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Biomedical subjects

S J Louw

Publications and source records attributed to S J Louw.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Relative efficacy of nebulised ipratropium bromide and fenoterol in acute severe asthma.

In a double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial of 145 patients with acute asthma, the efficacy of nebulised 4-hourly ipratropium bromide plus 4-hourly fenoterol (group I, 50 patients), 2-hourly fenoterol (group II, 50 patients) and 4-hourly fenoterol (group III, 45 patients) was assessed. All patients received an optimal infusion of aminophylline and 81 patients (27 in each group) received hydrocortisone for clinical indications. It was found that cholinergic side-effects in group I were not more common than in group II. Tremor was more common in group II. Assessment of bronchodilator efficacy was confined to the 81 patients whose therapy included hydrocortisone. Peak expiratory flow rate, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and forced vital capacity were expressed as a percentage of predicted for each individual and the mean values for each group plotted. It was found that the response rate, as assessed by the area under the curve, was significantly more rapid in group I compared with both group II (P less than 0.001) and group III (P less than 0.005). These findings were consistent for all three lung function measurements. However, there was no significant difference in the responses between group II and group III. It is concluded that adding ipratropium bromide to conventional regimens is likely to benefit patients with acute asthma.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Respiratory health of brickworkers in Cape Town, South Africa. Radiographic abnormalities.

A cross-sectional study utilizing internal controls based on dust exposure determinations was performed on 268 brickworkers. Smoking, age, and other information from a detailed respiratory questionnaire and results from a physical examination and pulmonary function tests were investigated in relation to radiographic abnormality. The prevalence of pneumoconiosis was near 4%. The roles of smoking, workplace dust exposure, and age as factors predicting radiographic abnormality are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Epidemiologic studies of Scottish oil shale workers: I. Prevalence of skin disease and pneumoconiosis.

In an epidemiologic study of 6,359 oil shale workers, 1,664 (46.7%) of 3,566 survivors were investigated. No excess of skin disease (as reported in response to a questionnaire) was found in men exposed to oil or dust, whether compared to men who were not exposed to oil or dust or to coalminers. A low prevalence of simple pneumoconiosis was found in workers exposed to dust, while progressive massive fibrosis occurred in approximately 1% of miners and retort workers. Comparisons of responders with nonresponders revealed no serious bias in terms of age or work experience, though nonresponders were likely to have been less healthy in general.

Dermatitis, Occupational↗
PubMed1986

Epidemiologic studies of Scottish oil shale workers: II. Lung function in shale workers' pneumoconiosis.

In a case control study of 122 ex-shale workers, half of whom had simple pneumoconiosis and half of whom did not, those with pneumoconiosis were found to have the poorer lung function. Significant reductions in forced expiratory capacity (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), Vmax50, lung volumes, and carbon monoxide transfer were found in men with pneumoconiosis. It is suggested that these abnormalities may represent a mixture of pulmonary fibrosis and airways obstruction related to exposure to dust and fumes in shale mines and at shale retorts.

Age Factors↗