[Obstructive airway diseases and cigarette smoking]. / Obstruktive Atemwegserkrankungen und Zigarettenrauchen.

The rate of uncomplicated bronchitis, obstructive bronchitis, obstructive emphysematous bronchitis, airways obstruction without bronchitis, emphysema, obstructive emphysema, and emphysematous bronchitis was determined in 300 patients. Assessment of smoking habits showed a ratio of non-smokers to smokers (smokers and ex-smokers) in uncomplicated bronchitis of 1 : 2, and in the various forms of obstructive lung disease of 1 : 1.41. Smoking, therefore, has a causative role in every third case of airways obstruction. The results support the view that smoking promotes the appearance of obstructive airways disease but that other additional or single factors such as infection and allergies probably have a more decisive role. Lung-function parameters in smokers and non-smokers, for the various forms of obstructive airways disease, are not affected differently.

Comparative long-term results of patients with carotid artery stenosis.

Of 78 patients with an internal carotid artery stenosis a thrombendarterectomy was performed in 46 patients whereas 32 patients were treated by conservative methods. The clinical follow-up over a period of 10 years was investigated. The percentage of patients who received drugs for anticoagulation was equal in both groups. Operated patients acquired a permanent neurologic deficit in 3% and nonoperated patients in 69%. The physical capacity improved in 92% of the operated and in 64% of patients treated conservatively. At the time of reexamination 78% of the operated and 34% of the nonoperated patients were living. The cause of death was cardiac in 42% of both groups and cerebral in 11% of the operated and in 32% of the nonoperated patients.