PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F V Rasmussen

Publications and source records attributed to F V Rasmussen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Lung function and respiratory health of long-term fiber-exposed stonewool factory workers.

The present study was undertaken to examine the respiratory health of a Danish workforce exposed to man-made vitreous fibers (MMVF) during production. Workers with more than 5 yr occupational exposure to MMVF (n = 377) were compared to a group without MMVF exposure (n = 381). Respiratory health was assessed by questionnaire, dynamic spirometry, and measurement of transfer factor. Overall response rate was 63%. A sample of nonresponders was assessed by questionnaire and spirometry. On most spirometric indices the two groups had comparable values. However, a larger proportion (14.5%) of the exposed subjects had an obstructive flow pattern compared with the control subjects (5.3%). Subgroup analyses showed that the elevated risk of airways obstruction associated with exposure was restricted to heavy smokers. Transfer factor and prevalences of symptoms and self-reported disease were similar in the two groups. There is no indication of excess risk of lung fibrosis. However, a number of exposed workers have some degree of airflow obstruction, which cannot be explained by known confounders. An additive or synergistic action between smoking and fiber exposure on airflow obstruction can be speculated.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Salmeterol improves the control of disease in patients with moderate asthma. A comparative study of inhaled salmeterol 50 mg and salbutamol depot tablets 8 mg, both administered twice daily].

In a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, cross-over study the efficacy and safety of inhaled salmeterol 50 mcg (b.i.d.) was compared with oral salbutamol controlled release 8 mg (b.i.d.). Fifty-nine patients with moderate asthma were randomized to two four-week periods of treatment with a two-week washout period. During the study period the patients were allowed to use inhaled Salbutamol on a prn. basis. Inhaled steroids, if any, were continued. On diary cards patients recorded peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) morning and evening before medication, asthma symptom score, and use of inhaled salbutamol. Salmeterol was more effective than salbutamol CR in decreasing daily symptoms (p = 0.001) and increasing morning-PEFR (p = 0.004). Salmeterol resulted in significantly more days without symptoms (p = 0.0004) and days and nights without need for rescue medication (p = 0.01 and p = 0.01). Salmeterol was better tolerated than salbutamol CR.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1994

[Theophylline treatment of irreversible, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Even though the clinical efficacy is not well established, theophylline is commonly prescribed as a second or third line drug after inhaled beta 2-agonists and corticosteroids for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The therapeutic index is narrow, and therefore theophylline is often given in a "safe standard dose", e.g. 300 mg b.i.d. We studied the long-term effect of sustained-release theophylline 300 mg b.i.d. over four weeks in 48 patients with severe irreversible COPD (FEV1: 0.99 +/- 0.45 l, FVC: 2.21 +/- 0.68 l) in a randomized, double-blind crossover study. During theophylline treatment there was significant improvements in dyspnoea score (p < 0.001) and morning peak-flow (p < 0.05). In spite of this, there was no significant change in the patients' "sense of well-being" or their daily use of inhaled beta-agonist. Spirometric tests or arterial blood gas values did not change significantly either. It is concluded that addition of theophylline in a "safe standard dose" (i.e. 300 mg b.i.d.) has only limited value in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[How much is lung function affected by smoking and occupation? Dichotomy of continuous variables can change the results].

Data from a cross-sectional study of 1045 men comprising a random population sample (768 men) and a sample of cement workers (277 men) were analyzed in order to examine the effects of smoking and occupation on forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The continuous FEV1 variable and five dichotomous FEV1 variables based on % of predicted were analyzed. Differences between the "relative importance" of smoking and occupation were found to depend on the choice of the FEV1 variable. The effects of occupation compared with the effects of smoking varied considerably with different FEV1 variables, continuous or dichotomized at different cut-off levels. We conclude that comparison of surveys utilizing different FEV1 variables must be made with caution.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Idiopathic interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. Clinical picture, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis].

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was found to have a higher incidence than previously assumed and the population involved was younger. These findings were made in a retrospective investigation during the period 1986-1990. The condition should be suspected on the basis of the radiographic characteristics, reduced lung volume (TLC), decreased DLco during testing of pulmonary function, hypoxemia at rest and also the symptoms revealed in the medical history. It is of importance for planning of treatment that the diagnosis of IPF is confirmed early by excision biopsy of pulmonary tissue. Patients with IPF were treated successfully by intravenous administration of a solution of 500 mg methylprednisolone in 500 ml isotonic glucose. This regime is administered for three consecutive days and supplemented by azathioprine as required. In order to prevent further progression of this chronic disease, patients with IPF should be followed-up at frequent intervals.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Baseline characteristics are not sufficient indicators of non-response bias follow up studies.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine whether baseline characteristics from a cross sectional survey provided sufficient information regarding non-response bias in a follow up study when compared with information on hospital admissions in the intervening years. DESIGN: This was an 11 year follow up study of a cohort selected in 1974 with register information on hospital admissions during follow up. SETTING: The study was based on a sample of cement workers from a particular Portland cement factory with suitable controls from other occupations. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1404 men participated in the first survey in 1974, including a questionnaire and lung function tests. In 1985 1070 men were alive and of these, 928 men (87%) responded to a postal questionnaire. MAIN RESULTS: Non-responders in 1985 did not differ markedly from responders when smoking habits, respiratory symptoms, and lung function were examined in 1974. During follow up, non-responders had twice as high rates of hospital admission due to respiratory diseases as responders. These differences remained present after adjusting for minor differences in age and smoking habits. CONCLUSIONS: Equal distributions of baseline characteristics among responders and non-responders in a follow up study do not preclude non-response bias.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

[Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Assessment of the costs of examination and treatment in a department for pulmonary medicine].

Twenty-five patients suspected of having obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA) were examined in the medical department. Sixteen patients had OSA. The difference between the two groups are described. The socio-economical consequences of the disease are discussed. Five of the patients remitted because of weight loss. Seven patients were successfully treated with nasal airway positive pressure. This treatment is of great benefit for the patients as well as for the society, and is inexpensive.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Are respiratory symptoms and chronic airflow limitation really associated with an increased risk of respiratory cancer?

The relationship between respiratory symptoms, chronic airflow limitation and respiratory cancer was examined in a random population sample of 876 middle-aged men. All men were examined in 1974 with interview and lung function tests. Information on respiratory cancer from 1974 to June 1985 was obtained from the Danish Cancer Register. Using a multivariate Cox regression model including age as the underlying time scale and controlling for pack-years of cigarettes, cough and breathlessness were found to be significantly related to cancer--relative risks (RRs) 2.5 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-5.0) and 2.2 (95% CI: 1.0-4.9), respectively. Phlegm, chronic phlegm, and chronic bronchitis were not related to respiratory cancer after controlling for age and smoking. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was related to respiratory cancer, RR = 2.1 (95% CI: 1.3-3.4) per litre under the expected FEV1 given height. Thus, our study demonstrates some relationship between respiratory symptoms and FEV1 and respiratory cancer; however, the study at the same time questions the previously demonstrated relationship between phlegm and respiratory cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Exposure to cement dust at a Portland cement factory and the risk of cancer.

The relation between exposure to cement dust and cancer was examined in a population of 546 cement workers and a reference population of 858 randomly sampled men of similar age and area of residence. In 1974 all men gave lifelong occupational and smoking histories; information on incidence of cancer in the period 1974-85 was obtained from the Danish Cancer Registry. No increased risk of overall cancer was found among cement workers. Among men with more than 20 years exposure to cement dust, 14 cases of respiratory cancer were observed (observed/expected (O/E) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.90-2.57) when compared with all Danish men. Men with 1-20 years exposure had O/E 1.14 (95% CI 0.59-2.19) based on nine cases of cancer. After excluding all men with documented exposure to asbestos during employment in an asbestos cement factory no increased risk of overall cancer or respiratory cancer was found among cement workers compared with white collar workers from the local reference population, using a Cox regression model controlling for age and smoking habits. Relative risks were 0.5 (95% CI 0.1-1.5) and 1.0 (95% CI 0.4-2.6) for men with 1-20 and more than 20 years of exposure to cement dust respectively compared with white collar workers.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Peroral terbutaline in the treatment of patients with severe irreversible obstructive pulmonary disease].

This investigation assesses the effect of oral terbutaline in doses of 7.5 mg twice daily as compared with placebo in patients with moderate to severe chronic airflow limitation (CAL) without reversibility. Seventeen patients completed this double-blind randomised cross-over trial. Diaries with reports of dyspnoea during activities of daily living and peak-flow measurements, were obtained. Measurement of pulmonary function, walking distance and various scorings of function after treatment for three and five weeks were assessed. The investigation demonstrates that in patients with CAL treatment with terbutaline tablets may lead to improvement of several subjective effect variables although no real improvement in the majority of objective effect variables is observed. In patients with irreversible obstructive reduction of pulmonary function, in whom no other form of treatment can be considered, oral treatment with beta-2-agonists may be attempted. If no effect is obtained, the treatment should be withdrawn after one to two months.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Long-term exposure to cement dust and later hospitalization due to respiratory disease.

The relationship between exposure to cement dust in a Portland cement factory and later hospitalization due to respiratory disease and in particular chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) was examined in a cohort initially examined in 1974. A total of 546 men with different lengths of employment in the cement factory were compared with 857 randomly sampled men of the same age from the same geographical area. Information on hospitalization was obtained from a nationwide register administered by the Danish National Board of Health. During a 9-year, 8-month period, 7.8% of the total population studied had been admitted to hospital at least once because of respiratory disease and 4.3% had been admitted because of COLD. Cement workers had no increased rates of hospitalization when compared with other blue collar workers from the random sample or the whole random sample. A vague tendency towards increasing rates of hospitalization due to COLD with increasing duration of exposure to cement dust up to 30 years was found. Given at least one hospitalization, exposure to cement dust was not related to the accumulated number of days in hospital in the observation period. We conclude that long-term exposure to cement dust does not lead to higher morbidity of severe respiratory disease than other types of blue collar work.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Predictive value of the single-breath nitrogen test for hospitalization due to respiratory disease.

The relationship between indices of the single-breath nitrogen test (SBNT) measured in 1974 and hospitalization in the 9 year period 1977-1986 was examined in a random population sample of 876 men aged 46-69 years. Men who could not perform acceptable SBNT tracings had an increased risk of hospitalization due to respiratory disease in general. When age and smoking habits were controlled for, slope of phase III was significantly related to hospitalization due to respiratory disease in general and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereas closing volume and closing capacity were marginally related to hospitalization due to respiratory disease in general but not to hospitalization due to COPD. The relationship between slope of phase III and hospitalization due to COPD remained significant after the forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) was controlled for: odds ratio 1.4 per % N2/L (95% confidence interval 1.1-1.7). The effect of the slope of phase III was considered to be clinically insignificant, and we conclude that in a random population sample indices from only 1 SBNT do not provide prognostic information concerning hospitalization in addition to that provided by FEV1.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

The single-breath nitrogen test, mortality, and cancer.

The relationship between indices of the single-breath nitrogen test and mortality, overall cancer incidence, and respiratory cancer incidence was examined in a cohort of 876 men, 46 to 69 yr of age, examined in 1974 and followed until June 1985. Closing volume, closing capacity, and slope of phase III were not related to mortality or cancer. In contrast, FEV1 was related to mortality, with an estimated relative mortality risk of 1.37 (95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 1.70) per liter under the expected FEV1, given height, age, and smoking, but FEV1 was not related to cancer. Inability to perform acceptable single-breath nitrogen test tracings was related to mortality with a relative mortality risk of 2.03 (1.45 to 2.85), but not to cancer. We conclude that indices of the single-breath nitrogen test have no predictive value concerning overall mortality and cancer incidence.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

The effect of smoking and occupation on changes in respiratory symptoms in middle-aged Danish men.

A group of 1404 middle-aged men from Aalborg who were examined in 1974 with interview and lung function tests were re-examined in 1985 using a postal questionnaire. Of the 1404 men, 1045 could be classified into well-defined occupational categories using information up to 1974. Of these men, 791 were alive at the time of the questionnaire survey. Questions on lung symptoms, occupation and smoking habits since the 1974 study were included in the follow-up survey; the response rate was 88%. Age and main occupation until 1974 were significantly related to the development of severe breathlessness from 1974 to 1985. After controlling for age, both cement workers and blue collar workers were considerably more likely to develop severe breathlessness than white collar workers: odds ratios (ORs) 2.51 (95% confidence interval 1.04-6.7) and 2.35 (1.02-5.42), respectively. Although weakened, these relationships remained after further controlling for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in 1974. Present smoking habit was an important determinant for the presence of cough, both in men with and without cough in 1974, yielding ORs of approximately 3 when comparing with lifetime nonsmokers. Cement workers tended to have cough in 1985 more frequently than white collar workers, OR = 2.09 (0.89-4.89) for men without cough in 1974 and OR = 2.60 (1.04-6.51) for men with cough in 1974.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1989

The value of mucus hypersecretion as a predictor of mortality and hospitalization. An 11-year register based follow-up study of a random population sample of 876 men.

The value of mucus hypersecretion as a predictor of mortality and hospitalization was studied in a random population sample of 876 men, aged 46-69 years. The cohort was examined in 1974 with the British Medical Research Council questionnaire and lung function tests. A total of 219 men had died between 1974 and 1985. Twenty-seven men died from lung cancer and 14 died from other respiratory diseases. Mucus hypersection was not found to be significantly related to overall mortality after controlling for age, smoking and FEV1. Similarly, mucus hypersection was not a predictor of lung cancer mortality after controlling for age and smoking habits. The predictive value concerning death due to respiratory disease could not be examined because of the limited number of deaths in the cohort from these diseases. Mucus hypersecretion was not significantly related to hospitalization in general. Mucus hypersecretion had a significant predictive value concerning hospitalization due to respiratory disease in general, but the value was insignificant after controlling for FEV1. In contrast to this, mucus hypersecretion was a significant predictor of hospitalization due to COPD, even after controlling for FEV1. We conclude that the predictive value of mucus hypersecretion concerning mortality is of no value. Concerning morbidity, our results show that, although secondary to airflow obstruction, mucus hypersecretion must be viewed as an indicator of severity of COPD.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Effects of oral terbutaline in chronic airflow limitation.

A randomized, double-blind, crossover study was conducted to assess the efficacy of five weeks' treatment with terbutaline, 15 mg daily, compared with placebo in 17 evaluable patients with moderate to severe chronic airflow limitation (CAL) with a minor reversible component. A significant improvement after terbutaline treatment compared with placebo was observed in subjective assessments of breathlessness after two of the activities of daily living, and in daily peak flow measurements recorded in patient diaries. At the clinical assessment after five weeks' terbutaline therapy, 12 of 17 patients had improved pulmonary symptom scores compared with placebo, and a slight increase in FEV1 was observed relative to placebo (0.09 L, p less than 0.05). Thus, five weeks' treatment with oral terbutaline in patients with CAL resulted in significant improvements in several subjective assessments, despite a lack of effect on the majority of the objective variables.

Administration, Oral↗