Angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype and late respiratory complications of mustard gas exposure.

Background: Exposure to mustard gas frequently results in long-term respiratory complications. However the factors which drive the development and progression of these complications remain unclear. The Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) has been implicated in lung inflammatory and fibrotic responses.

Correlation of sulfur mustard exposure and tobacco use with expression (immunoreactivity) of p53 protein in bronchial epithelium of Iranian "mustard lung" patients.

A unique chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), provisionally called "mustard lung", which occurs as a late complication of sulfur mustard (SM) exposure among SM-exposed Iranians, is presently poorly characterized. This investigation evaluates p53 immunoreactivity in bronchial epithelium of individuals with histories of tobacco use and/or SM exposure, as a tool to help define mustard lung. In this study, 68 COPD patients were segregated into two groups, 35 mustard-exposed patients (including 8 smokers) and 33 unexposed patients (including 16 smokers).

Diagnostic and therapeutic value of short-term corticosteroid therapy in exacerbation of mustard gas-induced chronic bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis is the most frequent late respiratory disease among Iranians exposed to mustard gas during the Iraq-Iran war. The aim of this study was to investigate efficacy of oral and intravenous corticosteroid therapy in improving lung function in mustard gas induced chronic bronchitis patients. 65 mustard gas-exposed chronic bronchitis patients, who were not responsive to standard treatments in exacerbation occasions, were randomly divided into two groups: an intravenous group (39 patients) receiving 500 mg intravenous methylprednisolone daily, and an oral group (26 patients) receiving 1 mg/kg oral prednisolone daily.

Effect of gamma interferon on lung function of mustard gas exposed patients, after 15 years.

Background: Bronchiolitis has been known to be among the main the pathological features of lung lesions in Mustard Gas (MG) exposed patients. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of interferon gamma-1b on the lung function in MG exposed patients with bronchiolitis.

Method: Thirty-six bronchiolitis patients, whose lung lesion had been diagnosed through High Resolution Computerized Tomography (HRCT) of the chest and also pathological study, were divided into two 18-member case and control groups.