Assessment of heavy metal background values in the soils of inland coastal areas of Venice, Italy.

The main aim of this project was to assess background levels of heavy metals in soil in the inland coastal area of Venice, Italy. The pilot study area is located near the industrial area of Porto Marghera, considered of national interest in terms of contaminated soil remediation (Environmental Ministerial Decree n. 471/1999).

Nebulised sodium cromoglycate and verapamil in methacholine induced asthma.

Fifteen children with asthma underwent challenges with methacholine on separate days after double blind administration by nebuliser of either verapamil (5 mg), cromoglycate (20 mg), or saline (placebo). The provocation doses that produced a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (PD20) were analysed. There was variation in the protective effects of verapamil and cromoglycate among the patients.

Reliability of salivary theophylline concentration monitoring in children with bronchial asthma following the administration of different drug formulations.

The applicability and reliability of the clinical usefulness of monitoring salivary theophylline concentrations as a predictive measure of serum concentrations was evaluated in a total of 59 children with asthma, divided in four groups. Three pharmacological preparations of oral theophylline (aqueous, alcoholic and slow release) were evaluated after single administration (groups 1-3); slow release theophylline was also tested in a steady state of metabolism in children under chronic therapy with the drug (group 4). Although a good correlation between theophylline concentrations in serum and saliva was observed in each group, the wide range of variability in serum levels predicted from salivary levels (20-60%) appears to limit the usefulness of this approach.

Inhibition of exercise-induced asthma by three forms of sodium cromoglycate.

Fifteen asthmatic children were tested in a double-blind fashion. The degree of prevention of exercise-induced asthma by three pharmacological forms of sodium cromoglycate (SCG with lactose powder, SCG in micropellets without lactose and SCG solution) was evaluated. FEV1 and FEF 25-75 were measured.