86 research outputs found

    THE PRESENCE OF ENPHYSEMA FURTHER IMPAIRS PHYSIOLOGIC FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS

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    BACKGROUND: Emphysema, especially in the upper lobes, is frequently observed in association with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, the combination of emphysema plus IPF has received little attention. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the additional functional impairment from emphysema in IPF patients. METHODS: Twenty-one patients (mean age 66 y, 20 men) (Group I) who had both IPF (mean 35% of total lung volume) and emphysema (mean 14% of total lung volume) were compared to a group of 21 subjects who had IPF but no emphysema (Group II). The groups were matched for (among other criteria) the total extent of disease. Pulmonary function tests, Medical Research Council dyspnea score, 6-min walk test, and radiographic extents of both IPF and emphysema were obtained for each patient. The Composite Physiologic Index was calculated. In the total population (n = 42), the independent contributions of IPF and emphysema to several physiologic variables were investigated by using stepwise multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Despite the limited extent of emphysema, Groups I and II had similar physiologic impairment. Only residual volume and total lung capacity were significantly higher in Group I. According to stepwise multiple regression analysis, the extent of IPF and either the presence or the extent of emphysema in the total population were independent and significant predictors of dyspnea score, 6-min walk test, PaO2, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide diffusing capacity adjusted for alveolar volume (gas-transfer coefficient), and residual volume. The Composite Physiologic Index was closely related to the extent of IPF (r = 0.65, p < 0.0001) and to the dyspnea score (rho = 0.59, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In former smokers with IPF, the presence and the extent of emphysema have a profound influence on physiologic function in terms of both further impairment and confounding effects

    Fighting for abortion rights: strategies aimed at managing stigma in a group of Italian pro-choice activists

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    Despite societal changes in Western countries, abortion continues to be morally stigmatized. While research on abortion stigma targeted both at people who seek or voluntarily terminate their pregnancy and abortion providers has been conducted, stigma directed at those who advocate abortion rights has remained under-researched. The purpose of this study was to deepen understandings of abortion stigma in relation to Italian cisgender female pro-choice activists. Accordingly, a qualitative study was conducted to examine how participants experienced, perceived, and internalized stigma, as well as the strategies they employed to manage it. The sample included 34 Italian cisgender female pro-choice activists who were actively engaged in movements at the time of the study, including organizations or unions that publicly defend the right to abort. The findings revealed that participants perceive they are targets of negative stereotyping and behaviors. Nevertheless, they do not internalize the stigma and use different strategies to manage it, such as speaking openly about their activism. © The Author(s) 2022

    Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder in childhood: Report of a case and review of the literature

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    Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder is considered an acquired pathologic condition that affects adults, with only 2 cases previously described in childhood. We report on a 5-year-old boy with incidental detection of this lesion by ultrasonography. Pathologic and clinical assessments are discussed in addition to treatment decision-making, including current insights into the relation between adenomyomatosis and malignancy of the gallbladder. The liberal use of ultrasonography in children with abdominal pain may result in detection of an increasing number of asymptomatic patients. Caregivers should be aware of this condition and its therapeutic implications in the pediatric population
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