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Biomedical subjects

D A Enarson

Publications and source records attributed to D A Enarson.

154 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Respiratory health at a pulpmill in British Columbia.

The respiratory parameters of 392 white male pulpmill workers were measured by standardized procedures and compared with those of 310 white male rail yard workers. The pulpmill workers complained more frequently of wheezing and chest tightness and missed work more commonly because of chest illness as compared with the rail yard workers. Significant airflow obstruction was noted in nonsmokers who worked in the bleach plant, and it was most striking in the younger members of this group. The principal environmental contaminant in this area was chlorine at levels generally below current permissible concentrations. Members of the maintenance group--especially older members--demonstrated significantly lower forced vital capacity compared to the rail yard workers.

Absenteeism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Longitudinal study of workers in an aluminum smelter.

We conducted a 6-y follow-up study that included workers in an aluminum smelter in British Columbia. Of the original cohort, 951 workers left the industry and 985 workers participated in both studies. Comparison of those who left and those who remained showed that those who left were (1) older, (2) had a slightly higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms, and (3) had lower lung function; this was especially true for workers who were 50 + y of age at the time the initial study was conducted. Analyses were conducted only on 586 male workers who did not change their job location or smoking habits between the initial and the follow-up study. Potroom workers in the "high-exposure" group had a significant reduction in the prevalence of cough, but experienced an increase in the prevalence of wheeze. There was no significant difference in the annual decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec and forced vital capacity between the potroom workers and controls. In general, older workers and smokers had a greater decline in lung function compared to younger workers and nonsmokers. Leukocyte count done during the initial study was found to be an independent predictor of longitudinal decline in lung function. The lack of exposure effect on longitudinal decline in lung function could be due to "healthy worker" effect and improvement in the working condition of the smelter.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic airways obstruction leading to chronic hypoxemic respiratory failure: an estimate of the size and trend of the problem in Canada.

Chronic airways obstruction is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in Canada. It may progress to hypoxic respiratory failure and then to death. Only a few studies of the prevalence of chronic airways obstruction have been reported from Canada, but a number of studies have been reported from the United States and the United Kingdom, countries with similar socioeconomic conditions and ethnic compositions to those in Canada. The prevalence of chronic airflow limitation in these studies averages 9.3%. In each study, tobacco smoke exposure is the most prominent etiologic agent. Other contributing factors identified in the studies are air pollution, occupational exposure, respiratory infections and childhood respiratory illness. Endogenous modifiers of these risk factors demonstrated in the published studies include age, elevated peripheral blood leukocyte count and familial factors. Although epidemiologic studies have been able to identify the prevalence of functional impairment associated with chronic airways obstruction, risk factors associated with its development and modifiers of these risk factors, it is not possible to determine the prevalence of severe chronic airways obstruction resulting in hypoxemic respiratory failure. An estimate of this prevalence has been calculated based on certain assumptions. It was assumed that patients dying of chronic airways obstruction were likely, in a high proportion of cases, to have hypoxemic respiratory failure. It has been demonstrated that only one-half of all patients dying of chronic airways obstruction are correctly designated on death certificates. It was assumed, conservatively, that the median survival of patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure is two years. From these assumptions, it was estimated that the prevalence of hypoxemic respiratory failure in 1986 in Canada was 100 per 100,000 population. This is higher than the present rate of oxygen therapy, indicating that some patients currently eligible for this treatment may not be receiving it.

Canada↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Flail chest as a complication of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Records of all patients who developed flail chest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation at Rochester Methodist Hospital between January, 1966 and March 1976 were reviewed. Also, for comparison, records of patients with flail chest resulting from motor vehicle accidents and those of a matched group of patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation without developing flail chest were reviewed. The incidence of flail chest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation was about 5.6 per 100 survivors. The groups who did and did not have flail chest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation were alike in age and in frequency and duration of the resuscitation. Stabilization of the flail chest required mechanical ventilation for 1 to 24 days (mean, 10.7). Flail chest did not significantly lengthen the hospitalization of patients who survived after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The occurrence of flail chest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation did not seem to increase the mortality rate.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Historical employment records as data bases for occupational disease research--a case study.

Historical employment records in the B.C. coastal lumber industry were examined for adequacy for record linkage to the national Mortality Data Base. Employer, union, pension, and health and welfare plan records existed with varying amounts of personal information. The recommended list of identifiers for linkage is extensive. To evaluate the likelihood of successful linkage with the limited identifiers available in the case study, we compared our findings with the INCO-United Steelworkers mortality study carried out by McMaster University. Their evaluation of automated record linkage using limited identifiers compared to intensive direct follow-up of a sample of 1000 indicated a satisfactory rate of follow-up. This suggests that the historical records found in the case study would provide an adequate basis for research using record linkage.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Summarizing methacholine bronchoprovocation data in epidemiological surveys.

We have performed bronchoprovocation tests with methacholine in 41 patients with asthma due to Western red cedar dust and in 56 office-workers without known respiratory illness. Our purpose was to define a summary statistic for useful bronchial hyperresponsiveness in epidemiologic surveys. We found a significant linear relationship between the concentration of methacholine and the FEV1 response. We noted, in addition, a positive relation between the rate of the FEV1 response per concentration and the level of FEV1. We conclude that a linear dose-response slope, which can be calculated for each individual, provides a comprehensive summary of methacholine bronchoprovocation tests and is useful in epidemiologic surveys.

Adult↗