title: Prevalence of left-handedness among patients with different respiratory diseases.
abstract: We investigated the prevalence of left-handedness among patients with different respiratory diseases. Hand preference was assessed using the modified Edinburg Handedness Inventory. There was a statistically significant decline in left-handedness with shortened life span in patients. Difference among the rates of left-handedness in different pulmonary diseases was significant. The rate of left-handedness was lowest in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.14%) and pneumonia (2.04%) and highest in patients with asthma (12.96%). The results suggest that left-handed subjects may be protected from certain pulmonary diseases while being more susceptible to others.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Disease, Medical School, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaynar
authors.forename: Senol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*