The cardiorespiratory effect in mental illnesses has recently received much attention. However, the cardiovascular and pulmonary effects of mood disorders have not been clearly demonstrated.

This study aims to compare individuals with mood disorders and healthy people in terms of exercise capacity, functionality, respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, dyspnoea and physical activity level.

This cross-sectional study involved 30 patients with mood disorders and 35 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. Exercise capacity (6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 3-Minute Step Test (3MST)), functionality (vertical jump test, functional reach test), respiratory parameters (respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function test), dyspnoea (Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale) and physical activity level (Short-Form International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)) were evaluated.

6MWT results (P < 0.001) and functional test scores (vertical jump test, P = 0.006; functional reach test, P < 0.001) were significantly lower, and heart rate recovery after 3MST (P < 0.001) was higher in mood disorder patients. Although patients' respiratory parameters were lower than healthy individuals, only measured and predicted respiratory muscle strength (P < 0.001), peak expiratory flow rate litres (P < 0.001), forced vital capacity predicted (P = 0.010) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s predicted (P = 0.002) values were statistically significantly different. Dyspnoea with activities was higher in patients (P < 0.001). Patients spent more time sitting (IPAQ, P < 0.001), but overall physical activity levels were similar between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Patients with mood disorders had decreased exercise capacity and pulmonary function, lower functionality scores and respiratory muscle strength, and increased dyspnoea. Exercise-based rehabilitation protocols are recommended for the management of risk factors affecting the mood disorder patients' cardiorespiratory status.

To describe experiences of well-being among people with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Living with COPD is related to a complex life situation, and quality of life (QOL) is shown to decrease because of respiratory symptoms and fatigue. However, studies describing well-being in COPD as a subjective description of QOL are rare.

Ten participants with moderate to very severe COPD from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden (OLIN) COPD study were interviewed about their experiences of well-being. A latent qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data.

To achieve well-being despite breathlessness, the participants had to adapt to their limitations and live towards the future. They created a balance between breathing and viability by adjusting to a lifelong limitation, handling variations in illness, relying on self-capacity and accessibility to a trustful care. The participants adjusted to lifelong limitations through acceptance and replacement of former activities. They handled variations in illness by taking advantage of the good days and using emotional adaptation strategies. The participants relied on their own self-capacity, feeling that smoking cessation, physical activity and breathing fresh air increased their well-being. They requested accessibility to a trustful care and highlighted the need for continuous care relationships and access to medications. These findings can enhance health-care professionals’ understanding of the possibilities for increased well-being for people living with COPD.

We aimed to determine whether N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide can differentiate between cardiac and pulmonary aetiologies of dyspnoea, if N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide can be used for evaluating the effect of treatment in cardiac failure, and for predicting severe pulmonary diseases that are complicated by cardiac failure.

In all, 76 children with dyspnoea were enrolled; 41 of them suffered cardiac failure – 25 caused by cardiac disease, 16 caused by pulmonary disease – and 35 had dyspnoea due to pulmonary disease. The control group consisted of 32 children. We calculated Ross scores, analysed N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels, and evaluated left ventricular systolic functions by echocardiography.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels were significantly higher in children with cardiac failure than in those with pulmonary disease and in controls (medians 7321, 241, 87.71 picograms per millilitre, respectively), were higher in children with cardiac failure due to pulmonary disease than in those with only pulmonary disease (medians 2728, 241 picograms per millilitre, respectively), and were higher in children who died from cardiac failure than in survivors (p < 0.05). After treatment of cardiac failure, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels decreased significantly (p < 0.001). The cut-off level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide for differentiating cardiacfailure from pulmonary disease was 726.8 picograms per millilitre, sensitivity 100%, specificity 94.3%.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels can differentiate dyspnoea due to cardiac failure from pulmonary diseases. It can also be used to monitor the effects of treatment of cardiac failure and to estimate the prognosis, as well as to predict pulmonary diseases that are complicated with cardiac failure.

A case of tracheopathia chondro-osteoplastica causing sub-glottic stenosis is described.

Case report and literature review.

A 37-year-old man presented with a 15-year history of gradually worsening dyspnoea and stridor due to sub-glottic stenosis. His medical and radiographic records were reviewed. This patient's presentation, histopathological findings and radiology images are presented and discussed.

Histopathological evaluation of microlaryngoscopy biopsy specimens, taken during laser debulking of the stenosis, confirmed the presence of tracheopathia chondro-osteoplastica.

This is the first reported case of sub-glottic stenosis caused by tracheopathia chondro-osteoplastica which required an urgent tracheostomy.