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Biomedical subjects

H Tukiainen

Publications and source records attributed to H Tukiainen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Effect of cold air on exercise capacity in COPD: increase or decrease?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To clarify the effect of cold air on exercise capacity in COPD. DESIGN: Cycle ergometer tests under different environmental conditions. SETTING: Pulmonary function laboratory and an environmental chamber at a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen patients with stable COPD; 14 completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: A preliminary cycle ergometer test followed by two incremental, symptom-limited cycle ergometer tests, one at 24 degrees C and the other at -20 degrees C. MEASUREMENTS: On the first study day: arterial blood gas analysis, 12 to 15 s maximal voluntary ventilation, maximal expiratory flow-volume curves before and 1 h after inhalation of 80 microg of ipratropium bromide, and diffusion capacity of the lung. During the exercise challenges: spirometric indices, minute ventilation (VE), oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), facial skin temperature, and heart rate. The feeling of dyspnea was assessed with a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The maximal work load was 87.5+/-7.3 W at -20 degrees C compared with 96.4+/-6.9 W at 24 degrees C (p<0.05). Accordingly, the exercise duration was shorter in the cold. Exercise dyspnea was more severe in the cold at equal work loads. The shortening of exercise duration induced by cold air correlated with the enhancement of exercise dyspnea. Furthermore, cold air cooled the facial skin and induced immediate bronchoconstriction. VE, VO2, VCO2, and heart rate did not differ between the warm and cold challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Cold air decreases exercise capacity in COPD, probably by increasing exercise dyspnea.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Quality-of-life measures and clinical parameters in asthmatics during three year follow-up.

Two types of health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) index, the disease-specific St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the generic 15D, were compared for indication of HRQoL changes and correlation with clinical parameters in 157 newly diagnosed asthmatics. The asthmatics were treated with inhaled anti-inflammatory therapy. Measurements at baseline, and after one and three years treatment. Both HRQoL indices indicated a significant improvement in HRQoL during treatment. The changes in total HRQoL scores correlated moderately well. Changes in airway responsiveness correlated fairly well with those of the total SGRQ score (r = 0.29 between baseline and one yr treatment and 0.36 between baseline and three yrs treatment, p < 0.001) and with those of 15D (r = 0.21 between baseline and three yrs treatment; p < 0.05). This may indicate that airway hyperresponsiveness influences the personal assessment of HRQoL. On the other hand, the varying correlation between lung function and HRQoL scores may indicate that they measure largely unrelated factors. Both the disease-specific and the generic health-related quality-of-life indices changed with treatment and indicated an improved health-related quality-of-life for mild asthmatics during a three-year treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Facial cooling, but not nasal breathing of cold air, induces bronchoconstriction: a study in asthmatic and healthy subjects.

Reflex-mediated bronchoconstriction in cold climates may be more important than it has previously been thought. This issue has seldom been studied using physiological methods. We wanted to investigate, using physiological methods, what triggers the bronchoconstriction occurring at cold ambient temperature during resting nasal ventilation: cooling of the skin of the face or cooling of the nasal cavity. Three experiments were carried out in 15 stable asthmatics and 10 healthy volunteers: 1) a whole-body exposure to subfreezing temperature in an environmental chamber, during which the subjects breathed cold air through the nose; 2) a similar exposure to subfreezing temperature except that the subjects now breathed warm air through the mouth from outside the chamber; and 3) nasal breathing of subfreezing air from a heat exchanger whilst the subjects sat at room temperature. Spirometric values and facial skin temperature were measured both during and after the exposures. Maximal decrements (means +/- standard errors) of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in experiments 1, 2 and 3 were: 5.8 +/- 0.8, 5.1 +/- 0.7 and 2.1 +/- 0.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Only the two experiments in the environmental chamber induced significant bronchoconstriction. All responses were of similar magnitude in the asthmatic and the healthy subjects. The cooling of the skin of the face seems to be the trigger for the bronchoconstriction during resting nasal ventilation at cold ambient temperature both in asthmatic and nonasthmatic subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Pulmonary deposition and clinical response of 99mTc-labelled salbutamol delivered from a novel multiple dose powder inhaler.

Pulmonary deposition of 99mTc-labelled sulbutamol was determined after delivery from a novel multiple dose powder inhaler (Easyhaler). The clinical efficacy of the inhalation powder, evaluated simultaneously with gamma camera detection, was compared with that obtained after drug delivery from a metered dose inhaler-spacer combination. The study was performed as an open, non-randomized cross-over trial. A single dose of radiolabelled inhalation powder was inhaled on the first and the inhalation aerosol, as control, on the second study day. Sulbutamol sulphate was labelled with 99mtechnetium, and the inhalation powder was formulated by mixing radioactive drug particles with carrier material. Aerodynamic properties of the radiolabelled inhalation powder were similar to those of the unlabelled salbutamol powder. Delivered dose from the breath-actuated powder inhaler was adjusted to be equal to two puffs from a conventional aerosol actuator with a short plastic mouthpiece. Twelve non-smoking asthmatic patients participated in the trial. The mean pulmonary deposition of 24% was obtained after drug delivery from Easyhaler powder inhaler. Clinical efficacy of the medications was similar in terms of area under the FEV1 curve, maximum FEV1 and the improvement ratio. Thus it can be suggested that powder delivery from Easyhaler powder inhaler and the aerosol delivery through the spacer are equally effective.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Effect of whole-body exposure to cold and wind on lung function in asthmatic patients.

To assess the effect of subfreezing temperature and wind on lung function in asthmatic patients, an exposure to subfreezing temperature at rest, a moderate exercise challenge at subfreezing temperature, and a similar exercise challenge at room temperature were performed in 19 stable asthmatic subjects in an environmental chamber with an artificial wind. The mean maximal falls in FEV1 were 5.3, 11.7, and 4.8 percent, respectively. The two challenges at subfreezing temperature caused statistically significant changes in FEV1, but the exercise challenge at room temperature had no effect. A large variation in the sensitivity to cold was found. The time courses of the responses varied between the challenges, suggesting at least partially different mechanisms. The results indicate that even moderate exercise can cause severe bronchoconstriction in certain stable asthmatic subjects at climatic conditions similar to the Scandinavian winter. The importance of reflex mechanisms causing bronchoconstriction in physiologic conditions is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Mortality due to farmer's lung in Finland.

Fatal cases of farmer's lung (FL) are rare. We found, based on death certificates, 13 cases of FL with a fatal outcome in Finland between 1980 and 1990. Compared with incidence data from the years 1980 to 1982, the mortality was estimated as 0.7 percent. On average, death occurred 8 years after the diagnosis of FL. One patient died acutely after a heavy mold exposure. The other patients had chronic disease. Among them the immediate cause of death was pneumonia in seven patients, respiratory insufficiency in four, and pneumothorax in one patient. The majority of these patients with a fatal outcome had suffered from symptoms of FL for more than 1 year before the diagnosis was established and fibrotic changes were already visible in the chest radiograph at the time of the diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Severe farmer's lung following a workplace challenge.

A severe attack of farmer's lung developed in a dairy farmer after a workplace challenge. The patient showed full recovery after corticosteroid therapy. If a workplace challenge is considered necessary in the diagnosis of farmer's lung, care should be taken to avoid unnecessarily heavy exposure to the offending antigens.

Bronchial Provocation Tests↗
PubMed1991

Inhaled procaterol versus salbutamol in bronchial asthma.

Procaterol is a new, potent, long-acting beta-2-adrenergic bronchodilator. The magnitude and duration of the immediate bronchodilatation produced by inhaled procaterol aerosol have been compared with those produced by inhaled salbutamol aerosol in 20 asthmatic patients. Patients inhaled two puffs of procaterol (20 micrograms) or two puffs of salbutamol (200 micrograms) and PEF, FVC and FEV1 were measured after 5, 15, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min. The changes in mean PEF, FEV1 and FVC values were greater after procaterol than salbutamol, but the difference in bronchodilatation was not significant. The response to rimiterol after 180 min was greater in the salbutamol group. The increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure were slightly higher after procaterol. Eleven patients reported adverse effects; 5 after procaterol, 3 after salbutamol, and 3 after both drugs. Thus, procaterol was a potent bronchodilator when inhaled as a single dose of 20 micrograms, but it did not appear to be an ultra long-acting preparation.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1991

In vitro inhalation behaviour and therapeutical response of salbutamol particles administered from two metered dose aerosols.

In this study the particle size, as well as the in vitro deposition and the immediate bronchodilating effect on asthmatic patients, of two salbutamol inhalation aerosol preparations (Ventoline, Glaxo, UK, and salbutamol inhalation aerosol, Orion Pharmaceutica, Finland) were compared. The in vitro deposition study was performed using the modified Sierra Andersen cascade impactor. The bronchodilating effect of inhaled aerosol doses were monitored by measuring peak expiratory flow (PEF) values. In the clinical study, the pulse and blood pressure of the patients, as well as the side effects, were also recorded. Due to the anatomy and physiology of human lungs, the accepted optimum size for inhaled drug particles is under 5 microns, and preferably under 2 microns. Over 95% of the drug particles in both aerosol preparations were under 5 microns. 30% of the salbutamol particles in the Ventoline inhalation aerosol were under 2 microns, whereas in Orion salbutamol aerosol 14% of the drug particles were under 2 microns. Respectively 23% of Ventoline and 19% of the Orion salbutamol preparation penetrated into the therapeutically most significant imitated alveolar stages of the modified cascade impactor. Both salbutamol aerosols showed a clear clinical efficacy in the bronchodilating test. In addition, no significant differences existed in the bronchodilating effect of these inhalation aerosols. In conclusion, although there seemed to be a slight difference in the particle size distribution and in the in vitro inhalation behaviour, this variation did not have any effect on the clinical response.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Class-specific antibodies during follow up of patients with farmer's lung.

Sequential serum samples of 13 patients with acute farmer's lung (FL) taken during a follow-up of 18-36 months, were tested for antibodies of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, IgM and IgE classes against Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and Micropolyspora faeni, and compared with contemporary lung function parameters. In the acute phase, antibodies of several Ig classes were present, those of IgG and IgA being most common. At the end of the follow-up, the mean values of all antibody titres were lower than in the acute phase, and antibodies were now mostly of one or two Ig classes only. The reduction in antibody levels was most often detectable in IgG and IgA antibodies against T. vulgaris. Antibody titres correlated inversely with tested lung function parameters, especially IgA antibodies with pulmonary diffusing capacity. Our results show that a follow-up of levels of class-specific antibodies, especially of IgG and IgA gives valuable information on causative microbes and on temporal changes of the exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effects of group and sex combination on productive performance of farmed polecats (Mustela putorius).

Effects of cage size, sex and social status on body growth and fur quality of juvenile, growing polecats (Mustela putorius) were studied under farm conditions. No significant differences in growth rate or fur quality parameters between various female groups were found. In males, animals housed by threes within a cage produced lowest final body mass and shortest pelt lengths. The best productive result was found in group where 2 males and 2 females were kept together in large-sized cages. In both sexes, social status did not produce any significant differences in body growth or fur quality parameters. The results support the conclusion that also other than the conventional one-male and one-female combination can be used to produce animals of big body size and long pelts.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

Steady state pharmacokinetics of the new antitussive compound vadocaine hydrochloride.

Vadocaine hydrochloride (2',4'-dimethyl-6'-methoxy-3-(2-methyl-piperidyl) propionanilide hydrochloride, OR K-242-HCl) is a novel compound, which chemically resembles amide-type local anaesthetics. Vadocaine has been proved to be an antitussive drug both in animal and in human studies. The steady state pharmacokinetic profile of vadocaine and its main metabolite in healthy volunteers after a dosage of 30 mg t.i.d. for seven days were studied. The safety of vadocaine was evaluated by ECG monitoring and by hematological and biochemical laboratory tests. Blood and urine samples were taken on the 1st, 3rd and 7th days of the study. The peak concentrations of vadocaine were on the 1st day 72.9 +/- 6.5 ng/ml at 1 h, on the 3rd day 86.4 +/- 10.3 ng/ml at 1.5 h, and on the 7th day 86.4 +/- 7.0 ng/ml at 1.5 h. AUC0-infinity values were 327.0 +/- 43.1, 449.6 +/- 81.0 and 430.5 +/- 77.1 (ng/ml)h, respectively. No side-effects or any clinically significant changes in ECG or laboratory tests were detected during the study. According to the serum concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters the steady state level was achieved already after the third 30 mg dose of vadocaine. No cumulation of intact compound or its metabolite was seen during the study.

Adult↗