The study addressed the question whether the novel inhaled prodrug corticosteroid ciclesonide is equally effective when inhaled in the morning compared to the evening. For this purpose a double-blind, randomized, parallel group study was initiated in which 209 asthmatic patients (forced expiratory volume in one second = 50-90% predicted) inhaled either 200 microg ciclesonide in the morning or i...

BACKGROUND Daily changes in ambient concentrations of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and ozone are associated with increased cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality, with the lungs and their function being a vulnerable target. METHODS To evaluate the association between daily changes in air pollution and lung function in healthy adults we obtained annual lung function measurements from a...

Sixteen patients with stable chronic asthma participated in a double blind crossover study comparing the new inhaled long acting beta 2 agonist formoterol with salbutamol. Inhaled (n = 15) and oral steroid (n = 1) treatment were maintained at the same daily dose throughout the study. For four weeks the patients received either formoterol 24 micrograms twice daily or salbutamol 400 micrograms tw...

The purpose of this study was to analyse tracking (i.e. relative stability over time/predictability of future values by early measurements) of lung function parameters and their longitudinal relationship with lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, daily physical activity, neuromotor and cardiopulmonary fitness, and dietary intake of retinol and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)). Data were o...

BACKGROUND Different lung function equipment and different respiratory manoeuvres may produce different Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) results. Although the PEF is the most common lung function test, there have been few studies of these effects and no previous study has evaluated both factors in a single group of patients. METHODS We studied 36 subjects (PEF range 80-570 l/min). All patients reco...

OBJECTIVE To determine the correlates of the lability of peak expiratory flow (PEF) in the elderly. METHODS A community sample of 4,581 persons > or = 65 years old from the Cardiovascular Health Study completed an asthma questionnaire and underwent spirometry. During a follow-up examination of the cohort, 1,836 persons agreed to measure PEF at home twice daily for 2 weeks, and 90% successfull...

OBJECTIVES This study tested the directionality of the association between sleep and health outcomes in youth with asthma. METHOD Thirty-eight youth with asthma (aged 9-19) completed a daily diary study on sleep, asthma symptoms, peak expiratory flow (PEF) measures, and salivary cortisol samples. RESULTS Greater quantity of sleep predicted lower PEF% [beta(32) = -.33, p =.02], and lower dai...

The frequency content of the first second of the maximum forced expiratory manoeuvre (MFEM) was measured to determine if the currently accepted frequency limit of 20 Hz for MFEM is adequate for recording peak expiratory flow (PEF). The frequency response of a Fleisch pneumotachograph (PT) was measured and used to record MFEM from 24 patients attending a lung-function laboratory and 26 normal vo...

Two breath-actuated inhalers, the Turbohaler and the Rotahaler, were compared in 24 patients with chronic asthma using an open, cross-over study design. Patients were treated with terbutaline (500 micrograms) and salbutamol (400 micrograms) four times daily, each trial period lasting three weeks. Mean morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) values were higher during Turbohaler treatment, but were si...

Forced expiratory volumes and flows (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal expiratory flow at 25% (MEF25%), 50% (MEF50%) and 75% (MEF75%) of the FVC) have been measured in 909 healthy nonsmoking men and women, ranging in age from 18-86 yrs, who live on Eastern Adriatic islands (Yugoslavia). This area is essentially free fr...