AIMS To study serial peak expiratory flow (PEF) responses in a group of symptomatic detergent enzyme-exposed workers. METHODS Workers were recruited from a biological detergent formulating and packaging company. Those with occupational asthma symptoms and/or specific IgE to a detergent enzyme were asked to complete 2 hourly PEF measurements for 4 weeks. Outputs from the Oasys program (Oasys s...

STUDY OBJECTIVE Several studies have demonstrated the superiority of salmeterol and formoterol to either regular treatment with albuterol or placebo. However, to date there have been no trials comparing the efficacy of salmeterol and formoterol in patients with severe asthma. DESIGN We undertook a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study to compare 4 weeks of treatment with inhaled for...

Methods We used SMS to collect symptoms and peak flow (PEF) meter readings from children with asthma. Digital PEF meters enabled data download to confirm validity of PEF data sent by SMS. Parents responded to 5 SMS messages daily for 7 days during baseline and for 14 days during a cold. Parents provided written feedback about the SMS-based data collection at the beginning (Q1) and at the end (Q...

BACKGROUND The duration of postinspiratory pause prior to forced expiration may significantly influence the peak expiratory flow (PEF) measured during maximal forceful expirations. In comparison with maneuvers without a postinspiratory pause, maneuvers with 4 to 6-s pause at total lung capacity (TLC) result in decreased PEF values. The extent to which brief pauses (< 2 s) similarly affect PEF v...

Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be defined symptomatically or by healthcare contacts, yet the relationship between these events is unknown. Data were collected during a 1-yr study of the budesonide/formoterol combination in COPD patients, where exacerbations, defined by increases in treatment, were compared with daily records of respiratory symptoms, rescue med...

Increasing numbers of patients are receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an intensive care treatment, some of whom have pre-existing airway obstruction. Spirometers are the ideal instruments for measuring airway obstruction, but peak flow meters are useful and versatile devices. The behaviour of both types of device was therefore studied in a hyperbaric unit under conditions of increased press...

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) are considered to be important mediators involved in bronchial asthma and the ensuing eosinophilic inflammation. We evaluated the effects of pranlukast, a potent and selective cysLT receptor antagonist, on the clinical course and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels of 10 asthmatic patients. A four-week administration of pranlukast increased the morning...

RATIONALE Temporal fluctuations have been demonstrated in lung function and asthma control, but the effect of controller therapy on these fluctuations is unknown. OBJECTIVES To determine if fluctuations in peak expiratory flow (PEF) are predictive of subsequent treatment failure and may be modified by controller therapy. METHODS We applied detrended fluctuation analysis to once-daily PEF da...

BACKGROUND The benefit of adding theophylline to beta 2 agonists in acute asthmatic attacks has been debated frequently. METHODS In an open randomised study 25 patients with severe acute asthma who presented to the emergency department were treated with either a combined nebulised salbutamol (5 mg/dose) and aminophylline infusion (0.6-0.9 mg/kg/hour), or nebulised salbutamol alone. RESULTS ...

Two-thirds of the children with asthma in our area use cromones and only one-third steroids as the maintenance therapy. This study aimed to evaluate our treatment policy based on the international consensus. Peak expiratory flow (PEF), dynamic spirometry and bronchodilation test results were therefore collected in 195 school-aged patients who visited our outpatient clinic in 1995. Sixty-four ch...