BMC pulmonary medicine
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BMC pulmonary medicine · Sep 2014
Indoor pollutant exposure is associated with heightened respiratory symptoms in atopic compared to non-atopic individuals with COPD.
Indoor particulate matter (PM) has been linked to respiratory symptoms in former smokers with COPD. While subjects with COPD and atopy have also been shown to have more frequent respiratory symptoms, whether they exhibit increased susceptibility to PM as compared to their non-atopic counterparts remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether atopic individuals with COPD have greater susceptibility to PM compared to non-atopic individuals with COPD. ⋯ Individuals with COPD and atopy appear to be at higher risk of adverse respiratory health effects of PM exposure compared to non-atopic individuals with COPD.
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BMC pulmonary medicine · Sep 2014
Comparative Study Observational StudyRespiratory virus is a real pathogen in immunocompetent community-acquired pneumonia: comparing to influenza like illness and volunteer controls.
Viral pathogens were more commonly reported than previously estimated in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients. However, the real role of virus was still controversial. ⋯ Respiratory virus was not a bystander, but pathogenic in pneumonia and was a common cause of CAP.
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BMC pulmonary medicine · Aug 2014
Comparative StudyCardiorespiratory responses to 6-minute walk test in interstitial lung disease: not always a submaximal test.
The 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) is used to measure exercise capacity and assess prognosis in interstitial lung disease (ILD). Although the 6 MWT is usually considered to be a test of submaximal exercise capacity in ILD, the physiological load imposed by this test is not well described and 6 MWT outcomes are poorly understood. This study aimed to compare cardiorespiratory responses to 6 MWT and cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in people with ILD. ⋯ On average, the 6 MWT elicits a high but submaximal oxygen uptake in people with ILD. However the physiological load varies between individuals, with higher peak VO2 in those with more severe disease that may match or exceed that achieved on CPET. The 6 MWT is not always a test of submaximal exercise capacity in people with ILD.
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BMC pulmonary medicine · Aug 2014
Impact of air pollution on respiratory diseases in children with recurrent wheezing or asthma.
Air pollution has many negative health effects on the general population, especially children, subjects with underlying chronic disease and the elderly. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of traffic-related pollution on the exacerbation of asthma and development of respiratory infections in Italian children suffering from asthma or wheezing compared with healthy subjects and to estimate the association between incremental increases in principal pollutants and the incidence of respiratory symptoms. ⋯ There is a significant association between traffic-related pollution and the development of asthma exacerbations and respiratory infections in children born to atopic parents and in those suffering from recurrent wheezing or asthma. These findings suggest that environmental control may be crucial for respiratory health in children with underlying respiratory disease.
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BMC pulmonary medicine · Jul 2014
Correlates of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) at home among non-smoking adults in Bangladesh: findings from the ITC Bangladesh survey.
Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is a serious global public health problem. Understanding the correlates of SHS exposure could guide the development of evidence based SHS exposure reduction interventions. The purpose of this study is to describe the pattern of and factors associated with SHS exposure among non-smoking adults in Bangladesh. ⋯ Almost half of non-smoking Bangladeshi adults are exposed to SHS at home. The findings suggest the need for comprehensive tobacco control measures that would improve public understanding about health hazards of SHS exposure at home and encourage educational initiatives to promote smoke-free homes. Interventions should deliver targeted messages to reach those in the low socioeconomic status group.