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Biomedical subjects

P J Landrigan

Publications and source records attributed to P J Landrigan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effects of age, heart rate, gender, tobacco and alcohol ingestion on R-R interval variability in human ECG.

To evaluate the possibly confounding effects of age, gender, heart rate, tobacco and alcohol ingestion on the coefficient of variation of the electrocardiographic R-R interval (CVRR), ECGs in the supine posture were obtained in 68 healthy men and 33 healthy women. The C-CVRSA and C-CVMWSA (two component CVs reflecting respiratory sinus arrhythmia and Mayer wave related sinus arrhythmia, respectively) were computed in each subject from component spectral powers using autoregressive spectral and component analyses. Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that age was inversely related to CVRR, C-CVRSA and C-CVMWSA in both sexes. Heart rate was positively related to C-CVMWSA in males. However, no significant difference in the CVRR, C-CVRSA or C-CVMWSA was found between males and females. The C-CVMWSA was not correlated with the C-CVRSA in either males or females. These data indicate that the CVRR, C-CVRSA and C-CVMWSA are affected by age and partly by heart rate; gender, moderate smoking or drinking habits might not strongly influence autonomic nervous system function. On the other hand, the C-CVRSA in the supine posture appears to be independent of the C-CVMWSA. The positive relationship observed between the C-CVMWSA and heart rate suggests that the C-CVMWSA may be associated with sympathetic activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Childhood asthma and passive smoking. Urinary cotinine as a biomarker of exposure.

To assess the relationship between passive smoking and asthma, we investigated (1) whether passive smoking was more prevalent among asthmatic than control children and (2) whether exposure to tobacco smoke was higher in acute asthma than in nonacute asthma. Three groups were recruited into a case-control study: 72 acute asthmatic children from the emergency room (ER), 35 nonacute asthmatic children from the asthma clinic, and 121 control children from the ER. Both questionnaire and urinary cotinine/creatinine ratio (CCR) were used to assess passive smoking. Levels of CCR greater than or equal to 30 ng/mg were used to identify children exposed at home. Mean CCR was also computed. Acute and nonacute asthmatic children had similar prevalences of passive smoking at home. Acute cases showed a higher mean CCR than nonacute cases, but this was not significant. In comparing all asthmatic to control children, smoking by the maternal caregiver was more prevalent among asthmatic children (odds ratio OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.1, 3.4). This was confirmed by CCR greater than or equal to 30 ng/mg (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.04, 3.35) and by the difference in mean CCR (43.6 versus 25.8 ng/mg, p = 0.06). We conclude that smoking by the maternal caregiver is associated with clinically significant asthma in children. We could not show that it is a trigger of acute asthma attacks.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Commentary: environmental disease--a preventable epidemic.

Toxic environmental diseases are highly preventable causes of morbidity and mortality. Toxic diseases in the work environment cause an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 deaths and 350,000 new cases of illness each year in the United States; the asbestos pandemic will ultimately claim at least 300,000 lives; pediatric lead poisoning is epidemic, and an estimated 3 to 4 million US preschool children have blood lead levels above 10 micrograms/dl and could suffer long-term neuropsychological impairment. Prevention of environmental diseases can be achieved through legislation and regulation that control common-source exposures to chemical toxins. Modification of personal behaviors, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, complements but does not replace control of toxic environmental exposures.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Completeness of case ascertainment of the State Cancer Registry.

The authors evaluated the ability of the New Jersey State Cancer Registry to detect known cancer cases during an investigation of a cancer cluster occurring in professional football players. The Registry was found to be a valuable tool for the detection of cancer cases for New Jersey residents.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The recognition and control of occupational disease.

Occupational diseases account each year in the United States for an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 deaths and 350,000 new cases of illness. Often, however, occupational diseases are not correctly diagnosed, because they mimic diseases due to other causes and because most physicians are not well trained in their recognition. Opportunities for prevention and treatment are therefore lost. The occupational history is the most effective means for proper diagnosis of occupational illness. It should routinely be obtained for every patient. A brief but systematic guide for obtaining an occupational history is presented in this report. Also, approaches are summarized for the recognition and diagnosis of such important occupational diseases as occupational cancer, asbestosis and other respiratory disorders, and occupational neuropsychologic disorders. The management and prevention of occupational diseases depend on reduction of hazardous exposures in the workplace and better education of workers, industrial managers, and physicians. This report outlines a program for the control of occupational disease based on (1) preventing exposures in the workplace, (2) premarket toxicity testing of new chemicals and technologies, and (3) astute clinical diagnosis.

Asthma↗
PubMed1991

Epidemiologic investigation of a cancer cluster in professional football players.

In 1976, the New York Giants professional football team relocated to the newly constructed Meadowlands Sports Complex (MSC) in East Rutherford, NJ. Between 1980 and 1987 four team members developed cancer: one case each of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, glioblastoma, angiosarcoma, and Hodgkin's disease. Because the surrounding area contains three superfund sites, concern was widespread that the cancers were related to environmental contamination. To assess for a possible environmental etiology, we conducted clinical, environmental, and epidemiologic studies at the MSC. Measurements of volatile organic compounds were all below occupational exposure limits and were similar to ambient levels in nearby Lyndhurst, NJ. Outdoor AM radio broadcast field strengths were in the uppermost 0.1% of field strengths measured in urban areas of the United States. Proportionate mortality ratio and proportional cancer incidence ratio studies of the MSC workforce found no excesses of cancer deaths or of incident cancer cases either for all sites combined or for any specific site. No significant differences in cancer incidence or mortality were found between indoor and nonindoor workers. Based on examination of all available data, the four cancer cases were judged most likely to have been clustered by chance and not to have been caused by environmental conditions at the MSC.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders of occupational origin.

Sufficient evidence is available at this time to conclude that several well-defined soft-tissue disorders of the upper extremities are etiologically related to occupational factors. These disorders include tendinitis of the hand and wrist, CTS, and hand-arm vibration syndrome. Force, repetition, and vibration have been established as risk factors in the etiology of these disorders. Evidence exists that other, poorly understood factors also may contribute to etiology. At this time no firm guidelines can be established regarding maximum no-effect exposure levels. We agree, however, with Armstrong (3): "Although there are no standards for excessively repetitive or forceful work, common sense dictates that these tasks be minimized to the extent possible." Tool and job redesign may be required in many situations to accomplish these goals. In addition to appropriate reductions in risk factors, medical surveillance is required and will allow greater appreciation of the extent of this growing problem, as well as ongoing assessment of the efficacy of preventive intervention.

Arm↗