Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0392680 (shortness of breath)
 5,217 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A 49-year-old woman was diagnosed with local recurrence and cervical lymph node and bone metastases 55 months after surgery for breast cancer. She was treated with goserelin acetate and tamoxifen but the disease was assessed as progressive after 8 months. Five courses of CMF therapy were performed but lung, pleural and mediastinal lymph node metastases were detected. Then, five courses of CAF therapy were carried out, but a contralateral breast metastasis was detected and the patient complained of shortness of breath. The CAF therapy was assessed as PD. We attempted administration of doxifluridine (5'-DFUR) and mitomycin C (MMC) on an outpatient basis. After 6 months, no progressive disease was detected and she was relieved of her shortness of breath. The combination therapy was assessed as long NC. Combination therapy with 5'-DFUR and MMC is thus a useful treatment for adriamycin- and methotrexate-resistant breast cancer, especially in terms of quality of life.
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PMID:[A case of adriamycin and methotrexate-resistant recurrent breast cancer treated with doxifluridine and mitomycin C]. 1047 88

Among proteins secreted from activated eosinophil granulocytes, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is the most useful tool for the follow-up of inflammatory diseases. Since ECP level reflects the eosinophil activation, it gives valuable information about disease activity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible relation between ECP levels and symptoms and laboratory findings of cystic echinococcosis (CE) and to evaluate the role of this protein in the diagnosis of CE. The study which was conducted at Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of Suleyman Demirel University Medical Faculty, Isparta, Turkey, included 58 patients with a pre-diagnosis of CE and 32 healthy individuals as control group. The diagnosis of CE was established serologically by modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect hemagglutination (IHA) test. The quantitative determination of ECP levels was done by fluoro-enzyme immunoassay (FEIA; Uni-CAP ECP, Pharmacia-Upjohn). The mean ECP level was 31.6 +/- 37 microg/ml in the patient group and 9.1 +/- 2.1 microg/ml in the control group, the difference being statistically significant (p = 0.001). Significant differences were also detected for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (p = 0.001), total IgE level (p = 0.001), eosinophile count (p = 0.05) and CRP (p = 0.001) between the patient and the control groups. ECP was detected to be high in 35 (60%), IgE in 37 (63%), CRP in 29 (50%) and eosinophile count in 9 (15.5%) patients. While age, gender, ESR, IgE and CRP levels of patients with high ECP levels were not significantly different from levels of patients with normal ECP levels, significantly different eosinophil counts were detected among patients with high ECP values when compared to patients with normal ECP values. Furthermore, a correlation was detected between ECP levels and eosinophil rate, IgE and CRP levels of patients with CE (p = 0.01), while there was no correlation between ECP and ESR levels. Although high ECP level patients exhibited higher ALT and AST levels, no correlation was determined between liver enzyme levels and ECP levels (p > 0.05). The most common symtoms among CE patients were abdominal pain (41%), other gastrointestinal complaints (38%), shortness of breath (12%) and fever (10%). No statistically significant difference in terms of symptoms was detected between patients with high ECP levels and normal ECP levels. However, statistically significant difference was detected between ECP levels of patients with symptoms (except shortness of breath) and patients without symptoms (p < 0.05). In conclusion, ECP seems to be associated with the symptoms and signs of CE and it can be used as a valuable marker besides the other laboratory tests for the evaluation of patients with CE.
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PMID:[Evaluation of eosinophil cationic protein levels with clinical symptoms and laboratory findings of patients with cystic echinococcosis]. 1962 14

Whereas serial measurements of lung function at work and at home are a well-known diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of occupational asthma (OA), little is known about the serial measurements of non-invasive parameters such as exhaled nitric oxide (eNO). A 51-year-old baker with variable shortness of breath without relation to work was examined for suspected OA. Skin prick test showed weak sensitizations to wheat and rye flour (without sensitizations to environmental allergens) that were corroborated by in vitro testing (CAP class 3). Baseline FEV1 of 58% predicted and a decrease of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) after placebo (sugar powder) of 17% did not allow inhalational challenge testing. The patient performed daily measurements of FEV1 and eNO for about a month during a holiday at home and at work. Whereas symptoms and FEV1 did not show differences between holidays and work periods, eNO showed a clear increase from below 10 ppb to a maximum of 75 ppb. A diagnosis of baker's asthma was made, and the patient quit his job immediately after medical advice. A year afterwards, the patient was still taking asthma medication, but his symptoms had improved, FEV1 had increased to 73% predicted, and eNO was 25 ppb. We conclude that serial measurements of eNO at home and at work may be a useful tool for the diagnosis of OA.
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PMID:Serial measurements of exhaled nitric oxide at work and at home: a new tool for the diagnosis of occupational asthma. 2525 6