patients in ventilation. Conclusion: Our data show strong adherence to CPAP at three months and one year, with a decrease at two years. The initial educational program seems to play an important role in adherence. This effect is lost in the long term, suggesting that periodic reinforcement of educational support would be helpful. Keywords: adherence, continuous positive airway pressure, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, educational program

Background: A strong association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases has been reported. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line therapy for OSA, able not only to reduce daytime sleepiness but also to improve cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. Autoadjusting CPAP (APAP), an alternative treatment to CPAP, can reduce OSA symptoms while increasing long-term CPAP compliance without the high costs of CPAP titration. However, no data are available on the effects of APAP on cardiovascular risk factors, Methods: We performed standard full polysomnography; obtained plasma levels of glucose, insulin, and C-reactive protein (CRP); and measured systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) in 31 patients with newly diagnosed, severe OSA. After standard CPAP titration, all subjects were randomized to CPAP or APAP treatment. Measurements were obtained at baseline and after 3 months of treatment., Results: The two groups were similar in terms of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and severity of OSA. SBP, DBP, heart rate (HR), homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-IR), and CRP were similar in the two groups. After 3 months of treatment, BMI, HR, and compliance to therapy were also comparable. OSA indexes were significantly reduced in both groups. Significant reductions in SBP, DBP, and HOMA-IR were observed in the CPAP group but not in the APAP group, while CRP plasma levels were similarly reduced., Conclusions: Our results suggest that CPAP and APAP, despite significant effects on OSA indexes and symptoms, do not improve cardiovascular risk factors in the same fashion.

Background: Pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) are often poorly used, but little information is available concerning use of the newer dry powder inhalers (DPIs)., Objective: To estimate the inhalation technique and variables associated with the misuse of pMDIs and newer DPIs in clinical practice., Methods: A multicenter, observational survey was used to evaluate the inhalation technique in 1,404 experienced outpatients aged 15 to 88 years affected mostly by asthma (47%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (39%). A total of 1,056 patients were using pMDIs, 190 in conjunction with a large volume spacer (LVS); regarding DPIs, 230 patients were using the Aerolizer Inhaler, 524 were using the Turbuhaler, and 475 were using the Diskus. In each center, a trained observer recorded patients' inhalation techniques for each inhaler used against a standardized step-by-step checklist., Results: Twenty-four percent and 3% of patients used pMDIs poorly, alone or with an add-on LVS, respectively. Failure to correctly perform essential steps for reliable lung delivery with the Aerolizer Inhaler, Turbuhaler, and Diskus was found in 17%, 23%, and 24% of patients, respectively. There was no difference in most variables correlated with poor inhalation between patients using pMDIs and those using DPIs., Conclusions: The use of DPIs is associated with a similar percentage of inadequate inhalation technique as the use of pMDIs in clinical practice. The addition of an LVS to a pMDI and education from health care personnel, rather than simply changing inhalers, represent the best strategies for minimizing poor inhalation technique.

39 subjects aged 53-85 years suffering from COPD, admitted to our Unit, were enrolled in our study: four patients were diagnosed as having CAP; 35 patients meet the criteria of COPD exacerbation. The enrolled patients had been receiving clarithromycin (CLA) 500 mg i.v. every 12 hours; switching to oral therapy was decided on the basis of Ramirez's criteria. The mean total duration (SD) of treatment with CLA was 9.56 (1.87) days. During the study, 2 patients dropped out because of the detection of malignant tumoral cells in the sputum in one case and admission to the Intensive Care Unit because of pulmonary thromboembolism in the other. The clinical assessment made 24-72 hours after the end of the treatment confirmed the clinical efficacy of CLA (cure + improvement) in 35 out of 37 evaluable patients (94.59%). At the first follow-up visit, clinical efficacy was confirmed in 34 patients (91.89%). At the long-term follow-up visit, performed 30-45 days after the end of the study, none of the 34 "cured" patients had relapsed. Local and systemic tolerability was excellent in all patients, and no side effect attributable to the drug was reported. Our experience with switched clarithromycin therapy in patients with LRTIs confirms the validity of this approach.

In June 1989, an out-patient clinic for asthma was instituted at Crema Hospital, Italy. Up to November 1994, 430 adult asthmatics were recruited, classified and managed according to the recommendations of the international guidelines. The aims of this study are to verify: 1) whether the organization of the clinic could maintain asthma under control and reduce hospital admissions; and 2) whether the traditional educational approach could be implemented by lessons in the school of asthma to improve the control of asthma symptoms and/or admissions. The data reported refer to the first 360 asthmatics attending the clinic between 1989 and 1994: 53, 45 and 2% of them were suffering from extrinsic, intrinsic and occupational asthma, respectively. On recruitment, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was < 80% of predicted in 170 patients, and arterial oxygen tension (Pa,O2) 8.0 kPa (< 60 mmHg) in 27 patients. After the admission visit, 190 patients (53%) were classified as mild, 97 (27%) as moderate, and 73 (20%) as severe asthmatics. In May 1993, a school of asthma was organized. Forty four patients were recruited, stratified according to the severity of their asthma and randomized into two groups: 22 patients attended the school, and 22 patients did not. Each group consisted of 5, 10 and 7 patients with mild, moderate and severe asthma, respectively. The school comprised four lessons twice a week. One year after the end of the school, we could find no differences between the two groups (school versus controls) with regard to the number of urgent care visits (9 vs 9), scheduled visits (22 vs 21) and hospital admissions (2 vs 2).

Heterozygosity for homocysteinuria is a common, inherited autosomal condition that has recently been considered as an independent cardiovascular risk factor. In vitro and in vivo results suggest that this condition, like the homozygous form, is also a risk factor for deep-venous thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism. We report a case of recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism in a young woman with familial hyperhomocysteinaemia. The relative frequency of this condition, as well as its simple and harmless cure, make testing for heterozygosity for homocysteinuria useful and profitable in the prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism, above all in younger subjects with a significant case history.

Histoplasmin skin tests were conducted on a student population in Crema, Po Valley, Italy. In this geographical area two autochtonal cases of disseminated histoplasmosis occurred in HIV-negative men. In the last year we tested 776 senior high school students, mean age 18 years, 335 males and 441 females. Histopalsmin skin sensitivity was 1.23%, with a mean area of induration of 5.78 mm. All subjects but one had never been abroad. This preliminary survey confirms the possibility of autochtonal histoplasmal infection in the Po Valley, Italy.

The authors deal with a case of Histoplasmosis in a 50 yr old Italian man without any history of risk exposure to HIV infection and suffering from mycosis fungoides. Although this infection is rare in Europe and particularly in Italy, this case suggests the possibility that soils capable of supporting the saprophytic fungus growth are present even out of the endemic areas.

Since their introduction in clinical practice beta-blocker drugs are known to be able to induce bronchospasm. However, this adverse effect may develop only in subjects with asthma, chronic bronchitis and/or airways hyper-reactivity. Although this potentially adverse effect of beta-blockers on the airways has long been recognized, its mechanism in inducing bronchospasm remains unclear. The Authors report a case of severe bronchoconstrictive episodes with respiratory failure following the administration of a timolol ophthalmic solution in a 51 yr old woman. Pharmacokinetics, preventive and therapeutic aspects of timolol eyedrop-induced bronchospasm are discussed.

The clinical effectiveness and the pharmacokinetic parameters of a once-a-day sustained release preparation of anhydrous theophylline were studied in a trial carried out on 10 adult patients affected by bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease. Treatment with this new theophylline preparation allowed us to obtain mean serum concentrations within the therapeutic range (5-20 mcg/ml) which remained quite constant during 24 hours. All patients evidenced improvement of dyspnea and of the signs of bronchospasm. Tolerability was very good.