scholarly journals The accuracy of the heat index to explain the excess of mortality and morbidity during heat waves – a case study in a mediterranean climate

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (20) ◽  
pp. 71-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Monteiro ◽  
Vânia Carvalho ◽  
Sara Velho ◽  
Carlos Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Heat Wave ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Heat Index ◽  
Respiratory Morbidity ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Comfort Index ◽  
T Distribution

Abstract The aim of this contribution was to evaluate the accuracy of a well known human comfort index, the heat index, to anticipate the effects of the July 2006 heat wave in mortality (all causes) and morbidity (all causes, respiratory and circulatory disease). Our assessment was done to all citizens, to people of the 75+ cohort and to each gender, in Porto. For further statistical analysis, we calculated an expected number of admissions by averaging the admissions recorded during the comparison period. The 95% confidence interval was calculated, using a standard method based on the t-distribution, for differences between independent means with different population variances, using the Leveane test to evaluate the variance’s homogeneity. During the 2006 heat wave, a 52% mortality excess was registered relatively to the expected mortality (p < 0.001), for all cohorts of the population. The admissions excess for all ages included the admissions due to respiratory diseases (p < 0.029), pneumonia (p < 0.001) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p < 0.001). For the 75+ cohort, the admissions due to respiratory diseases (p < 0.017), pneumonia (p < 0.001) and heart failure (p < 0.610) were also statistically high. The obtained results confirm that the heat index is a truthful method to anticipate the negative impacts of heat waves in human health even in climate contexts adapted to hot summers like at Porto - a Mediterranean tempered climate. The impacts of July 2006’s heat wave in the increase of mortality (all causes) and in respiratory morbidity (all population and 75+cohort) was evident.

scholarly journals Reduction in Hospitalizations for Respiratory Diseases during the First COVID-19 Wave in Greece

Respiration ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Christos Kyriakopoulos ◽  
Athena Gogali ◽  
Konstantinos Exarchos ◽  
Dimitrios Potonos ◽  
Konstantinos Tatsis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Incidence Rate ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Sleep Apnoea ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Respiratory Morbidity ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Number Of Patients

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> During the first COVID-19 wave, a considerable decline in hospital admissions was observed worldwide. <b><i>Aim:</i></b> This retrospective cohort study aimed to assess if there were any changes in the number of patients hospitalized for respiratory diseases in Greece during the first CO­VID-19 wave. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In the present study, we evaluated respiratory disease hospitalization rates across 9 tertiary hospitals in Greece during the study period (March–April 2020) and the corresponding period of the 2 previous years (2018–2019) that served as the control periods. Demographic data and discharge diagnosis were documented for every patient. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of the 1,307 patients who were hospitalized during the study period, 444 (35.5%) were males with a mean (±SD) age of 66.1 ± 16.6 years. There was a 47 and 46% reduction in all-cause respiratory morbidity compared to the corresponding periods of 2018 and 2019, respectively. The mean incidence rate for respiratory diseases during the study period was 21.4 admissions per day, and this rate was significantly lower than the rate during the same period in 2018 (40.8 admissions per day; incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.525; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.491–0.562; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) or the rate during 2019 (39.9 admissions per day; IRR, 0.537; 95% CI, 0.502–0.574; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). The greatest reductions (%) in the number of daily admissions in 2020 were observed for sleep apnoea (87% vs. 2018 and 84% vs. 2019) followed by admissions for asthma (76% vs. 2018 and 79% vs. 2019) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (60% vs. 2018 and 51% vs. 2019), while the lowest reductions were detected in hospitalizations for pulmonary embolism (6% vs. 2018 and 23% vs. 2019) followed by tuberculosis (25% vs. both 2018 and 2019). <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> The significant reduction in respiratory admissions in 2020 raises the reasonable question of whether some patients may have avoided seeking medical attention during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggests an urgent need for transformation of healthcare systems during the pandemic to offer appropriate management of respiratory diseases other than COVID-19.

CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing Tool: A Promising Tool for Therapeutic Applications on Respiratory Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 333-346
Author(s):  
Sadiya Bi Shaikh ◽  
Yashodhar Prabhakar Bhandary
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Therapeutic Tool ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Promising Tool

Respiratory diseases are one of the prime topics of concern in the current era due to improper diagnostics tools. Gene-editing therapy, like Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats- associated nuclease 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), is gaining popularity in pulmonary research, opening up doors to invaluable insights on underlying mechanisms. CRISPR/Cas9 can be considered as a potential gene-editing tool with a scientific community that is helping in the advancement of knowledge in respiratory health and therapy. As an appealing therapeutic tool, we hereby explore the advanced research on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 tools in chronic respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and cystic fibrosis (CF). We also address the urgent need to establish this gene-editing tool in various other lung diseases such as asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The present review introduces CRISPR/Cas9 as a worthy application in targeting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and fibrinolytic system via editing specific genes. Thereby, based on the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9, it can be considered as a promising therapeutic tool in respiratory health research.

Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating Chromatographic Method for the Determination of Indacaterol Maleate with Glycopyrronium Bromide in Mixture

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 694-702
Author(s):  
Sonia Talaat Hassib ◽  
Hanaa Abdelmenem Hashem ◽  
Marwa Ahmed Fouad ◽  
Nehal Essam Eldin Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Chromatographic Method ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Reversed Phase ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Forced Degradation ◽  
Uv Detector ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Glycopyrronium Bromide

Introduction: (COPD) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a partially reversible and treatable lung disease, characterized by progressive limitation of airflow. It is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Methods: An easy, precise and selective reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method, with stabilityindicating assay was established and validated for the determination of indacaterol maleate and glycopyrronium bromide in the mixture. In addition, a forced degradation study was performed for indacaterol maleate, comprised of hydrolysis by acid and base, degradation by oxidation and heat, and photo-degradation. Separation and forced degradation were done by isocratic elution using a reversed phase phenyl column and (methanol: phosphate buffer) at ratio (65:35, v/v) with 3.5 pH buffer as an eluent at 1 mL min-1 as a flow rate. Quantitation was accomplished using a UV detector at 210 nm. Results: The method showed good separation of glycopyrronium bromide, indacaterol maleate and its degradation products. Accuracy, linearity, and precision were acceptable over 10-160 µg mL-1 and 10- 80 µg mL-1 concentration range for indacaterol maleate and glycopyrronium bromide, respectively. Conclusion: The proposed method does not require any previously done separation steps, making it applicable for the analysis of the drugs under investigation in their pharmaceutically marketed preparations.

Hazards for Construction Workers

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin H. West ◽  
Laura S. Welch
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Engineered Nanomaterials ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

This chapter describes the hazards for construction workers, with a particular focus on injuries as well as exposures to hazardous chemicals and dusts. A section describes hazardous exposures to lead and other heavy metals. Another section describes noise exposure. The impact of musculoskeletal disorders among construction workers is then discussed. A section on respiratory diseases focuses on asbestosis, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma. Exposures known to cause dermatitis and cancer are reviewed. There is a discussion of engineered nanomaterials as a potential emerging hazard. Various approaches to prevention and control, including regulations and health services, are described.

scholarly journals Chronic respiratory diseases at primary health care level in Georgia: the results of the pilot study

2016 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Chkhaidze ◽  
T. Maglakelidze ◽  
N. Khaltaev
Keyword(s):  
Allergic Rhinitis ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Official Statistics ◽  
Global Alliance ◽  
Care Level ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Chronic Morbidity ◽  
Official Data

Background and aim. Millions of people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases (CRD). To address this serious global health problem WHO formed the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major priority of GARD due to high chronic morbidity and mortality; however, there is still little prevalence data available. The prevalence of COPD in Georgia, as well as other CRD, is suspected to be high. Methods. GARD Pilot Survey (GAPS) in Georgia had been carried out by the Georgian Respiratory Association. The survey was conducted in the Sagarejo and Mtskheta districts with total population of about 70.000. All subjects provided information on asthma, bronchitis, respiratory symptoms, smoking, allergic conditions, CRD comorbidity and lifestyle via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. A total of 3,646 questionnaires were analysed. Results. It was discovered that official data concerning allergic rhinitis, TB and asthma are almost equal, but readings in relation to CRD are about five times lower according to official data of the Ministry of Health of Georgia. The data results: for allergic rhinitis - 218 in GAPS vs. 177 in the official statistics (for 100.000 population); for TB -105 in GAPS vs. 147 in the official statistics; for asthma -250 in GAPS vs. 374 in the official statistics; the data about CRD according to our survey is almost five times higher - 365 in GAPS vs. 84 in the official statistics (for 100.000 population). Conclusions. It is necessary to expand the survey to the entire country population. Country results are likely to be useful and interesting for local doctors and managers, as well as for officials.

scholarly journals Evidence for pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic respiratory diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 991-999
Author(s):  
F. M. Bickton ◽  
C. Fombe ◽  
E. Chisati ◽  
J. Rylance
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Rehabilitation ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Exercise Regimen ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Randomised Controlled

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a highly effective non-pharmacological treatment for patients with chronic respiratory diseases.OBJECTIVE: To synthesise the evidence for PR practice and efficacy in sub-Saharan Africa.METHODS: We searched in PubMed and Scopus for relevant studies and scanned reference lists of relevant studies from these databases for additional studies. Articles meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Pre-determined data were extracted independently by two reviewers. A narrative synthesis approach was used in the interpretation of findings.RESULTS: Six studies were included, totalling 275 participants. Indications for PR were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis and post-tuberculosis lung disease. Programmes ran for 6–12 weeks, universally incorporated exercise, and variously used home-based and hospital-based delivery models. All were interventional studies, of which two were randomised controlled trials, and primarily reported pulmonary function and exercise tolerance endpoints. Evidence for individualising the exercise regimen was available in three studies.CONCLUSIONS: There is limited evidence on PR design and efficacy in sub-Saharan Africa, but available data support its use in a variety of chronic respiratory conditions. Future studies should report core outcome sets and their individualised exercise and education regimens.

scholarly journals Using Mobiles to Monitor Respiratory Diseases

Informatics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Fatma Zubaydi ◽  
Assim Sagahyroon ◽  
Fadi Aloul ◽  
Hasan Mir ◽  
Bassam Mahboub
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Application ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Vital Capacity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Forced Expiratory Volume ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Air Flow Rate ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Using Data

In this work, a mobile application is developed to assist patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or Asthma that will reduce the dependency on hospital and clinic based tests and enable users to better manage their disease through increased self-involvement. Due to the pervasiveness of smartphones, it is proposed to make use of their built-in sensors and ever increasing computational capabilities to provide patients with a mobile-based spirometer capable of diagnosing COPD or asthma in a reliable and cost effective manner. Data collected using an experimental setup consisting of an airflow source, an anemometer, and a smartphone is used to develop a mathematical model that relates exhalation frequency to air flow rate. This model allows for the computation of two key parameters known as forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) that are used in the diagnosis of respiratory diseases. The developed platform has been validated using data collected from 25 subjects with various conditions. Results show that an excellent match is achieved between the FVC and FEV1 values computed using a clinical spirometer and those returned by the model embedded in the mobile application.

scholarly journals Bronchiectasis and increased mortality in patients with corticosteroid-dependent severe asthma: a nationwide population study

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 175346662096303
Author(s):  
Hayoung Choi ◽  
Hyun Lee ◽  
Jiin Ryu ◽  
Sung Jun Chung ◽  
Dong Won Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
The Impact

Background: Long-term corticosteroid (CS) use is associated with increased mortality in patients with asthma, and comorbid bronchiectasis is also associated with frequent asthma exacerbation and increased healthcare use. However, there is limited information on whether bronchiectasis further increases mortality in patients with CS-dependent asthma. This study examined the impact of bronchiectasis on mortality in patients with CS-dependent asthma. Methods: A retrospective cohort of patients with CS-dependent asthma ⩾18 years old was established using records from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database from 2005 to 2015. Patients with CS-dependent asthma with and without bronchiectasis were matched by age, sex, type of insurance, and Charlson comorbidity index. We evaluated the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in patients with bronchiectasis compared with those without bronchiectasis. Results: The study cohort included 754 patients with CS-dependent asthma with bronchiectasis and 3016 patients with CS-dependent asthma without bronchiectasis. Patients with CS-dependent asthma with bronchiectasis had a higher all-cause mortality than those without bronchiectasis (8429/100,000 versus 6962/100,000 person-years, p < 0.001). The adjusted HR for mortality in patients with CS-dependent asthma with bronchiectasis relative to those without bronchiectasis was 1.33 (95% confidence interval, 1.18–1.50), and the association was primarily significant for respiratory diseases (subdistribution HR = 1.65, 95% confidence interval, 1.42–1.92). Conclusions: Bronchiectasis further increases all-cause mortality in patients with CS-dependent asthma, a trend that was especially associated with respiratory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Strategies to improve treatment outcomes in patients with CS-dependent asthma with bronchiectasis are urgently needed to improve long-term survival. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Risk Factors Associated with Near-Fatal and Fatal Asthma

2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 265-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
GG Alvarez ◽  
M Schulzer ◽  
D Jung ◽  
JM FitzGerald
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Mechanical Ventilation ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Respiratory Arrest ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Fatal Asthma ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Asthma mortality and morbidity continue to be a serious global problem. Systematic reviews provide an opportunity to review risk factors in detail.OBJECTIVE: To review all of the literature for risk factors associated with near-fatal asthma (NFA) and fatal asthma (FA).METHODS: A literature search from 1960 to January 2004 in MEDLINE and EMBASE was conducted. Studies were included based on the following criteria: NFA was defined as an asthma exacerbation resulting in respiratory arrest requiring mechanical ventilation or a partial pressure of CO2of at least 45 mmHg or asthma resulting in death (FA); the study reported the number of cases (NFA and/or FA) and asthmatic controls; there was explicit reporting of risk factors; cases that were adult and pediatric in nature; and all study types. Studies that included patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were excluded.RESULTS: Four hundred and three articles were identified, of which 27 met the inclusion criteria. Increased use of medications such as beta-agonists via metered dose inhalers (OR=1.67, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.84, P=0.057) and nebulizers (OR=2.45, 95% CI 1.52 to 3.93, P=0.0002), oral steroids (OR=2.71, 95% CI 1.34 to 5.51, P=0.006) and oral theophylline (OR=2.02, 95% CI 1.03 to 3.98, P=0.04) and a history of hospital (OR=2.62, 95% CI 1.04 to 6.58, P=0.04) and/or intensive care unit (OR=5.14, 95% CI 1.91 to 13.86, P=0.001) admissions and mechanical ventilation (OR=6.69, 95% CI 2.80 to 15.97, P=0.0001) due to asthma were predictors of NFA and FA. Prior emergency department assessment did not confer a greater risk of NFA and FA (OR=1.13, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.92, P=0.810).The use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) measured in a dose-independent fashion (did the patient take ICS previously; yes or no) inferred equivocal risk of NFA and FA (OR=1.31, 95% CI 0.83 to 2.05, P=0.25). However, two studies measured the use of ICS in a dose-dependent fashion (ie, measured the number of prescriptions filled within the previous six to 12 months). Both studies showed a trend toward a protective effect against FA. One study showed that the premature cessation of ICS can hasten death.CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, risk factors of NFA and FA have been more accurately defined. Clinicians should identify patients with these characteristics to reduce their risk of NFA and FA. Further research should focus on quantifying the impact of risk factors on asthma deaths.

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