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Biomedical subjects

A E Cockcroft

Publications and source records attributed to A E Cockcroft.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Lung function after exposure to barley dust.

Six men handling barley were followed up over two working days and their flow volume curves were measured every two hours. All experienced falls in ventilatory capacity of up to 800 ml with changes in the shape of the flow volume curve in five men. Five volunteers not previously exposed to barley dust sat in a silo for two hours. Decreases in ventilatory capacity ranging from 200 ml to 800 ml were found, with recovery taking up to 72 hours. All subjects had decreases in flow at 50% vital capacity but little or no change in flow at 75% vital capacity. In three subjects there was a drop in specific conductance that lasted for less than 24 hours. Two subjects were similarly exposed on a second occasion when transfer factor for carbon monoxide was measured in addition to flow volume curves. There was a decrease in transfer factor but no change in transfer factor per unit volume (Kco).

Dust↗
PubMed1983

Grain exposure--symptoms and lung function.

Eighty dock workers handling grains and other cargoes were surveyed by respiratory and occupational questionnaires, spirometry, skin tests with common allergens and grain extracts, and serological tests. Sixty-nine of the men reported chest symptoms during exposure to barley dust and 13 men reported evening feverish episodes after handling barley. Symptoms were not related to smoking or atopic status. No gross deficits in lung function were detected. Six men handling barley and four handling non-dusty cargoes had their lung function measured over two working days. Falls in ventilatory capacity occurred in the six workers handling barley but not in the four handling non-dusty cargoes. Six previously unexposed subjects spent 2 h in a barley dust atmosphere of a silo and had lung function measured before and after the exposure. All subjects had falls in ventilatory capacity. In four these lasted 24 h or more and were associated with systemic symptoms. As with cotton dust the agent(s) responsible for symptoms from grain dust exposure remains uncertain. Our findings on the dock workers suggest that specific immunological responses are not involved.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Randomised controlled trial of rehabilitation in chronic respiratory disability.

A randomised controlled study of the effects of exercise training in 39 patients with chronic respiratory disability was performed. Exercise training began with six weeks in a rehabilitation centre and was continued at home. The original control group attended the rehabilitation centre after the controlled part of the study. The treated group experienced subjective benefit from rehabilitation. The 12-minute walking distance increased on average from 523 m to 643 m in the treatment group and from 564 m to 607 m in the control group. The treatment effect of 77 m (SE 33 m) was significant at the 5% level. Treadmill exercise performance changed little and resting lung function was unaltered after rehabilitation. The treatment group maintained most of their improvement seven months later and the original control subjects improved after their rehabilitation. The study confirms the beneficial effects of exercise training in the chronically breathless and it suggests that the 12-minute walking distance is a useful index of changes in everyday exercise tolerance.

Chronic Disease↗