Effects of weight loss on peak flow variability, airways obstruction, and lung volumes in obese patients with asthma.

Study Objectives: To clarify the pathophysiologic features of the relation between asthma and obesity, we measured the effects of weight reduction on peak expiratory flow (PEF) variability and airways obstruction, compared to simultaneous changes in lung volumes and ventilatory mechanics in obese patients with stable asthma.

Methods: Fourteen obese asthma patients (11 women and 3 men; aged 25 to 62 years) were studied before and after a very-low-calorie-diet period of 8 weeks. PEF variability was determined as diurnal and day-to-day variations.

Immediate and long term effects of weight reduction in obese people with asthma: randomised controlled study.

Objective: To investigate the influence of weight reduction on obese patients with asthma.

Design: Open study, two randomised parallel groups.

Setting: Private outpatients centre, Helsinki, Finland.

Salbutamol inhalation has no effect on myocardial ischaemia, arrhythmias and heart-rate variability in patients with coronary artery disease plus asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: Inhaled beta-2 agonists raise heart rate, systolic blood pressure and contractility, all of which cause an increase in oxygen consumption of the heart. We performed a study on the influence of inhaled salbutamol on myocardial ischaemia, rhythm, and heart rate variability as assessed by Holter monitoring of 24 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and clinically stable asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Design: In hospital the patients received 0.

Acute asthma during pregnancy.

Background: Acute asthma during pregnancy is potentially dangerous to the fetus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an acute attack of asthma during pregnancy on the course of pregnancy or delivery, or the health of the newborn infant, and to identify undertreatment as a possible cause of the exacerbations.

Methods: Five hundred and four pregnant asthmatic subjects were prospectively followed and treated.

Controlled trial of methotrexate in patients with severe chronic asthma.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and adverse effects of methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of severe chronic asthma in 12 patients with severe asthma requiring continuous treatment with oral steroids at the Outpatient Department of Helsinki University Central Hospital. The study was a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of methotrexate treatment 15 mg weekly on a crossover basis over 24 weeks. During the 2 weeks baseline phase the mean dose of oral steroids administered was 10.

Slow-release theophylline in pregnant asthmatics.

Study Objective: Oral theophylline treatment may be helpful in controlling severe asthma during pregnancy. This treatment, however, has been suspected of causing both complications and malformations. The objective of this investigation was to study the influence of theophylline treatment on the course of pregnancy and delivery and on maternal and infant health.

Evaluation of a new spacer device for drug inhalation.

We have studied the efficacy and acceptability of a new inhalation spacer device. The functional principle of the device, differing from that of conventional spacers, is based on evaporation of the propellant during circular movement of the aerosol in a small spherical chamber. We assessed the bronchodilating effect of salbutamol (Salbuvent) inhaled with the new spacer (Rondo) compared with salbutamol (Ventoline) inhaled with the spacer Volumatic and with salbutamol (Salbuvent) inhaled with a conventional metered dose actuator using a double-blind cross-over arrangement.

Fire-eater's lung.

Acute pneumonitis following aspiration of petroleum products is usually related to accidental poisonings in children. We describe here two cases of hydrocarbon pneumonitis in fire-eaters, caused by accidental aspiration of petroleum during the performance of fire-eating. Both patients had cough, dyspnoea, chest pain and fever.

Effects of captopril on blood pressure and respiratory function compared to verapamil in patients with hypertension and asthma.

Seventeen adult patients with moderate and stable bronchial asthma and established essential hypertension (WHO I or II) were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study of the effects of captopril (50-100 mg/day) and verapamil (160-240 mg/day) on blood pressure, orthostatic reactions, respiratory function, and asthmatic symptoms. The effect of both drugs on blood pressure was significant. Blood pressure (mean of 161/98 mm Hg initially) decreased to a mean of 147/90 and 160/91 mm Hg on captopril and verapamil, respectively, with normal orthostatic changes.

Evening primose oil and fish oil are ineffective as supplementary treatment of bronchial asthma.

The effect of daily dietary supplementation with 15 to 20 mL of evening primrose seed oil or fish oil was assessed by comparison with olive oil as placebo in a cross-over study in 29 asthmatics. During 10 weeks of each regimen, the patients kept record of symptoms, peak expiratory flow rates and medication. Plasma and urine TxB2, PGE2, PGF2 alpha and 6 keto-PGF1 alpha and plasma fatty acid composition of plasma cholesterol esters were measured at the end of each treatment period.

The reducing effects of tazifylline on histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in atopic asthmatics.

Percentage reductions in the peak flow rates to a standardized number of histamine inhalations were compared after 7 days of treatment with 10 mg bd tazifylline and after 7 days of placebo in a randomized crossover study in 11 male seasonal atopic asthmatics. After tazifylline, mean % reductions in peak flow rates were significantly lower than after placebo (p = 0.03).

Influence of terbutaline on natural killer cell activity.

Studies on the effect of cAMP-inducing agents on NK activity have been contradictory. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of beta-agonists on NK activity in vivo in 15 asthmatics and 3 healthy volunteers. Blood samples of NK activity were taken at regular intervals after placebo and after subcutaneous injection of 7 micrograms/kg of terbutaline.

Asthma and pregnancy: a prospective study of 198 pregnancies.

A study was designed to investigate whether asthma, when carefully managed, is associated with an increased risk of complications in connection with pregnancy. One hundred and eighty one asthmatic women were monitored during 198 pregnancies. Antiasthmatic treatment consisted of inhaled beta 2 adrenergic drugs, beclomethasone, sodium cromoglycate, oral theophylline, and systemic corticosteroids as needed.

The role of infection in asthma.

The possible role of bacterial, viral and fungal infections in the development, exacerbation and treatment of asthma are discussed. Although bacterial allergy has in the past been advocated as an important etiologic factor for asthma, the evidence is inconclusive. Hyposensitization with bacterial antigens is no longer an accepted treatment.

Comparison of the effects of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and a calcium channel blocker on blood pressure and respiratory function in patients with hypertension and asthma.

A series of 12 adult patients with stable bronchial asthma and an established diagnosis of essential hypertension (WHO I or II) were studied in a randomized double-blind crossover study to assess the effect of captopril (50-100 mg/day) and verapamil (160-240 mg/day) on blood pressure, lung function, and asthmatic symptoms. The effect of the medication on blood pressure was significant. Blood pressure (mean 164/103 mm Hg initially) decreased to a mean of 145/90 mm Hg and 155/92 mm Hg after 4 weeks on captopril and verapamil, respectively, with fewer orthostatic changes caused by captopril.

Lack of clinical exacerbations in adults with chronic asthma after immunization with killed influenza virus.

The effects of immunization with killed influenza virus vaccine were assessed by comparison with placebo in a double-blind study of 318 adult patients with chronic asthma. The patients were randomly allocated to active vaccine and placebo. No difference was observed in peak expiratory flow rate or in clinical symptoms of bronchial obstruction between the groups receiving active vaccine and placebo during the first week after immunization.

Natural killer cell activity in asthma.

Peripheral blood natural killer (NK) activity was analysed from 32 asthma patients and 13 control donors. Male patients and female patients with atopic asthma had significantly stronger NK activity against the leukaemic cell line K-562. Fractionation of patient mononuclear cells by discontinuous density gradient centrifugation suggested that large granular lymphocytes (LGL) were the main mediators of the NK activity in asthmatics.