Search

A cross-sectional study was performed in one industrial (study) and one non-industrial (reference) town in Punjab State, northern India. Ambient air quality samples were collected and analyzed each week for 2 yr. Subjects were 3,603 individuals >15 yr old who were interviewed and whose lung functions were measured spirometrically. Their biomarkers were categorized in terms of obstructive or restrictive defects. Levels of total suspended particulates, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, and ozone were significantly higher in the study town than in the reference town. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, breathlessness, or wheezing) was 27.9 and 20.3% in the study and reference towns, respectively (p < 0.05). That of obstructive ventilatory defect was 24.9 and 11.8% (p < 0.05), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that residence in the study town was independently associated with chronic respiratory symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2, 1.8; p < 0.001) and spirometric ventilatory defect (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 2.0, 2.9; p < 0.001) after controlling for other demographic effects., ECONOMIC TRANSITION from an agricultural to an industrial economy has increased the amount of smoke in the environment. Burning of fossil fuel in industries, vehicles, and households is considered to [...]

The study was undertaken to compare the indices of morbidity and control of asthma in 100 adult patients exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) inhalation (group 2), with 100 asthmatics [...]

What constitutes immunostimulation is a matter of debate. Immunity is a highly complex mechanism with multiple functions. Activation of macrophages, enhanced antigen presentation, and increased lymphocyte responses are some of [...]

Objectives: Tuberculosis, a reemergent killer, is threatening to assume serious proportions all over the world, particularly in view of the AIDS pandemic. The detection of mycobacterial DNA by polymerase chain [...]

Surinder K Jindal, MD, FCCP(*); Dheeraj Gupta, MD, FCCP; Sushil Kumar, MD and Ashutosh N Aggarwal, MD. Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India. [...]

To the Editor: We read with great interest the article by Aggarwal and coworkers (February 1999)[1] concerning the interpretation of spirometric data in relation to anthropometric indexes. The authors have [...]

The authors report a case of pulmonary aspergilloma in which a fungus ball was visualized and a biopsy specimen was obtained at fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The fungus ball was successfully treated [...]

PURPOSE: ETS exposure increases the risks of several diseases in non-smokers, similar to those seen among smokers. Polymorph nuclear cells (PMNs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of lung [...]

PURPOSE: Differentiating sarcoidosis from tuberculosis in countries with high prevalence of TB is at times difficult. Negative tuberculin test may be helpful in diagnosis of sarcoidosis but may be influenced [...]

Impact of Substitution of Arm Span for Standing Height in Adults From North India Study objective: To evaluate if direct substitution of arm span for height during interpretation of spirometry [...]