Urban air quality and carboxyhemoglobin levels in a group of traffic policemen.

Toxicological potential of carbon monoxide (CO) on humans is well known. Nevertheless, CO is still considered as a useful marker to detect some environmental and occupational human risk factors typical of cities. The role played by traffic pollution, indoor air quality in offices and tobacco smoke on the expression of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb%) levels was investigated in a large group of traffic policemen in Torino city (North-Western Italy). At the end of the working shift, 228 policemen responded to a questionnaire, weight and height recorded, urine spot samples collected to measure cotinine as biomarker of tobacco smoke exposure, and an arterial blood sample was taken to measure COHb levels. Data of outdoor urban air-CO were collected and to each subject a "CO outdoor air measurement" was related to his/her COHb level. Considering the annual trend of air-CO pollution from 2002 to 2004, one can assume that a general improvement of air quality in Torino was evident. Taking into account the environments where policemen work (urban outdoor and indoor), and analyzing their COHb% content, the traffic-congested areas, and, in general, the outdoor urban environment were equally risky as offices. Furthermore, if compared to CO arising from traffic-congested areas or other outdoor environments, the traffic policemen in Torino city demonstrate COHb% levels largely due to smoking habits.

[Advantages and limitations of chemicomorphological study of pleural fluid]. / Valore e limiti dell'esame chimico-morfologico del liquido pleurico.

A chemical-physical and morphological examination of 109 pleural samples taken from 66 patients showed that the most reliable laboratory tests for discriminating between an exudate and transudate were specific gravity, total effusion protein content and the effusion/serum protein ratio, while LDH and cell number seem less important. In the differential diagnosis of pleuritis, pleural fluid amylase assays are important only if certain well-defined diseases are suspected (particularly pancreatitis). In this case the assay is irreplaceable. Glucose assay may be carried out for a wider range of complaints although a review of the literature shows it to be always below 30 mg, particularly in cases of rheumatoid arthritis. A cytological examination offers a pathognomonic guide in the case of tumours and as a back-up to other checks for many other complaints.

Impairment of cardiovascular autonomic reflexes in multiple symmetric lipomatosis.

Cardiovascular autonomic reflexes were evaluated in 13 male subjects affected by Multiple Symmetric Lipomatosis (MSL) and the results were compared with those obtained in 13 age-matched male controls and in 16 male heavy drinkers matched with the MSL group for age and alcohol intake. Valsalva Manoeuvre (VR), Heart Rate variations on Deep Breathing (DB) and R-R intervals 30/15 ratio during Lying-to-Standing (LS) (tilting), were used as primarily parasympathetic tests. As primarily sympathetic tests, we assessed the increment of diastolic blood pressure in Sustained Handgrip (SHG) and the fall of systolic blood pressure on standing (Postural Hypotension = PH). Mean values of VR and DB were significantly (P less than 0.001) lower in MSL subjects than in controls and heavy drinkers. Mean LS values were significantly lower in MSL subjects (P less than 0.001) and in heavy drinkers (P less than 0.01) in relation to controls. No significant differences were observed in the 3 groups of subjects regarding the mean values of PH and SHG. The results suggest that MSL is characterized by an impairment of autonomic function. This impairment seems to be prevalently parasympathetic and not related to a high alcohol intake.

Evidence of early impairment of parasympathetic reflexes in insulin dependent diabetics without autonomic symptoms.

Cardiovascular (CV) autonomic functions were assessed in 50 insulin-dependent diabetic patients and in 30 controls using a battery of autonomic tests: Valsalva Manoeuvre (VR), Deep Breathing (DB), Lying-to-Standing (LS), Sustained Handgrip (SHG) and Postural Hypotension (PH). The results were compared with those obtained from a study of cardiac resting adjustment to different static postures (quiet lying and standing). 10 diabetics with abnormal responses to the majority of tests were considered affected by Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy (DAN); 15 with some abnormal of borderline responses were defined much less than Borderlines much greater than. The remaining 25 diabetics, while displaying lower values than the controls in parasympathetic tests, had much less than normal much greater than autonomic responses. The VR mean (+/- SD) value was 1.71 +/- 31 in much less than normal much greater than diabetics and 2.01 +/- 0.29 in controls (p less than 0.001); the DB mean value was 20.6 +/- 87 and 28 +/- 8.13 (p less than 0.001), and the LS mean value 1.16 +/- 0.12 and 1.33 +/- 0.18 (p less than 0.001) respectively. No significant differences were found in the sympathetic tests (SHG, PH). However Heart Rate (HR) adjustment of diabetics with normal CV responses to immobile standing (RR mean 783 +/- 136 ms) and lying (RR mean increment of 25 +/- 11%; p less than 0.001) was similar to that of controls who had a resting HR standing (RR mean 749 +/- 104 ms) and lying (RR mean 884 +/- 116 ms) with a mean increment of 20.2 +/- 10.9% (p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)