ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at home increases the risk for numerous diseases in childhood. In this study we asked if maternal tobacco consumption can be reduced by a written advice of the paediatrician. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a paediatrician's practice we recruited 40 mothers who smoked ten or more cigarettes per day according to their own statement. The paediatrician's intervention consisted in a short written advice to reduce tobacco consumption. At the beginning of the study and six weeks later we obtained urine samples of the mothers in order to measure the concentrations of the nicotine metabolite cotinine. A subgroup of the study population was informed about the initial concentration of cotinine, the other subgroup was not informed. MAIN RESULTS: Following the written advice of the paediatrician mothers reduced their consumption of tobacco products according to their own information as well as according to the concentrations of cotinine. Confronting mothers with their initial concentrations of cotinine was not found to be an additional factor reducing tobacco consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal consumption of tobacco products can be reduced significantly by an advice of the paediatrician at least for a short time.
Subject(s)
Correspondence as Topic , Mothers/education , Pediatrics , Physician's Role , Smoking Cessation , Tobacco Smoke Pollution/adverse effects , Adult , Child , Cotinine/urine , Female , Follow-Up Studies , HumansABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To create a whole-body cardiovascular MRI protocol with parallel imaging (iPAT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty two persons participated in the whole body scan. Due to iPAT high resolution imaging of the heart could be performed. 3D contrast enhanced MR angiography (3D-CE-MRA) took only 62 s to cover the whole body at a spatial resolution of less than 1.4x1.0x1.5mm(3). Scan time for HASTE lung imaging could be reduced by the factor of 2 while maintaining the signal to noise ratio (SNR). Image quality was rated by 2 radiologists blinded to each other. RESULTS: Mean scan time was 104 min on the standard system and less than 80 min on the new system. 75% of all MRA segments were rated good in terms of vessel conspicuity, more than 80% had no venous overlay. One case of distal occlusion of the anterior tibial artery and two cases of myocardial infarction were detected. CONCLUSION: Parallel imaging offers the possibility of fast whole body imaging. A combination of morphologic and functional imaging can be performed within less than 80 min.
