Marta Dabrowska

Medical University of Warsaw · Katedra i Klinika Chorób Wewnętrznych, Pneumologii i Alergologii

Background Hiatal hernia may coexist with gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR)-related chronic cough. This study aimed to evaluate whether the presence of hiatal hernia was related to chronic cough severity and the response to antireflux therapy. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of data on adults with GOR-related chronic cough managed in our c...

Heart failure (HF) is a multidisciplinary disease affecting almost 1–2% of the adult population worldwide. Symptoms most frequently reported by patients suffering from HF include dyspnoea, cough or exercise intolerance, which is equally often observed in many pulmonary diseases. The spectrum of lung changes related to HF is wide. The knowledge of d...

Background: Chest radiograph (CXR) is a routine imaging test in adults with chronic cough (CC), while value of thoracic computed tomography (CT) in these patients is still a matter of discussion. The aims of the study were to assess the diagnostic yield of CXR and to evaluate the impact of thoracic CT on management of patients with difficult-to-tr...

Background The bronchoscopy (BS) experience provokes anxiety amongst some patients. It can have a negative impact on the course of the procedure and on the willingness of patients to undergo the next BS in the future. Objective We aimed to identify factors influencing patients’ satisfaction with BS. Methods The prospective study had been conducte...

Background: Eosinophilic inflammatory phenotype was thought to be the most common phenotype of cough variant asthma (CVA), nevertheless other phenotypes were also reported. Purpose: The study aimed to analyze the inflammatory phenotypes of CVA in relation to treatment response to the stepwise anti-asthmatic treatment. Patients and methods: The...

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness is a typical, but non-specific feature of cough variant asthma (CVA). This study aimed to determine whether bronchial hyperresponsiveness may be considered as a predictor of CVA in non-smoking adults with chronic cough (CC). The study included 55 patients with CC and bronchial hyperresponsiveness confirmed in the metha...

There is lack of evidence on the role of blood eosinophil count (BEC) as a predictor of treatment response in patients with chronic cough (CC). The study aimed to evaluate BEC as a predictor of treatment response in all non-smoking adults with CC and normal chest X-ray referred to cough clinic and in subgroup of patients with CC due to asthma or NA...

Purpose: Upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), described as chronic cough (CC) associated with allergic (AR), non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), is one of the major causes of CC. We aimed to characterize a cohort of UACS patients with special attention to differences between patients with AR and NAR. Methods: A prospectiv...

Introduction Due to a relatively high prevalence and negative impact on quality of life chronic cough (CC) is a challenge for both patients and clinicians. Our approach to CC management has changed significantly over the recent years. There is ongoing research to address the unmet need and develop more effective antitussive treatment options. This...

The cough reflex is an airway defensive process that can be modulated by afferent inputs from organs located also out of the respiratory system. A bidirectional relationship between cough and heart dysfunctions are presented in the article, with the special insights into an arrhythmia-triggered cough. Albeit rare, cough induced by cardiac pathologi...

Chronic cough affects about 4–10% of adults and has a negative impact on the patients’ quality of life. Chronic cough may be a symptom of many different diseases and its management should be based on treating the underlying cause. The most common cough cause in adults is chronic bronchitis due to smoking. Next, in non-smoking adults upper airway co...

Wstęp: Skuteczność leczenia przewlekłego kaszlu u dorosłych jest ograniczona. Terapia mowy to jedna z niewielu metod leczenia, które wydają się skuteczne u pacjentów z uporczywym, przewlekłym kaszlem. Metoda ta jednak nie była dotychczas dostępna w Polsce. Celem badania było wdrożenie terapii mowy i ocena jej skuteczności w leczeniu pacjentów z prz...

Background: A significant percentage of patients with asthma and COPD do not use their inhalers properly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a single session of inhalation technique training on the frequency of inhalation errors and the course of asthma and COPD. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included adults who had...

Introduction: Interleukin 25 is an epithelial-derived cytokine associated with allergic Th2 inflammation. However, little is known about the role of IL-25 in different asthma phenotypes and its relationship with disease severity. Aim: To evaluate and compare the mRNA and protein expression of IL-25 in patients with mild-to moderate/severe asthma...

Wstęp: Niewiele jest prac oryginalnych dotyczących roli prawidłowego radiogramu klatki piersiowej (RTG) w wykluczeniu chorób płuc, które mogą być przyczyną przewlekłego (>8 tygodni) kaszlu u chorych niepalących. Dlatego celem badania była ocena, czy RTG jest wystarczającym narzędziem do wykluczenia istotnych płucnych przyczyn przewlekłego kaszlu. M...

Introduction: There are few original studies on the true role of normal chest radiograph (CXR) in exclusion of pulmonary conditions that may be associated with chronic cough. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess whether a plain CXR is a sufficient tool to exclude relevant pulmonary causes of chronic cough. Material and methods: A retrospecti...

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of dysphagia in patients with chronic cough. Material and methods: Thirty four consecutive patients. All patients underwent physical examination, ENT assessment, functional phoniatric assessment at rest and speech, Water-Swallow Test (WST), and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing...

Background: Pharmacological treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is based mainly on inhaled medications. There is a continuous need to examine and train patients in their inhalation technique. The objective of the presented study is to determine whether the errors which patients made during inhalations are repetitiv...

Objective: Menopausal asthma is considered a distinct asthma phenotype. Our aim was to identify potential specific features of asthma in postmenopausal women in a cohort of Polish females. Methods: Asthma severity and control, pulmonary function, exhaled nitric oxide (FENO), peripheral blood and induced sputum (IS) differential cell count were c...

Diagnosing solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) frequently requires radiological follow up associated with exposure to ionizing radiation. The aim of this study was to estimate the effective dose of ionizing radiation in patients diagnosed and followed up due to SPNs, which were found beyond lung cancer screening programs. We estimated the exposure to...

Kaszel jest najczęstszym objawem chorób układu oddechowego. Stosowane dotychczas metody leczenia przewlekłego kaszlu u dorosłych nie są w pełni skuteczne. Przewlekły kaszel o niejasnej przyczynie lub niepoddający się leczeniu może spowodować znaczne upośledzenie jakości życia. Wyniki badań dowodzą, że jedną z metod leczenia przewlekłego, uporczyweg...

Cough is the most common symptom of respiratory diseases. The results of management of chronic cough in adults are still unsatisfactory. Unexplained and difficult-to-treat chronic cough causes significant impairment in patients‘ quality of life. The results of recent studies suggest that speech therapy (speech language intervention) is one of the f...

Diagnosing solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) frequently requires radiological follow up with computed tomography (CT) or other imaging techniques. CT and positon emission tomography with CT (PET/CT) are associated with a substantial exposure to ionizing radiation. We undertook a study aimed at estimating the total effective dose of ionizing radiatio...

Early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary mycoses in immunocompromised patients is a major determinant of effective treatment. However, making a reliable diagnosis is challenging and often requires transbronchial or even surgical lung biopsy. We provide evidence that endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration may be an attractive,...

Background: The Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) is one of the few specific quality-of-life questionnaires (QOLQ) dedicated to measuring the impact of chronic cough on patients' health/condition. Objectives: The aim of the study was to validate the Polish version of the LCQ. Material and methods: The LCQ was translated forward and backward....

Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the sensitivity of various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences for the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and to estimate the accuracy of MRI for the measurement of lesion size, as compared to computed tomography (CT). Methods: Fifty patients with 113 pulmonary nodules diagnosed by CT underwent...

Maximum diameters of 113 pulmonary nodules in 50 patients on MR and CT images. (DOCX)

Abstract Ortner’s syndrome (also known as cardiovocal syndrome) is defined as hoarseness due to compression of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve by an enlarged left atrium or enlarged thoracic vessels. We describe two cases of Ortner’s syndrome with an unusual underlying vascular pathology. In the first patient, Ortner’s syndrome was a consequence...

Chronic cough is a common medical problem. The aim of the study was to analyze chronic cough causes in non-smoking patients and to search for demographic factors associated with different cough reasons. The etiology of cough was determined by medical history, diagnostic tests and response to specific treatment. Patients with significant abnormaliti...

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and positron emission tomography with 18-FDG (FDG-PET/CT) are used to identify malignant solitary pulmonary nodules. The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of CECT and FDG-PET/CT in diagnosing the etiology of solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN). Eighty patients with newly diagnosed SPN >8 mm were...

Introduction: The efficacy of management of chronic cough in adults is limited. Speech therapy is one of the few therapeutic methods which seems to be useful in patients with persistent chronic cough. However, the method has not been available in Poland so far. The aim of the study was to implement speech therapy and assess its efficacy in the mana...

Introduction Efficacy of chronic cough treatment is ambiguous. The aim of the study was to analyze chronic cough alleviation after specific treatment and the relationship between cough etiology and treatment efficacy. Material and methods A stepwise diagnostic approach was used to diagnose cough etiology in non-smoking adults with chronic cough. I...

Introduction: Chronic cough is a common medical complaint, which may deteriorate patients' quality of life and cause many complications. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the frequent reasons for chronic cough. Oesophageal pH monitoring is one of the diagnostic methods performed to confirm diagnosis of GERD-related cough. The aim of...

Changes associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) are usually related to the posterior part of the larynx and called "posterior laryngitis". Pathologic reflux-induced mucosal changes within the larynx are easily detected with the use of videolaryngoscopy (VLS). To the multitude of described changes within the larynx that are associated with th...

Capsaicin inhalation cough challenge is one of the most important methods evaluating cough and is acknowledged not only in pharmacological, but also in scientific studies and clinical practice. However, it is not popular in Poland. The aim of the study was then introduction of capsaicin challenge into clinical and scientific practice, evaluation of...

Objective: The aim was to compare a voice quality in patients with GERD-related dysphonia or chronic cough and to determine whether there is a relationship between the main symptom reported and voice quality. Material and methods: 249 consecutive patients diagnosed with GERD-related chronic cough or dysphonia were involved in this retrospective...

Introduction Changes associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) are usually related to the posterior part of the larynx and called “posterior laryngitis”. Pathologic reflux-induced mucosal changes within the larynx are easily detected with the use of videolaryngoscopy (VLS). To the multitude of described changes within the larynx that are assoc...

IL-6 is strongly implicated in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). IL-13 is the well-documented central mediator in allergic asthma. IL-6 is attributed to the proinflammatory activities in COPD as well as asthma. In COPD patients exacerbation is increased by serum IL-6. The association of IL-13 as well as IL-6 with the...

Sarcoidosis is a disease with a strongly variable clinical manifestation. It may be associated with various autoimmune diseases but hematological manifestations have rarely been observed. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia in patients with sarcoidosis has been estimated at 2%, about 1% of patients with thrombocytopenia have been diagnosed with sarc...

The main causative agent for developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is tobacco smoke. The important pathologic pathways in COPD which are related to smoking were well described. This disease affects mainly the respiratory tract. However, many data confirmed relevant systemic disturbances in course of COPD. Up to 30% of COPD cases a...

The autoimmune reaction is recently suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). As COPD is a systemic disease, the elements of an autoimmune response in circulatory system is of interest. It has been shown that regulatory T cells are important in the control of autoimmunity. There are some data on a role...

Chronic cough frequently remains unexplained. Although various cardiac arrhythmias have already been reported as a cause of chronic cough, this phenomenon has not been evaluated prospectively. Therefore, we studied the incidence and management of cough associated with premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) in a population of patients with this cond...

Dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is one of the methods used in the evaluation of lung nodules. The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of the simplified method (based on only 2 postcontrast measurements) of dynamic CECT in determining the nature of pulmonary nodules. Forty nodules (solid, 10-40 mm in diameter, spherica...

The detection of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) has increased due to widespread use of computed tomography; nevertheless, chest radiographs still remain the basic routine examination. The aim of the study was to estimate the detection of SPNs in routine chest X-rays in hospitalized patients and to assess the incidence of malignancy in newly diag...

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of chronic cough causes and to compare the efficacy of two diagnostic approaches used in ambulatory vs. hospitalized setting. Eighty patients with chronic cough, 40 in each group, were enrolled into the study. The etiology of cough was determined on medical history and on either basi...

The present case study reports a case of chronic cough and cough syncope associated with frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). Careful analysis of cough-related symptoms and ECG monitoring led to the suspicion of PVC-induced cough. A coincidence between PVCs and episodes of cough was also documented by a portable multichannel recorder. M...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by chronic inflammation in pulmonary tissue and is also associated with systemic effects. The objective of this study was determination of lymphocyte subpopulation and the expression of Fas receptor on lymphocytes derived from peripheral blood of patients with stable COPD (n=18) and a co...

An impairment of in vitro cytotoxicity and tumoricidal function of alveolar macrophages (AMs) in patients with lung cancer was reported in a number of studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on AMs after stimulation with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in patients with non-small cell l...

The role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of peripheral lung nodule is controversial. The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of routine bronchoscopy performed in patients with peripheral lung nodule of 5-40 mm in diameter. From 60 patients with peripheral lung nodule, who underwent routine diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy bet...

Numerous studies have been performed to determine diagnostic or prognostic utility of tumor markers in patients with lung cancer. The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of the tumor markers CA 125, CEA and CYFRA 21-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). BAL was performed...

The term radial segmentation (RS) is applied to a characteristic nuclear deformation observed in peripheral blood in vitro in some neoplastic and normal cells. It concerns al mononuclear cells. RS positive lymphocytes were found as CD 4 cells. Different conditions and substances, i.e. anticoagulant or cyclosporin can induce the formation of RS nucl...

The linearity of ICAM- I expression on alveolar macrophages (AM) before and after INF-gamma stimulation in healthy and lung cancer subjects were compared. AM were collected by bronchoalveolar lavage and incubated with/without INF-gamma according to standard procedures. The harvested cells were analyzed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies...

Sjögren's syndrome is an inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting primarily the exocrine glands. In the abscence of other autoimmune diseases it is classified as primary Sjögren's syndrome. Patients with primary syndrome have about 40 times higher relative risk of developing lymphoma then normal population, which offers a possibility to study mali...

Lipid disorders have been treated with fibrates for many years. Rhabdomyolysis is one of the side effects of these drugs. We report a case of a septic-toxic shock due to rhabdomyolysis in a 75-year old patient, who had been treated with fenofibrate for 2 years. This case shows necessity of the standard monitoring of aminotransferase, phosphocreatin...