Pulmonary Function Examination Research Articles

Analog-to-digital clinical data collection on networked workstations with graphic user interface

An innovative respiratory examination system has been developed that combines physiological response measurement, real-time graphic displays, user-driven operating sequences, and networked file archiving and review into a scientific research and clinical diagnosis tool. This newly constructed computer network is being used to enhance the research center's ability to perform patient pulmonary function examinations. Respiratory data are simultaneously acquired and graphically presented during patient breathing maneuvers and rapidly transformed into graphic and numeric reports, suitable for statistical analysis or database access. The environment consists of the hardware (Macintosh computer, MacADIOS converters, analog amplifiers), the software (HyperCard v2.0, HyperTalk, XCMDs), and the network (AppleTalk, fileservers, printers) as building blocks for data acquisition, analysis, editing, and storage. System operation modules include: Calibration, Examination, Reports, On-line Help Library, Graphic/Data Editing, and Network Storage.

Toxicity of prolonged exposure to ethanol and gasoline autoengine exhaust gases

A comparative chronic inhalation exposure study was performed to investigate the potential health effects of gasoline and ethanol engine exhaust fumes. Test atmospheres of gasoline and ethanol exhaust were given to Wistar rats and Balb C mice housed in inhalation chambers for a period of 5 weeks. Gas concentration and physical parameters were continually monitored during the exposure period. Several biological parameters were assessed after the exposure including pulmonary function, mutagenicity, and hematological, biochemical, and morphological examinations. The results demonstrated that the chronic toxicity of the gasoline-fueled engine is significantly higher than that of the ethanol engine.

A Case of Interstitial Pneumonia Associated with Chronic GVHD: The Examination of Pulmonary Function and Lung Biopsy

A Case of Interstitial Pneumonia Associated with Chronic GVHD: The Examination of Pulmonary Function and Lung Biopsy

Pathophysiologic correlations in asbestos-induced airway disease in the guinea pig.

To determine whether asbestos-induced changes in the structure of the walls of small airways might be associated with abnormalities of pulmonary function, guinea pigs were given 10 mg of amosite asbestos (test group) or saline (control group) by intratracheal instillation. Pulmonary function tests performed 6 months later revealed significant increases in FRC, RV, and TLC in the test group. Measurement of airway wall thickness showed that both membranous and respiratory bronchioles were significantly thickened in the test group; this group also had airways of smaller internal diameter than the controls. Analysis for lung collagen content as hydroxyproline showed a 50% increase in the asbestos exposed animals. There was, however, only minimal and very focal interstitial fibrosis (asbestosis) in the lung parenchyma. Analysis of fiber size indicated that the fibers obtained by digestion of the tissue or from the lavage fluid were significantly longer and wider than those in the original asbestos sample; however, the tissue contained considerably larger fibers than the lavage fluid. We conclude that: Asbestos can produce airway fibrosis and narrowing causing air trapping on pulmonary function examination; this process occurs in the absence of significant interstitial fibrosis of the parenchyma (asbestosis), implying that abnormalities of pulmonary function which are consistent with airflow obstruction in asbestos exposed animals can be caused by pathologic changes in the small airways alone; long asbestos fibers are preferentially retained in the lung, and the longest fibers appear to be in a compartment inaccessible to lavage, presumably, in this model, in airway walls. Enhanced penetration of long fibers into tissue may be one reason why long fibers are more pathogenic than short ones.

Vital Capacity (with Vitalor) and Peak Flow Rate (Wright's) of Inlanders

Mass examination of pulmonary function was carried out with 5, 345 children of elementary and middle schools in Gunma Prefecture, and from the results, prediction formula for the normal values of fast vital capacity (FVC) measured with the vitalor, peak flow rate (PFR) measured with Wright's peak flow meter were obtained. The prediction formula for FVC and PFR, as classified by sex, were obtained by two methods : Multiple regression equations between FVC and PFR on one hand and age and height on the other, and by regression equations between index for predicted vital capacity (FVC ml/height cm) and that for PFR (PFR 1/min./height cm) on one hand age on the other. The followings are the main findings : 1) Prediction formula for FVC for males, aged 7-12 years Y =22.83 × age+39.18 × height-3473.9 (multiple regression equation formula) Y = (3.930+ 1.117 × age) × height (index for pred. formula) for females, aged 7-14 years Y =170.80 × age+ 14.63 × height-1749.0 (MREF) Y = (1.582+ 1.248 × age) × height (IPFVC) (Y=estimated value of FVC, ml. Age is in years & height in cm) 2) Prediction formula for PFR for males, aged 7-12 years Y=8.2 × age+4.5 × height-411.7 (MREF) Y = (0.422+ 0.163 × age) × height (IPPFR) for females, aged 7-14 years Y =3.5 × age+5.6 × height-530.0..... (MREF) Y = (0.232+ 0.165 × age) × height (IPPFR) (Y =estimated value of PFR, 1/min.) 3) Comparison of the present results with the data for coastal inhabitants previously published by other institutions revealed that the former tended to be lower than the latter for younger group, aged 7-8 and 9 years. 4) The regression line obtained with the multiple regression equation was found better comf orming, than that of the formula for FVC index, to the scatter diagram between height and FVC for definite age range. As the consequence, the authers want to recommed the multiple regression equation for obtaining the predicition formula.

Pulmonary function in shipyard welders: an epidemiologic study.

Sixty-one welders were studied at a shipyard by means of questionnaire, partial physical examination, x-ray films, and comprehensive tests of pulmonary function. Extensive air sampling was accomplished. The results were compared with 63 pipefitters similarly studied. There were no significant differences noted. St was noted, however, that both groups revealed evidence of depressed values of pulmonary function. By comparing welders to a third group (pipecoverers exposed to asbestos), evidence for the development of obstructive lung disease in welders and restrictive lung disease in pipecoverers arose, although nonsmoking welders appeared to have normal pulmonary function. When the shipyard groups were compared to pipefitters with no asbestos and no welding exposures, all shipyard groups were abnormal. Based on other prediction formulas, this finding remained consistent. It would thus appear that all three shipyard groups have depressed pulmonary function.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON ESTIMATION OF HUMAN DAMAGES PRODUCED BY AIR POLLUTION

In order to estimate human damages produced by air pollution it is necessary to make repeated screenings and flow-up studies. As for the examinees, adults are difficult to collect in such a large number that we can obtain a respondent rate high enough to estimate the regional level of health. With school children, however, we have no difficulty not only in obtaining a sufficiently high respondent rate but also in finding controlsIn Gunma Prefecture, where the deterioration of the living milieu has rised the question of air polltion, but where detailed data on the chemical determination of confaminants are not available, we performed mass examination of pulmonary function with school children in two areas - neighboring a group of chemical factories and a refinery, respectively - in order to estimate the incipient damage to the human body. The used instruments were a Vitalor-type EV meter and Wright's peak flow meter. The examinees, aged 612 years, numbeered 2, 795.1) In School children living near a group of chemical factories, the means of forced vital capacity (VC) was significantly lower than in controls (P<0.05P<0.01), in both sexes and in all age groups excepting those aged 12.2) It was the same with the timed vital capacity (FEV1.0), the level of significance being P<0.01 in all the cases.3) With regard to P. F. R., significant difference (P<0.05P<0.01) was observed only in lower class children aged 67.4) In school childred near a refinery, each obserbed value was generally lower than in controls. But it was only VC and FEV1.0 in the age of 11 years that showed signiricant difference (P<0.01).5) Prevalences of the restrictive and the obstructive impairment and of the combination of them, as indicated by %VC and %4FEV1.0, were significantly higher (P<0.01) in school children near a group of chemical factories.

THE EFFECTS OF RADIATION THERAPY ON PULMONARY FUNCTION IN CARCINOMA OF THE LUNG.

PULMONARY changes following radiation therapy for carcinoma of the lung were recognized as early as 1898 (2) and have been described frequently since then. Clinical changes indicating the development of radiation pneumonitis have been elucidated in many case reports of patients so treated. More recently, there has been renewed interest in the problem of the sequelae related to radiation therapy for pulmonary cancer and in the possible avoidance of undesired side-effects. The effects of irradiation upon lung function have been reported by MacIntosh and Spitz (16) in 1939, Baldwin et al. (1) in 1949, Whitfield and his co-workers (26) in 1954, Rubin et al. (20) in 1958, and Voutilainen et al. (24) in 1962. Even though the pathologic changes in pulmonary tissue following thoracic irradiation have been adequately documented, no systematic examination of pulmonary function has been performed in patients undergoing radiotherapy for carcinoma of the lung. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of t...