The French haemovigilance system.

Haemovigilance is a national system of surveillance and alarm, from blood collection to the follow-up of the recipients, gathering and analysing all untoward effects of blood transfusion in order to correct their cause and prevent recurrence. In France haemovigilance was created by law and notification of transfusion incidents is a legal obligation. The haemovigilance network associates local correspondents in each hospital and blood centre with regional co-ordinators and is centralised by the Agence Française du Sang.

Relationship of serum neutral endopeptidase E.C.3.4.24.11 activity to alcohol consumption.

Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is an ubiquitous enzyme that inactivates numerous endogenous peptides in the brain, kidney, and lung in vivo. The origin of the circulating soluble form and its determinants are largely unknown. The relationships of smoking habits and alcohol consumption to serum NEP activity have been explored in a longitudinal epidemiological study conducted in 204 Lorraine coal miners.

Relationship of serum elastin peptide level to single breath transfer factor for carbon monoxide in French coal miners.

Background: Clinical and epidemiological studies have given discordant results on the usefulness of the level of circulating elastin peptide (EP), a potential marker of both elastin destruction (a key phenomenon in pulmonary emphysema) and neosynthesis, for assessing structural changes in the lung extracellular matrix. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between levels of EP and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and single breath transfer factor for carbon monoxide (TLCO and KCO) in coal miners.

Methods: The study population comprised 227 working coal miners aged 34-50 years consisting of 75 miners heavily exposed to underground coal dust with pulmonary radiographs classified as 0/1 or 1/0 by the International Labour Office classification, 75 exposed miners with radiographs classified as normal (0/0), and 77 miners slightly exposed to coal dust with normal radiographs.

NIDDM, impaired glucose tolerance, and pulmonary function in older adults. The Rancho Bernardo Study.

Objective: To determine whether NIDDM or plasma glucose level in subjects without diabetes is associated with reduced pulmonary function in 525 men and 714 women, 51-95 years of age.

Research Design And Methods: The analysis was based on data from a community-based study, the Rancho Bernardo Study. Between 1984 and 1987, 82% of community-dwelling residents had an oral glucose tolerance test.

Decrease in selenium status in relation to coal dust exposure.

Selenium (Se) plasma levels were studied in 222 coal miners to assess whether selenium is decreased in relation to coal dust exposure, taking age, alcohol, and tobacco consumption into account. Selenium levels decreased significantly with age and current tobacco consumption, among miners aged 34-50. Long-term and current exposure to coal dust were studied.