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Biomedical subjects

E N Schachter

Publications and source records attributed to E N Schachter.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Immunological findings and respiratory function in cotton textile workers.

Immunological parameters were studied in a group of 24 cotton textile workers. These were volunteers from a cohort of 106 (83 women and 23 men) previously studied textile workers. A group of 30 employees from a bottle packing plant served as a control for the immunologic studies. The subgroup of volunteers undergoing immunologic testing did not differ from the original cohort of textile workers in age, sex, smoking history, or prevalence of most chronic respiratory symptoms, nor were there any significant differences in baseline lung function or across-shift changes. The 24 cotton worker volunteers underwent skin testing with extracts of cotton dust and cotton seed. Eight of these 24 (33.3%) had positive tests, and 5 of the 8 had elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Only one of the 8 skin-test-positive workers had symptoms of byssinosis. Only 1 of 30 control workers' skin tested with cotton extract reacted, and none had an increased serum IgE level (P less than 0.01). Both baseline lung function and across-shift changes did not differ between workers with positive and negative skin test reactions or between workers with normal and elevated IgE levels. Additionally, we studied the response in vitro of nonsensitized guinea pig trachea to cotton bract extract and demonstrated a dose-dependent contractile response. These data suggest that while immunological findings are frequent in textile workers, they correlate poorly with respiratory symptoms and function and may not be the basis for the airway obstruction seen in this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Modification of induced airway constriction in healthy subjects.

Unlike asthmatics, healthy persons are relatively unresponsive to airway constrictors. By using partial expiratory flow-volume (PEFV) curves the authors have demontrated, in healthy subjects, dose-related decreases in flow rates following challenge with histamine and methacholine aerosols. With the use of semilogarithmic dose-response curves they have shown that 80 mg oral propranolol augmented, whereas oral pretreatment with 400 mg W10294A (an experimental bronchodilator) decreased, histamine and methacholine-induced airway constriction. However, 300 mg of orally administered aminophylline failed to modify the airway constrictor effects of histamine and methacholine. Moreover, variation was noted in induced airway constriction in healthy subjects with decreases in flow rates being greater in the morning than in the afternoon. The authors conclude that (1) propranolol augments whereas theophylline fails to prevent nonspecific induced airway constriction in healthy subjects. This suggests that the bronchodilator action of theophylline may be unrelated to its phosphodiesterase inhibitory activity, (2) control of volume history, by use of partial expiratory flow-volume curves, is useful in quantifying pharmacologic protection and augmentation of nonspecific induced airway constriction in healthy subjects and (3) conclusions resulting from observations of induced airway constriction in healthy subjects may be dependent upon the effects of diurnal variation.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Diaphragm pacing. Application to a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In a 66-year-old patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by arterial hypoxemia and repeated episodes of respiratory and right ventricular failure, a satisfactory level of oxygenation could not be maintained despite controlled oxygen therapy. To enable oxygen to be administered without depression ventilation, artificial respiration by means of phrenic nerve stimulation (diaphragm pacing) has been employed. Evidence of clinical improvement since pacing was begun 32 months ago include fewer episodes of respiratory failure and better control of congestive heart failure despite a gradual worsening of pulmonary function.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

The clinical assessment of roentgenographically atypical pulmonary sarcoidosis.

We studied 89 patients in whom the clinical diagnosis of sarcoidosis was supported by the findings on tissue biopsy. A chest roentgenogram in 14 of the patients showed one of the following atypical features: large pulmonary nodules, an alveolar parenchymal pattern or a pleural effusion. Diagnoses of infection, malignancy or vasculitis were suggested by interpretations of atypical chest roentgenograms in eight of these 14 patients. Nonspecific and misleading clinical information contributed. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was corroborated by extrathoracic tissue biopsies in 11 of the 14 patients. Over an average observation period of 38 months, the 14 patients remained classified as having sarcoidosis. This suggests that an extrathoracic tissue biopsy, whose findings are consistent with sarcoidosis, is often sufficient to support a clinical diagnosis of some forms of roentgenographically atypical pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1977

Computerized tomography in pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Six patients with documented pulmonary sarcoidosis were selectively studied with the ACTA scanner. The CT scans were correlated with the standard chest radiographs of these patients. CT scans readily confirmed adenopathy, calcification, and pleural disease. Likewise, diffuse and isolated parenchymal disease was detected and in some cases unexpected lung involvement was noted.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Diagnostic problems in pulmonary-renal syndromes.

A 25-year-old woman survived a fulminant epidose of rapidly progressive renal failure with severe hemoptysis initially suspected of being Goodpasture's syndrome. Four years later the patient was diagnosed as having Wegener's granulomatosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Diagnostic problems in suppurative lung disease.

Eleven of 48 (23%) patients diagnosed as having lung abscess or empyema presented diagnostic problems in the localization of infected material. All 11 patients were found eventually to have empyemas, all but one of which was complicated by bronchopleural fistulas. Difficulty in distinguishing abscess from empyema on a chest roentgenogram delayed diagnostic and therapeutic thoracentesis from 1 to 12 days. Pleural effusions were noted in all but one of the patients who did not initially have a bronchopleural fistula. In addition, once the bronchopleural fistula became established, the extension of the air-fluid level to the chest wall, the tapered borders of the air-fluid pocket, and the extension of the lesion across fissure lines were noted, in retrospect, to be suggestive of pleural localization. Delay in the evacuation of empyema fluid can lead to chronic complications and increased morbidity. Early identification and treatment of pleural effusions may avoid these diagnostic and therapeutic problems.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Hyperlucent lung after radiation therapy.

A 63-year-old woman was demonstrated to have a hyperlucent lung in a hemithorax irradiated 9 years previously for carcinoma of the breast. This is the second reported concurrence of these events.

Angiography↗