Changes in symptoms of asthma and rhinitis by sensitization status over ten years in a cohort of young Chilean adults.

Background: We investigated the net changes in prevalence of symptoms of asthma and rhinitis over 10 years in a cohort of young by baseline sensitization status.

Methods: One thousand one hundred ninety three Chilean adults subjects aged 22-28 living in a semi-rural area of central Chile answered a lifestyle and the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaires. Bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) and skin prick test (SPT) to eight allergens were measured at baseline in 2001.

Pathogenic mechanisms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to biomass smoke exposure.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality and morbidity have increased significantly worldwide in recent decades. Although cigarette smoke is still considered the main risk factor for the development of the disease, estimates suggest that between 25% and 33% of COPD patients are non-smokers. Among the factors that may increase the risk of developing COPD, biomass smoke has been proposed as one of the most important, affecting especially women and children in developing countries.

Indoor risk factors for cough and their relation to wheeze and sensitization in Chilean young adults.

Objectives: We assessed the effects of indoor risk factors, including smoking, on different types of cough and on cough and wheeze in combination.

Methods: Our sample was composed of 1232 men and women residing in a semirural area of Chile. We used a standardized questionnaire, sensitization to 8 allergens, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine to assess cough and wheeze characteristics.

[Smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: attributable risk determination].

Background: Smoking is the main risk factor for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), an important cause of morbidity and mortality.

Aim: To estimate smoking attributable risk and population attributable risk in COPD patients attended in Public Health Services of Santiago.

Materials And Methods: A case control study matched by sex and age was carried out.

Effect of 0.25 ppm ozone exposure on pulmonary damage induced by bleomycin.

To study the effect of ozone in a chronically damaged lung, we used a bleomycin (BLM) induced pulmonary fibrosis model. Both endotracheal instillation of BLM and O3 exposure both produce lung inflammation and fibrosis. Oxidative stress would be a common mechanism of damage for both BLM and O3.

Agreement between responses to a standardized asthma questionnaire and a questionnaire following a demonstration of asthma symptoms in adults.

Asthma epidemiology relies heavily on standardized questionnaires, but little is known about the understanding of asthma symptoms among adults in the community. In 2004, the authors assessed the level of agreement between responses to a standardized questionnaire and responses to a questionnaire completed by participants after viewing a demonstration of asthma symptoms. The study involved 601 young adults from Chile.

Rapid drop in infant blood lead levels during the transition to unleaded gasoline use in Santiago, Chile.

This study was conducted to relate blood lead levels in infants to changes in lead emissions in Santiago, Chile, a heavily polluted setting where leaded gasoline began to be replaced with unleaded gasoline in 1993. Over an 18-mo period, 422 infants had blood lead levels, cotinine, and iron status determined at 12 mo. Blood lead levels fell at an average rate of 0.

Fine particulate matter and wheezing illnesses in the first year of life.

Background: Recent evidence implicates fine particulate matter (PM2.5), principally from vehicular exhaust, as a major cause of increased mortality and morbidity. However, there are limited data on the impact of PM2.

[How to attract more and better manuscripts to be published in Chilean biomedical journals].

A survey was addressed to 57 editors of Chilean biomedical journals, on how to attract more and better manuscripts to their journals. Thirty seven editors (65%) answered this survey. According to them the main motivation of Medical Societies for editing their own journals is to improve information acquisition.