Showing papers by "Nikoletta Rovina published in 2009"
TL;DR: In patients with COPD, increased levels of IL-18 in induced sputum were associated with airflow limitation, suggesting that IL- 18 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD.
67 citations
TL;DR: Bupropion SR is an effective aid for smoking cessation in clinical practice and NSGT increased the chances for success at the end of therapy when combined with bupropion SR, while CBGT as monotherapy was less effective compared with the approaches including pharmacotherapy.
Abstract: Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral interventions (brief counseling, nonspecific psychological support in groups — NSGS and cognitive behavioral group therapy — CBGT) in combination with bupropion SR for smoking cessation in the field, through a smoking cessation clinic.Methods: Two-hundred-and-five smokers were enrolled in a 19-week course during 2007/ 2008, and were randomly assigned to: bupropion SR combined with brief counseling (group A), bupropion SR combined with NSGS (group B), bupropion SR combined with CBGT (group C), or CBGT as the only approach (group D).Results: Continuous abstinence rates at the end of therapy were 53.2% for group A, 62.9% for group B, 50.0% for group C, and 22.2% (p 0.05), respectively.Conclusions: Bupropion SR is an effective aid for smoking cessation in clinical practice. NSGT increased the chances for success at the end of therapy when combine...
30 citations
TL;DR: IL-18 levels were correlated with airway obstruction and AHR in an inverse way in smoking and non-smoking asthmatics and suggest the implication of IL-18 in airway hyperresponsiveness characterizing bronchial asthma, which is modified by smoking.
22 citations