Since little is known of the effects of age, gender, and body size on exhaled nitric oxide (NO) production, we have conducted a prospective study to examine these factors in a healthy nonsmoking women (mean age +/- SD 47.7 +/- 15.8, range 20-79 years). Exhaled NO was measured by an automatic chemiluminescence analyzer (Sievers NO Analyser 280) at steady expiration. Men had significantly higher exhaled NO levels than women (p = 0.001). Although exhaled NO levels did not correlate with age (r = 0.12, p = 0.17), it correlated significantly with height (r = 0.23, p = 0.02), weight (r = 0.34, p

Objective: To compare the incidence of catheter-related infection in the bloodstream and non-infectious complication rate of Hickman catheter and peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) in oncology patients. Methods: A retrospective study was performed of oncology patients who underwent Hickman catheter or PICC placement at the radiology department of a regional hospital in Hong Kong from January 2008 to December 2013. The catheter-related bloodstream infection rate, time to infection onset, and non-infectious complication rate of the Hickman group and PICC group were evaluated and compared. Results: During the study period, 161 Hickman catheters and 29 PICCs were inserted in oncology patients (n = 190). There were 38 cases of catheter-related bloodstream infection in the Hickman group and four cases in the PICC group. The catheter-related bloodstream infection rate for all catheters, Hickman group, and PICC group was 1.364, 1.340 and 1.654 per 1000-catheter-days, respectively. For non-infectious complications, 15 of 161 Hickman cases had complications (6 catheter blockage, 5 leakage, 4 migration and dislodgement). In the PICC group, 6 of 29 had complications (3 blockage, and 3 migration and dislodgement). There was, however, no statistically significant difference between the Hickman and PICC groups in terms of number of infections (p = 0.241), time to infection onset (p = 0.187), non-infectious complication rate (p = 0.101), and overall complication rate (p = 0.766). Conclusion: With the less invasive nature of PICC insertion, it provides a viable means of vascular access for oncology patients.

A 34 year old Chinese man presented with grand mal seizures complicating multiple brain abscesses caused by mixed oral flora. Because of persistent hypoxaemia contrast spiral thoracic computed tomography was done, which revealed bilateral pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs). Concomitant IgA and IgG subclass deficiency was also found. The combination of these two conditions appears to have predisposed this patient to presumably paradoxical septic embolism. The patient’s cerebral condition responded to postoperative antibiotic treatment and he eventually received selective coil embolisation of right lower lobe PAVMs, which relieved his hypoxaemia and dyspnoea.