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Biomedical subjects

B Bake

Publications and source records attributed to B Bake.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Occurrence of breathing problems induced by cold climate in asthmatics--a questionnaire survey.

To obtain information on the extent and severity of asthmatic symptoms during daily life in winter, a simple questionnaire was sent to 57 asthmatic patients and a control group of 180 age-matched men and women in Göteborg. The average winter temperature there is about freezing point. About two-thirds of the asthmatic patients reported cold to be a factor causing breathing difficulties. In 37%, these symptoms made the patients avoid going out during the winter. Cold, damp air was reported by the asthmatic patients to cause more symptoms than cold, dry air. The control group reported very few respiratory symptoms.

Adult

Mortality related to smoking habits, respiratory symptoms and lung function.

The relationship between smoking habits, respiratory symptoms and lung function at the start of the study and mortality during a follow-up period of 11 years was studied in 607 men, aged 50 and 60 years at entry and sampled from the general population. The overall mortality rate in the sample was 18%. In a logistic multiple regression model, mortality rate was significantly related to age, smoking habits, dyspnea and one of the lung function variables FEV1, VC or the slope of phase III. Smokers had a double mortality rate compared to non-smokers (22 versus 10%) after allowing for age, dyspnea and lung function. Similarly, in subjects with abnormal FEV1, VC or slope of phase III, the mortality rate was almost doubled compared to subjects with normal lung function, other factors being equal. Thus, impaired lung function is an important factor to be considered in the assessment of mortality risk, besides smoking and dyspnea.

Age Factors

Radiographic appearance and lung function after non-malignant pleural effusion.

In order to study factors associated with changes in radiographic appearance and lung function after pleural effusion, we investigated 178 consecutive patients with non-malignant pleural effusion. At the initial examination etiology, smoking habits, asbestos exposure, ESR, blood eosinophils, size of effusion and other X-ray lesions were registered. At a 3-year follow-up, chest radiographs and lung function values were obtained and the association with the initially registered factors was evaluated. At follow-up, 20% of the patients had developed major additional X-ray lesions and/or significantly reduced lung function. Prognostically unfavourable factors were idiopathic etiology as compared to infectious, medium and large-size effusions and initial radiographs showing converging pleural linear structures and/or rounded atelectasis as compared to no or minor radiographic lesions. Converging pleural linear structures and rounded atelectasis were seen almost exclusively in association with idiopathic effusions. The obvious differences noted between patients with idiopathic and infectious effusions suggest that these effusions represent separate clinical entities.

Bacterial Infections

Clinical consequences of inadequate inhalation technique in asthma therapy.

The FEV1-increase after inhalation of a beta 2-stimulant metered-dose aerosol was studied in 23 patients treated by specialists. The effect of their spontaneous inhalation technique was compared with that of controlled inhalation, which was optimised by means of a device controlling the breathing pattern and release of the metered-dose aerosol. This allowed quantitative assessment of the loss of bronchodilatation caused by the spontaneous inhalation technique. Thirteen patients who were observed to make inhalation errors showed a significant loss of bronchodilatation (30%), whereas ten patients who were observed to make no inhalation errors showed an insignificant loss of bronchodilatation (13%). It is concluded that when a metered-dose aerosol is used in general clinical practice there is a considerable loss of potential efficacy.

Administration, Inhalation

Effects of divided doses of a bronchodilator aerosol and the intervening time interval on the forced expiration.

Twelve patients with bronchial asthma participated in a blind, randomized, crossover study comparing the effects of 500 micrograms terbutaline in one inhalation, 125 micrograms in four inhalations taken in rapid succession, and 125 micrograms in four inhalations taken with an intervening time interval of 30 min. There were no significant differences between the three modes of inhalation of 500 micrograms terbutaline in any of the spirometric variables, i.e., 1-second forced expiratory volume, forced vital capacity, and maximal airflows when 50 and 75% of the forced vital capacity was exhaled from the total lung capacity. However, there were neither any significant differences between the levels of bronchodilation reached after administration of 500 micrograms and 2 or 3 X 125 micrograms terbutaline with an intervening time interval of 30 min. The time interval between the divided doses was possibly too long to achieve maximum accumulated effect of the four divided doses.

Aerosols

The single breath N2-test predicts the rate of decline in FEV1. The study of men born in 1913 and 1923.

The single breath N2-test and spirometry were carried out on two occasions 7 years apart in 460 men, 50 and 60 years old and sampled from the general population. We analyzed the relationship between the rate of decline in FEV1 during the follow-up and the steepness of the slope of phase III at the start of the study. The results showed an association between an increased rate of decline in FEV1 during the follow-up period and a steep slope of phase III at the start of the study, allowing for age, smoking habits and FEV1 at the start of the study (p less than 0.001). An increase in the slope of phase III from e.g. 1.0 to 4.0% N2/l in moderate smokers was found to predict an increase in the rate of decline in FEV1 by 50%.

Aged

Severe airway obstruction caused by laryngeal rheumatoid arthritis.

Ankylosis of the cricoarytenoid joints due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may cause upper airway obstruction by fixation of the vocal cords in the midline. In early stages, this condition usually results in minor symptoms which are easily overlooked. It may, however, very rapidly, e.g., in association with an upper respiratory tract infection, become life-threatening. It is essential to diagnose this condition early to avoid emergency situations. In 5 patients with classic RA and in one patient with juvenile RA severe laryngeal obstruction was operated on using a new simple technique consisting of a mobilization of the arytenoid cartilages and laterofixation of one of the vocal cords.

Adult

Impaired lung function in patients with IgA deficiency and low levels of IgG2 or IgG3.

We examined the relation between serum levels of IgG subclasses and lung function, as determined by spirometry, lung volumes, the single-breath nitrogen test, and static recoil pressures, in 29 patients with IgA deficiency and repeated upper or lower respiratory tract infections. Four of the patients had decreased levels of IgG2, and two had decreased levels of IgG3. Two or more lung-function values were abnormal in each of these six patients and also in three others with normal levels of IgG subclasses. Low levels of IgG2 and IgG3 were significantly related to abnormal lung function (P less than 0.01). The 20 patients with normal lung function all had IgG-subclass levels above the lower range. There may be a causal relation between low levels of IgG subclasses and deterioration in lung function, suggesting that patients with combined IgA and IgG-subclass deficiencies may benefit from immunoglobulin prophylaxis.

Adolescent

Improved red blood cell survival after cardiac operations with administration of urea during cardiopulmonary bypass.

The plasma hemoglobin and red blood cell survival (half-life of 51Cr) was studied in 48 patients undergoing single valve replacement or coronary artery bypass graft. Urea or placebo was administered during cardiopulmonary bypass in a prospective, randomized, double-blind manner to test the potential effect on mechanical hemolysis. The mean plasma hemoglobin level at the end of extracorporeal circulation was significantly lower in the urea-treated groups (coronary artery bypass 342 mg/L; valve replacement 364 mg/L) than in the control groups (coronary artery bypass 635 mg/L, p less than 0.05; valve replacement 518 mg/L, p less than 0.01). The half-life of 51Cr was significantly longer in the urea-treated patients (coronary artery bypass 18 days; valve replacement 16 days) than in the control groups (coronary artery bypass 12.4 days, p less than 0.01; valve replacement 12.7 days, p less than 0.001) but still below the normal reference value (29 +/- 4 days). The plasma hemoglobin returned to near normal values (50 mg/L) the day after operation (day 1) and remained low with no differences between control and urea-treated groups. The total blood hemoglobin was followed for 2 weeks after operation and showed significantly less anemia in the urea-treated group. The lowest mean blood hemoglobin level was noted between days 5 and 9-114 (coronary artery bypass) and 107 (valve replacement) gm/L in the urea-treated patients compared to 92.3 (coronary artery bypass, p less than 0.01) and 92.2 (valve replacement, p less than 0.01) gm/L in the control subjects. The reduction in the severity of the anemia led to less transfusion in the urea-treated patients (approximately 0.5 unit/patient) than in the control subjects (approximately 1 unit/patient, p less than 0.05) between days 3 and 14.

Blood Transfusion

Regional lung function in patients with a complete radiographic regression of small cell bronchogenic carcinoma.

Regional lung function was studied in 21 patients with small cell bronchogenic carcinoma who demonstrated a complete radiographic regression of intrathoracic tumour after 3 months of combination chemotherapy. Spirometry was performed in 20 patients. VC and FEV1 were, on average, 89 and 88% of predicted normal values. Impairment of ventilation and/or perfusion at the site of previous tumour was documented in 13 patients, while no such abnormalities were observed in 8 cases. Reduction of blood flow was generally more severe than impairment of ventilation. Neither median survival nor disease-free 2-yr survival was improved in patients with normal regional lung function compared to patients with functional impairment. This lack of survival advantage suggests that factors other than persistent tumour, such as scar formation, may contribute to reduction of regional lung function after chemotherapy for small cell bronchogenic carcinoma.

Aged

Effect of platelet activating factor on the human nasal mucosa.

In order to determine the effect of PAF-acether on the vascular bed in the human nose, 11 healthy volunteers were studied. Rhinomanometry was performed to determine the effect on the capacitance vessels, and the 133Xe wash-out method enabled determination of the mucosal blood flow, regulated mainly by the resistance vessels. These measurements were made before and after topical administration of PAF-acether in three different doses; 0.26 micrograms, 2.6 micrograms and 26 micrograms per nostril. The results indicate that PAF-acether induces a dose-dependent vasoconstriction of the capacitance vessels and a reduction in mucosal blood flow. That PAF-acether should be a principal mediator in the allergic reaction in the human nose is not supported by these findings.

Adult

Overestimation of inspiratory upper airway resistance.

Inspiratory resistance was found to be 10-50% larger than the expiratory in a model of the upper airways. This was most likely caused by a high kinetic energy component in the airstream close to the constriction reducing the lateral pressure in excess of what could be explained by the frictional pressure drop. Consequently, the inspiratory resistance was overestimated. During expiratory flow, on the other hand, the kinetic energy component at the same site in the trachea was smaller and similar to that in the mouthpiece resulting in an apparently adequate assessment of expiratory resistance. These results may explain why previous authors have found equal inspiratory and expiratory upper airway resistance although the vocal cords abduct during inspiration and adduct during expiration. Pressures obtained by means of the tracheal puncture appeared to be more reliable compared to those obtained from puncture of the cricothyroid membrane.

Air Pressure

A simple operation for bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

To reduce the laryngeal obstruction in bilateral vocal cord paralysis, a new method of laterofixation was developed. The method is technically simple and less traumatic than previously published methods. No peroperative tracheostomy is needed. During surgery two needles are inserted through the thyroid cartilage. A nylon thread is passed through the needles and the needles are then withdrawn. The thread thus forms a permanent loop around the vocal cord. The effects of the laterofixation on breathing and on the voice are documented by assessment of upper airway resistance and by two listening panels respectively. Thirteen patients have been operated upon so far. In most cases the breathing was improved and the influence on the voice was moderate and adjustable. If needed the possibility to perform a more extensive surgical procedure still remains. We suggest our method of laterofixation to be the first treatment of choice in patients suffering from bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

Adult

Prolonged red cell survival following in vitro treatment with potassium cyanate. A study in patients undergoing open-heart surgery.

Red cel survival was prospectively studied, using Chromium-51 isotope, in 48 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for single valve replacement (SVR, 24 patients) or coronary bypass graft procedures (CABG, 24 patients). The red cells were labelled on the day before the open heart surgery. Cells from randomly selected patients were treated for 30 min with potassium cyanate (0.5 mg/100 ml) in 5% invertose solution or with 5% invertose alone. The mean red cell survival in the SVR and the CABG group was 21.3 and 23 days, respectively, when the cells had been treated with cyanate, and 12.7 and 12 days when only invertose had been used. In the cyanate groups the loss of isotope during cardiopulmonary bypass and in the first three postoperative days was significantly less than in the control groups indicating improved tolerance to the traumatic effects of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Improved red cell survival in patients with chronic subclinical haemolysis due to artificial heart valve. Observations after in vitro treatment of the cells with potassium cyanate.

Red cell survival was studied with use of Chromium-51 isotope and standard haematologic tests of haemolysis. The study comprised 30 patients with normally functioning single artificial heart valves of various types. They were investigated on 2 or 3 occasions. Red cells labelled with Cr-51 were treated for 30 min with potassium cyanate (0.5 mg/100 ml) in 5% invertose or with only 5% invertose. The mean red cell survival without cyanate treatment was 25 (+/- 4.2) days. Following cyanate treatment this figure improved to 31 (+/-4.8) days. Low-grade chronic intravascular haemolysis was associated with all the valve types. Abnormal results were found in 67% and 62% of the tests in patients with ball-type valve (deBakey and Starr-Edwards, respectively). The figures for tilting disc values (Lillehei-Kaster and Björk-Shiley) were 51 and 45.5%, while Carpentier-Edwards bioprosthetic valves gave 15.5% abnormal test results. The findings thus suggested that ball valves are more haemolytic than tilting disc valves, which in turn are more haemolytic than tissue valves.

Anemia, Hemolytic