The authors performed bronchoscopic examination using an ultrathin bronchoscope to determine the characteristics of the peripheral airways in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study population comprised 13 healthy control subjects, 10 patients with chronic bronchitis without airflow limitation, and 20 patients with COPD. The COPD patients were divided clinically into 10 with chr...

Background: Poverty is an important surrogate marker for obstructive airway diseases (OAD). Slum constitutes a habitat wherein various poverty related parameters are perpetually prevalent in the ambience. 1/6th of world population lives in slums yet there is no information regarding their health status in context to asthma and COPD. Aims: We investigated the prevalence of asthma and chronic-bro...

BACKGROUND The prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), including chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has increased significantly over the past decades. Several studies suggest that Helicobacter pylori infection may be related to the development of CRDs, but the results were not consistent. We carried out a meta-analysis to evaluate the potential assoc...

OBJECTIVES A cross sectional study of respiratory symptoms and lung function in welders was performed at eight New Zealand welding sites: 62 current welders and 75 non-welders participated. METHODS A questionnaire was administered to record demographic data, smoking habit, and current respiratory symptoms. Current and previous welding exposures were recorded to calculate a total lifetime weld...