The time course for recovery of the arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) in acute childhood asthma is unknown. Serial measurements of SaO2 were made in 47 children during an acute attack of asthma that required admission to hospital. Adequate serial peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements were possible in 28 children (mean age 8.3 years; group A), but not in the other 19 children (mean age 3.2 yea...

BACKGROUND Although the need for corticosteroids in acute severe asthma is well established the appropriate dose is not known. METHODS The response to intravenous hydrocortisone 50 mg (low dose), 100 mg (medium dose), and 500 mg (high dose), administered every six hours for 48 hours and followed by oral prednisone, was compared in patients with acute asthma in a double blind randomised study....

To determine how the presence of generalised airflow limitation due to chronic obstructive lung disease affects the recognition of simulated upper airway obstruction, a study was carried out in 12 patients (mean (SD) age 57 (7) years) with chronic obstructive lung disease (FEV1% predicted 53 (22), range 21-70) and 12 matched control subjects. Patients and control subjects performed maximal insp...

Peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements are increasingly recommended in childhood asthma management. However, few data are available on the temporal relationship between the onset of upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms and significant falls in PEF. We wanted to determine whether falls in PEF constitute a sensitive marker for clinical episodes of respiratory morbidity. We therefore analys...

conclusions instillation of ropivacaine 0.2% (30 ml) within tubeless pcnl surgery does not have a significant effect on postoperative pain relief and improvement of pef within 6 hours after the operation. results we found no difference in the mean pain severity score between the case and control groups 4 hours (p = 0.332) and 6 hours (p = 0.830) after the operation. the mean pef at baseline was...

An open, randomized, cross-over study was performed to compare the efficacy and acceptability of two breath-actuated inhalers, the Turbohaler (T) and Diskhaler (D), for delivery of beta-agonists. Thirty six adults with chronic asthma requiring beta-agonists four times daily were treated with terbutaline 500 micrograms via T and salbutamol 400 micrograms via D four times daily, each period lasti...

The short-term association of particulate air pollution with peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) and respiratory symptoms was examined. Forty-nine children with chronic respiratory symptoms aged 8-13 yrs were followed daily for six weeks in spring, 1995, in Kuopio, Finland. Daily concentrations of particulate material with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter < or = 10 microm and < or = 2.5 microm (P...

PURPOSE Adolescents are often cited as having poor rates of compliance with medical regimens and research protocols. We quantified compliance in a cohort of urban adolescents participating in a complex research protocol in which measures were obtained without direct supervision by research personnel. METHODS A total of 54 early adolescents ages 10-13 were asked to wear a vest containing a per...

Background—A study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the eYcacy and safety of tiotropium and ipratropium during long term treatment in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods—288 patients of mean (SD) age 65 (8) years and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 41 (12)% predicted participated in a 14 centre, double blind, double dummy, parallel grou...