Tai-Chi-Chuan (TCC) is an exercise of low-to-moderate intensity which is suitable for asthmatic patients. The aim of our study is to investigate improvements of the lung function, airway inflammation, and quality of life of asthmatic children after TCC. Participants included sixty-one elementary school students and they were divided into asthmatic (n = 29) and nonasthmatic (n = 32) groups by th...

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of a novel magnetic resonance-compatible (MRc)-spirometer. The influence of body posture, magnetic resonance (MR)-setting and image acquisition on lung function was evaluated. Dynamic MR imaging (dMRI) was compared with simultaneously measured lung function. The development of the MRc-spirometer was based on a commercial spiromete...

The mean transit time (MTT), coefficient of variation (CoV), and index of skewness (IoS) of transit times of the forced expiratory flow/time curve have been compared with maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), flow at 75, 50, and 25% of vital capacity (V75, V50, and V25), and the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to vital capacity (VC) in 51 asthmatic children judged on clinical...

BACKGROUND The 2005 American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society guidelines on spirometry emphasize examination of the inspiratory curve of the flow-volume loop for evidence of intrathoracic or extrathoracic upper airway obstruction. We sought to determine how frequently evaluations are performed for abnormal inspiratory curves. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all examinations p...

backgrounds: all of long-acting β2-agonists are beneficial in maintenance treatment of asthma but their use in relieving acute asthma attacks is not well known. the aim of this study was to compare rapid bronchodilatory effects of salmeterol and formoterol in patient with moderate to severe asthma. methods: it was a randomized, double blind, cross-over study on 60 patients with moderate to seve...

The accuracy, precision and linearity of a new portable flow-volume meter, the Microspiro HI-298 (Chest Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), was investigated using a Fleisch no. 4 pneumotachograph as a standard. After connection and calibration of the pneumotachograph and the Microspiro, a healthy subject performed 44 forced vital capacity (FVC) manoeuvres at different levels of lung inflation. The FVC ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate pre and post-operative spirometry in patients with tuberculosis sequelae undergoing lobectomy. METHODS We selected 20 patients, aged between 15 and 56 years, of both genders, with a history of tuberculosis treatment, with repeated infections or hemoptysis and indication of pulmonary lobectomy. The tuberculosis treatment time was six months, and onset of symptoms, between...

This study evaluated the acute effects of ambient ozone (O3), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and strong aerosol acidity on the pulmonary function of exercising adults. During the summers of 1991 and 1992, volunteers (18-64 years of age) were solicited from hikers on Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. Volunteer nonsmokers with complete covariates (n = 530) had pulmonary function measured before an...

BACKGROUND The role of leukotriene receptor antagonist is well known in the management of chronic asthma, but their efficacy in acute exacerbation of asthma is unknown. The present study was done to evaluate the clinical efficacy of oral montelukast as an add on therapy to the usual standard therapy of acute attack of bronchial asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS A randomized single-blinded control...