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Query: UMLS:C0010200 (cough)
 23,843 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Historically, unpleasant odors have been considered warning signs or indicators of potential risks to human health but not necessarily direct triggers of health effects. However, citizen complaints to public health agencies suggest that odors may not simply serve as a warning of potential risks but that odor sensations themselves may cause health symptoms. Mal-odors emitted from large animal production facilities and wastewater treatment plants, for example, elicit complaints of eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, nausea, diarrhea, hoarseness, sore throat, cough, chest tightness, nasal congestion, palpitations, shortness of breath, stress, drowsiness, and alterations in mood. There are at least three mechanisms by which ambient odors may produce health symptoms. First, symptoms can be induced by exposure to odorants (compounds with odor properties) at levels that also cause irritation or other toxicological effects. That is, irritation--rather than the odor--is the cause of the health symptoms, and odor (the sensation) simply serves as an exposure marker. Second, health symptoms from odorants at non-irritant concentrations can be due to innate (genetically coded) or learned aversions. Third, symptoms may be due to a co-pollutant (such as endotoxin) that is part of an odorant mixture. Objective biomarkers of health symptoms must be obtained, however, to determine if health complaints constitute health effects. One industry that is receiving much attention, worldwide, related to this subject is concentrated animal production agriculture. Sustainability of this industry will likely necessitate the development of new technologies to mitigate odorous aerial emissions. Examples of such "environmentally superior technologies" (EST) developed under the initiative sponsored through agreements between the Attorney General of North Carolina and Smithfield Foods and Premium Standard Farms are described.
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PMID:Science of odor as a potential health issue. 1564 42

Passive smoking has been shown to be a risk factor for respiratory diseases in children. Some authors reported reduced lung function of children exposed to passive smoking. The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of exposure to passive smoking and its relation to respiratory health of Kaunas children. In 1998-2000 a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 20 kindergartens of Kaunas. Survey participants were 594 children (356 boys and 238 girls) aged 6-7 years. Children's parents filled out a questionnaire of the Swiss Study on Childhood Allergy and Respiratory Symptoms with Respect to Air Pollution designed on the basis of International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood. Exposure to passive smoking was determined by an answer "everyday" or "sometimes" to the question "How often is your child in surrounding where someone smokes?". The parameters of respiratory function (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25, FEF50, FEF75, PEF) were measured with Pony Graphics 3.5. Response rate was 58.6% to 69.2% depending on a kindergarten. More than two fifth of children were exposed to passive smoking at home. Cough that lasted for at least four weeks during the past year was experienced by 24.5% and 16.9% of children with and without exposure to passive smoking (p<0.05). Wheezing in the past was found in 43% and 27% of children in groups compared (p<0.05). There was a significant difference in prevalence of sneezing or a runny/blocked nose when a child did not have a cold among children with and without exposure to passive smoking (46.6% and 36.6%, respectively, p<0.05). FEF25, FEF50, FEF75 and PEF of exposed girls were significantly lower than that of girls not exposed to passive smoking. Multiple regression analysis that included variables such as passive smoking, family history of allergy, smoked mother during pregnancy, gas stove and pets in child's room showed that FEF25 and FEF50 in girls were related to passive smoking. Our data show that more than two fifth of children are exposed to passive smoking which is associated with increased prevalence of chronic cough, wheezing, running nose and sneezing without cold. Passive smoking is also related to decreased lung function, especially for small airway flows.
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PMID:[Passive smoking and respiratory health of children]. 1586 9

Four young children (a 6-year-old girl and three boys in the ages of 3.5, 4 and 10 years) with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis were referred with symptoms of cough and general discomfort. Examination revealed signs and symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Blood tests revealed that they were allergic to house dust mite. The symptoms decreased following suitable treatment with antihistamines or nasal corticosteroids. Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis is usually diagnosed in adolescents and adults with symptoms of sneezing, nasal congestion or rhinorrhea and itchy red eyes ('hay fever'). In view of the availability of effective treatment options, it is important to recognise this condition in children who present with cough and malaise.
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PMID:[Cough and malaise in young children due to allergic rhinoconjunctivitis]. 1603 54

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is now recognised as a significant problem in elderly adults. Epidemiological evidence indicates the impact of RSV in older adults may be similar to non-pandemic influenza, both in the community and in long-term care facilities. Attack rates in nursing homes are approximately 5-10% per year with significant rates of pneumonia (10-20%) and death (2-5%). Estimates using US health care databases and viral surveillance results over a 9-year period indicate that RSV infection causes approximately 10,000 all-cause deaths annually among persons >64 years of age. In contrast, influenza A accounted for approximately 37,000 yearly deaths in the same age group. The clinical features of RSV infection may be difficult to distinguish from those of influenza but include nasal congestion, cough, wheezing and low-grade fever. Older persons with underlying heart and lung disease and immunocompromised patients are at highest risk for RSV infection-related pneumonia and death. Diagnosis of RSV infection in adults is difficult because viral culture and antigen detection are insensitive, presumably because of low viral titres. The combination of serology and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay offers the best sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of RSV but unfortunately these techniques are not widely available; consequently, most adult RSV disease goes unrecognised. Although treatment of RSV infection in the elderly is largely supportive, early therapy with ribavirin and intravenous gamma-globulin improves survival in immunocompromised persons. An effective RSV vaccine has not yet been developed. Therefore, prevention of RSV is limited to standard infection control practices, such as hand washing and the use of gowns and gloves.
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PMID:Respiratory syncytial virus infection in elderly adults. 1603 73

During December 2001 we conducted a field study of 183 clean-up and recovery workers at the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster site to assess respiratory health effects potentially resulting from their work at the site. On site, we administered a respiratory health questionnaire designed to assess upper respiratory symptoms and lower respiratory symptoms, including cough, phlegm, and wheeze, as well as indices of exposure, including number of days worked at the site and job category. Spirometry was conducted for 175 workers. Sixty-five percent of the workers surveyed arrived at the site without lower respiratory symptoms. Of this group, 34% developed cough, 24% developed phlegm, and 19% developed wheeze. Prevalence rates of these symptoms were related to the number of days spent working at the WTC, but not job category. The mean percentage predicted FEV(1) and FVC were 6% and 5% lower, respectively, for workers who developed new lower respiratory symptoms compared to those who remained symptom free. While the development of new wheeze suggested the presence of airway obstruction, the near-normal distribution of age-adjusted FEV(1)/FVC ratios suggested that the degree of obstruction was mild. The prevalence rates of upper airway symptoms (nasal congestion, sore throat, hoarse throat) exceeded those of lower respiratory symptoms, however, it was not determined whether symptoms pre-dated arrival at the WTC site.
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PMID:Respiratory effects of inhalation exposure among workers during the clean-up effort at the World Trade Center disaster site. 1605 32

The clinical efficacy of KanJang oral solution, a fixed combination of standardised extracts of Echinacea purpurea, Adhatoda vasica and Eleutherococcus senticosus, was compared with the combined extracts of Echinacea purpurea and Eleutherococcus senticosus alone (Echinacea mixture) in a controlled, double blind, randomized trial, and with Bromhexine (a standard treatment) in a controlled, open, randomized clinical trial on patients with non-complicated acute respiratory tract infections. Many of the parameters evaluated, such as severity of coughing, frequency of coughing, efficacy of mucus discharge in the respiratory tract, nasal congestion and a general feeling of sickness, showed significantly greater improvement in patients treated with KanJang compared with those receiving the standard treatment. However, no significant differences in the improvement of these symptoms (except in a reduced frequency of coughing) were observed between patients treated with the Echinacea mixture and those receiving the standard treatment. The only explanation is that the lack of extract of A. vasica in the Echinacea mixture reduces its efficacy compared with the complete KanJang oral solution even though direct double-blind comparison yielded no significant differences between these two groups of patients. The recovery time of patients being treated with KanJang or Echinacea mixture was 2 days shorter than that of patients receiving the standard treatment. None of the patients completing the study reported adverse reactions to the medication taken. The significance of the results obtained in this study is discussed with respect to the efficacy of KanJang in the treatment of acute respiratory infection and to the concept that multi-drug therapy offers higher efficacy compared with mono-drug treatment of such infections.
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PMID:Randomized trial of a fixed combination (KanJang) of herbal extracts containing Adhatoda vasica, Echinacea purpurea and Eleutherococcus senticosus in patients with upper respiratory tract infections. 1612 13

Heiner syndrome (HS) is a food hypersensitivity pulmonary disease that affects primarily infants, and is mostly caused by cow's milk (CM). Only a few reports have been published, which may be due to its misdiagnosis. We review here a series of eight cases. When first diagnosed they were 4-29 months of age. They were fed CM from birth and their chronic respiratory symptoms began at age 1-9 months. The symptoms were in the form of cough in seven, wheezing in three, hemoptysis in two, nasal congestion in three, dyspnea in one, recurrent otitis media (OM) in three, recurrent fever in four, anorexia, vomiting, colic or diarrhea in five, hematochezia in one, and failure to thrive (FTT) in two. All had radiologic evidence of pulmonary infiltrates. High titers of precipitating antibodies to CM proteins were demonstrated in six of six and milk-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) was positive in one of two. Pulmonary hemosiderosis (PH) was confirmed in one patient who showed iron-laden macrophages (ILM) in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), gastric washing, and open lung biopsy. Additional findings, in a descending frequency, were eosinophilia, anemia, and elevated level of total IgM, IgE or IgA. Milk elimination resulted in remarkable improvement in symptoms within days and clearing of the pulmonary infiltrate within weeks. Parents consented to milk challenge in only three cases, all of whom developed recurrence of symptoms. After 2 yr of milk avoidance in one patient, milk challenge was tolerated for 2 months, and then the patient developed symptoms, serum milk precipitins, pulmonary infiltrate, and ILM. The HS should be suspected in young children with chronic pulmonary disease of obscure cause. The diagnosis is supported with a positive milk precipitin test and improvement on a trial of milk elimination. Severe cases may be complicated with PH, which should be suspected in the presence of anemia or hemoptysis and be confirmed with the demonstration of ILM.
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PMID:Milk-induced pulmonary disease in infants (Heiner syndrome). 1617 5

The common cold and influenza (flu) are the most common syndromes of infection in human beings. These diseases are diagnosed on symptomatology, and treatments are mainly symptomatic, yet our understanding of the mechanisms that generate the familiar symptoms is poor compared with the amount of knowledge available on the molecular biology of the viruses involved. New knowledge of the effects of cytokines in human beings now helps to explain some of the symptoms of colds and flu that were previously in the realm of folklore rather than medicine-eg, fever, anorexia, malaise, chilliness, headache, and muscle aches and pains. The mechanisms of symptoms of sore throat, rhinorrhoea, sneezing, nasal congestion, cough, watery eyes, and sinus pain are discussed, since these mechanisms are not dealt with in any detail in standard medical textbooks.
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PMID:Understanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza. 1625 89

Allergic rhinitis is a common medical condition characterized by nasal, throat, and ocular itching; rhinorrhea; sneezing; nasal congestion; and, less frequently, cough. The treatment of allergic rhinitis should control these symptoms without adversely affecting daily activities or cognitive performance and should prevent sequelae such as asthma exacerbation or sinusitis. This review describes a stepwise approach to treatment of allergic rhinitis derived from a synthesis of clinical trial results, patient preferences, and real-world tolerability data. Key clinical considerations include frequency and intensity of symptoms, patient age, comorbidities, compliance with treatment regimens (influenced by formulation, route and frequency of administration), and effects on quality of life. Oral second-generation antihistamines, versus first-generation agents and inhaled corticosteroids, should be considered first-line treatment because they provide rapid relief of most allergic rhinitis symptoms without safety and tolerability issues. Additional therapeutic agents can then be added or substituted based on individual symptom response.
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PMID:Allergic rhinitis: treatment based on patient profiles. 1649 Apr 66

A total of 81 randomly selected elementary school teachers participated in two sampling campaigns conducted 2 weeks apart during the winter. A 24-h sample collection was performed using personal and microenvironmental sampling from homes, and an 8-h sample collection was performed from workplaces of the studied subjects. Filters were analyzed for particle mass, absorption coefficient of the filter, and for both total and viable microorganisms. Comprehensive questionnaire responses were collected from the teachers concerning weekly occurred symptoms during the previous 12-month period, and they filled in symptom diaries immediately after each sampling campaign concerning symptoms during the previous 24-h and 7-day periods. The effect of different recall periods on agreement between questionnaire responses was assessed. Factor analysis was used in order to identify factors explaining the pattern of correlations within the personal, home, and work measurements. Moreover, associations between personal, home, and work measurements of pollutants and symptoms were analyzed using general estimation equations. The recall period of 7 days seemed to provide the most reliable data for the health effect assessment. Information from the factor analysis may allow reduction of variables related to the exposure assessment, and better interpretation of results. Both personal exposure and concentrations of pollutants at home were more frequently associated with health symptoms than concentrations at work. In multipollutant analyses, absorbance coefficient was positively associated with eye symptoms, and total bacteria with both cough and blocked nose.
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PMID:Personal and microenvironmental concentrations of particles and microbial aerosol in relation to health symptoms among teachers. 1668 61


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