RESUMO
Background: Respiratory illnesses caused by occupational exposure have the most negative effects on the workers' health status in workplaces. In occupations with a high likelihood of labor-induced pulmonary diseases, a periodic spirometry test is usually used to monitor occupational lung function and prevent occupational respiratory diseases. Monitoring workers exposed to occupational pulmonary diseases is widely done using forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) for early diagnosis of obstructive pulmonary and lung diseases. We assessed the usefulness of longitudinal data of periodic spirometry tests in a sulfate production industry. Materials and Methods: In this longitudinal study, 212 individuals working in a sulfate production industry near Tehran were examined. Demographic data and information, such as FEV1, FVC, FEV1%, FVC%, and FEV1 / FVC ratio were obtained from 2009 to 2013. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 21. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and repeated measures ANOVA for data analysis. Results: The results showed that the variation of the spirometry parameters over 5 years was significant. The factors studied not only decreased in some years but also increased in comparison with the previous year. Also, the average FEV1 and FVC and also FEV1 / FVC significantly was different at different time points [F(2.864, 590.029)= 27.269, P < .0001], [F(2.910, 599.546)= 38.239, P < .0001], and [F(3.257, 671.019)= 13.351, P < .0001]. Conclusion: The best spirometry tests, not only acceptable tests, are important in longitudinal spirometry evaluations. There is no systematic supervision on spirometry tests in Iran and the results of this study reflect a serious need for such supervision.
RESUMO
Psoriasis is a chronic relapsing disorder that involves the skin, nails and joints. With regard to the role of the immune system in psoriasis, the current study compared serum IgE concentration in patients with psoriasis with control group. Current case-control study was conducted in Dermatology clinic of Razi hospital, Tehran University of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran in 2012. Fifty-eight patients with psoriasis e referred to the clinic were assigned as patient group and 58 healthy subjects with matched age and sex as a control group. Patient's history, family history and demographic characteristics such as age and sex, duration and severity of disease using PASI, were collected and entered into a form. Consent form was obtained from participants. Serum IgE concentrations of both study groups were measured by electrochemiluminescence assay in the laboratory A total number of 58 patients with psoriasis, mean age of 44.15 (19-76 years) and 58 controls with matched age and sex were studied. Mean average of serum IgE concentration in the control group was 115.13 versus 200/06 concentration in patients group (P=0.16). Serum IgE concentration in 22.4% of patients versus 17.2% in controls was greater than normal concentration (P=0.48). No significant correlation was between serum IgE concentration and disease severity using PASI (P=0.11, r=0.21), neither a significant correlation with disease duration, age and gender. According to the present study, serum IgE concentrations are not greater in patients with psoriasis. IgE concentration is also not associated with the severity of psoriasis based on the PASI score, therefore, the role of IgE in psoriasis can be considered insignificant as some previous studies indicate.
