The aim of this study was to determine the following: (a) asbestos body count in lung tissue of different western Mediterranean populations; (b) the association, if any, of urban industrial residence with higher lung tissue asbestos exposure posed for lung cancer in our population. Lung-tissue samples were studied in three groups of subjects from the general population: (1) group A comprised 18 patients from Barcelona's urban industrial area (mean age = 62.2 y, standard deviation [SD] = 13.6); (2) group B comprised 16 patients who lived in a rural area of Albacete in the south of Spain (mean age = 62.2 y, SD = 13.7); and (3) group C comprised 8 patients who had been diagnosed with lung cancer, who lived in or near Barcelona, and who had never been exposed occupationally to asbestos (mean age = 62.1 y, SD = 7.4). A wet lung/dry lung weight ratio was determined. In group A, asbestos bodies were observed in 9 of 18 (50%) subjects, and asbestos bodies numbered 52.35 per g dry lung (SD = 101.72) (upper limit of normality [higher value] = 430.12 asbestos bodies per g dry lung). In group B, asbestos bodies were observed in 2 of 16 (12.5%) subjects, and asbestos bodies numbered 5.37 per g dry lung (SD = 8.79) (upper limit normality = 35.15 asbestos bodies per g dry lung). In group C, we observed asbestos bodies in 2 of 8 subjects (25.0%), and asbestos bodies numbered 20.59 per g dry weight (SD = 24.10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Occupational asthma in the community: risk factors in a western Mediterranean population.

Risk factors and prevalence of occupational asthma in the general population were examined in a cross-sectional community study conducted in north Barcelona. A self-administered questionnaire that contained questions about bronchial asthma and occupation was mailed to a random sample of 4000 adults who lived in north Barcelona; the response rate was 31.0%. Investigators made phone calls to nonresponders to determine response bias. Risk factors for occupational asthma were assessed with logistic regression. Investigators, who sought a definite diagnosis of occupational asthma, offered a chest examination to all subjects who reported asthma in life and who experienced clinically relevant occupational exposures. The examination included skin tests to common allergens, forced spirometry with reversibility test, and peak expiratory flow rate at and away from work. Cumulative prevalences obtained from responders were good estimates for the general population: asthma in life, 9.0%; clinically relevant occupational exposure, 28.9%; and respiratory symptoms at work, 18.3%. Adjustments were made for age, sex, and smoking habits, and relevant exposure caused an increase in asthma risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.1, 3.2); however, when investigators introduced specific occupations in the model as independent variables, only occupational exposure to leather (OR = 12.8 [95% CI = 4.4, 37.4]), animals (OR = 10.3 [95% CI = 1.6, 65.2]), dyes (OR = 5.6 [95% CI = 2.1, 15.3]), and flour (OR = 4.6 [CI = 1.3, 15.7]) persisted as significant risk factors. A 1.7/1000 minimum prevalence of occupational asthma for the north Barcelona population was estimated from chest examination results. Occupational risk for asthma appeared to be associated with exposure to leather, animals, dyes, or flour in the north Barcelona area.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Sevoflurane in airway management using fibrobronchoscopy: apropos of 2 difficult orotracheal intubation cases].

We report two cases of difficult orotracheal intubation in which intubation with a fiberoptic bronchoscope was performed after induction with an inhalational anesthetic. Mild inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane was started fairly rapidly, with no respiratory incidences. The tubes were then inserted through a fiberoptic bronchoscope, with no airway management problems.

Anesthetics, Inhalation↗