No abstract

A 20-year experience with the treatment of 74 patients (83.8% children) for foreign body aspiration is reviewed. The object of this review is to show the clinical manifestations, the radiological findings, the nature and distribution in the bronchial tree, and complications due to longstanding (months or years) foreign bodies in the bronchial tree. The most common foreign bodies found were peanuts (13.5%), corn (13.5%), and beans (13.5%). The most frequent clinical manifestation was choking (67.5%), and the most frequent radiological finding was atelectasis (41.8%). The most serious complication was bronchiectasis needing resection in six patients who had the foreign body retained for years in the bronchial tree. In conclusion, in spite of an obvious foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree many cases are not diagnosed, and a longstanding foreign body in the airway may be responsible for irreversible complications.

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of the variables stair climbing time (SCt), stair climbing power (SCP), six-minute walk test distance (6MWT), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) using maximal oxygen uptake on exercise (VO2max) as the gold standard. METHODS: Tests were performed in 51 patients. FEV1 was measured by spirometry and 6MWT was performed in a flat 120-m corridor. Stair climbing test was performed on a 6-flight stairway to obtain SCt and SCP. VO2max was measured by ergospirometry, using the Balke protocol. Pearson's linear correlation and p values were calculated between VO2max and the other variables tested. For accuracy calculations, variable cutoff points were obtained through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, dividing individuals into normal or unhealthy. Kappa statistic was used to calculate concordance. RESULTS: Accuracy was: SCt - 86%, 6MWT - 80%, SCP - 71%, FEV1(L) - 67%, FEV1(%) - 63%. SCt and 6MWT showed 93.5% sensitivity when combined in parallel, and 96.4% specificity in series. CONCLUSION: SCt presented the best accuracy. SCt and 6MWT combined showed nearly 100% sensitivity or specificity. Thus, these simple exercise tests should be more routinely used, especially when an ergospirometer is not available to measure VO2max.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary dysfunction in obese individuals may be associated with respiratory muscle impairment, and may be influenced by predominance of upper-body fat distribution. The objective of this study was to evaluate the strength of respiratory muscles in obese individuals and to analyze the influence of adipose tissue distribution. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study on the preoperative period prior to bariatric surgery. Research developed within the Postgraduate General Surgery Program, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). METHOD: Respiratory muscle strength was quantifi ed by measuring maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures (PImax and PEmax) in obese candidates for bariatric surgery. Adipose tissue distribution was assessed using the waisthip circumference ratio (WHR). PImax, PEmax and WHR were compared with normal reference values and also in groups with different body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: We evaluated 23 men and 76 women. All underwent PImax evaluation and 86 underwent PEmax. The mean BMI was 44.42 kg/m2. PImax and PEmax were within normal values; WHR showed that there was predominance of upper-body fat distribution; and there were no correlations among the variables studied. There was no signifi cant variance among the variables PImax, PEmax and WHR when the study population was divided into groups with different BMI. CONCLUSION: In the obese population studied, the excess weight did not result in impairment of respiratory muscle strength, and their predominant upper-body fat distribution also did not influence respiratory muscle strength.