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Biomedical subjects

H Tukiainen

Publications and source records attributed to H Tukiainen.

64 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Comparison of twice-daily and four-times daily administration of beclomethasone dipropionate in patients with severe chronic bronchial asthma.

Twice-daily and four-times daily treatment with beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol were compared in a double dummy crossover study in patients with severe chronic bronchial asthma. The trial consisted of two two-month treatment periods preceded by a two-week baseline period. No significant difference was found in the morning or evening PEF, in symptom scores for wheeze, cough, sputum, sleep disturbance, limitation of daily activity, rhinitis, daily usage of bronchodilator aerosol or requirement for additional oral corticosteroids. The study has confirmed that in management of severe bronchial asthma, a twice-daily regimen of beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol is as effective as four-times daily treatment, if the total daily dose of beclomethasone dipropionate is kept unchanged.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The treatment of acute transient cough: a placebo-controlled comparison of dextromethorphan and dextromethorphan-beta 2-sympathomimetic combination.

The efficacy of an antitussive-beta 2-sympathomimetic combination (dextromethorphan-salbutamol) was compared with that of a plain antitussive (dextromethorphan) and a placebo in a double-blind trial in 108 out-patients with cough associated with acute respiratory infection. The dextromethorphan-salbutamol combination was superior to dextromethorphan or placebo in the suppression of cough at night, although a spontaneous improvement occurred in all treatment groups during the 4-day treatment period. No statistically significant differences between the treatments were shown in the symptom scores for the cough frequency and severity during the day, sputum quantity or ease of expectoration. A significant improvement in cough during the day was observed in all treatment groups. The results suggest that the use of antitussives is usually unnecessary; the only indication might be symptomatic relief, especially at night. An antitussive combined with a beta 2-sympathomimetic might be the most effective treatment in this type of cough.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Comparison of inhaled salbutamol powder and aerosol in asthmatic patients with low peak expiratory flow level.

The short-term bronchodilator effects of dry salbutamol powder and a pressurized salbutamol aerosol were compared in 22 patients with severe asthma, on 3 consecutive mornings, in a double-dummy cross-over study. Only patients with peak expiratory flow (PEF) rate lower than 250 l/min, were recruited. PEF measurement was employed to assess changes in ventilatory function induced by inhalation of the drugs. No significant difference was found between the PEF changes induced by the dry salbutamol powder (400 micrograms) and the pressurized aerosol (200 micrograms). Both forms of the drug produced a significant rise in mean PEF values. The study shows that even in asthmatic patients with poor ventilation, a dry powder inhaler and pressurized aerosol are effective means of drug delivery to the lungs.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1985

Familial aggregation of IgG antibody response to antigens associated with farmer's lung.

The levels of circulating IgG antibodies to Aspergillus umbrosus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, and Micropolyspora faeni were determined by enzyme immunoassay in 197 subjects selected for a study of farmer's lung (FL). The material consisted of five study groups: 37 patients with clinically confirmed FL, 31 spouses of the patients, 44 immediate relatives of the patients, 35 immediate relatives of the patients' spouses, and 50 unrelated people who were spouses of the 79 people in both relative groups. The mean titres of IgG antibodies to all four microbes were highest in patients with clinically established FL. In the other groups the mean titre of Aspergillus umbrosus, a mould found much more frequently in Finnish farm environments than other moulds under study, was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) in the relatives of FL patients than in other people. This finding remained irrespective of whether the subjects had suffered from FL symptoms or not or whether they worked or lived on the same farm as the patient or on a different one. The difference in the mean titre was not due to the differences between the study groups in age, sex, smoking habits, atopic background, frequency of handling of plant materials, or time interval from the most recent handling of visibly mouldy hay. The results imply that genetic factors may be important in the IgG antibody response to microbial antigens associated with FL.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1985

Allergy to storage mites or cow dander as a cause of rhinitis among Finnish dairy farmers.

The role of storage mites Acarus siro, Lepidoglyphus destructor, and Tyrophagus putrescentiae, compared with that of cow dander, as a cause of allergic rhinitis was studied by nasal challenges in a population of 106 non-smoking dairy farmers. Thirty-six of the subjects were challenged with storage mites alone, each with only one of the three species in consecutive order, 43 with cow dander alone, and 27 with both. Thus mite challenges were performed on 63 farmers and cow dander challenges on 70. Challenges with any one of the storage mite species were positive in 18% and with cow dander in 20% of farmers with allergic rhinitis. All challenges to asymptomatic farmers were negative. Five of the eight positive reactions to storage mites were due to Lepidoglyphus destructor, and three to Tyrophagus putrescentiae. Acarus siro was not responsible for any of the positive reactions. The results indicate that, among dairy farmers, storage mites are as common as cow dander as a cause of allergic occupational rhinitis.

Allergens↗
PubMed1985

Night-time pharmacokinetics of once a day theophylline: a steady state comparison of three preparations.

We have carried out a steady state pharmacokinetic comparison of three different theophylline preparations in nine healthy volunteers using a once a day dosage schedule of 600 mg theophylline given before bedtime for four days. The preparations tested were Retafyllin 200 mg depot tablet (R), Theo-Dur 200 mg depot tablet (T) and Uniphyllin 200 mg tablet (U). All preparations in steady state reached the serum level of 8.9-10.2 microg/ml after a single evening dose of theophylline 600 mg. The pharmacokinetic profile of these slow release theophylline preparations was such that there is no risk of exceeding the therapeutic range even after a rather high evening dose. Individual variation was also observed in the present study but nobody exceeded the therapeutic range. The pharmacokinetic profiles of R and U were quite similar and they seemed to have suitable pharmacokinetic properties for once a day dosage, and they showed a more sustained action than T. Only minimal gastrointestinal side effects were reported during this study.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Circulating immune complexes and rheumatoid factors in patients with farmer's lung.

Circulating IgG immune complexes (CICs), IgM rheumatoid factors (RFs), complement level (C3 and C4), and IgG antibodies to Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus umbrosus, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, and Micropolyspora faeni were analysed in the sera of 14 patients with farmer's lung (FL), 10 in the acute and four in the subacute phase of the disease. Ten spouses of FL patients served as exposed healthy controls. C3 and C4 were measured fluoronephelometrically. C3 levels were above the normal range and C4 levels near the upper limit of the normal range in both patients and controls; no statistically significant difference between patients and controls were observed. CICs were determined by enzyme immunoassays (EIA) of conglutinin-binding (KgB) and Clq-binding (ClqB). CIC levels above the normal range were detected in 12 (KgB-EIA) and nine (ClqB-EIA) of the patients and three (KgB-EIA) and six (ClqB-EIA) of the controls. No statistically significant differences were found in the mean levels between patients and controls. In contrast, RF levels in the acute phase of FL were significantly higher in the patients (P less than 0.01) than in the controls. CICs correlated positively with most microbial IgG antibodies, but negatively with RFs. RFs also correlated negatively with microbial IgG antibodies, as well as with both C3 and C4. In FL, the increased RF level may, in the absence of increased CIC and decreased complement levels, represent an immune response (IgM anti-IgG autoantibodies) induced by local mechanisms of IgG immune complexes in the lungs.

Acute Disease↗