Abstract-Percutaneous renal sympathetic denervation by radiofrequency energy has been reported to reduce blood pressure (BP) by the reduction of renal sympathetic efferent and afferent signaling. We evaluated the effects of this procedure on BP and sleep apnea severity in patients with resistant hypertension and sleep apnea. We studied 10 patients with refractory hypertension and sleep apnea (7 men and 3 women; median age: 49.5 years) who underwent renal denervation and completed 3-month and 6-month follow-up evaluations, including polysomnography and selected blood chemistries, and BP measurements. Antihypertensive regimens were not changed during the 6 months of follow-up. Three and 6 months after the denervation, decreases in office systolic and diastolic BPs were observed (median: Ϫ34/Ϫ13 mm Hg for systolic and diastolic BPs at 6 months; both PϽ0.01). Significant decreases were also observed in plasma glucose concentration 2 hours after glucose administration (median: 7.0 versus 6.4 mmol/L; Pϭ0.05) and in hemoglobin A1C level (median: 6.1% versus 5.6%; PϽ0.05) at 6 months, as well as a decrease in apnea-hypopnea index at 6 months after renal denervation (median: 16.3 versus 4.5 events per hour; Pϭ0.059). In conclusion, catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation lowered BP in patients with refractory hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, which was accompanied by improvement of sleep apnea severity. Interestingly, there are also accompanying improvements in glucose tolerance. Renal sympathetic denervation may conceivably be a potentially useful option for patients with comorbid refractory hypertension, glucose intolerance, and obstructive sleep apnea, although further studies are needed to confirm these proof-of-concept data. (Hypertension. 2011;58:559-565.)

Background:The analysis of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is expected to provide useful biomarkers for early diagnosis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, it remains unclear whether the intense release of cfDNA into the bloodstream of NSCLC patients results from malignancy or chronic inflammatory response. Consequently, the current diagnostic utility of plasma cfDNA quantification has not been thoroughly validated in subjects with chronic respiratory inflammation. Here we assess the effect of chronic respiratory inflammation on plasma cfDNA levels and evaluate the potential clinical value of this phenomenon as an early lung cancer diagnostic tool.Methods:We measured plasma cfDNA concentrations in 50 resectable NSCLC patients, 101 patients with chronic respiratory inflammation (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis, or asthma) and 40 healthy volunteers using real-time PCR.Results:We found significantly higher plasma cfDNA levels in NSCLC patients than in subjects with chronic respiratory inflammation and healthy individuals (P<0.0001). There were no significant differences in plasma cfDNA levels between patients with chronic respiratory inflammation and healthy volunteers. The cutoff point of >2.8 ng ml−1 provided 90% sensitivity and 80.5% specificity in discriminating NSCLC from healthy individuals (area under the curve (AUC)=0.90). The receiver-operating characteristics curve distinguishing NSCLC patients from subjects with chronic respiratory inflammation indicated 56% sensitivity and 91% specificity at the >5.25-ng ml−1 cutoff (AUC=0.76).Conclusions:We demonstrated that elevated plasma cfDNA levels in NSCLC resulted primarily from tumour development rather than inflammatory response, raising the potential clinical implications for lung cancer screening and early diagnosis. Further research is necessary to better characterise and identify factors and processes regulating cfDNA levels in the blood under normal and pathological conditions.

Recent studies indicate that resistant hypertension (RHTN) is present in about 12% of the treated hypertensive population. However, patients with true RHTN (confirmed out of the office) have not been widely studied. We prospectively studied 204 patients (123 male, 81 female, mean age 48.4 years, range 19-65 years) with truly RHTN (ambulatory daytime mean blood pressure >135/85 mm  Hg). We evaluated the frequency of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), renal artery stenosis (RAS), primary aldosteronism (PA) and other secondary forms of hypertension (HTN) and conditions. Mild, moderate and severe OSA were present in 55 (27.0%), 38 (18.6%) and 54 (26.5%) patients, respectively. Secondary forms of HTN were diagnosed in 49 patients (24.0%), the most frequent being PA (15.7%) and RAS (5.4%). Metabolic syndrome (MS) was present in 65.7% of patients. Excessive sodium excretion was evident in 33.3% of patients and depression in 36.8% patients. In patients with RHTN, OSA and MS were the most frequent conditions, frequently overlapping with each other and also with PA. Our data indicate that in the vast majority of patients with truly RHTN, at least one of three co-morbidities-OSA, MS and PA-is present. Other conditions, even though less frequent, should also be taken into the consideration.

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Expiratory muscle recruitment is common in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Due to airway obstruction, there is little reason to believe that active expiration in COPD would be mechanically effective in lowering operating lung volume. The physiological significance of expiratory muscle recruitment in COPD, therefore, remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess, in COPD patients breathing at rest, the effect of expiratory muscle contraction on force generating ability of the diaphragm.The force generating ability of the diaphragm was evaluated from its pressure swing (Pdi) for a given diaphragm electrical activity (Edi), where Edi was normalized as % of its maximal value (Pdi/Edi/Edi,max). Phasic expiratory muscle contraction was measured as the total expiratory rise in gastric pressure (Pga,exp.rise).Nineteen seated patients with moderate to severe COPD, participated in the study and 10 exhibited phasic rise in Pga during expiration with a mean Pga,exp.rise of 1.91 0.89 cmH 2 O. The patients were thus divided into passive expiration (PE) and active expiration (AE) groups. There was no significant difference in various lung function and breathing pattern parameters between the two groups. Pdi/Edi/Edi,max was 0.63 0.07 and 0.54 0.07 cmH 2 O/% in PE and AE groups, respectively, and was not significantly different between each other. Compared with PE group, AE group not only recruited expiratory muscles, but also preferentially recruited inspiratory rib cage muscles and derecruited the diaphragm.The results do not support a significant improvement of the force-generating ability of the diaphragm by phasic contraction of expiratory muscles at rest in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Eur Respir J 2000; 16: 684±690.

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Wstęp: Nykturia (≥2 epizodów oddawania moczu w nocy) jest częstym objawem obturacyjnego bezdechu sennego (OBS). Wzrost ciśnienia w jamie brzusznej w czasie bezdechów, zwiększone wydzielanie przedsionkowego peptydu sodopędnego (ANP), stosowanie leków moczopędnych, współistnienie cukrzycy, nadmierne przyjmowanie płynów oraz przebudzenia w czasie snu powodują częstsze oddawanie moczu w nocy. Celem pracy była ocena częstości występowania nykturii u chorych z umiarkowanym i ciężkim OBS. Materiał i metody: Zbadano 171 otyłych (BMI—35.8 ± 6.3 kg/m²) chorych (135 mężczyzn i 36 kobiet) w średnim wieku 53.6 ± 10.8 lat z zaawansowanymi postaciami choroby (AHI/RDI—43.6 ± 23.2). Wyniki: W celu oceny relacji między nykturią oraz AHI/RDI (apnea hypopnea index/respiratory disturbance index), utlenowaniem w czasie snu, BMI (body mass index) i sennością dzienną badanych podzielono na 2 grupy: pierwszą bez nykturii (60 badanych; 35.1%—grupa N−) i drugą z nykturią (111 badanych; 64.9%—grupa N+). Grupa N+ miała znamiennie wyższy wskaźnik AHI/RDI, 48 ± 22.8 vs. 35.4 ± 21.7 (p = 0.0006), wyższy BMI, 36.8 ± 6.5 vs. 34 ± 5.5 kg/m² (p = 0.004), niższe średnie wysycenie krwi tętniczej tlenem w nocy (SaO₂), 88.6 ± 5.6 vs. 90.4 ± 4.3% (p = 0.03) oraz wyższą punktację w skali Epworth, 14.4 ± 5.1 vs. 11.3 ± 5.5 (p = 0.0002). W analizie regresji wielokrotnej ujawniono znamienne korelacje między nykturią oraz wynikami skali senności Epworth (β = 0.26, p < 0.0009), współistnieniem choroby wieńcowej, (β = 0.23, p = 0.004) i wskaźnikiem AHI/RDI (β = 0.21, p = 0.04). Wnioski: Nykturia jest częstym objawem u chorych na OBS (64.9%). Nocne oddawanie moczu wiązało się z ciężkością choroby, objawami senności dziennej i występowaniem choroby niedokrwiennej serca.