Analysis and evaluation of environmental tobacco smoke exposure as a risk factor for chronic cough.

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and active tobacco smoking has been shown to increase symptoms of bronchial asthma such as bronchoconstriction but effects on other respiratory symptoms remain poorly assessed. Current levels of exposure to tobacco smoke may also be responsible for the development of chronic cough in both children and adults. The present study analyses the effects of tobacco smoke exposure as potential causes of chronic cough. A panel of PubMed-based searches was performed relating the symptom of cough to various forms of tobacco smoke exposure. It was found that especially prenatal and postnatal exposures to ETS have an important influence on children's respiratory health including the symptom of cough. These effects may be prevented if children and pregnant women are protected from exposure to ETS. Whereas the total number of studies addressing the relationship between cough and ETS exposure is relatively small, the present study demonstrated that there is a critical amount of data pointing to a causative role of environmental ETS exposure for the respiratory symptom of cough. Since research efforts have only targeted this effect to a minor extent, future epidemiological and experimental studies are needed to further unravel the relation between ETS and cough.

Shift work and pathological conditions.

Shift work exerts major influences on the physiological functions of the human body. These are primarily mediated by the disruption of circadian rhythms since most body functions are circadian rhythmic. Next to the disturbances caused by changes in the circadian system, shift work has also been suggested to be related to a number of other health disorders. The present study summarizes recently published data on the potential relationship between disorders and shift working.

Nephrotoxicity of organic solvents: biomarkers for early detection.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence for a relationship between chronic kidney diseases or progression of already existing diseases (glomerulonephritides) and occupational solvent exposure has been found in case reports, in case-control studies and also in cross-sectional studies. An analysis of the available literature was performed with respect to markers measured in cross-sectional studies that might be useful for an early detection of solvent-induced effects on the kidney. METHODS: The relevant cross-sectional studies were evaluated and the following markers were analyzed with respect to their suitability as biomarker for renal damage: total protein, albumin, transferrin, IgG, beta(2)-microglobulin, retinol-binding protein, N-acetyl-beta-D: -glucosaminidase, alanine aminopeptidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase, leucin aminopeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, lysozyme, Tamm-Horsfall protein and laminin fragments in urine as well as E-selectin, laminin and anti-laminin antibodies and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies in serum. RESULTS: An increased albumin excretion was observed more frequently in groups of workers exposed to various solvents (like toluene, styrene, aliphatic/aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures, tetrachloroethene, mixtures of chlorinated hydrocarbons) than in controls. No clear pattern emerged for the other markers. CONCLUSIONS: The determination of albumin excretion in the urine appears to be a useful parameter for monitoring solvent-exposed workers.