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J Meier-Sydow

Publications and source records attributed to J Meier-Sydow.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Results of a questionnaire survey of pulmonary complaints of dental technicians: effect of the duration of occupational activity (total exposure time)].

UNLABELLED: With the aid of a questionnaire survey conducted among 3,415 dental laboratories in Hesse and North Rhine Westphalia, the incidence of pulmonary symptoms among dental technicians, and their relationship to dust (exposure time: ET) was established. A total of 5,100 questionnaires were evaluable. The median age of the participants was 29 years, the ET 8 years. A total of 49.1% smoked cigarettes, 15.8% were ex-smokers, and 38% non-smokers. SYMPTOMS: 33.9% had unproductive cough, 25.4% experienced dyspnoea on effort, 18.9% had a productive cough, 5.7% episodic apnoea, 5.2% apnoea with audible wheezing, 3.6% apnoea at rest. In order to eliminate the "overlapping" influence of smoking habits, age and sex, in a matched-pair analysis, a comparison of short exposure time groups (SET: ET less than 5 years), and long exposure time groups (LET: ET greater than or equal to 5 years) was made for each symptom. The median ET for all SET was 3 (range: 0-4); for all LET 10 (range: 5-40) years. The frequency of the symptoms was generally greater in the LET group than in the sET group. Statistically significant differences were found for unproductive cough, productive cough, apnoea of effort, and episodic dyspnoea. No differences were found for apnoea at rest and dyspnoea with audible wheezing. Since such confounding factors as sex, age and smoking habits were excluded, our results point to a causal relationship between the pulmonary symptoms of dental technicians and occupational exposure to dust in the dental laboratory. These results are supported by the results of clinical and radiological study.

Adult↗

[Clinical aspects and diagnosis of chronic berylliosis--a case report].

Three case reports of patients with chronic berylliosis are presented. The examination findings of these three cases are all unspecific. Merely the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT), which has, in the meantime, become an established procedure, is capable of demonstrating, at a high level of sensitivity and specificity, the presence of sensitisation towards beryllium, a condition that accompanies the disease itself. All three patients showed a positive LTT. A modification of the diagnostic criteria worked out by Sprince, is proposed, which takes into account the LTT performed in blood and bronchoalveolar fluid.

Adult↗

[Results of a questionnaire survey of pulmonary complaints in dental technicians: effect of inhalation exposure to heavy metal dusts (cobalt-chromium alloys)].

In the course of their working lifetime, dental technicians are exposed to numerous different dusts, some of which also contain toxic substances (Co-Cr alloys), which are employed in the so-called model casting. In order to establish the influence of the nature of the exposure associated with various dental technical procedures on pulmonary symptoms, 24588 questionnaires were sent to 3415 dental laboratories. The return rate was 21.3%. An evaluation of 4328 questionnaires (with account being taken of the influence of smoking, age and sex), revealed a significant relationship between the duration of work on model casting, and the common symptoms "dry cough", "dyspnoea on exertion" and "productive cough". In agreement with other case reports, the results emphasize the significance of the inhalation of heavy metal dusts in the aetiology of pneumoconiosis in dental technicians.

Adult↗

Asthma due to the complex salts of platinum--a cross-sectional survey of workers in a platinum refinery.

Anamnestic and immunological data of workers of a platinum refinery (group A: workers with work-related symptoms, n = 8; group B: workers with symptoms not clearly work-related, n = 9; group C: asymptomatic workers, n = 13) and controls (group D: atopics, n = 10; group E: non-atopics, n = 16) were compared. Exposure to platinum salt was higher in group A than in groups B or C. In group A, symptoms developed 4 months (median) after the onset of exposure. All subjects of group A and three workers of group B, but none of the workers of the other groups, showed a positive cutaneous reaction to (PtCl6)2-. Total serum IgE was higher in groups A and D than in groups B, C or E. (PtCl6)2(-)-specific IgE was higher in group A, but there was non-specific binding of (PtCl6)2- to IgE. Histamine release with (PtCl6)2- was found in all groups and was highest in atopic controls. Histamine release with (PtCl6)2- and histamine release with anti-IgE showed an excellent correlation, suggesting a similar release mechanism of (PtCl6)2- and anti-IgE. In skin-test positive subjects, high cutaneous (PtCl6)2(-)-sensitivity is linked to high histamine release with (PtCl6)2- or anti-IgE, supporting the concept of a role of cell surface IgE or IgE-Fc-receptor in the release process with platinum salts. However, high specificity of cutaneous reactions contrasts with low specificity of in-vitro tests with (PtCl6)2-. A different reaction of basophils and mast cells, when challenged with free platinum salts, is hypothesized. We conclude that neither histamine release from basophils with (PtCl6)2- nor RAST for the detection of (PtCl6)2- -specific IgE are helpful in the diagnosis of platinum salt allergy.

Asthma↗

[Bleaching agent poisoning with sodium chlorite. The toxicology and clinical course].

A woman gardener of 49 years of age suffered an inhalational intoxication from chlorine dioxide while bleaching dried flowers. Preparation of the bleaching solutions was associated with a sharp pungent smell, coughing, pharyngeal irritation and headache. Seven hours later increasing cough and dyspnoea led to hospitalisation. Clinical findings were tachypnoea, tachycardia, and rales of auscultation; clinical chemistry revealed marked leucocytosis. Chest X-ray did not yield any abnormal findings. Initially the vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s markedly reduced and the resistance correspondingly enhanced. Blood gas analysis showed hypoxaemia despite alveolar hyperventilation. Administration of corticosteroids resulted in significant alleviation of complaints and in improved lung function with stabilisation in a highly normal range, as confirmed by follow-up examination two years later. The chlorine dioxide intoxication had been due to pH level reduction resulting from an incorrect proportioning and handling of the individual bleaching agent components when preparing the solution.

Chlorides↗

The long-term course of airflow obstruction in obstructive variants of the fibrotic stage of sarcoidosis and of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

We investigated patients with obstructive variants (FEV1/VC less than 65%) of FSS (N = 9) and IPF (N = 12) and assessed the course of the lung function parameters of AO during observation times of 2 to 10 years. Three groups of patients could be formed: group 1 (N = 9), no significant change of FEV1/VC and Raw; group 2 (N = 3), significant decrease of FEV1/VC and significant increase of Raw; group 3 (N = 7), divergent changes of FEV1/VC and Raw. Two patients died before they could be assigned to a group. The definite constancy of FEV1/VC (group 1 and the majority of group 3) assessed in this long-term study corroborated our previous results. Thus the great majority of our patients showed no deterioration of AO. "Divergency" of Raw (group 3) can at least partially be interpreted as "false positive." The prognosis of the obstructive variants is essentially not inferior to that of the nonobstructive groups in these two conditions.

Adult↗

Chronic bronchiolitis in adults.

We describe seven entities which could be comprised under the heading of "chronic Bronchiolitis in adults". In particular clinical, radiological and functional details are described. In a graphic presentation we tried to give a synopsis of morphological and clinical entities under the three morphologic notions bronchiolitis, alveolitis and bronchitis and emphysema.

Adult↗

Prognostic value of chest radiograph, serum-angiotensin-converting enzyme and T helper cell count in blood and in bronchoalveolar lavage of patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis.

We studied the prognostic value of the initial radiologic stage, the serum-angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE) and T helper cells in blood (OKT-4-Bl) and in bronchoalveolar lavage (OKT-4-BAL) for patients with biopsy-proven pulmonary sarcoidosis. Thirty-seven patients without prior treatment were followed up for a period of 2 years. A BAL was performed in 22 of them as part of the diagnostic workup. Clinical examination, chest radiographs, vital capacity, diffusion capacity for CO, airway resistance and PaO2 at rest and during exercise were determined initially and after 6, 12 and 24 months. According to these results, patients were classified as having progressive or nonprogressive disease. The radiologic stage and the initial SACE (38.3 +/- 10.2 vs. 43.7 +/- 13.0 nmol/ml/min) could not discriminate between the two groups. Patients with progressive disease had significantly fewer OKT-4-Bl cells (403.3/microliter +/- 146.7/microliter vs. 842.0/microliter +/- 430.1/microliter) and more OKT-4-BAL cells (24.5 +/- 15.4% vs. 7.0 +/- 2.6%) than patients with stable disease (p less than 0.01). A negative correlation between OKT-4-Bl and OKT-4-BAL cells was shown (Rs = -0.79; p less than 0.001). We conclude that the number of OKT-4-Bl and OKT-4-BAL cells can be used as prognostic parameter for patients with sarcoidosis.

Adult↗