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Background: Management of ACO is clinically challenging due to insufficient evidence on pathological changes in these patients. Aim: To evaluate large airway remodelling changes in patients with ACO compared to asthma, COPD ex-smokers (ES) and current smokers (CS), non-smoking normal controls (NC), and normal lung function smokers (NLFS). Methods: Endobronchial biopsy tissue from 12 ACO, 14 asthmatics, 12 COPD‑ES, 11 CS, 28 NC, and 13 NLFS were stained with Masson’s trichrome. Epithelial and goblet cells/mm reticular basement membrane (RBM); total lamina propria (LP) cells/mm2 up to 120 µm deep were enumerated for the area surveyed; RBM, epithelial, and smooth muscle (SM) thickness were analysed using imaging software ImageProPlus V7.0. Results: Compared to asthma and COPD, ACO showed differential remodelling pattern. The RBM was significantly thicker in ACO than asthmatics (p Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ACO patients had severe tissue remodelling changes than asthmatics and COPD patients.

Introduction: The different mood states in our daily life can affect our mental and emotional health. The aim of our study was to explore photoplethysmography to record heart rate variability as a marker of changes in mood states in our daily life.Materials and Methods: Two groups of affective pictures categorized into positive and negative sets were shown to thirty subjects on two different consecutive days with simultaneously recording of heart rate variability for 5 minutes by photoplethysmography technique. Immediately after recording on each day, 0-9 self-assessment scale was used to assess the mood state of the subject after viewing the set of pictures.Results: Sympathetic domains of heart rate variability like low frequency (200.3 ±4.1 vs. 166.7 ±2.8, p

Background Despite the successful adaptation to high altitude, some differences do occur due to long term exposure to the hypoxic environment. The effect of long term high altitude exposure on cardiac autonomic adjustment during basal and post-exercise recovery is less known. Thus we aimed to study the differences in basal cardiac autonomic adjustment and its response to exercise in highlanders and to compare it with lowlanders. Methods The study was conducted on 29 healthy highlander males who were born and brought up at altitude of 3000 m and above from the sea level, their cardiac autonomic adjustment was compared with age, sex, physical activity and ethnicity-matched 29 healthy lowlanders using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) during rest and recovery from sub-maximal exercise (3 m step test). Intergroup comparison between the highlanders and lowlanders and intragroup comparison between the rest and the postexercise recovery conditions were done. Results Resting heart rate and HRV during rest was comparable between the groups. However, heart rate recovery after 3 min step test was faster in highlanders (p

Background Thyroid dysfunction (TD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are known risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). TD is risk factor for ASCVD mediated by the effects of thyroid hormones on lipid metabolism and blood pressure hence the components of MetS. It is possible that coexistence of these two disease entities and unrecognized TD in patients with MetS might substantially increase ASCVD risk. Moreover, little is known about the relationship between TD and the components of MetS. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the pattern of TD in patients with MetS and its relationship with components of the MetS. Methods A total of 358 previously diagnosed patients with MetS were recruited in the study. The thyroid function test parameters were measured to classify TD at Dhulikhel Hospital-Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 16.0 to evaluate pattern and relationship. Results The overall prevalence of TD in patients with MetS was 31.84% with high prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (29.32%). We found no evidence of a relationship between TD and components of MetS, although there was significant difference in waist circumference between four groups of TD. Conclusion Patients with MetS had subclinical hypothyroidism greatly. Although there was no evidence of any relationship between thyroid status and all components of MetS, TD should be taken into account when evaluating and treating patients with MetS to reduce the impending risk.