Of 852 patients admitted to Cook County Hospital with bacteriologically-proved pulmonary tuberculosis, 16 suffered respiratory failure. Of these 16, 5 died and 11 recovered. On follow-up, the survivors demonstrated significant improvement in oxygenation, but continued to show a severe restrictive ventilatory defect. Our patients, unlike those in previous reports, did not show airway obstruction...

Respiratory failure produces significant changes in many aspects of renal function. Whereas in response to acute hypercapnia, body buffering mecha­ nisms are of primary importance in maintaining pH, in adaptation to chronic hypercapnia, increased renal excretion of acid is predominant. Augmented secretion of ammonia accounts solely for the net increase in renal acid excre­ tion. During chronic ...

A series is reported of five patients with acute respiratory failure complicating neuromuscular diseases, three of whom required assisted ventilation. Initially the arterial carbon dioxide tension fell to levels below the normal range in all the patients and this change reflects alveolar hyperventilation which is probably produced by a combination of fear, small airway collapse, and reflex tach...

BACKGROUND Selective increase of inspiratory impedance augments blood pressure in healthy subjects through activation of the respiratory pump. We studied the efficacy of respiratory maneuvers to reduce orthostatic hypotension in autonomic failure. METHODS Mean arterial pressure (MAP) after standing up was recorded in 10 patients in five conditions: normal standing, leg muscle tensing, inspira...

Polymyositis is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterised by inflammatory myopathy of the skeletal muscles predominantly affecting the proximal muscles and associated with extra-muscular manifestations like dysphagia and skin involvement. In this case report, we describe the occurrence of diaphragmatic weakness and respiratory failure due to polymyositis with relatively well preserved power ...

A patient developed respiratory failure after surgical removal of a recurrent thymoma, which necessitated removal of part of the diaphragm. The respiratory failure was due to previously undiagnosed myasthenia gravis, which had selectively affected the respiratory muscles.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To characterize patients who acquired postoperative respiratory failure after lung transplantation (LT), and to identify risks associated with postoperative respiratory failure and poor surgical outcome. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective clinical analysis in a tertiary care transplantation center. METHODS We reviewed the records of 80 consecutive patients who underwent LT from Apr...

Palytoxin is one of the most potent toxins known to mankind and poses a high risk to humans through ingestion, inhalation and dermal routes [1,2]. Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown it is postulated that palytoxin binds to the Na+/K + ATPase pump resulting in K+ efflux, Ca2+ influx and membrane depolarization leading to widespread secondary pharmacological actions [2]. Palytoxin ...