PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Annesi

Publications and source records attributed to I Annesi.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The relation between snoring and smoking, body mass index, age, alcohol consumption and respiratory symptoms.

Potential risk factors for snoring were studied in a population of 457 middle-aged men. Eversnoring was reported by 60% of the men and snoring with an age of onset before or equal to 20 years by 13%. Eversnoring was significantly related to older age, higher body mass index and smoking habits. Alcohol consumption, estimated by questionnaire and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was unrelated to a history of snoring. Logistic regression showed that snoring was independently associated with age, body mass index and smoking habits. An exposure-effect relationship clearly appeared between tobacco consumption and snoring. After adjustment for smoking habits, none of the upper or lower respiratory symptoms was significantly related to snoring.

Adult↗

Leukocyte count and bronchial hyperresponsiveness.

The relationship of total and differential blood leukocyte counts with bronchial methacholine response was studied in a population-based sample of 324 men. Geometric mean total leukocyte counts were significantly higher in reactors (6567 cells/mm3) than in nonreactors (5732 cells/mm3; p = 0.003). After adjusting for smoking habits, a factor contributing to both an elevation in peripheral leukocyte count and an increased level of airway responsiveness, reactor status remained significantly associated with leukocyte count. This association also persisted after controlling, with a logistic model, for atopy and common cold (marker of infection) and after excluding men with a history of asthma, chronic bronchitis, or low FEV1. Study of the differential leukocyte counts has shown that an increase was present for almost every type of leukocyte, and particularly evident for neutrophils. Whether these findings reflect an association between bronchial hyperresponsiveness and cellular inflammation needs more investigation.

Adult↗

Relation of perceived nasal and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to FEV1, basophil counts, and methacholine response.

Perceived nasal and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to tobacco smoke and cold air were assessed in 912 working men in the Paris area. Baseline lung function measurements and peripheral leucocyte counts with standard differential counts were performed. At least one perceived nasal or bronchial hyperresponsiveness symptom was reported by 15.7%. Current smoking was significantly less frequent among those with cough induced by tobacco smoke. Rhinitis induced by cold air was associated with lower FEV1 (p less than 0.01) and the association remained after adjustment for smoking, asthma, and wheezing (p = 0.06). Symptoms induced by cold air were related to circulating basophils. Neither perceived nasal nor perceived bronchial hyperresponsiveness was significantly related to the airway response to methacholine in a sample of the group (n = 324) surveyed again five years later. The result suggest that the symptom of rhinitis provoked by cold air is a possible "new" risk factor or marker for chronic airflow limitation.

Adult↗

Is respiratory mucus hypersecretion really an innocent disorder? A 22-year mortality survey of 1,061 working men.

The relation of chronic air-flow limitation and respiratory mucus hypersecretion to all causes of mortality was studied in a population of 1,061 men working in the Paris area, surveyed initially in 1960/1961, and followed for 22 yr. During this period, 369 deaths occurred; VC, FEV1, FEV1/H3, and FEV1/VC were significantly associated with mortality, even when age, smoking, occupational dust exposure, and chronic phlegm were taken into account. Besides the obstructive disorder, the hypersecretory disorder (chronic phlegm) was significantly associated with mortality. Controlling, using Cox's model, for age, FEV1/H3, smoking habits, and dust exposure, all factors associated with chronic mucus hypersecretion and mortality, showed that phlegm production remained significantly related to death (relative risk, = 1.35; p less than 0.01). Although relatively weak, this relationship is not negligible in terms of public health because of the high prevalence of chronic phlegm.

Adult↗

Measles epidemiology in Italy.

In preparation for a mass vaccination programme, the immune status with regard to measles was determined in over 8300 unvaccinated children aged 0-13 years, residing in eight Italian cities with different socioeconomic situations and geographical locations. The age corresponding to the 50% prevalence of immunes appeared to be intermediate (2.9-5.5 years) between that reported for industrialized (6-7 years) and developing countries (1-2 years). The 50% prevalence of natural immunity was reached at an earlier age in southern cities in which poorer socioeconomic and hygienic conditions prevailed; the earlier occurrence of measles in these areas was confirmed by a more detailed serological study of children in the first 24 months of life. For children aged 2-13 years, serological results showed that the history of measles reported by parents on questionnaires gave high positive predictive values (over 85%). Our seroepidemiological study shows that, on the basis of the ages of 25 and 75% prevalence of immunes, the target population for a mass immunization programme in Italy can be assumed to be aged from 12 months to 7 years. However, special attention should be given to the poorest areas, especially in southern Italy, where measles occurs earlier and can be particularly severe.

Adolescent↗

Serum antibodies to poliomyelitis in Italy.

A seroepidemiological survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the Italian nationwide immunization programme against poliomyelitis. Over 3800 serum samples were collected from persons, aged between 6 months and 79 years and residing in urban and rural areas with different socioeconomic conditions and geographic locations.A very high level of protection was found in the target population, confirming the almost 100% history of complete immunization. Almost all subjects over 30 years of age were found to have poliovirus antibodies, although they had never been vaccinated. In Naples, a higher proportion of subjects susceptible to all 3 types of virus was found in the age group 6-23 months, suggesting a delay in the administration of vaccine. This was confirmed by the analysis of the immunization history. No difference was observed between urban and rural areas, in either serological results or history of immunization.The results confirmed the higher immunogenicity of poliovirus type 2 with respect to the other two types, the effectiveness of the vaccine, and, finally, the efficiency of the operational procedures adopted for its administration.

Adolescent↗

Study of a BCG vaccine. Influence of dose and time.

When a vaccine in three different concentrations (non-diluted, half-strength and one-third strength) was used on a study population of 159 students, six weeks after the vaccination only the vaccine at one-third strength showed small vaccination lesions in comparison with those of the other two concentrations. There is no evidence of any significant difference between them with respect to the positive reaction to the tuberculin testing. After one year, the number of subjects with a positive vaccination scar is drastically reduced in the case of the vaccine at one-third strength. As regards the tuberculin reaction, even if the difference in the number of positive values is not significant, the reaction size for the one-third and one-half strength dose diminishes significantly with respect to that observed at six weeks.

BCG Vaccine↗

Analysis of the methacholine dose-response curve: usefulness of a simplified log-logistic model in epidemiological studies.

The object of the study was to find a model to summarize all the information from dose-response curves, by determining the coefficients to be used to compare groups of subjects. Three coefficients were calculated from the following model: F(d)/F(o) = ONE - k(d-delta)alpha+, where F(d)/F(o) was the ratio between FEV1 at dose (d) of methacholine and prechallenge FEV1, 'k' the slope of the relative variation of FEV1 with the dose, 'delta' the threshold dose and 'alpha' a shape factor. The model was applied to the study of hyperresponsiveness in a population of 317 men. The results illustrated the interest of this model which was applicable to 91% of the population and permitted fine discrimination of the groups studied.

Adult↗