European medical schools and tobacco.

Following a survey in 19 European countries of the habits, attitudes and knowledge of medical students regarding tobacco, World Health Organisation European Office and the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease jointly circulated to the Deans of all European medical schools a summary of the results, including figures for mortality for smoking-related diseases in their countries and a brief questionnaire concerning faculty action on the tobacco problem. The response rate was just over 50%, higher in Northern Europe (66%) than in Southern (35%) or Eastern (38%). Only 8% of faculties had a specific teaching module on tobacco.

[Attitudes of French cardiologists towards smoking].

The object of this study was to evaluate the attitudes and opinions of French cardiologists towards smoking. A postal enquiry was performed with the aid of the French Society of Cardiology and the French Federation of Cardiology in 1993 using a questionnaire developed by the World Health Organisation and the International Union against Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (IUATRD). Seven hundred and thirty cardiologists replied (34% of the study population).

Attitudes and opinions of French cardiologists towards smoking.

To assess attitudes and opinions of French cardiologists towards tobacco, a postal survey was performed in 1993 of all members of the French Society of Cardiology using a questionnaire designed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Union against tuberculosis and lung diseases (IUATLD) for health professionals. 730 cardiologists responded to the mailing. The mean age of them was 47 + or - 9 years, 84% were males.

Medical education on tobacco: implications of a worldwide survey. Tobacco and Health Committee of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD).

This report considers the implications for medical education of a global survey of the knowledge, behaviour and attitudes of medical students regarding tobacco. This was conducted in 42 countries derived from all continents. A total of 9326 students (44% women) from 51 medical schools replied anonymously to a multiple choice questionnaire administered in the local language.

[Smoking habits in France among general practitioners and the general male population over a twenty-five year period (1966-1991)].

Epidemiological surveys are presented regarding smoking habits among two populations: the general practitioners in France since 1966 to 1991 and the general population of adult men in the same period of time. We add some European and foreign surveys in the same groups of population. These data show a regular and rather slow reduction of percentage of smokers during the last 25 years.

Smoking habits and attitudes of medical students towards smoking and antismoking campaigns in nine Asian countries. The Tobacco and Health Committee of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases.

As part of a world survey of the habits, knowledge and attitudes of medical students regarding tobacco we report a study in 15 medical schools from nine Asian countries. Some 1646 first year and 1587 final year students were included, of whom 59% were male. The prevalence of daily smoking in males was 4% in first year and 11% in final year; of occasional smoking 18% and 24% respectively, both with considerable variations between countries.

[Sequential administration of a reduced dose of almitrine to patients with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies. A controlled multicenter study].

Recent multi-centre studies have shown that high doses of Almitrine (100-200 mg per day), lead to a significant improvement in the hypoxaemia of patients presenting with chronic airflow obstruction, but that a high blood level (greater than 500 ng/ml) is often seen after 1 year, sometimes associated with signs of peripheral neuropathy. In order to maintain Almitrine blood levels in the range 200-300 ng/ml we have used an intermittent regime (with a "window" of 1 month every 3 months) and a dose limited to 100 mg per day. 102 hypoxic patients with chronic airflow obstruction, who were in a stable state were included.

Actual usage of medical facilities by asthmatics in two French rural settings: a preliminary study.

Until recently the medical management of asthmatic patients with respect to their socio-cultural environment had only been superficially studied. Four hundred and fifty eight adult asthmatics were identified through a two-stage questionnaire in two rural districts of south west France. The study has mainly demonstrated: 1) the large number of subjects experiencing more than one attack per week (33% in Gironde, 40% in Lot et Garonne); 2) the large number of subjects feeling disabled in their occupational and day-to-day life (52% in Gironde, 54% in Lot et Garonne); 3) the absence of a relationship between the severity of the disease and the use of medical facilities in the community.

The role of medical associations against smoking.

Smoking is a medical concern. Doctors were the first to recognize the health hazards of smoking. So far, the knowledge of doctors concerning smoking is not really good and their attitude against smoking is not adequate.

[Passive smoking: from annoyance to disease, an unrecognized risk taken into account].

The I.S. is an uncontestable health hazard.

Smoking habits and attitudes of medical students towards smoking and antismoking campaigns in fourteen European countries.

From an ongoing global international survey we present the results for 14 European countries. The survey was carried out through a WHO-based questionnaire given to the students at the beginning of their first year and during the course of their final year. Daily smokers comprised 13.

[Delayed-action theophylline versus placebo on the ventilatory function of stable asthmatic patients. Study in relation to circadian rhythm].

The aim of this study was to measure the results of a long-acting theophylline (Planphylline) on the flow rates of stable asthmatic patients while taking into account the spontaneous circadian variations of the ventilatory function. 27 patients were involved in this randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial; they received 10 mg/kg/day in two doses at 8.30 a.

Respiratory function and bronchial reactivity in mill workers.

Professional exposure to vegetable dusts affect the respiratory function of the exposed subjects. A previous survey conducted in an industrial flour-mill demonstrated a higher frequency of respiratory symptoms in workers compared to a control group. Ten subjects employed in a work site particularly exposed to dust were studied.

[Multicenter study of the clinical efficacy and tolerance of roxithromicin compared to doxycycline in lower respiratory infections].

In a double-blind, randomised investigation in 305 in-patients, roxithromycin and doxycycline were compared in two groups of patients with low respiratory tract infections. Three hundred cases were analyzable for safety and 276 for clinical efficacy. Mean duration of treatment was 9 days in both groups.

[French medical students and tobacco].

This is a pilot study by UICTMR on smoking habits in medical students carried out in five countries before a world study is undertaken. Smoking habits are already established for first year medical students and for fifth year medical students of both sexes. Cessation of smoking, however, is common in the young.

Definition of asthma.

The limitations of clinical definitions of asthma which focus on the symptoms and signs of an acute attack of asthma are discussed. Implicit in such definitions is a research interest focused on the immediate causes of an attack. This is the final expression of a whole sequence of events and to fully understand the natural history of asthma requires the development of a broader definition of asthma.