A 3-year cohort study on short-term effects of air pollution in Germany. 1. Influences of medication and season.
A 3-year cohort study which started in September 1987 investigates the effect of air pollution in adult patients with chronic obstructive airway disease. Of 108 patients recruited during the pilot phase in 1987 only eight patients had left the study prematurely. The most important components of the study are the daily peakflow measurements and a diary on medication and symptoms. In a preliminary analysis the influence of medication and season has been analyzed for the period September 1988 to June 1989 for 53 patients. In general, the reactions to seasonal changes were small. However, a significant decrease in peak-flow values by about 5% was found for the months of May and June compared to December for patients with chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma.
Franke
K
K
Labor Safety and Environmental Hygiene, University of Wuppertal, Germany.
Boeriu
A
A
Degens
P
P
Dresler
R
R
Fritsch
H
H
Haake
D
D
Hahn
M
M
Hanisch
E
E
Hempel
A
A
Höltmann
B
B
D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003348:Cortisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons; D012905:Smog / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D012905:Smog; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D003348:Cortisone