Short-term effects of ambient nitrogen oxides on the number of emergency asthma cases in Zagreb, Croatia.

The paper describes an investigation of short-term effects of NO2 concentrations in the air on the number of emergency room visits caused by respiratory impairments, particularly asthma in adults and children. The data were collected from clinical emergency room records from July 1, 1994 to December 31, 1995. Concurrently, readings of average weekly concentrations of NO2 (microgram/m3), average weekly temperature (degree C), air pressure (kPa), and relative humidity (%) were registered. Trend and seasonality effects were estimated by the locally weighted regression (LOESS). After standardising for trend, seasonality, and meteorological conditions, the number of cases was regressed on weekly NO2 concentration, including the current and the previous week concentrations and autocorrelated residual. The weekly average NO2 concentrations were significantly associated with the number of emergency asthma cases for children and adults and with the total number of emergency respiratory cases in children, but not in adults. The results suggest that health effects of NO2 on risk groups can be detected even in moderately polluted environments. The effect is more pronounced in children.

[Correlation of the size of the residual volume measured by whole body plethysmography and the single breath helium dilution method]. / Korelacija velicina rezidualnih volumena mjerenih pletizmografijom cijelog tijela i dilucijom helija metodom jednog udaha.

The value of residual volume, intrathoracic gas volume, functional residual capacity and total lung capacity obtained by the method of body plethysmography and helium dilution method was correlated by single-breath diffusing capacity. These parameters were correlated in 22 patients who had had complete functional diagnostics of the lung: spirometry, flow volume curve, body plethysmography and single-breath diffusing capacity. All findings were within normal limits, which was a condition for selection of patients for our group. Statistically significant differences (p = 0.01) of t-test were established between residual volumes by the plethysmographic and helium dilution method of single-breath diffusing capacity. The residual volume obtained by body plethysmography showed higher values for 526 ml, or 30%. The intrathoracic gas volume showed higher values for 682 ml, or 17%. Inspite of the fact that values of RV obtained by two methods had statistically significant differences, they were still within normal limits, if presented as percent of the predicted value.

[Anesthesia in patients with varicose syndrome]. / Anestezija bolesnika s varikoznim sindromom.

Pain in the muscles and the feeling of tension in the lower legs along the varicose veins brings many patients, especially women to an operation, usually after previous attempts of conservative treatment. The aim of the work was to present the choice of analgesia for the operation of the veins of the lower limbs with the control of the post-operative analgesia. The methods included two groups of patients. One group received halothane inhalation anaesthesia in combination with nitrous oxide and oxygen, and the other ketamine hydrochloride anaesthesia applied intravenously. Postoperative pain was graded as strong, medium, mild, and painfree state. The pain intensity was assessed for each patient by the hours, and by multiplying the obtained score by the number of patients, we got the total pain scores. The pain relief 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after the administration of propoxiphen napsilate with paracetamol was calculated according to the formula: Br = Bo-B1 (2,3,4). As compared to the placebo, we got p.o.05 in favour of the active substance after ketamine hydrochloride anaesthesia. The results have shown that postoperative pain was much lower in the group of patients who had ketamine hydrochloride anaesthesia, what together with increased oxygen saturation during anaesthesia leads to the conclusion that this anaesthesia is appropriate for operations on the veins of the lower limbs because it ensures postoperative analgesia and oxygenation without oxygen inhalation. This is important because in the region attacked by varicosity the tissue metabolism is disturbed, oxygenation decreased and the values of pCO2 increased, frequently followed by skin atrophy, lower limb edema and lymphostasis.