Methods: 35 subjects aged 67.8 +/- 10.6 years, with FEV(1) 59 +/- 16% of predicted, were randomised to a 6-week ‘intervention’ period of supervised exercise
training (n = 20) or usual care (n = 15). This period was preceded by a 3-week run-in period during which asthma control was assessed weekly. Functional exercise capacity (6-min walk distance, 6MWD) and QOL (Asthma QOL Questionnaire, AQLQ) were measured before, immediately following and 3 months after the intervention period. Results: 34 subjects (exercise group, n = 19, and control group, n = 15) completed the intervention period. Relative to the control group, the exercise group had greater improvements immediately following and 3 months after the intervention in the AQLQ symptom domain (0.61, p = 0.001, and 0.57 points per item, p = 0.005) and AQLQ activity limitation domain (0.43, p = 0.04, and 0.55 points RepSox nmr per item, p = 0.04). 6MWD increased (36 +/- 37 m, p < 0.01) in the exercise group immediately following training and remained elevated (34 +/- 45 m, p < 0.01) at the 3-month follow-up. The magnitude of change in 6MWD between groups was not significant, despite no change in the control group. Conclusions: Supervised exercise training improves symptoms and QOL in adults with FAOA. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Objective:
To share our experience in treating a large cohort of infants with congenital vallecular cysts using endoscopic laser marsupialization. We describe the clinical characteristics of infants with pediatric
vallecular cysts and compare these characteristics betweeh infants with and without concurrent Stattic laryngomalacia and those who did or did not require preoperative airway support.
Methods: Medical records of infants treated for vallecular cyst at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital www.sellecn.cn/products/bmn-673.html between March 1994 and July 2008 were reviewed. Demographic and clinical characteristics and outcomes were recorded and compared.
Results: Twenty-eight infants were included in our study: 11(39.3%) males and 17 (60.7%) females. The incidence of vallecular cyst was 5.3 cases/100,000 live births. Median ages at symptom onset and diagnosis were 3.0 and 40.0 days, respectively. Mean symptom onset to diagnosis interval was 42.4 days. Eighteen (64.3%) infants had coexisting laryngomalacia and 11 (39.3%) required ventilatory support. The number of symptoms decreased in all patients after surgery (median no. symptoms before = 4.5, after = 0.5) and most symptoms were completely resolved within 3 months of surgery. Compared with infants who did not have laryngomalacia, infants with laryngomalacia: were younger at symptom onset (2 vs 10 days); had more symptoms before (5.0 vs 3.5) and after treatment (1.0 vs 0.0); had a longer length of hospital (14.6 vs 9.4 days) stay; and more commonly required airway intervention compared with infants without laryngomalacia (55.6% vs 10.