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Background: Spirometry is a commonly used lung function test. It assesses respiratory functions by measuring the air volume and the rate at which a person can exhale from lungs filled to their total capacity. The most helpful spirometry parameters are: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). Pregnancy derives an altered physiological state due to hormonal and anatomical changes that affect the respiratory system. Despite that, spirometry is less commonly done during pregnancy, and if done, test results are evaluated against non-pregnancy references.Objective: This study aimed to explore spirometry profiles in pregnant and non-pregnant women and describe their differences.Methodology: This cross-sectional study involved age-matched pregnant and non-pregnant participants recruited from Mnazi Moja ANC and Muhimbili University (MUHAS). A digital spirometer was used to assess respiratory function. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 23. The mean spirometry values of pregnant participants were compared to those of non-pregnant participants using an independent sample t-test. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The study included 92 pregnant and 98 non-pregnant participants subjected to spirometry. Both FVC and FEV1 values were significantly lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant participants (2.7 ± 0.5 L vs. 2.9 ± 0.5 L; p < 0.01 and 2.2 ± 0.4 L vs. 2.5 ± 0.4 L; p < 0.01 respectively). In addition, pregnant participants had significantly lower mean PEF values than their non-pregnant counterparts (303 ± 84 L/min versus 353 ± 64 L/min; p < 0.01).Conclusion: Spirometry test values are lower in pregnancy than in non-pregnant participants.Recommendations: Interpreting the spirometry test values of pregnant women using references obtained from non-pregnant women may be inappropriate. Future studies should evaluate the appropriateness of predicting spirometry values of pregnant women using reference equations derived from non-pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have anti-inflammatory properties that could benefit adults with comprised pulmonary health.Objective: To investigate n-3 PUFA associations with spirometric measures of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and determine underlying genetic susceptibility.Methods: Associations of n-3 PUFA biomarkers (α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid [DPA], and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) were evaluated with PFTs (FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC) in meta-analyses across seven cohorts from the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology Consortium (N = 16,134 of European or African ancestry). PFT-associated n-3 PUFAs were carried forward to genome-wide interaction analyses in the four largest cohorts (N = 11,962) and replicated in one cohort (N = 1,687). Cohort-specific results were combined using joint 2 degree-of-freedom (2df) meta-analyses of SNP associations and their interactions with n-3 PUFAs.Results: DPA and DHA were positively associated with FEV1 and FVC (P < 0.025), with evidence for effect modification by smoking and by sex. Genome-wide analyses identified a novel association of rs11693320-an intronic DPP10 SNP-with FVC when incorporating an interaction with DHA, and the finding was replicated (P2df = 9.4 × 10-9 across discovery and replication cohorts). The rs11693320-A allele (frequency, ∼80%) was associated with lower FVC (PSNP = 2.1 × 10-9; βSNP = -161.0 ml), and the association was attenuated by higher DHA levels (PSNP×DHA interaction = 2.1 × 10-7; βSNP×DHA interaction = 36.2 ml).Conclusions: We corroborated beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs on pulmonary function. By modeling genome-wide n-3 PUFA interactions, we identified a novel DPP10 SNP association with FVC that was not detectable in much larger studies ignoring this interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Over the past few decades, there have been significant scientific advances leading to improved understanding of asthma as a disease and treatment providing immediate relief. However, prevention of recurrent attacks, exacerbations and disease cure remains a challenge. Ayurveda refers to bronchial asthma as Tamaka Swasa and it is well explained in Charaka Samhita . Management of asthma in Ayurveda includes removal of vitiated Kapha through Shodhana, Shamana procedures, herbal and herbomineral formulations in addition to advising a healthy lifestyle and diet. Several clinical trials on Ayurvedic formulations for treatment of asthma are reported, however, whole system management of asthma has rarely been studied in the manner in which it is actually being practiced. Ayurveda therapeutics provides Dosha specific approaches, which needs biological investigation. Aim of the study The objective of our study was to investigate lung functions and cytokine changes in Asthmatic individuals in response to Ayurvedic intervention. Methods The study design was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Tilak Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya (TAMV) & Sheth Tarachand Ramnath Charitable Ayurveda Hospital and followed guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and Tokyo for humans. It was conducted as a whole system individualized pragmatic clinical trial and written consent of patients was collected before enrollment. One hundred and fifteen patients with mild-to-moderate asthma were divided into 2 sub-groups depending on their disease subsets and administered phenotype specific ayurvedic interventions. Seventy six asthma patients completed the treatment. Serum IgE levels, blood eosinophil counts, spirometry and blood cytokine levels were measured before the start of treatment and six months at the end of treatment. Age and sex matched healthy participants (n=69) were recruited in the study for comparison of cytokines levels. Results Significant improvements in FEV1(% predicted) (p<0.0001) and FVC (% predicted) (p=0.0001) was observed in asthmatic patients who underwent Ayurvedic treatment. Circulating levels of IgE (p<0.03) and eosinophil numbers (p=0.001) reduced significantly in the asthmatics after Ayurvedic treatment. This was associated with significant reduction in levels of circulating cytokines. Levels of Th2, Th1 and inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood were higher than healthy control participants at baseline (p values <0.0001) and reduced significantly after ayurvedic intervention. Conclusion This proof of concept study highlights the potential benefits and possible mechanism of Ayurvedic interventions in patients with mild-to-moderate asthma. The interventions significantly reduced IgE and eosinophil count, also improved lung function and reduced levels of circulating Th2 cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To develop a procedure for evaluating the efficacy of antiiflammatory agents in mild persistent bronchial asthma. Materials and methods. 76 patients with mild bronchial asthma were given long acting theophylline. If a complete clinical and functional effect was absent, the inhaled glucocorticosteroid budesonide was added to the therapy. Before and after therapy, the forced expiratory volume per second and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured many times within 24 hours, by using two procedures: 1) that involving morning and diurnal tests using short acting B2-agonists and 2) that without a bronchodilator. The time of onset of the plateau of values of different functional indices obtained during monitoring and their dispersion in the stable state were automatically calculated. The reliability of indices for evaluating the efficiency of antiinflammatory therapy was compared. Results. There were great differences in the patients' response to therapy: a complete clinical and functional effect of therapy with long acting theophylline alone (n = 9) and in combination with budesonide (n = 56). Moreover, therapy-resistant patients (n = 11) were identified. When a complete therapeutic effect was achieved, the clinical symptoms of the disease disappeared before the onset of the plateau of values of the most reliable functional indices. A comparative analysis of the indices has indicated that the ratio of the morning value of FVC measured just after awakening to its best personal value throughout the study was most convenient for the patients and reliable. Conclusion. The authors propose to use the index "ratio of the morning value of FVC measured just after awakening to its best personal value the percentage", by calculating the dispersion of this index, which characterizes the steady state of the expiratory respiratory system in order to evaluate the efficiency of antiinflammatory therapy for bronchial asthma and to solve other problems that require functional monitoring.

Context: US EPA proposed a Reference Concentration for Libby amphibole asbestos based on the premise that pleural plaques are adverse and cause lung function deficits. Objective: We conducted a systematic review to evaluate whether there is an association between pleural plaques and lung function and ascertain whether results were dependent on the method used to identify plaques. Methods: Using the PubMed database, we identified studies that evaluated pleural plaques and lung function. We assessed each study for quality, then integrated evidence and assessed associations based on the Bradford Hill guidelines. We also compared the results of HRCT studies to those of X-ray studies. Results: We identified 16 HRCT and 36 X-ray studies. We rated six HRCT and 16 X-ray studies as higher quality based on a risk-of-bias analysis. Half of the higher quality studies reported small but statistically significant mean lung function decrements associated with plaques. None of the differences were clinically significant. Many studies had limitations, such as inappropriate controls and/or insufficient adjustment for confounders. There was little consistency in the direction of effect for the most commonly reported measurements. X-ray results were more variable than HRCT results. Pleural plaques were not associated with changes in lung function over time in longitudinal studies. Conclusion: The weight of evidence indicates that pleural plaques do not impact lung function. Observed associations are most likely due to unidentified abnormalities or other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many different reference values for spirometry are available from various studies, the elderly are usually underrepresented. Therefore, our objective was to assess reference values in a sample of healthy participants from a prospective population-based cohort study, including a large proportion of elderly. We included spirometry measurements of healthy, never smokers, from the Rotterdam Study and excluded participants with respiratory symptoms or prescriptions for respiratory medication. Age- and height-specific curves for the 5th (lower limit of normal) and the 50th (median) percentile of Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and the ratio (FEV/FVC) were calculated by quantile regression models. The group of healthy elderly study subjects consisted of 1,125 individuals, with a mean age of 68 years, ranging from 47 to 96 years of age. Sex stratified equations for the median and the lower limit of normal were calculated adjusted for age and height. In this study, we report age- and height-dependent reference limits for FEV, FVC, and FEV/FVC in a large population, and prediction equations for the lower limit of normal and median values for a sample containing a large proportion of healthy elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was to ascertain the risk factors of pulmonary function decline (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV], forced vital capacity [FVC]) among those exposed to lead in the vicinity of industrial complex. Methods: In total, 263 men and women, aged over 30, were recruited from two cities during a 2-year follow-up. Spirometry testing was conducted first at baseline and then after 2-years of follow-up. The change in FVC and FEV during the study period was analyzed according to blood lead (BPb), urinary cotinine, and 1-hydroxypyrene, after controlling for sex, height, baseline FVC or FEV, and airway hyperresponsiveness. Results: With increase in age, both FEV and FVC declined. More marked decline in FVC was noted for men than for women ( p < 0.05), while the decline in FEV was not. Biological variables, especially height ( p < 0.05) and pulmonary status ( p < 0.0001), were associated with the decline in both FEV and FVC. Even after controlling these other variables, blood lead level was also significantly associated with the decline of FVC. Conclusions: Even though the decline in FEV and FVC with aging was within a normal range, people with smaller height were more vulnerable to the decline of both FEV and FVC and especially higher level of BPb was accompanied with larger decline of FVC. Oxidative stress in relation to lead accumulation in adult may contribute to rapid aging of pulmonary function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritability of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV), forced vital capacity (FVC), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) has not been previously addressed in large twin studies. We evaluated the genetic contribution to individual differences observed in FEV, FVC, and PEF using data from the largest population-based twin study on spirometry. Specially trained lay interviewers with previous experience in spirometric measurements tested 4,314 Danish twins (individuals), 46-68 years of age, in their homes using a hand-held spirometer, and their flow-volume curves were evaluated. Modern variance component sex-limitation models were applied to evaluate possible genetic differences between the sexes for FEV, FVC, and PEF. Estimates were adjusted for age, height, and smoking. For FEV, additive genetic effects of 61% (95% CI 56-65) were observed. For FVC, the additive genetic contribution was 26% (3-49%) and the dominant genetic contribution was 29% (4-54%). For PEF, our models showed an additive genetic contribution of 43% (31-52%) for men, but genetic influences were not significant in women. We found no significant differences between dizygotic same-sex twins and dizygotic opposite-sex twins for FEV, FVC, and PEF, suggesting absence of qualitative genetic differences between the sexes. Sex-difference heritability for PEF suggested possible quantitative genetic differences between the sexes for this index. Genetic effects contributed significantly to individual differences observed in FEV, FVC, and PEF. Qualitative sex differences were absent for all spirometric measures, while quantitative sex differences were observed only for PEF, with heritability being substantial in men but negligible in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Löffler syndrome, a fulminant eosinophilic pneumonitis associated with the larval migratory phase of human parasites, is rarely reported in the United States. A previously healthy 8-year-old male was hospitalized with tachypnea, cough, hypoxemia, and fever of one week's duration. History revealed exposure to pigs on his family's farm in southernmost Louisiana, where the patient was responsible for cleaning the farm's pigpens. His fingernails were soiled and extremely short, with the edge of the nail bed exposed secondary to onychophagia. Laboratory evaluation demonstrated peripheral eosinophilia (39%), pulmonary eosinophilia (86%), high total IgE, diffuse reticulonodular lung opacities, and mixed obstructive and restrictive pulmonary function pattern. Systemic corticosteroids were initiated for his acute respiratory insufficiency and produced rapid clinical improvement. Serum Ascaris-specific IgE was markedly elevated and he was treated with albendazole. An extensive evaluation for other infectious and allergic etiologies was negative. A site visit to the family farm and laboratory investigation was coordinated with the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at LSU. Ascaris suum eggs were detected in fresh pig feces and in the soil immediately surrounding the pens. Ascariasis should be considered even in the absence of travel history, especially in swine raising areas that are endemic for Ascaris in pigs, such as the southeastern United States. Onychophagia is a highly probable mechanism of zoonotic fecal-oral transmission in this case, and such habits could lead to continual reinfection. Systemic corticosteroids were effective in treating the patient's acute respiratory compromise due to Löffler syndrome.