To evaluate the possibly confounding effects of age, gender, heart rate, tobacco and alcohol ingestion on the coefficient of variation of the electrocardiographic R-R interval (CVRR), ECGs in the supine posture were obtained in 68 healthy men and 33 healthy women. The C-CVRSA and C-CVMWSA (two component CVs reflecting respiratory sinus arrhythmia and Mayer wave related sinus arrhythmia, respectively) were computed in each subject from component spectral powers using autoregressive spectral and component analyses. Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that age was inversely related to CVRR, C-CVRSA and C-CVMWSA in both sexes. Heart rate was positively related to C-CVMWSA in males. However, no significant difference in the CVRR, C-CVRSA or C-CVMWSA was found between males and females. The C-CVMWSA was not correlated with the C-CVRSA in either males or females. These data indicate that the CVRR, C-CVRSA and C-CVMWSA are affected by age and partly by heart rate; gender, moderate smoking or drinking habits might not strongly influence autonomic nervous system function. On the other hand, the C-CVRSA in the supine posture appears to be independent of the C-CVMWSA. The positive relationship observed between the C-CVMWSA and heart rate suggests that the C-CVMWSA may be associated with sympathetic activity.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Childhood asthma and passive smoking. Urinary cotinine as a biomarker of exposure.

To assess the relationship between passive smoking and asthma, we investigated (1) whether passive smoking was more prevalent among asthmatic than control children and (2) whether exposure to tobacco smoke was higher in acute asthma than in nonacute asthma. Three groups were recruited into a case-control study: 72 acute asthmatic children from the emergency room (ER), 35 nonacute asthmatic children from the asthma clinic, and 121 control children from the ER. Both questionnaire and urinary cotinine/creatinine ratio (CCR) were used to assess passive smoking. Levels of CCR greater than or equal to 30 ng/mg were used to identify children exposed at home. Mean CCR was also computed. Acute and nonacute asthmatic children had similar prevalences of passive smoking at home. Acute cases showed a higher mean CCR than nonacute cases, but this was not significant. In comparing all asthmatic to control children, smoking by the maternal caregiver was more prevalent among asthmatic children (odds ratio OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.1, 3.4). This was confirmed by CCR greater than or equal to 30 ng/mg (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.04, 3.35) and by the difference in mean CCR (43.6 versus 25.8 ng/mg, p = 0.06). We conclude that smoking by the maternal caregiver is associated with clinically significant asthma in children. We could not show that it is a trigger of acute asthma attacks.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1992

Prevention of occupational lung disease. Task Force on Research and Education for the Prevention and Control of Respiratory Diseases.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Asthma↗

PubMed1992

The costs of searching for deaths: National Death Index vs Social Security Administration.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗

PubMed1992

Commentary: environmental disease--a preventable epidemic.

Toxic environmental diseases are highly preventable causes of morbidity and mortality. Toxic diseases in the work environment cause an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 deaths and 350,000 new cases of illness each year in the United States; the asbestos pandemic will ultimately claim at least 300,000 lives; pediatric lead poisoning is epidemic, and an estimated 3 to 4 million US preschool children have blood lead levels above 10 micrograms/dl and could suffer long-term neuropsychological impairment. Prevention of environmental diseases can be achieved through legislation and regulation that control common-source exposures to chemical toxins. Modification of personal behaviors, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, complements but does not replace control of toxic environmental exposures.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Completeness of case ascertainment of the State Cancer Registry.

The authors evaluated the ability of the New Jersey State Cancer Registry to detect known cancer cases during an investigation of a cancer cluster occurring in professional football players. The Registry was found to be a valuable tool for the detection of cancer cases for New Jersey residents.

Adult↗

PubMed1992