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Biomedical subjects

S Grzybowski

Publications and source records attributed to S Grzybowski.

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

Incidence of tuberculosis among Scandinavian immigrants in Canada.

Tuberculosis incidence in Finland is at least five times higher than in the other Scandinavian countries. A study of the incidence of tuberculosis in immigrants to Canada from Finland and the other Scandinavian countries shows a remarkable similarity between the rates of the immigrants and those who remained in their country of origin, even after 40 years of residence in the new country. The early experience of tuberculosis thus predetermines future susceptibility throughout the life span of the group.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Bone and joint tuberculosis: a continuing problem.

Although tuberculous disease of bones and joints is becoming uncommon, it still occurs and may cause devastating sequelae. It is frequently not diagnosed prior to the onset of permanent damage to the joints or spine; the most important reason for this delay may be the fact that it is not considered in the differential diagnosis of monoarthritis or back pain. Most persons with the disease have other evidence of tuberculosis. Not infrequently an aggressive approach (including synovial biopsy or surgical exploration of the back) is needed to confirm the diagnosis when there are no other clues.

Adolescent↗
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

Interrelationships between neutrophil elastase, serum alpha, -antitrypsin, lung function and chest radiography in patients with chronic airflow obstruction.

We assayed protease and elastase activity of lysosomal granules of purified neutrophil suspensions in 58 patients with chronic irreversible airflow obstruction and compared them to 26 healthy control subjects. Denatured hemoglobin and tritiated elastin were used as substrates for protease and elastase assays. Forty-two patients had M antitrypsin phemotype, five had MS, and 11 had Z variant (five were homozygotes and six were heterozygotes). We did not find significant differences in mean lysosomal elastase or protease activity between patients with normal antitrypsin and control subjects; however, a few patients had concentrations of neutrophil elastase that exceeded the range among control subjects. There was no significant correlation between neutrophil protease or elastase activity and age, smoking, degree of airway obstruction, diffusing capacity, lung elastic recoil, or radiologic presence of emphysema in patients with M and MS antitrypsin. In patients with Z variant antitrypsin, protease and elastase concentrations per unit of lysosomal protein were not significantly different from those in control subjects or M patients; however, both elastase and protease content per 108 neurtophils was significantly higher in homozygous and heterozygous Z patients as compared to normalsubjects and M patients, which suggest an increase in the neutrophil content of protease and elastase in patients with Z antitrypsin deficiency. These results suggest that hte concentrations of protease and elastase in neutrophils do not appear to interact as additive risk factors in the pulmonary impairment of most patients with chronic airflow obstruction, but may be of importance as risk factors in patients with Z or MZ phenotype and in a few patients with M phenotype.

Forced Expiratory Volume↗
PubMed1978

Failure of diagnosis as a factor in tuberculosis mortality.

In British Columbia between January 1970 and December 1974 active tuberculosis was diagnosed only after death in 69 cases; this was more frequent for miliary tuberculosis (31% of reported cases) than for advanced pulmonary tuberculosis (3% of cases). Although 28% of the patients were more than 75 years old, some were much younger, and 38% of the latter were alcoholics. More than 50% of the patients had been hospitalized before death, for a mean of 14.5 days; they were most frequently thought to have pneumonia or cancer at the time of death. Clearly, increased awareness of the continuing presence of tuberculosis in our society is needed.

Aged↗
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

Goodpasture's syndrome: diagnosis by transbronchial lung biopsy.

A 28-year-old man developed recurrent hemoptyses, breathlessness, anemia, and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates after mild smoke inhalation. He had no laboratory evidence of kidney involvement. Transbronchial lung biopsy showed erythrocytes, iron-containing macrophages within alveolar spaces, normal basement membranes, and strongly positive linear staining of alveolar septa for immunoglobulin G (IgG). Serum antiglomerular basement-membrane antibody was strongly positive by radioimmunoassay. Kidney biopsy showed normal findings by light and electron microscopy but strongly positive linear staining of glomerular capillaries for IgG. Follow-up 9 months later while the patient was taking prednisone revealed no clinical evidence of pulmonary or renal disease. This case shows that immunopathologic study of transbronchial lung biopsies is helpful in differentiating between Goodpasture's syndrome and idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis, while the absence of clinical and microscopic evidence of kidney disease does not exclude Goodpasture's syndrome.

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↗
PubMed1976

Chemoprophylaxis in inactive tuberculosis: long-term evaluation of a Canadian trial.

A trial of chemoprophylaxis to prevent reactivation of tuberculosis in persons with inactive disease who had never had adequate chemotherapy was conducted in Canada in the mid-1960s. Preventive drug treatment consisted of either isoniazid (INH) alone or INH plus para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS), for a maximum of 18 months. Long-term evaluation in 1974 of 1571 treated patients and 834 control patients demonstrated clearly the substantial and sustained value of adequate chemoprophylaxis in reducing the risk of reactivation. Among those who took INH alone for 6 months or more the annual reactivation rate was 1.2 per 1000 persons, while among those who took INH plus PAS the rate was 0.38/1000. These rates were, respectively, 70 and 90% less than the average rate in the controls, 3.9/1000. Among those who underwent chemoprophylaxis for less than 6 months the annual reactivation rate was 3.7/1000, similar to that in the controls. Cost-benefit analysis showed chemoprophylaxis to be economically sound. Despite the recent increasing application of this preventive measure, there are still many persons living in Canada who could benefit substantially from a course of chemoprophylaxis.

Aminosalicylic Acids↗
PubMed1976

Occupational asthma.

Occupational asthma is probably much more common than is generally realized. Though many causes have been described, undoubtedly many more are yet to be recognized. One of the diagnostic difficulties lies in the fact that in most forms of this disease a late asthmatic reaction occurs in the evening rather than at work. The pathogenetic mechanisms differ in various forms of occupational asthma. In some, an immunologic mechanism is likely; in others, a "pharmacologic" action of the offending agent is implicated. Asthma due to inhalation of dusts of western red cedar, isocyanates, detergent enzymes and textiles is considered in detail. Periodic examination of workers at risk is of value for early diagnosis and prevention of irrversible airway obstruction.

Asthma↗