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

Air pollution has been implicated as one of the factors responsible for the increased incidence of allergic diseases seen over recent years. Epidemiological studies in Japan demonstrate that atopic subjects living in urban areas are more likely to suffer from the effects of air pollution, with increased coughing, sputum production, wheezing and throat irritation. Furthermore, animal studies show that high concentrations of pollutant gases can promote airway sensitization. The incidence of allergic rhinitis and asthma have been shown to be greater in areas where there is heavy traffic and hence high levels of automobile exhaust emissions. Intranasal administration of diesel exhaust particles in mice produces a stimulatory effect on immunoglobulin E production, and a similar finding has also been shown with suspended particulate matter in air. Air pollutants, such as ozone and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), have been shown to stimulate the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, which may play a vital role in airway hyperreactivity and asthma. In comparative studies of asthma in urban and rural areas, history of airway infection and a younger age of onset were found to be significantly greater in urban areas. When the asthmatic patients were divided into two groups according to environmental NO2 levels (group I: NO2 > 30 ppb; group II: NO2 < 30 ppb), no significant difference regarding the various parameters was noted between the two groups, except for a greater severity of asthma in adults in group I, and a greater severity in children in group II. These studies imply that air pollution may be one reason for the increase in allergic diseases in Japan, but a definitive conclusion cannot be drawn, and further investigation is warranted.
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PMID:Epidemiology of pollution-induced airway disease in Japan. 920 57

Reported herewith are the results from an ongoing study of outdoor air pollution and the health of persons living in the communities in close proximity to petrochemical industrial complexes. To determine if there is an excess of adverse health outcomes in the population exposed to petrochemical industrial emissions, a health survey was undertaken in 1996 in this area and in one reference area which has no local industrial emissions. The subjects were 436 adults (30-64 years of age) living in the Sanwei area (exposed area) and 488 in Taicei (reference area). For several indicators of respiratory health, including cough, wheezing, and chronic bronchitis, the prevalence rates were not significantly different between the study and the control populations. Acute irritative symptoms (eye irritation, nausea, throat irritation, and chemical odor perception) were significantly more common in the exposed area, particularly perception of chemical odors (84.6% vs 2.1%). It is concluded that exposure to petrochemical air emissions may be associated with increased rates of acute irritative symptoms. Future studies are needed to identify the potential role of petrochemical industrial emissions (particularly volatile organic compounds) in the genesis of acute irritative symptoms in a nearby petrochemical industrial area.
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PMID:Respiratory and irritant health effects of a population living in a petrochemical-polluted area in Taiwan. 933 27

To investigate the relationship between exposure to organic solvents and the presence of pulmonary and upper respiratory tract mucous membrane symptoms, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 215 newspaper pressroom workers who were occupationally exposed to organic solvent and lubricant mixtures. Thirty-four compositors, who were not occupationally exposed to the solvents or lubricants, served as controls. Pressroom workers and compositors underwent spirometric testing and were also asked about the presence of cough, phlegm, hemoptysis, dyspnea, wheezing, chest tightness, nose or throat irritation, eye irritation, and sinus trouble. The spirometric results did not significantly differ between the two groups. However, the pressroom workers were significantly more likely to report pulmonary or upper respiratory tract mucous membrane symptoms than were compositors (P < 0.005). An exposure-response relationship could be demonstrated when comparing the number of solvents exposed with the total number of symptoms (P < 0.001). Similarly, an exposure-response relationship could be demonstrated when comparing the frequency of use of each of the seven solvents with the total number of symptoms (P < 0.002). Each of these findings was supported in a multivariable linear regression model that adjusted for potential confounders such as age, smoking history, and number of years in the industry. A high prevalence of these symptoms was reported even though the degree of exposure to solvents and lubricants was within the current permissible exposure limits.
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PMID:The prevalence of pulmonary and upper respiratory tract symptoms and spirometric test findings among newspaper pressroom workers exposed to solvents. 934 61

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the effect on health of exposure to different types of ventilation, taking indoor environmental measurements (IEMs) of major contaminants and aeroallergens into account. Three buildings ventilated with heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), fan coil units (FCUs), and natural ventilation were selected. One thousand one hundred forty-four workers answered health questionnaires. After adjusting for potential confounders, HVAC and FCU systems were related to a slightly higher risk of nonspecific symptoms (compared with natural ventilation), short-term throat irritation, work-related nasal discharge, nasal blockage on awakening, migraine, and usual coughing induced by cold air. Studying the potential effects of environmental contaminants and aeroallergens on health outcomes, taking the floor and type of ventilation into account, did not explain the observed excess of nonspecific symptoms.
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PMID:Ventilation system, indoor air quality, and health outcomes in Parisian modern office workers. 941 40

In October 1993 and 1994, respectively, 77 and 76 third-year veterinary students visited a swine farm to work with pigs for 3 h. On both occasions, a large number of students reported flu-like symptoms after the visit. To further investigate this, the students were presented with a questionnaire modeled after the standard questionnaire used for evaluating organic dust exposure. General and/or respiratory symptoms were reported by 103/142 (72.5%) students. General symptoms, such as eye irritation, headache and tiredness were experienced by 60/103 (42.2%) students. Cough, nasal and throat irritation, and sinus trouble were the most prevalent respiratory symptoms and were reported by 94/103 (91%) of the students. Symptoms mostly developed the same day and disappeared within 3 d after exposure. The presence of respiratory and/or general symptoms was not significantly different between students who wore a mask during the lab or those who did not. Students with pre-existing allergies were more likely to develop respiratory symptoms than non-allergic students.
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PMID:Health problems in veterinary students after visiting a commercial swine farm. 944 39

A group of operating room personnel at a medical center in Connecticut reported severe respiratory irritation manifested by either proxysmal cough or throat irritation suggestive of a noxious fume exposure, 13 April 1994. However, persistent complaints on 14 April 1994 were significantly different and more suggestive of a psychological reaction. By careful interviewing, physical examination, toxicological assays, and epidemiological investigation, the true nature of a mixed physiological and psychological episode was delineated. Enlightened management policy enabled rapid restoration of return to work with minimal economic loss.
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PMID:Noxious fumes in a medical center: chemical and psychological aspects. 954 87

The literature often ascribes significant morbidity to Dieffenbachia exposures. However, poison center experience suggests a discordant view from that presented in the literature. This project determined if the symptoms described in the literature were consistent with clinical practice. To profile the symptoms reported in the literature, an extensive literature search using Medline and Webspirs (http:/(/)infoshare.library.pitt.edu/webspirs /webspirs.htm) was conducted to identify publications that described Dieffenbachia toxicity. Standard toxicology references and medical botany texts found in poison centers were used to profile symptoms in the tertiary literature; and an Internet search using the Savvy Search program (http:/(/)www.guaraldi.cs.colostate.edu:20 00) to search simultaneously all other search engines. The symptom information was compared to AAPCC TESS (1993-1996) symptom data reported on Dieffenbachia exposure reports. Twenty-three reference sources profiled the literature perspective on Dieffenbachia exposures. AAPCC TESS contained 10,796 Dieffenbachia exposures, and 34.7% of the reports documented symptoms. Oral irritation was reported in 18.2% of the reports and 92.6% of the queried literature listed this symptom (18.2%/92.6%). Additionally dermal pain = 8.7%/63.0%; vomiting = 2.6%/18.5%; erythema = 2.5%/5.3%; throat irritation = 2.3%/22.2%; dermal edema = 2.2%/3.7%; pruritus = 2.1%/7.4%; ocular irritation = 1.7%/44.4%; rash = 1.2%/29.6%; cough/choke = 1.1%/3.7%; loss of speech = 0%/29.6%; salivation = 0%/29.6%; respiratory obstruction = 0%/48.1%; death = 0%/11.18%. When multiple symptoms occurred the most common toxidrome was oral and throat irritation that occurred in 2.9% of the AAPCC TESS reports. There is similarity between the literature and the clinical experience with regard to the irritant properties of Dieffenbachia species, but there is also significant disparity because the literature fails to put the symptoms into a clinical frequency perspective. In general, the literature portrays Dieffenbachia exposures associated with more morbidity and mortality than what was reported in the AAPCC TESS clinical practice data.
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PMID:Dieffenbachia species exposures: an evidence-based assessment of symptom presentation. 1050 43

Three green mills and two dry mills were studied for personal exposure to wood dust and biohazards associated with wood dust and their correlation to lung function and work-related symptoms among sawmill workers. The levels of exposure to endotoxin, (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, bacteria and fungi were high in green mills compared with dry mills. Compared with dry mill workers, green mill workers had significantly high prevalence of regular cough, chronic bronchitis, regular blocked nose, regular sneezing, sinus problems, flu-like symptoms, and eye and throat irritation. Significant positive correlations were found among endotoxin and Gram (-)ve bacteria, (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan and fungi, and endotoxin and (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan exposure levels. Significant dose-response relationships were found for personal exposures and lung function, and lung function and work-related respiratory symptoms. The significant correlations found for respirable fractions show that not only inhalable but also respirable fractions are important in determining potential health effects of exposure to wood dust. The management and employees of the sawmilling industry should be educated on the potential health effects of wood dust. Wood dust should be controlled at the source.
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PMID:Effects of personal exposures on pulmonary function and work-related symptoms among sawmill workers. 1083 32

To test sensory irritation symptoms and physiological effects on humans caused by airborne office dust, ten subjects were exposed to both clean air and airborne non-industrial office dust for 3 h in a climate chamber. The average dust concentration in exposure sessions was 394 micrograms/m3 total suspended dust (TSD). Tear film break-up time, foam formation in the eye canthus, conjunctival epithelial damage, nasal volume, and nasal minimal cross-sectional area were assessed. Tear film break-up time decreased significantly after dust exposure and nasal volume showed a tendency to decrease. In a questionnaire investigation, significant effects were found from the questions: "facial skin humidity", "throat irritation", "feeling needs of coughing", "dry nose", "concentration difficulty", and "headache". Additionally, the intensity of the questions "facial skin humidity", "dry nose", "body skin temperature", "sluggishness", and "sleepiness" worsened over time. A correlation analysis showed that perceived "air quality" was significantly correlated with "dry eyes", "eye irritation", "facial skin irritation", "nose irritation", and "feeling stressed by chamber occupancy" for subacute responses, and with "odor intensity" for acute responses. This supports that the perceived air quality may be a function of odor and irritation symptoms. A number of localized symptoms of irritation (e.g. dry nose, throat irritation, coughing) and of general symptoms (e.g. sluggishness, sleepiness, headache, ability to concentration) were mutually correlated acutely and subacutely. These results indicate that non-industrial office dust may cause physiological changes and sensory symptoms in eyes and nose and that these effects have different time courses.
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PMID:Effects on eyes and nose in humans after experimental exposure to airborne office dust. 1108 28

This paper reports a study of the oral and pharyngeal chemesthetic effects of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ibuprofen [2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propanoic acid], which pilot experiments had indicated produces an unusual sensory irritation of the throat. In experiment 1 subjects swallowed aqueous solutions of ibuprofen prepared with different buffering agents and gave ratings of irritation and taste in the mouth and throat. The results showed that ibuprofen irritates the throat much more than the mouth, and that its quality in the throat is characterized primarily as sting/prick, itch and tickle (often leading to cough). Based upon the results obtained with the different buffering agents, we hypothesized that the sting/prick/itch qualities of throat irritation were pH-dependent. Parametric manipulation of solution pH in experiment 2 confirmed this hypothesis. The same experiment revealed that, in contrast to other oral irritants (e.g. capsaicin and menthol), repeated stimulation caused neither sensitization nor desensitization of throat irritation. In the final experiment we found that ibuprofen's throat irritation could not be modulated by temperature, as it should be if stimulation occurred via capsaicin-sensitive receptors. We therefore conclude that ibuprofen has novel chemesthetic properties, which are not mediated by capsaicin-sensitive (vanilloid) receptors, and that a major component of the throat irritation it produces occurs via a pH-dependent receptor mechanism.
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PMID:Ibuprofen as a chemesthetic stimulus: evidence of a novel mechanism of throat irritation. 1112 16


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