Respiratory symptoms among glass bottle workers--cough and airways irritancy syndrome? (1/421)

Glass bottle workers have been shown to experience an excess of respiratory symptoms. This work describes in detail the symptoms reported by a cohort of 69 symptomatic glass bottle workers. Symptoms, employment history and clinical investigations including radiology, spirometry and serial peak expiratory flow rate records were retrospectively analyzed from clinical records. The results showed a consistent syndrome of work-related eye, nose and throat irritation followed after a variable period by shortness of breath. The latent interval between starting work and first developing symptoms was typically 4 years (median = 4 yrs; range = 0-28). The interval preceding the development of dysponea was longer and much more variable (median = 16 yrs; range = 3-40). Spirometry was not markedly abnormal in the group but 57% of workers had abnormal serial peak expiratory flow rate charts. Workers in this industry experience upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms consistent with irritant exposure. The long-term functional significance of these symptoms should be formally investigated.  (+info)

A case of eosinophilic myocarditis complicated by Kimura's disease (eosinophilic hyperplastic lymphogranuloma) and erythroderma. (2/421)

This report describes a patient with eosinophilic myocarditis complicated by Kimura's disease (eosinophilic hyperplastic lymphogranuloma) and erythroderma. A 50-year-old man presented with a complaint of precordial pain. However, the only abnormal finding on examinatioin was eosinophilia (1617 eosinophils/microl). Three years later, the patient developed chronic eczema, and was diagnosed with erythroderma posteczematosa. One year later, a tumor was detected in the right auricule, and a diagnosis of Kimura's disease was made, based on the biopsy findings. The patient developed progressive dyspnea 6 months later and was found to have cardiomegaly and a depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (17%). A diagnosis of eosinophilic myocarditis was made based on the results of a right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. The eosinophilic myocarditis and erythrodrema were treated with steroids with improvement of both the eosinophilia and left ventricular function.  (+info)

Exercise-induced bronchocontriction, skin sensitivity, and serum IgE in children with eczema. (3/421)

Forty-two children with eczema were studied for exercise-induced asthma (EIA), skin sensitivity to prick testing, blood eosinophil count, and immunoglobulins. 29 had a fall in peak expiratory flow rate after exercise greater than 20% and of these, 23 had symptoms of wheezing. 13 of the eczematous children showed a fall of less than 20%. The children with EIA showed greater cutaneous sensitivity (p less than 0.001) and a higher total serum IgE (p less than 0.025). 3 of the group with a fall of less than 20% had allergic rhinitis with skin sensitivity to grass pollen. The remaining 10 had no clinical evidence of allergic disease, other than eczema and skin sensitivity, and total IgE fell within the normal range. It is suggested that in a proportion of chilren with eczema there is little evidence of reaginic allergy.  (+info)

Birth weight, body mass index and asthma in young adults. (4/421)

BACKGROUND: Impaired fetal growth may be a risk factor for asthma although evidence in children is conflicting and there are few data in adults. Little is known about risk factors which may influence asthma in late childhood or early adult life. Whilst there are clues that fatness may be important, this has been little studied in young adults. The relations between birth weight and childhood and adult anthropometry and asthma, wheeze, hayfever, and eczema were investigated in a nationally representative sample of young British adults. METHODS: A total of 8960 individuals from the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) were studied. They had recently responded to a questionnaire at 26 years of age in which they were asked whether they had suffered from asthma, wheeze, hayfever, and eczema in the previous 12 months. Adult body mass index (BMI) was calculated from reported height and weight. RESULTS: The prevalence of asthma at 26 years fell with increasing birth weight. After controlling for potential confounding factors, the odds ratio comparing the lowest birth weight group (<2 kg) with the modal group (3-3.5 kg) was 1.99 (95% CI 0.96 to 4.12). The prevalence of asthma increased with increasing adult BMI. After controlling for birth weight and other confounders, the odds ratio comparing highest with lowest quintile was 1.72 (95% CI 1.29 to 2.29). The association between fatness and asthma was stronger in women; odds ratios comparing overweight women (BMI 25-29.99) and obese women (BMI >/=30) with those of normal weight (BMI <25) were 1.51 (95% CI 1.11 to 2.06) and 1.84 (95% CI 1. 19 to 2.84), respectively. The BMI at 10 years was not related to adult asthma. Similar associations with birth weight and adult BMI were present for wheeze but not for hayfever or eczema. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired fetal growth and adult fatness are risk factors for adult asthma.  (+info)

Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema among children in 2 Canadian cities: the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. (5/421)

BACKGROUND: Wide variations in the prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema have been reported between regions within Canada and between different countries. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was developed to provide a standardized tool and methodology to ascertain the prevalence of asthma and allergies in different regions. Comparisons of prevalence rates across geographic regions and at different times may help to identify factors that contribute to the development of these conditions in individuals. METHODS: Two Canadian centres, Hamilton and Saskatoon, participated in the ISAAC. A standard questionnaire was distributed through schools and completed by 13- and 14-year-old children and by the parents of 6- and 7-year-old children. Prevalence rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for asthma, wheezing, rhinitis and eczema. RESULTS: The overall response rates were 75.1% among the children 6 and 7 years old and 68.6% among those 13 and 14 years old. Among the younger children, the lifetime prevalence of asthma was 17.2% in Hamilton and 11.2% in Saskatoon; the corresponding rates among the older children were 19.2% and 12.2% respectively. The prevalence of wheezing in the 12 months before the survey in the younger group was 20.1% in Hamilton and 14.1% in Saskatoon; in the older group it was 30.6% and 24.0% respectively. The prevalence of rhinitis in the 12 months before the survey was 28.6% in Hamilton and 22.6% in Saskatoon in the younger group and 45.8% and 33.8% respectively in the older group. The prevalence of eczema was slightly higher in Saskatoon in both age groups. INTERPRETATION: High prevalence rates of asthma, rhinitis and eczema exist among school children in Hamilton and Saskatoon, similar to rates in other Western countries. Further studies are required to determine the factors associated with the high rates in the 2 regions and possible reasons for the higher rates in Hamilton.  (+info)

The treatment of eczema with Chinese herbs: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. (6/421)

AIMS: Chinese herbal treatments are being promoted as a treatment for eczema. The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence for or against this notion. METHODS: Extensive literature searches were carried out to identify all randomised clinical trials on the subject. Data were extracted from these in a predefined standardized fashion. RESULTS: Only two randomized clinical trials were located. Both imply that a complex mixture of Chinese herbs is more effective than placebo in treating eczema. Yet several caveats exist, most importantly the lack of independent replication. Adverse effects have also been reported. CONCLUSIONS: At present it is unclear whether Chinese herbal treatments of eczema do more good than harm.  (+info)

Hay fever, eczema, and wheeze: a nationwide UK study (ISAAC, international study of asthma and allergies in childhood). (7/421)

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of atopic symptoms in children throughout the UK. METHOD: A questionnaire survey of 12-14 year olds throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and the Scottish Islands using the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood (ISAAC) protocol. RESULTS: A total of 27 507 (86%) children took part. Recent rhinoconjunctivitis was reported by 18.2%, with 6.2% reporting symptoms between March and September; 16.4% reported itchy flexural rash in the past 12 months. The prevalence of atopic symptoms was higher in girls and subjects born within the UK. The prevalence of severe wheeze was highest in subjects reporting perennial rhinoconjunctivitis, as opposed to summertime only symptoms. Winter rhinoconjunctivitis was associated with severe wheeze and severe flexural rash. One or more current symptoms were reported by 47.6% of all children and 4% reported all three symptoms. CONCLUSION: In general, geographical variations were small but the prevalence of symptoms was significantly higher in Scotland and northern England. The study demonstrates the importance of atopic diseases both in their own right and in association with asthma.  (+info)

Differences in parental- and self-report of asthma, rhinitis and eczema among Italian adolescents. SIDRIA collaborative group. Studi Italiani sui Disordini Respiratori dell' Infanzia e l'Ambiente. (8/421)

Epidemiological and clinical information on respiratory and allergic disorders in adolescents has been collected from the adolescents themselves or from their parents, but little is known about the differences between these two sources of information. This study compared the responses to 10 identically worded questions from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire on asthma, rhinitis and eczema between written self- and parent-completed questionnaires in a large sample of 21,068 adolescent Italians aged 13-14 yrs. The effects of sex, latitude of residence, urbanization, socioeconomic status, previous diagnosis of asthma, family history of allergic diseases and adolescent's smoking habits on the prevalence estimates obtained with the two questionnaires were analysed using multiple logistic regression. Prevalence of self-reported symptoms was significantly higher in self-reported for all questions except for lifetime eczema, which was higher in parental report. Agreement between the two sources of information was poor, although it was slightly better for questions relative to clinical diagnosis of asthma, hay fever or eczema than for related symptoms, and for respiratory with respect to cutaneous disorders. When compared with self-reported, parent-reported was consistently higher in males and was more affected by socioeconomic level and by a diagnosis of asthma or family history of allergic diseases, whereas self-reported was more sensitive to the effect of the adolescent's smoking habits. It is concluded that, in adolescents, parent- and self-reported respiratory and allergic symptoms differ significantly and are differently affected by several constitutional and environmental factors. Obtaining direct information from adolescents may be essential for a correct evaluation of respiratory symptoms.  (+info)