effects of passive cigarette smoking on the respiratory system among the healthy wives of active smokers

This study included 50 adult healthy volunteers; 20 currently smokers, 20 wives of active smokers spouse [passive smokers] and the remaining 10 subjects were nonsmokers controls. Ventilatory pulmonary function tests [FVC% predicted, FEV1/FVC ratio, FEV1% predicted and FEF25-7.5% predicted] were made to all subjects. Urinary cotinine, serum cotinine and lipid peroxides levels were assessed using spectrophotometric method. Data demonstrated that passive smokers are at risk to develop subsequent destructive lung disease, which was evident by an increase in the level of lipid peroxides [marker of oxidative stress] and a decline in the spirometric indices [especially a decline in FEV1% predictive which is the most strongly predictive index of chronic obstructive lung diseases in adults]. The decline in FEF25-75% predictive indicated the possibility of small airway diseases. The benefit of the use of urinary and serum cotinine as cheap biomarkers of exposure to cigarette smoke was clarified

Serum immunoglobulins profile, eosinophil count in nasal secretions and blood in nasal allergy with or without bronchial asthma: relationship to bronchial hyperresponsiveness

In this study, the serum levels of IgE, IgA, IgM and IgG in two comparable groups [25 each] of patients with allergic rhinitis with or without asthma, in addition to 20 healthy matching control volunteers were compared. They were also studied for eosinophils count in nasal secretions and blood. These data has been further correlated with lung function and methacholine provocation test of the studied population. The study suggested that there is a high level of blood eosinophils in patients with nasal allergy with or without bronchial asthma. Also, patients with allergic rhinitis with or without asthma pose high serum level of immunoglobulins IgE, IgA, IgM and IgG as well as high level of eosinophils either in blood or in nasal secretions. Lastly, patients with allergic rhinitis even without clinical asthma have air flow limitation and lowPD 20 that positively correlate with blood eosinophil count in patients with concomitant rhinitis and asthma. Hence, the present study objectively demonstrates that nasal allergy and bronchial asthma frequently coexist and they appear to share key elements of pathogenesis with strong physiological and immunological inter-relationship