Publications by authors named "Sundblad B"

Objective: To study occupational groups and occupational exposure in association with chronic obstructive respiratory diseases.

Methods: In early 2000s, structured interviews on chronic respiratory diseases and measurements of lung function as well as fractional expiratory nitric oxide (F) were performed in adult random population samples of Finland, Sweden and Estonia. Occupations were categorized according to three classification systems.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The prevalence of asthma is higher in Sweden and Finland than in neighbouring eastern countries including Estonia. Corresponding difference in bronchial eosinophilic inflammation could be studied by F measurements. We aimed to compare F in adult general populations of Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, to test the plausibility of the west-east disparity hypothesis of allergic diseases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Clinical testing of bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) provides valuable information in asthma diagnostics. Nevertheless, the test results depend to a great extent on the testing procedure: test substance, apparatus and protocol. In Nordic countries, three protocols predominate in the testing field: Per Malmberg, Nieminen and Sovijärvi methods.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Exposure in a pig barn induces airway inflammation that has similarities with the response observed in acute exacerbations in COPD.

Methods: A total of 15 smokers with COPD and 15 healthy non-smokers were exposed for 2 hours in a pig barn (in vivo exposure). Symptoms were assessed, lung function measured, and blood and sputum samples taken before and after exposure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To evaluate innate immunity responses, lung function and symptoms in volunteers acutely exposed to organic dust in swine buildings after installing particle separators aimed to reduce particulate matter exposure.

Methods: 11 healthy participants were exposed in 2 different facilities, with and without installed particle separators, in a cross-over design including 2-3 weeks wash-out between the 2 exposures. Size, distribution and composition of particulate matter and endotoxins in the air were measured.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Tobacco contains cadmium, and this metal has been attributed a causative role in pulmonary emphysema among smokers, although extracellular cadmium has not to date been quantified in the bronchoalveolar space of tobacco smokers with or without COPD. We determined whether cadmium is enhanced in the bronchoalveolar space of long-term tobacco smokers with or without COPD in vivo, its association with inflammation, and its effect on chemokine release in macrophage-like cells in vitro. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), sputum, and blood samples were collected from current, long-term smokers with and without COPD and from healthy nonsmokers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify targets predicting allergic sensitization to laboratory animals using shift in skin prick test to laboratory animals as primary outcome variable.

Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study, personnel who were employed to work with laboratory animals at a medical university were investigated before and 6, 12 and 24 month after the start of employment. Lung function, bronchial challenges, exhaled NO and nasal lavage were performed and blood samples were drawn at all visits.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction shows refractoriness, meaning there's a reduced reaction to repeat exercise challenges over a few hours, possibly linked to prostaglandin (PG) synthesis.
  • A study involving 16 mild asthma patients revealed that a 3-hour interval between exercise challenges resulted in increased urinary excretion of cysteinyl-leukotrienes and PGD2, with a consistent degree of refractoriness of about 15%.
  • In a follow-up with 8 subjects, a longer 6-minute challenge displayed a stronger bronchoconstrictor response and a higher degree of refractoriness (30%), confirming that PGE2 and PGI2 could play significant roles in this refractoriness while ruling out mast cell mediator depletion
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Little is known about the management of patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during the last years of life. The aim of the study was to describe how management of COPD is performed in Sweden during the last two years of life.

Methods: From the nationwide Cause of Death register all individuals with COPD as the underlying cause of death during two years were identified in one sparsely and one densely populated area of Sweden.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and periodontal disease is sparsely studied. The aim was to describe the co-variation of periodontitis and lung function impairment in smokers. The hypothesis was that the destructive processes in the mouth and the lungs are interdependent due to a general individual susceptibility to detrimental effects of tobacco smoke.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The harmful effects of tobacco smoke on human health, including respiratory health, are extensive and well documented. Previous data on the effect of smoking on rhinitis and allergic sensitization are inconsistent. We sought to investigate how smoking correlates with prevalence of allergic and chronic rhinitis among adults in Sweden.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Low socio-economic status is often related to health problems; however, previous studies on asthma, usually cross-sectional, yield inconsistent results. In this study, longitudinal and cross-sectional data on the association between socio-economic status and asthma as well as respiratory symptoms among adults are presented.

Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent on two occasions, 1996 and 2006, to a randomly selected sample of subjects aged 20-69 years in 1996.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Setting: An increase in the prevalence of asthma has previously been reported worldwide. However, the current trend is debatable.

Objective: To assess changes in the prevalence of asthma and respiratory symptoms in a defined study area in Stockholm, Sweden, using identical methods.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Aims: Patients with mild asthma may adapt to symptoms that may be neglected at a medical consultation. Despite active airway inflammation, indicating need for treatment symptoms may be poorly perceived and influence on quality of life. The aim was to find out if markers of asthma activity and quality of life are influenced by inhaled steroids in patients who regard themselves as free of symptoms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Smoking cessation is the single most effective way to prevent or delay the development of airflow limitation or to reduce its progression in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the study was to explore whether performing a spirometry changes attitudes toward smoking cessation.

Method: A random sample of 513 smokers, of whom 77 had COPD, answered a questionnaire before, shortly after (less than 4 weeks), and 3 months after performing a lung function test.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Exposure in connection with cleaning piggeries induces airway inflammation. The aim of this study was to compare the health effects related to two different cleaning processes in a piggery.

Methods: In a cross-over study design, 12 subjects were randomly exposed for three hours during the cleaning of a piggery with a high pressure water jet, with and without pre-cleaning using a robot.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The features of perceived symptoms causing discontinuation of strenuous exercise have been scarcely studied. The aim was to characterize the two main symptoms causing the discontinuation of heavy work in healthy persons as well as describe the growth of symptoms during exercise. Breathlessness (b) and leg fatigue (l) were assessed using the Borg CR10 Scale and the Borg CR100 (centiMax) Scale, during a standardized exercise test in 38 healthy subjects (24-71 years).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Farmers and smokers are repeatedly exposed to airborne organic material. We hypothesised that farmers and smokers show altered airway responses to inhaled organic, pro-inflammatory agents. A total of 11 farmers, 12 smokers and 12 controls underwent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) bronchial challenge and spent 3 h in a pig barn.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Knowledge about time trends of disease patterns in society is essential for planning and prioritizing health care resources. Longitudinal population-based studies on asthma are scarce but provide an opportunity to assess incidence, remission and relapse of asthma, and their determinants, which were the objectives of the present study.

Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent on two occasions, 1996 and 2006, to a randomly selected sample of subjects aged 20-69 years in 1996.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is mainly caused by smoking, and smoking cessation is the single most important intervention to prevent disease progression. Most studies show that many initially successful quitters relapse within 1 year. Our aim was to study the outcome of a smoking cessation program after 1 and 3 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Early identification of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the health care system followed by successful smoking cessation may prevent rapid lung function deterioration, development of severe COPD and respiratory failure.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of under-diagnosed chronic obstructive lung diseases among current smokers.

Materials And Methods: The under-diagnosis of COPD among smokers was determined in subjects who participated in a screening procedure aimed at recruiting COPD patients for a smoking cessation programme.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Leukotriene (LT)B4 in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has been reported to be elevated in airway inflammation. The origin of leukotrienes in EBC is, however, not established. The aims of this study are to measure LTB4 levels in EBC collected in two challenges characterised by a strong neutrophilic airway inflammation and to compare LTB4 levels in EBC with levels in sputum and saliva.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: This study compared the protective effect of two respiratory protection devices during exposure in a pig confinement building.

Methods: Thirty-six healthy persons were exposed for 3 hours in the building, 12 without any protection, 12 with a particle-filter mask, and 12 with a mask filtering both particles and gases. Symptoms, body temperature, nasal lavage fluid, exhaled nitric oxide, and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine were assessed before and after the exposure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Study Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between quality of life and measures of asthma, such as lung function, reversibility to bronchodilation, exhaled nitric oxide (NO), and bronchial responsiveness to direct and indirect stimulus in patients with mild asthma in a primary care setting.

Patients And Measurements: Seventy-seven asthmatic patients not treated with glucocorticosteroids completed the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. Spirometry was performed before and after bronchodilation, and bronchial challenges with methacholine and eucapnic dry air hyperventilation were conducted on separate days.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Exposure in a swine house induces airway inflammation and increases bronchial responsiveness to methacholine in healthy subjects.

Study Objectives: The aim was to investigate whether a long-acting beta2-agonist, salmeterol, alters the increased bronchial responsiveness induced in healthy subjects following exposure to organic dust in a swine barn.

Design And Subjects: The study includes three separate parts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF