Biomedical subjects
A Jukkara
Publications and source records attributed to A Jukkara.
Lack of clinical exacerbations in adults with chronic asthma after immunization with killed influenza virus.
The effects of immunization with killed influenza virus vaccine were assessed by comparison with placebo in a double-blind study of 318 adult patients with chronic asthma. The patients were randomly allocated to active vaccine and placebo. No difference was observed in peak expiratory flow rate or in clinical symptoms of bronchial obstruction between the groups receiving active vaccine and placebo during the first week after immunization. The data were analyzed separately for age, sex, duration of the disease, hypersensitivity to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), atopic status, patients with a history of attacks of asthma induced by viral infections, patients with a diurnal variation of baseline peak expiratory flow of 20 percent or more, and patients receiving continuous oral steroid medication, but none of these factors seemed to predict any short-term adverse effects of vaccination. Follow-up for eight months after the vaccination revealed no differences in asthmatic symptoms between the patients treated with active vaccine and those receiving placebo. The antiviral antibody response to vaccination was normal. The possible protection provided by the vaccination against exacerbation of asthma induced by influenza could not be evaluated, since the influenza epidemic expected during the season failed to occur in Finland. It is concluded that immunization with killed influenza vaccine is safe and is not associated with any significant side effects in adult patients with chronic asthma.
Theophylline plus hydroxyzine versus theophylline monohydrate in the treatment of asthma.
The efficacy of 281.7 mg of theophylline monohydrate and a combination of theophylline (240 mg) + hydroxyzine (7.5 mg) were compared in a double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study in 15 patients with chronic reversible bronchial asthma. The patients took the drugs tested at 7.00 a.m., 3.00 p.m. and 10.00 p.m. During the 3-day trial period, the patients measured their peak expiratory flow (PEF) values every day at 7.00 a.m., 10.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m., and during the last trial day, theophylline serum levels were also determined. Use of theophylline monohydrate resulted in slightly steadier serum theophylline levels than with theophylline + hydroxyzine and morning levels of theophylline were significantly higher (p less than 0.01) during the former treatment. Despite this, only the theophylline + hydroxyzine combination had a significant effect (p less than 0.05 at 7.00 a.m., p less than 0.01 at 10.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m.) on PEF values at each time of measurement. There was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) in PEF values at 10.00 a.m. between the trial preparations in favour of the theophylline + hydroxyzine combination. Theophylline + hydroxyzine significantly decreased (p less than 0.05) nocturnal dyspnoea and most patients preferred this preparation. The differences in side effects were not statistically significant. The addition of hydroxyzine to theophylline increases the clinical efficacy of the latter.