Cardiovascular Abnormalities in Hyperthyroidism

Anthonisen et al in 1987 continues to be the landmark study. 3 The inclusion criteria required COPD with a FEV1 70% and FEV1/forced vital capacity 70%. It must be kept in mind that patients in the former study had a mean FEV1 of only 33.9% predicted. In another trial carried out in Italy, in which patients with a mean FEV1 of 35-40% predicted were included, clear and significant differences were observed between the antibiotic and placebo treatments.4 Moreover, in a new analysis of the same data, the authors demonstrated that patients with severe functional impairment are those who derive the greatest benefit from antibiotic therapy.