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Biomedical subjects

M J Ashley

Publications and source records attributed to M J Ashley.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Smoking, dust exposure, and serum alpha 1-antitrypsin.

The relationships of smoking and dust exposure to serum alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrations were studied in 1,131 male workers who were PiM phenotypes and who were employed in 4 different environments. In each work group, current smokers had higher concentrations than nonsmokers or ex-smokers. Among current smokers, concentrations were highest in those who smoked the most and for the longest time. Within the smoking categories the concentrations in most instances were greatest in workers exposed to the greatest dust concentrations. A significant positive relationship with duration of employment was found only in 1 work group. The independent effects of smoking and dust exposure persisted when the analysis was repeated using only nonatopic workers who were free of chest symptoms. Although both the biologic significance of these variations and the underlying mechanisms require clarification, the findings suggest that extrinsic factors, such as smoking and industrial dust exposure, may influence serum alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrations.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Survey of the clinical use of pressurized aerosol inhalers.

Questions as to the use of pressurized aerosol inhalers were asked of 130 persons presenting for routine pulmonary function studies who had used such a device in the previous year. After spirometry was conducted the subjects used the inhaler; they were unaware that their technique of use was being observed. Only 10.8% performed correctly all 11 maneuvers suggested for the proper use of the inhalers, and 24.7% failed to perform more than 5 satisfactorily. There were significant differences in performance according to referral diagnosis (chronic obstructive lung disease v. asthma) and regularity of use of inhalers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Attitudes of health science students towards teaching practices, examinations, and other related issues.

A brief multiple choice questionnaire explored the attitudes of students enrolled in several health science faculties (medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and physical and health education). A substantial proportion indicated a wish for more challenging lectures. On the other hand, the majority of students devoted less than one hour of personal study per week to required 'courses', interest in health-related 'courses' being particularly weak. Small textbooks with minimal references were desired, and relatively little use was made of free lecture handouts. Financial constraints had little influence on personal study, but affected textbook purchase. The demand for 'handouts' would have been reduced by a charge. Frequent term examinations as a stimulus to learning were favoured by all groups, as were full or challenging presentations by instructors. Team teaching, although favoured generally, was not equally appealing to all groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Alcohol consumption and hypertension--the evidence from hazardous drinking and alcoholic populations.

To provide an enhanced perspective to observations of an association between moderate alcohol consumption and hypertension, information on the frequency of hypertension in heavy drinking and alcoholic populations was reviewed. Hypertension was found more often in ambulatory heavy drinkers and alcoholics than in more moderate drinkers and abstainers. This hypertensive state appeared to be at least partially reversible upon cessation of drinking. Additional investigation is needed to define the level of consumption associated with an increased risk of hypertension, the dose response pattern, and the determinants of irreversibility. Alcohol-related hypertension may constitute a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, thus contributing to the excess mortality experienced by heavy drinking populations. In view of the steady increase in per capita alcohol consumption which characterizes many affluent societies further clarification of this relationship is an urgent public health research priority.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Tuberculosis in immigrants to Canada. A study of present-day patterns in relation to immigration trends and birthplace.

The influences of immigration on tuberculosis morbidity in Canada were examined. The pattern of immigration has changed markedly in recent years, increasing proportions of immigrants being from areas other than Europe. Morbidity rates varied widely according to country of birth and were highest among persons born in Asia and lowest among those born in northwestern Europe and the United States. These rates were generally parallel to those reported in the countries of birth, although somewhat lower. Differences in patterns of disease by birthplace were noted, particularly the preponderance of lymphadenitis in Asians and genitourinary tuberculosis in Italians. Although the frequency of drug-resistant bacilli was higher in Asians than in other groups, the vast majority of bacilli in all groups were drug-sensitive. For purposes of tuberculosis control, immigrants from high-incidence countries constitute a high-risk group, and physicians should be aware of this when dealing with patients from these countries.

Asia↗
PubMed1979

Racial differences in lung function: search for proportional relationships.

A comparison of lung function in Caucasian and East Indian woodworkers revealed marked differences in FEV, FVC, AND MMF in relation to predicted age- and height-specific values of these variables reported in the literature. These findings were not attributable to differences in smoking habits, frequency of respiratory disease, or employment characteristics. Rather, they suggested that the standard values employed were inappropriate for East Indians. An attempt was made to confirm previously reported suggestions of consistent proportional differences in lung function between racial groups which would permit the calculation of a single correction factor. Evidence of a consistent proportional relationship was found for FEV over a wide range of heights and for FVC over a limited range of heights. However, no such relationship was found for MMF.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Grain dust and the lungs.

Grain dust is composed of a large number of materials, including various types of grain and their disintegration products, silica, fungi, insects and mites. The clinical syndromes described in relation to exposure to grain dust are chronic bronchitis, grain dust asthma, extrinsic allergic alveolitis, grain fever and silo-filler's lung. Rhinitis and conjunctivitis are also common in grain workers. While the concentration and the quality of dust influence the frequency and the type of clinical syndrome in grain workers, host factors are also important. Of the latter, smoking is the most important factor influencing the frequency of chronic bronchitis. The role of atopy and of bronchial hyperreactivity in grain dust asthma has yet to be assessed. Several well designed studies are currently being carried out in North America not only to delineate the frequency of the respiratory abnormalities, the pathogenetic mechanisms and the host factors, but also to establish a meaningful threshold limit concentration for grain dust.

Asthma↗
PubMed1978

Pi phenotypes and the prevalence of chest symptoms and lung function abnormalities in workers employed in dusty industris.

Epidemiologic surveys were carried out on 1,138 white men employed in sawmills and grain elevator terminals in British Columbia. In addition to the administration of an occupational-health questionnaire and spirometry, Pi phenotype and the concentration of serum alpha1-antitrypsin were determined. Most of the workers (88.8 per cent) had the Pi M phenotype, whereas 8.0 per cent had the MS phenotype, and 2.7 per cent had the MZ phenotype. Very few workers (0.4 per cent) had other phenotypes. No differences were found among the 3 major phenotypes in the prevalence of chest symptoms and lung function abnormalities, even among cigarette smokers. These findings did not indicate that workers have the MZ phenotype with intermediate alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency are particularly susceptible to the development of chronic obstructive lung disease under the conditions prevailing in these industries.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

A respiratory survey of cedar mill workers. II. Influence of work-related and host factors on the prevalence of symptoms and pulmonary function abnormalities.

The influence of certain work-related and host factors on the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function abnormalities in 405 red cedar workers and 187 control workers was examined. In cedar workers, but not in controls, the prevalence of chest symptoms increased with duration of exposure. The decline in pulmonary function with increasing duration of exposure was also more marked in cedar workers, but in both groups smoking was a more important determinant. Substantial proportions of cedar workers and, to a lesser extent, controls noted improvement of cough and wheeze, and particularly of conjunctivitis and rhinitis, when away from work. No deterioration, however, was found in pulmonary function during the work week in either exposure group. Atopic status was unrelated to the prevalence of chest symptoms or pulmonary function abnormalities; it was more common in workers with conjunctivitis and rhinitis, particularly in the cedar group. Similarly, Pi phenotype did not appear to influence the occurrence of either symptoms or lung function abnormalities.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

A respiratory survey of cedar mill workers. I. Prevalence of symptoms and pulmonary function abnormalities.

A respiratory-occupational questionnaire and spirometry were used to compare the prevalence of symptoms and pulmonary function abnormalities in 405 workers exposed to red cedar dust and 252 control workers exposed to other wood dusts. Compared with controls, the cedar workers were found to have a significantly higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms, cough, phlegm, wheeze and breathlessness, as well as more rhinitis and conjunctivitis. While, as expected, there was a clear relationship between respiratory symptoms and cigarette smoking, there was also evidence to suggest a synergistic effect between exposure to cedar dust and smoking. There was no difference in the lung function between cedar workers and controls. Sixty-five workers in the control group previously had worked in red cedar mills; they had a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms than other workers in this group. Red cedar asthma was found in only 1.1% of the cedar workers. This condition usually develops in the early months of exposure, and workers who are affected tend to leave the industry. The probable incidence of red cedar asthma was estimated to be higher, around 4-5%.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Morbidity in alcoholics. Evidence for accelerated development of physical disease in women.

The physical disease profiles of 135 female and 736 male inpatient alcoholics, similar in age, social class, and referral pattern, were compared to further clarify the widespread clinical impression that female alcoholics are more illness-prone. Although the women had been drinking hazardously for fewer years, at admission the prevalence of most diseases was similar in men and women. There was, however, an excess of anemia in women and of fatty liver and chronic obstructive lung disease in men. Furthermore, the average duration of hazardous drinking before the first recorded occurrence of almost all illness events was shorter in women, the sex differences being statistically significant for fatty liver, hypertension, obesity, anemia, malnutrition, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and an ulcer requiring surgery. These findings suggest that the development of physical morbidity in relation to hazardous drinking may be accelerated in women.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

A longitudinal study of falls in an elderly population: I. Incidence and morbidity.

Falls among the elderly, although associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, have not been previously the subject of a longitudinal study. This five-year prospective study of an active ambulatory institutionalized population over 65 years of age, revealed an annual fall rate of 668 incidents per 1000, with a rising frequency in successive age groups after age 75. Forty-five per cent of all subjects suffered at least one fall during the study period. Women had a higher fall rate in all age groups and the severity of their injuries appeared to increase with age. Injuries severe enough to be brought ordinarily to the immediate attention of a physician occurred in 17.5% of falls. Among subjects who ultimately died after suffering many falls, there appeared in some to be a 'clustering' of falls prior to death.

Accidents↗
PubMed1977

A longitudinal study of falls in an elderly population II. Some circumstances of falling.

Some of the circumstances surrounding 651 falls which occurred in elderly residents of a standard care unit in a home for the aged are described. Falls occurred as frequently at night as during the day-time, and there was no significant variation by day of the week or by season. The great majority occurred inside the home, mainly in the resident's own suite. The subsequent morbidity varied according to the place of occurrence, the percentage of severe injuries being lower in falls occurring in toilets and elevators, and to a lesser extent hallways, compared with those occurring in other inside locations and outside. The commonest activity associated with falling was going to or returning from the toilet. However, one-third of day-time falls occurred when the resident was sitting in a chair. The severity of injury did not vary with associated activity. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed, particularly from the preventive viewpoint.

Accidents↗