Normal spirometric values in healthy Hispanic Americans.

FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75% were measured in 259 (116 men and 143 women) healthy nonsmoking Hispanic American volunteers from Utah and California. Linear regression equations were created for women greater than or equal to age 20 years and men greater than or equal to age 25 years using height, age, and weight as independent variables and the spirometric indices as dependent variables. Weight was a significant predictor only for female FEV1. The raw data from this study were compared with data from our previous studies in North American Indians and Salt Lake City whites with Middle European ethnic backgrounds. No differences were found for any of the age and height coefficients. The only differences found were in the comparisons of the equation intercepts (bias) for male FVC and FEV1 between data for the Salt Lake City white subjects and both Hispanic American and North American Indian men. These small biases could be explained by technical or sampling biases or they may represent small ethnic differences. Although the differences from our Salt Lake City study are small, we recommend that ethnic-specific equations be used where they are available.

Increased incidence of menstruation-associated bactericidal defects in neutrophils from women who have recovered from toxic shock syndrome.

There is a growing suspicion that a host abnormality may contribute to the pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). We found that females (5 of 5) who had recovered from TSS had transient, menstruation-associated decreases (greater than or equal to 9%) in the ability of their neutrophils to kill Staphylococcus aureus. 502A in vitro more often (P = 0.040 by Fisher's exact test) than non-TSS-affected control subjects (5 of 12). In addition, the average decrease in bactericidal activity in neutrophils obtained during menstruation from recovered TSS patients was 30 +/- 9% compared to 7 +/- 7% for neutrophils from non-TSS-affected control subjects. The results are consistent with the possibility that transient menstruation-associated decreases in neutrophil bactericidal function may indicate susceptibility and/or contribute to the development of TSS.

Normal spirometric values in healthy American Indians.

Spirometric parameters were measured in 300 healthy, lifetime nonsmoking American Indians. When "best" is defined by the highest correlation coefficient and smallest residual standard deviation, the best prediction equations were linear regression equations using only age and height as the independent variables. Visual comparisons of two-dimensional graphic representations of each predictor in these equations with equations commonly used to predict spirometric variables in white persons revealed no substantial differences. However, statistical comparisons, using an analysis of covariance, with data from a previous study of white persons in our laboratory showed the forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second equations for Indian men to be different from the equations for white persons. No statistically significant differences were found between the prediction equations for Indian and white women. The meaning of the statistically significant differences is unclear and they may not have any clinical relevance. Until this issue is resolved we recommend that race-specific equations be used when possible.

Progressive systemic sclerosis associated with exposure to trichloroethylene.

Trichloroethylene (CHCL = CCL2) is a colorless aliphatic organic solvent with both historical use in medicine as an anesthetic agent and current use in industry as a degreasing agent. Although neither the etiology nor pathogenesis of progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) has been established, this disease has been associated with a wide variety of seemingly unrelated compounds, including exposure to organic solvents. The authors describe a 47-year-old woman with previous excellent health who developed fatal progressive systemic sclerosis after a single 2.5-hour predominantly dermal exposure to trichloroethylene. During a period of 10 months the patient developed proximal scleroderma, reflux esophagitis, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, restrictive pulmonary disease, pericarditis with effusion, and renal insufficiency with severe hypertension. Renal and skin biopsies were consistent with progressive systemic sclerosis.