Biomedical subjects

S Spinaci

Publications and source records attributed to S Spinaci.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

Tuberculosis elimination in the countries of Europe and other industrialized countries.

The working group summarized the conclusions of the workshop with the intention of providing a guide for the preparation of national plans for tuberculosis elimination. The basic strategies that appear consistently effective are: 1. Direct government responsibility for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tuberculosis (the government is responsible by law for assuring that tuberculosis is identified early, and that cure of the patients is achieved). 2. Maintenance (or development) of properly designed disease surveillance and a programme monitoring system. 3. Availability of specialized tuberculosis personnel at regional and provincial level, responsible for close monitoring of the diagnostic skills and patient prioritization in general health institutions. Regarding research it was felt that no immediate practical applications of new techniques in the diagnosis of mycobacterial diseases, in treatment, or in vaccination can be recommended, but that further basic research in the field of mycobacteria should be pursued and supported.

Communicable Disease Control↗

PubMed1989

Tuberculin survey among Afghan refugee children. Tuberculosis control programme among Afghan refugees in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Pakistan.

Since 1982 over 2 million Afghan refugees have settled in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. Socio-economical factors, sudden urbanisation and psychological stress may influence the pattern of tuberculosis morbidity and infection among refugees as compared with the original population. In order to study the prevalence of tuberculous infection among Afghan children a tuberculin survey was carried out in April and May 1985 on a cluster sample of male children attending the first two grades of primary schools in refugee camps in the NWFP. The sample size was 4108 male children with an average age of 8 years. 1358 of them, average age of 7.8 years, had not been vaccinated with BCG. An infection prevalence of 13.8% was found when using a transverse diameter of 10 mm induration or more for the tuberculin test as the criterion for infection. The findings were compared with the results of a national sample survey carried out in Afghanistan in 1978: a downward trend of the annual risk of infection (ARI) of 7.8% per year was found in children of the same age group. Thus, Afghan children living in refugee camps in NWFP showed a lower ARI than was observed in their homeland 7 years earlier.

Afghanistan↗

PubMed1987

Reduction of histamine-induced bronchoconstriction by magnesium in asthmatic subjects.

The effects of inhaled MgSO4 on histamine bronchoprovocation test (BPT) were studied in nine asthmatics in clinical remission (FEV1 greater than 80% of predicted). Patients performed histamine BPT on 2 separate days, one day after saline and the other after MgSO4 inhalation, in a randomized double-blind design. Spirometry and flow/volume curve were recorded on each test day before and 5 min after NaCl or MgSO4. No significant difference was observed in lung function measurements 2 days before and after either NaCl or MgSO4. The dose of histamine which produced a 20% decrease in control FEV1 (PD20FEV1) was significantly increased by aerosolized MgSO4 (from 0.177 +/- 0.036 mg after NaCl to 0.350 +/- 0.085 after MgSO4, P less than 0.05. After MgSO4 the dose-steps of histamine concentration increased two-fold in two subjects and one-fold in five.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed1985

A multivariate analysis of the risk in chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD).

This study was undertaken to assess the validity of cluster analysis for stratifying patients with severe COLD into homogenous subgroups in view of further prospective studies. To this aim, physiological measurements and questionnaire data were obtained from 532 outpatients with severe COLD (e.g. a 1 sec forced expiratory volume (FEV1) below 1.5-1/sec). The model variables selected for the partition in cluster were FEV1, PaO2, response to bronchodilators and heart rate. Two subgroups of patients were identified by the analysis: cluster I with significantly greater physiological impairment than cluster II. The comparison of the prevalences of the variables outside the model between the 2 clusters showed, in fact, that cluster I had a significantly higher prevalence of subjects with heavy smoking (p less than 0.01), prolonged occupational exposure (p less than 0.05), low body weight (p less than 0.05), recent hospitalizations for respiratory troubles (p less than 0.02) and emphysema (p less than 0.01). In conclusion, cluster analysis based on few physiological variables was able to identify, among patients with severe COLD, those with poorer general conditions and higher exposure to specific risk factors, for whom a worse prognosis of life can be expected. The advantages of cluster analysis in comparison to other techniques of classification in this kind of patient is discussed.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1985

Salbutamol plus beclomethasone dipropionate versus theophylline for the prevention of methacholine-induced bronchospasm in patients with chronic bronchitis.

Forty patients suffering from chronic bronchitis with basal forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) values at least 20% below ECSC (European Community Steel and Coal) predicted values were treated with a combination of salbutamol plus beclomethasone dipropionate or with theophylline for a period of 4 weeks. Methacholine bronchial inhalation challenges were performed before and after treatment. Both treatments produced significant increases in FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1 100/FVC, while only the salbutamol plus beclomethasone dipropionate combination significantly reduced the decrease in FEV1 values after bronchial inhalation challenge.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Pulmonary involvement in chronic pancreatitis.

Although the association between acute pancreatitis and pleuropulmonary damage is well documented, so far no information on lung function in patients with chronic pancreatitis is available. In this study functional, radiological, and clinical investigations have been carried out in 42 patients affected by chronic calcific pancreatitis (CCP) and in 50 controls in a case-control study. An impairment of pulmonary diffusing capacity has been detected in CCP patients, while all the parameters of ventilatory function were not different from controls. This finding suggests the presence of early lung parenchymal damage in chronic pancreatitis secondary to either emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Different performance of two commercial nebulizers.

Two different nebulizers, the DeVilbiss 646 and the Mefar were tested for differences in output characteristics (air flow rate, amount of nebulized liquid and particle size) and it was found that there is a high variability between nebulizers of both brands. In the light of these findings, neither of these devices can be chosen as a standard nebulizer for bronchial provocation.

Aerosols↗

PubMed1983

Site of airway obstruction after rapid saline infusion in healthy subjects.

Static and dynamic lung volumes, flow-volume curve in air and after He-O2 were carried out in 5 normal subjects baseline, immediately after rapid infusion of 2 litres of normal saline, and then 15, 30 and 60 min after. At the end of the infusion, a marked reduction of delta MEF50, FVC, FEV1, MEF50, MEF25 and an increase of Viso V and CV/VC were observed in all the subjects. The poor response to He-O2 suggests a predominant increase of small airway resistance after rapid infusion. In the recovery phase, He-O2 tests promptly returned to control values, while an increased CV/VC was detectable until 30 min after the infusion.

Adult↗

PubMed1982

[Radiologic determination of total lung capacity].

The authors studied in 50 healthy subjects the cilindroid and the planimetric method for the radiological measurement of TLC. Both methods proved to be accurate, but the first showed a better relation with the pletismographic measurements; in both methods the individual variability was very limited (5 divided by 6%). In a screening protocol comprising double-projection chest X-ray, the radiological measurement of TLC seems to be very useful to evaluate with simplicity and realiability its values and its variations in time.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Radiographic and functional changes following exposure to different types of asbestos.

Lung function parameters were examined in 200 asbestos workers. Those exposed to chrysotile alone had less severe impairment than those exposed to both chrysotile and crocidolite. Functional changes did not vary significantly with duration of exposure; however radiographic abnormalities were related to length of exposure. Our results show that, for a population with moderate exposure to asbestos, lung function tests can discriminate smokers and nonsmokers and exposure to different kinds of asbestos, whereas discrepancies among groups with different lengths of exposure are better seen with radiographic methods.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effects of air pollution on the respiratory health of children: a cross-sectional study.

To investigate the effects of air pollution on the respiratory health of children, a subject of some controversy, a comparative study was undertaken of 2,385 school children who lived in central urban, peripheral urban, and suburban areas. Daily monitoring of sulphur dioxide and total suspended particle concentrations in all areas showed that pollutant concentrations in central and peripheral urban areas were above commonly accepted safety levels for respiratory health, while concentrations in the suburban area were within acceptable limits. A questionnaire administered to each mother assessed environmental exposure to pollutants in the household, the occurrence of respiratory symptoms as well as lung diseases as diagnosed by a physician, and general information. Children were interviewed about smoking habits and any acute respiratory symptoms. Children also performed standard lung function tests. Results showed that children from both urban areas had lessened pulmonary function and a higher prevalence of bronchial secretion with common colds than did those from the suburban area. These differences persisted after corrections for exposure to indoor pollutants, active or passive smoking, socioeconomic status, and sex. Parental cigarette smoking was related to a fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 second and an increased incidence of acute respiratory illnesses and chronic cough in children. Although boys had higher lung volumes and lower air flow, regression analysis showed no significant influence of the interactions "sex-geographic area" and "sex-smoking" on lung function. It was concluded that air pollution has a significant effect on the respiratory health of children.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in lung function of children after an air pollution decrease.

Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1.0), forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75), and maximal expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (MEF50) were measured in 1,880 school children who lived in urban areas before and after a decrease of air pollution. A group of 162 children from a suburban area served as controls. In the first survey, FEV1.0, FEF25-75, and MEF50 of children from urban areas were significantly lower, while in the second survey they were not significantly different from those of controls. The slopes over time of FEV1.0, FEF25-75, and MEF50, adjusted for sex and anthropometric variables, were closely related to the decrease of pollutants concentration. Our results suggest that a decrease of air pollution may produce an improvement of lung function.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied