M e t h o d s Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial (Beta-Adrenergic Response by Genotype [BARGE] trial). Allocation: Concealed.* Blinding: Blinded (clinicians and patients).* Follow-up period: 24 weeks. Setting: {6 centers in the United States.}† Patients: 78 patients who were 18 to 55 years of age (mean age 31 y, 68% women) and had physician-diagnosed mild asthma, who repor...

Tamaka Shvasa which has been mentioned in Ayurvedic classics shares multiple similarities with Bronchial Asthma. Symptom of breathlessness is the main complaint in Bronchial Asthma which can be assessed objectively by Pulmonary Function Test (PFT).The assessment of respiratory function is now a routine part of clinical practice. The expiratory flow rates- Forced Expiratory Volume in first secon...

The diurnal variation in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was studied in 26 mixers from eight factories making polyurethane foam, who were exposed to toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and 26 unexposed controls matched for age, race, and smoking. They were all men. The mean diurnal variation in PEFR of the mixers was 6.2%, which was significantly higher than the 4.3% for controls. Six mixers had a diu...

Passive smoking in children is a considerable health problem, mainly arising from parental smoking. The objectives of the present cross-sectional study were to assess the impact of passive smoking on 1) anthropometric parameters; 2) peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR); and 3) physical condition in school children. The target population included 177 children attending elementary school 5th to 8th g...

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) has been recorded hourly or two-hourly from waking to sleeping in workers with respiratory symptoms who were exposed to isocyanate fumes at work. Twenty-three recordings averaging 33 days duration were recorded in 20 workers. Each worker was also admitted for bronchial provocation testing to toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) or diphenylmethane di-isocyanate (MDI) fume...

Background: Short-term treatment with pranlukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, has shown to be effective for the management of asthma. The effectiveness and safety of long-term treatment with pranlukast remains to be established. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pranlukast on morning peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs), the diurnal variation of these values...

A meta-analysis of clinical trials of antihistamines was performed to assess the risk-benefit ratio of this therapeutic class in asthma. Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials assessing lung function changes under repeated use of antihistamine in adult asthma were selected, and the quality of studies was scored. Morning peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was the primary outcome: an eff...

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of nebulised budesonide and systemic corticosteroid in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS A total of 40 patients who had moderate to severe acute exacerbations of COPD and required hospitalisatio...

BACKGROUND Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are recommended in the treatment of asthmatic patients. They have been said to be efficacious in the treatment of asthma in respect to cortisol and bone metabolism. METHODS The effects of the two inhaled corticosteroid, budesonide (BUD) and fluticasone propionate (FP) on bone metabolism, morning cortisol and their effects on the clinical parameters (FE...

Sudden-onset asthma exacerbations may have different triggers and responses to treatment than slower-onset exacerbations. The authors studied this hypothesis among patients with severe asthma exacerbations. The Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration prospectively enrolled patients presenting to 64 North American emergency departments with asthma exacerbations. Of 1,847 patients aged 18-54 yr...