Natural History of Chronic Bronchitis in Working Men.

Abstract

s1 May 1968Natural History of Chronic Bronchitis in Working Men.Charles M. Fletcher, M.D., F.R.C.P., Cecily M. Tinker, M.R.C.P., I. David Hill, B.SC., Frank S. Speizer, M.D.Charles M. Fletcher, M.D., F.R.C.P.Search for more papers by this author, Cecily M. Tinker, M.R.C.P.Search for more papers by this author, I. David Hill, B.SC.Search for more papers by this author, Frank S. Speizer, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-68-5-1185_3 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe study was designed to test the hypothesis that in the development of chronic airway obstruction mucous hypersecretion encourages bronchial infection which causes bronchiolar damage, or emphysema, or both. Biennial measurements of sputum volume, respiratory illness frequency, and forced expiratory volume (FEV) were made on 905 working men in West London from 1961 through 1966. Mean sputum volume declined steadily, perhaps owing to reduction in London's air pollution. It declined most steeply in men who stopped smoking. Chest illnesses had little effect. Only one new case of simple bronchitis appeared. Illness frequency increased with increasing sputum volume and decreasing FEV... This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: London, PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 May 1968Volume 68, Issue 5Page: 1185-1186KeywordsAir pollutionBronchitisChronic bronchitisEmphysemaForced expiratory volumePulmonary diseasesSputumThorax Issue Published: 1 May 1968 PDF DownloadLoading ...