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Biomedical subjects

S Godfrey

Publications and source records attributed to S Godfrey.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Effect of natural oxygen enrichment at low altitude on oxygen-dependent patients with end-stage lung disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of lowering altitude to that of the lowest place on earth (Dead Sea) on arterial oxygenation and exercise performance in patients with hypoxemia and end-stage lung disease. DESIGN: A cohort of 10 patients. SETTING: Pulmonary function laboratories in Jerusalem, Israel, and at the Dead Sea. PATIENTS: 10 patients with end-stage lung disease who were receiving long-term oxygen therapy. The 4 males and 6 females were 12 to 77 years old. Four patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; 2 had cystic fibrosis; 3 had pulmonary fibrosis; and 1 had pulmonary hypertension (thromboembolic). Mean forced vital capacity was 1.54 L (54% of predicted value) and mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second was 0.85 L (35% of predicted value). MEASUREMENTS: Spirometry, blood gas analysis, progressive exercise testing, and sleep oximetry were done in Jerusalem (altitude, 800 m above sea level; barometric pressure, 696 mm Hg); the same measurements were done 6 days after arrival at the Dead Sea (altitude, 402 m below sea level; barometric pressure, 800 mm Hg) and then 7 to 14 days later in Jerusalem. RESULTS: Arterial oxygenation increased from a median partial pressure of arterial oxygen of 51.6 mm Hg in Jerusalem to 67.0 mm Hg at the Dead Sea, an increase of 15.2 mm Hg (95% CI of paired difference, 4.1 to 20.4 mm Hg; P = 0.001). Partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide increased from a median of 43.2 to 45.9 mm Hg, an increase of 2.7 mm Hg (CI, 0.5 to 6.4 mm Hg; P = 0.004), with a borderline significant change in the alveolar-arterial gradient. Arterial oxygen saturation increased from a median of 87.7% to 92.8%, a change of 4.8% (CI, 1.9% to 9.8%; P = 0.003). Exercise performance also improved as maximum oxygen uptake increased from a median of 827 mL/min to 1056 mL/min, an increase of 203 mL/min (CI, 54 to 388 mL/min; P = 0.006). Sleep oximetry also improved as median arterial oxygen saturation measured during sleep increased from 85% to 90%, a change of 5% (CI, 2% to 7%; P = 0.005), and percentage of sleep time with an oxygen saturation rate of 90% or more increased from a median of 24% to 73%, a change of 49% (CI, 20% to 87%; P = 0.02). No change in spirometry was noted. All patients felt less dyspneic and reported improved functional capacity with reduced need for oxygen. CONCLUSION: Descent to low altitude can improve arterial oxygenation, exercise performance, and sleep oximetry and consequently the quality of life in patients with hypoxemia and advanced lung disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Protective effect of albuterol delivered via a spacer device (Babyhaler) against methacholine induced bronchoconstriction in young wheezy children.

Nine young asthmatic children aged 2-5 years underwent methacholine challenge after placebo or albuterol administered by metered dose inhaler through a spacer device (Babyhaler) with a face mask in a double-blind, cross-over, randomized study. The methacholine challenge was performed using chest auscultation to define the provocative concentration of methacholine that causes wheezing (PCW). The PCW increased from a geometric mean of 0.28 mg/mL after placebo to 3.59 mg/mL after albuterol (P < 0.0001). The protective effect of albuterol against methacholine-induced bronchospasm was 3.7 +/- 1.2 doubling doses. We conclude that administration of drugs from a metered dose inhaler through the Babyhaler with a face mask is effective. Albuterol causes a major reduction in the bronchial hyperreactivity in young wheezy children shortly after administration.

Albuterol↗
PubMed1994

Assessment of the ability of young children to use a powder inhaler device (Turbuhaler).

The purpose of the study was to determine the age at which young asthmatic children could master the use of a new powder inhaler device (Turbuhaler). We studied 59 children with asthma between the ages of 3 and 6 years who consecutively attended the asthma clinic of the pediatric department. Efficiency of inhalation and the pharmacological effect of the terbutaline in the inhaler were measured by scores for inhalation technique and clinical response. None of the 3-year-old children used the device efficiently, but 43% of the 4-year-old, 67% of the 5-year-old, and 80% of the 6-year-old children used the inhaler correctly. Although inhaler technique was not perfect in the younger age group, 50% of the 3-year-old children demonstrated clinical improvement of asthma symptoms after inhalation. In the older age groups, 79%, 92%, and 100% of the 4, 5, and 6-year-old children demonstrated clinical improvement of asthma symptoms after inhalation. It is concluded that the new mode of dry powder delivery system (Bricanyl Turbuhaler) can be used in young asthmatic children who are 4 years of age and above.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

Chloroquine treatment of interstitial lung disease in children.

Seven children aged 3 months to 11 years with histologically confirmed interstitial lung disease (ILD) [6 with desquamative interstitial pneumonitis (DIP) and 1 with chronic interstitial pneumonitis] were treated with chloroquine, 10 mg/kg/day. One patient, diagnosed late in the course of the disease, died after three weeks of treatment, despite the addition of systemic corticosteroids. Another patient responded to combined therapy with chloroquine and prednisone and had a normal lung biopsy after 6 months of treatment. He underwent surgical repair of mitral valve stenosis and died after extensive brain infarction. The other 5 patients responded well to chloroquine therapy with major improvement in oxygenation within a few weeks and in lung function over the next few months. They remained well clinically and physiologically, including a normal response to incremental exercise, during a mean follow-up period of 9.8 years (range 3.5 to 15.7 years). None of the patients has developed retinopathy or any other ocular complication. Bronchoalveolar lavage was a useful tool for evaluation of the activity of the disease (predominance of neutrophils) in 3 out of 4 patients. We suggest that chloroquine should be considered as an effective treatment in ILD in children. Incremental exercise test may be helpful for routine follow-up and evaluation of the efficacy of a specific treatment.

Child↗
PubMed1994

Computerized respiratory muscle training in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The present study describes the use of simple video games for a 5-week regimen of respiratory muscle training in 15 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) at various stages of the disease. The games were re-arranged to be operated and driven by the respiratory efforts of the patient and to incorporate accurate ventilation and time measurements. Improvement in respiratory performance was determined by maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), maximal achieved ventilation (VEmax) during a progressive isocapnic hyperventilation manoeuvre (PIHV) and the PIHV duration. The actual training period was 23 +/- 4 days (mean +/- S.D.) at ventilatory effort of 46 +/- 6% MVV, for 10 +/- 3 min day-1. Patients with moderate impairment of lung function tests (LFT) showed an improvement in MVV, VEmax, and duration of PIHV of 12 +/- 7% (p < 0.02), 53 +/- 25% (p < 0.001) 57 +/- 21% (p < 0.01), respectively. Improvements correlated with actual training time and ventilation level, %MVV, but negatively correlated with years of immobilization and with the initial MVV. We conclude that computerized respiratory games may be applied for breathing exercises and may improve respiratory performance in recently immobilized children with DMD who have moderate impairment of LFT.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Complications following oat head aspiration.

We report 5 cases of oat head aspiration in children that resulted in serious complications due to the unidirectional migration of the oat head to the periphery of the lung. The complications included pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, recurrent hemoptysis, chronic lung disease, bronchiectasis, lobectomy, bronchopleural and bronchocutaneous fistulae, pleural effusion, empyema cavity, and, one not described before, osteomylitis of the rib. Physicians should be aware of the dangers with this particular foreign body aspiration.

Bronchoscopy↗
PubMed1993

Airway inflammation, bronchial reactivity and asthma.

Asthma is a common disease of children the basis of which is a state of chronic immunological inflammation which causes bronchial hyperreactivity and renders the patient liable to develop widespread airways obstruction in response to a variety of stimuli. In many instances it is likely that the immunological inflammation results from ongoing antigenic stimuli with the release of chemical mediators responsible for short term bronchospasm and cytokines responsible for the ongoing inflammatory process. Other insults can apparently result in very similar immunological events in asthmatics, particularly viral infections and a similar process can be initiated in children without asthma, including those with chronic bacterial infections of the lungs. There are differences in the bronchial hyperreactivity of asthma and other diseases which suggest that in the asthmatic the mast cell is either different structurally or functionally and this renders the patient susceptible to exercise induced asthma in addition to the bronchial hyperreactivity to chemical mediators common to a number of diseases with hyperreactivity. There is good evidence of direct genetic control of atopy and the large majority of children with asthma are atopic but there is no direct genetic link between atopy and asthma and twin studies strongly suggest the existence of a 'permissive' asthma gene which will allow the disease to develop if there is an appropriate external trigger. The only drugs which have been shown to significantly reduce bronchial reactivity are the corticosteroids with a lesser effect noted for sodium cromoglycate and nedocromil. Inhaled corticosteroids can reverse the immunologic inflammatory process and reduce bronchial reactivity, sometimes to normal levels, but on stopping treatment the patient reverts back to the asthmatic state. At the present time it appears that controlled longterm inhaled corticosteroid therapy is the most rational treatment for significant perennial childhood asthma.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1993

Treatment of severe steroid dependent preschool asthma with nebulised budesonide suspension.

The steroid sparing effect of nebulised budesonide suspension was assessed in a double blind placebo controlled parallel group study of 36 preschool children with severe asthma who were dependent on treatment with oral steroids. Nebulised budesonide suspension significantly reduced the requirement for treatment with oral steroids, and produced a marked improvement in overall health as scored on a visual analogue scale during the clinic visits. This study shows a significant step forward in the prophylactic treatment of asthma in children under the age of 3 years, in whom the efficacy of many other nebulised treatments has been questioned.

Asthma↗
PubMed1993

Total population survey of the frequency and severity of asthma in 17 year old boys in an urban area in Israel.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that the prevalence of asthma in children and young people is increasing. METHODS: An examination of a total population (35,170) of 17 year old Jewish boys of one seaside urban area in Israel was undertaken during two years, 1986 and 1990, by trained respiratory physicians in a regional recruiting office of the Israel Defence Forces. All boys who had ever been diagnosed as having asthma or symptoms that could have been due to asthma underwent a further examination by respiratory physicians that included spirometry at rest. A test to evaluate exercise induced asthma was performed on a treadmill in 88% of the boys. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence (asthma in the past or at present) increased from 7.9% in 1986 to 9.6% in 1990. Point prevalence (current asthma) increased from 5.0% to 5.9%. The prevalence of current asthma increased in all degrees of severity (mild disease from 3.3% to 3.7%, moderate disease from 1.7% to 2.2%, and severe disease from 0.03% to 0.04%). By the age of 17, 77.4% of boys who had suffered from asthma had no or only very mild symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: It is considered that the measured increase in prevalence of asthma from 1986 to 1990 reflects a true increase among the Jewish Israeli population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Comparison of airway resistance and total respiratory system resistance in infants.

Airway resistance (Raw) can be measured throughout the respiratory cycle by whole body plethysmography. Total resistance of the respiratory system (Rrs) can be measured from the relaxed expiration that follows end inspiratory occlusion. The purpose of this study was to compare the two methods in normal infants and in infants with airway obstruction of different types and severity. Fifteen infants with essentially normal lungs aged 24.6 +/- 18.0 (SD) wk, nine infants with congenital stridor aged 36.0 +/- 17.3 wk, and eleven wheezy infants aged 20.1 +/- 11.3 wk had simultaneous measurements of Raw and Rrs. Rrs was similar to Raw both during inspiration and expiration in the normal infants, to all expiratory Raw in those with congenital stridor, and to all inspiratory and early expiratory Raw in the wheezy infants. Raw was markedly and significantly higher than Rrs during mid and late inspiration in infants with congenital stridor and during late expiration in the wheezy infants. We conclude that Rrs is a good estimate of Raw in normal infants and of early expiratory Raw in all infants. In infants with airway obstruction, Rrs does not reveal the dynamic changes in Raw during tidal breathing, nor can it differentiate between infants with upper and lower airway obstruction.

Airway Resistance↗