[Asbestos: characteristics, properties, pathogenesis and sources of exposure]. / Características, propiedades, patogenia y fuentes de exposición del asbesto.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has been known since ancient times. It is widely used in industry due to its physical and chemical properties which make it highly suitable for this end. Asbestos is classified in two groups--serpentine and amphibole--depending on the curved or straight configuration of their fibres. Outstanding amongst its properties are its resistance to heat, wear, alkalis and acids, and its flexibility, amongst other characteristics, which make it a suitable material for use as insulation, in industrial textiles and in many other fields. The pathogenic risk of asbestos remaining for a long time in the pulmonary tissue has been known for many years; studies attribute it with alteration of the mucociliary activity of the host, macrophage activation and the freeing of inflammatory mediators as well as an increase in their oncogenic strength on association with tobacco and even some viruses.

[Silicosis]. / Silicosis.

Silicosis, which acquired great significance during the period of increase in mining and construction, continues to be a pathology with a high morbidity and mortality within pneumoconiosis. Exposure to silica produces pathological, clinical and radiological alterations that together with compatible personal antecedents suggests its diagnosis in a simple way. The associated complications as well as its differential diagnosis from other types of pneumopathy mean that a review of this entity is needed.

[Registry of occupational respiratory diseases in Navarre]. / Registro de enfermedades respiratorias de origen laboral en Navarra.

BACKGROUND: In January 2002 an occupational respiratory diseases record was established in Navarre so that the number and characteristics of the occupational respiratory pathology could be analysed. METHODS: The cases reported by doctors who collaborated in 2002, 2003 and 2004, were entered in a database for subsequently analysis. This database has several variables: gender, age, tobacco habit, hospital department and notifying doctor, diagnosis, job and causal agent. RESULTS: 125 cases were reported. 97 males (77.6%) and 28 females (22.4%). Average age was 55,4 years old. Eighty-eight were non-smokers (70.4%) and 37 were smokers (29.6%). Pneumology reported 84 cases (67.2%) and Allergology 41 (32.8%). The diagnoses were: 50 bronchial asthma (40%), 31 benign pleural disease (24.8%), 8 extrinsic allergic alveolitis (6.4%), 8 mesothelioma (6.4%), 7 bronchopulmonary cancer (5.6%), 5 acute inhalations (4%), 3 amianthinopsy (2.4%), 2 rhinitis (1.6%), 1 RADS (0.8%) and 1 COPD (0.8%). The most reported jobs were: 13 painting and varnishing (10.4%), 12 spinning asbestos yarn (9.6%) and 8 bakery and confectionery (6.4%). The main causal agents were: 49 cases of asbestos (39.2%), 15 isocyanates (12%) and 8 silica (6.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent pathology was bronchial asthma, followed by benign pleural disease. The most reported job was painting and varnishing and secondly spinning asbestos yarn. Asbestos was the first substance involved and the second was isocyanates. Most of the patients were males and non-smokers. The Pneumology Service of the Virgen del Camino Hospital reported most of the cases. Ratio contrast analysis showed a certain tendency towards a statistical significance in rhinitis, occupational asthma and amianthinopsy.

Características, propiedades, patogenia y fuentes de exposición del asbesto / Asbestos: characteristics, properties, pathogenesis and sources of exposure

El asbesto es un mineral fibroso conocido desdeantiguo, utilizado ampliamente en la industria debido asus propiedades físicas y químicas que lo hacen muyadecuado para dicho fin. Los tipos de asbesto se clasificanen grupo serpentina y en anfiboles según la configuracióncurvada o recta de sus fibras. En cuanto a suspropiedades destacan la resistencia al calor, al desgaste,a los álcalis y ácidos y su flexibilidad entre otrascaracterísticas que lo hacen un material adecuadopara ser utilizado como aislante, en la industria textil yen otros muchos campos. Es conocido desde haceaños el riesgo patogénico del amianto al permanecertiempo en el tejido pulmonar, atribuyéndole según losestudios la alteración de la actividad mucociliar delhuésped, la activación macrofágica y la liberación demediadores inflamatorios así como un aumento de supoder oncogénico al asociarse al humo del tabaco eincluso a ciertos virus

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has been knownsince ancient times. It is widely used in industry due toits physical and chemical properties which make ithighly suitable for this end. Asbestos is classified intwo groups - serpentine and amphibole - depending onthe curved or straight configuration of their fibres.Outstanding amongst its properties are its resistanceto heat, wear, alkalis and acids, and its flexibility,amongst other characteristics, which make it a suitablematerial for use as insulation, in industrial textiles andin many other fields. The pathogenic risk of asbestosremaining for a long time in the pulmonary tissue hasbeen known for many years; studies attribute it withalteration of the mucociliary activity of the host,macrophage activation and the freeing of inflammatorymediators as well as an increase in their oncogenicstrength on association with tobacco and even someviruses

Silicosis / Silicosis

La silicosis patología que adquirió gran trascendenciadurante la época del auge minero y de la construcciónsigue siendo una patología con alta morbilidady mortalidad dentro de las neumoconiosis. Laexposición al sílice produce alteraciones anatomopatológicas,clínicas y radiológicas que con unos antecedentespersonales compatibles orienta de forma sencillaa su diagnóstico. Las complicaciones asociadas asícomo su diagnóstico diferencial con otras neumopatíashacen necesario una revisión de esta entidad

Silicosis, which acquired great significance duringthe period of increase in mining and construction,continues to be a pathology with a high morbidity andmortality within pneumoconiosis. Exposure to silicaproduces pathological, clinical and radiologicalalterations that together with compatible personalantecedents suggests its diagnosis in a simple way. Theassociated complications as well as its differentialdiagnosis from other types of pneumopathy mean thata review of this entity is needed

Registro de enfermedades respiratorias de origen laboral en Navarra / Registry of occupational respiratory diseases in Navarre

Fundamento. Con objeto de analizar la incidenciay características de la patología respiratoria ocupacionalen Navarra, se implantó en enero de 2002 el Registrode Enfermedades Respiratorias de Origen Laboral.Métodos. Los casos notificados por los médicoscolaboradores durante los años 2002, 2003 y 2004, seintrodujeron en una base de datos diseñada para suanálisis posterior, que constaba de distintas variables:sexo, edad, tabaco, servicio y médico declarante, diagnóstico,profesión y agente causal.Resultados. Se notificaron 125 casos. 97 varones(77,6%) y 28 mujeres (22,4%). La media de edad fue 55,4años. Ochenta y ocho pacientes no fumaban (70,4%) y37 eran fumadores (29,6%). Neumología declaró 84casos (67,2%) y Alergología 41 (32,8%). Los diagnósticosfueron: 50 casos de asma bronquial (40%), 31 deenfermedad pleural benigna (24,8%), 8 alveolitis alérgicaextrínseca (6,4%), 8 mesotelioma (6,4%), 7 cáncerbroncopulmonar (5,6%), 5 inhalaciones agudas (4%), 3asbestosis (2,4%), 2 rinitis (1,6%), 1 RADS (0,8%) y 1EPOC (0,8%). Las profesiones más declaradas: 13 pintura/barnizado (10,4%), 12 hilado de ovillos de amianto(9,6%) y 8 panadería/pastelería (6,4%). Como agentescausales principales: 49 casos de asbesto (39,2%),15 isocianatos (12%) y 8 sílice (6,4%).Conclusiones. La patología más frecuente fue elasma bronquial, seguida de la enfermedad pleuralbenigna. La profesión más notificada era pintura/barnizadoy en segundo lugar hilado de ovillos. El asbestofue la primera sustancia implicada seguida de los isocianatos.La mayoría de pacientes eran varones y nofumadores. El Servicio de Neumología del Hospital Virgendel Camino notificó el mayor número de casos. Elanálisis de contraste de proporciones mostró ciertatendencia a la significación en rinitis, asma bronquial yasbestosis

Background. In January 2002 an occupationalrespiratory diseases record was established in Navarreso that the number and characteristics of theoccupational respiratory pathology could be analysed.Methods. The cases reported by doctors whocollaborated in 2002, 2003 and 2004, were entered in adatabase for subsequently analysis. This database hasseveral variables: gender, age, tobacco habit, hospitaldepartment and notifying doctor, diagnosis, job andcausal agent.Results. 125 cases were reported. 97 males (77.6%)and 28 females (22.4%). Average age was 55,4 years old.Eighty-eight were non-smokers (70.4%) and 37 weresmokers (29.6%). Pneumology reported 84 cases(67.2%) and Allergology 41 (32.8%). The diagnoseswere: 50 bronchial asthma (40%), 31 benign pleuraldisease (24.8%), 8 extrinsic allergic alveolitis (6.4%), 8mesothelioma (6.4%), 7 bronchopulmonary cancer(5.6%), 5 acute inhalations (4%), 3 amianthinopsy(2.4%), 2 rhinitis (1.6%), 1 RADS (0.8%) and 1 COPD(0.8%). The most reported jobs were: 13 painting andvarnishing (10.4%), 12 spinning asbestos yarn (9.6%)and 8 bakery and confectionery (6.4%). The maincausal agents were: 49 cases of asbestos (39.2%), 15isocyanates (12%) and 8 silica (6.4%).Conclusions. The most frequent pathology wasbronchial asthma, followed by benign pleural disease.The most reported job was painting and varnishing andsecondly spinning asbestos yarn. Asbestos was thefirst substance involved and the second wasisocyanates. Most of the patients were males and nonsmokers.The Pneumology Service of the Virgen delCamino Hospital reported most of the cases. Ratiocontrast analysis showed a certain tendency towards astatistical significance in rhinitis, occupational asthmaand amianthinopsy

[Prevalence of smoking among adolescent students in Navarra]. / Prevalencia del tabaquismo en la población escolar adolescente de Navarra.

This paper reports the prevalence of smoking among adolescent students in Navarra, analyzing the data by sex and geographic area. A sample representative of Navarran adolescent school children between 12 and 18 years old was identified. The prevalence of smoking was measured by way of an anonymous self-administered questionnaire filled out at school. A chi 2 test and analysis of variance were performed. Three hundred students (180 girls, 51.43%; 170 boys, 48.57%) were surveyed. Mean ages were 14.35 +/- 1.82 and 14.15 +/- 1.93 years, respectively. Smoking prevalence was 35% among girls in the Foral Community of Navarra and 28.82% among the boys. The age of initiation to smoking and frequency of smoking are analyzed for the five geographic areas of the Navarra province. The prevalence of smoking is higher among girls. Children are tending to start smoking at earlier ages (primary school). No differences in smoking frequency were observed for rural and urban areas.

[Effectiveness of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in snoring disorders and obstructive sleep apnea]. / Eficacia de la uvulopalatofaringoplastia en las roncopatía y apnea obstructiva del sueño.

We studied the effectiveness of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty under general anesthesia and classical surgery in 26 patients treated surgically for chronic snoring (CS) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Our technique is a variation of the Fujita and Quesada technique that involves partial resection of the palate and uvula with endonasal microsurgery. The criteria for inclusion were age 35 to 47 years and desire to do without C-PAP or Bi-PAP. This device, although effective, produced poor physical and psychological tolerance. After a postoperative follow-up of 3 years, good results were found in all cases.