Background and aimTuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health issue in Romania. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors for TB among hospitalized patients in Romania.MethodsThis is a case-control study conducted between March 1st 2014 and March 30th 2015 at Leon Daniello Clinical Hospital of Pneumology, Cluj Napoca. A total of 150 TB patients defined as “cases” were matched for age, sex and county of residence to 150 controls selected from patients attending the same hospital with respiratory diseases other than TB. Data collection was obtained through patient interviews using a structured questionnaire. Factors potentially associated with TB infection were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.ResultsFactors independently associated with TB were illiteracy (OR=2.42, 95% CI 1.09–5.37), unemployment (OR=2.08, 95% CI 1.23–3.53), low household income (OR=4.12, 95% CI 2.53–6.71), smoking (more than 20 cigarettes per day) (OR=2.12, 95% CI 1.20–3.74), poor knowledge of TB (OR=3.46, 95% CI 1.97–6.07), presence of TB patient in household (OR=4.35, 95% CI 1.42–13.36), prior TB treatment (OR=2.2, 95% CI 1.93–2.5) and diabetes (OR=3.32, 95% CI 1.36–8.08).ConclusionThis study provided useful information that might help to develop and adapt effective policies for TB control in Romania.

Asthma is defined by The Initiative for Asthma (GINA 2018) as a heterogeneous disease, which include chronic airway inflammation and a history of respiratory symptoms. In the last decades asthma had a rise in prevalence, becoming one of the most frequent diagnosed diseases in the world. The main goals of asthma management are to achieve good symptom control, minimize the risks of exacerbations, decrease rescue medication intake, improve the quality of life by decreasing respiratory system inflammation and ameliorating the patient’s lung function. Beside effective medications, asthma continues to impair quality of life for most patients. Due to the difficulty of controlling symptoms and exacerbations, the need of developing complementary options of treatment is increasing in order to achieve an optimum control and a lower risk of acute episodes or fatal events. Pulmonary rehabilitation is suggested for asthma patients when adequate medical therapy poorly control the symptoms and mental, physical or social consequences of illness persist during the daily life. The following non-drug therapy components are included in the rehabilitation program: physical training, comprehensive smoking cessation program, comprehensive patient education, respiratory physiotherapy, psychosocial support and comprehensive nutritional counseling. These complementary therapies have been proven to improve muscle strength, exercise capacity and symptomatology. Also, it has been associated to fewer exacerbations and a lower use of rescue medication, leading to a better quality of life. Key words: asthma, quality of life, symptomatology, rehabilitation, physiotherapy,

Transfusion and Perforation: Perforation of colon occurred in four neonates after exchange transfusion for haemolytic disease, and was thought to be the result of disturbances in the portal circulation. All recovered after laparotomy and antibiotics (p. 345). Six further cases are reported, the pathological findings resembling acute necrotizing enterocolitis (p. 349). Leader at p. 340. Prognosis in Nephrotic Syndrome: A study of 400 nephrotics suggests that in children aged 1 to 5 years differential protein clearance tests can obviate renal biopsy (p. 352). Leader at p. 343. Folate Siatus in Pregnancy: Report confirms previous findings that 300 "g. folic acid daily is a suitable supplement (p. 356). Myocardial Infarction: Oxygen therapy probably worth while since tissue oxygenation appears to be improved by it, despite reduction it causes in cardiac output (p. 360). Ventricular Dysrhythmias: Occurred after recovery from infarction in 11 out of 142 patients, and proved fatal in seven (p. 364). Vasodilator in Infarction: Controlled trial did not show any benefit from treatment with dipyridamole (p. 366). Case Reports: Oedema of legs from bladder distension (p. 369). Bandaging causing sternal depression with associated cardiac arrhythmia (p. 369). Schizophrenia: Coping with patient in the home environment (p. 371). Audiometry: Diagnostic tests described in Medicine Today article (p. 373). Surgical Training: Proposals for revision of diploma and better supervision of postgraduate training (p. 379).

The correlation between the transthoracic lung ultrasound score (LUS) and the severity of changes in HRCTon patients with interstitial lung diseases Interstitial lung disease is a heterogeneous group of disorders. Chest high-resolution computed tomography is considered the "gold" standard radiological method for diagnosis of ILD. The objective of our study was to evaluate the correlation between the transthoracic ultrasound score and the severity of changes in HRCT simplified scores, the presence of symptoms and the pulmonary function impairment in patients with interstitial lungdisease(ILD). We have evaluated 58 consecutively patients diagnosed with ILD and compared with a non-healthy control group (n=30).Transtoracic lung ultrasound (LUS) total score was correlated with HRCT score (r=0.784, p<0.001) and chest positive areas (intercostal spaces with ≥5B-line) were correlated with HRCT score (r=0.805, p<0.005). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) for LUS total score using 5 as a HRCT score cut-off was 0.86 (p<0.001), respectively for positive chest areas with intercostal space with ≥5B-line was 0.88 (p<0.001). The sensitivity (Se) was 76.7%, the specificity (Sp) 92.9%. After dividing the ILD patients according to the HRCT pattern in usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and other radiological interstitial abnormality we found a good correlation statistically significant only for first group (r=0.51, p=0.02). LUS had a positive correlation with age (r=0.481, p<0.001), negative correlation with DLCO (r=-0.39, p=0.007) and with alveolar volume (r=-0.39,p=0.007). The chest positive areas score was positive correlated with age (r=0.599, p<0.001), negative correlation with diffusing capacity of the lung for carbone monoxide (DLCO)( r=-0.44, p=0.002) andwiththealveolarvolume(r=-0.49,p=0.001).

The correlation between the transthoracic lung ultrasound score (LUS) and the severity of changes in HRCTon patients with interstitial lung diseases Interstitial lung disease is a heterogeneous group of disorders. Chest high-resolution computed tomography is considered the "gold" standard radiological method for diagnosis of ILD. The objective of our study was to evaluate the correlation between the transthoracic ultrasound score and the severity of changes in HRCT simplified scores, the presence of symptoms and the pulmonary function impairment in patients with interstitial lungdisease(ILD). We have evaluated 58 consecutively patients diagnosed with ILD and compared with a non-healthy control group (n=30).Transtoracic lung ultrasound (LUS) total score was correlated with HRCT score (r=0.784, p<0.001) and chest positive areas (intercostal spaces with ≥5B-line) were correlated with HRCT score (r=0.805, p<0.005). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) for LUS total score using 5 as a HRCT score cut-off was 0.86 (p<0.001), respectively for positive chest areas with intercostal space with ≥5B-line was 0.88 (p<0.001). The sensitivity (Se) was 76.7%, the specificity (Sp) 92.9%. After dividing the ILD patients according to the HRCT pattern in usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and other radiological interstitial abnormality we found a good correlation statistically significant only for first group (r=0.51, p=0.02). LUS had a positive correlation with age (r=0.481, p<0.001), negative correlation with DLCO (r=-0.39, p=0.007) and with alveolar volume (r=-0.39,p=0.007). The chest positive areas score was positive correlated with age (r=0.599, p<0.001), negative correlation with diffusing capacity of the lung for carbone monoxide (DLCO)( r=-0.44, p=0.002) andwiththealveolarvolume(r=-0.49,p=0.001).