Giovanni Viegi

..The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were specific effects of cars and trucks traffic on current asthma symptoms (i.e. wheezing) and cough or phlegm, and to examine the validity of self-reported traffic exposure...

..Thus, respiratory physicians, as well as public health professionals, should advocate for a cleaner environment...

..In view of historical trend of risk factors exposure, further epidemiological studies are necessary for a better knowledge of COPD natural history...

..Smoking prevention and smoking cessation are the most important epidemiological measurements to counteract chronic obstructive pulmonary disease epidemics...

..The implications of this substantial occupational contribution to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease must be considered in research planning, in public policy decision-making, and in clinical practice...

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..Further research is necessary to better evaluate the respiratory health effects of indoor pollution and to implement protective programmes for public health...

..Indoor and outdoor pollution play an important role too, but few studies have analyzed the association with BHR. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of urban residence on BHR...

..23-1.53, for diurnal variation). In conclusion, indoor pollution exposures were associated with the presence of acute respiratory symptoms and mild lung function impairment in a rural and an urban area of Northern-Central Italy...

..To study the relationship between respiratory/allergic disorders and chronic environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure to husband or at workplace among non-smoking women of a general population in Italy...

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..Research and practice indicate that a sizeable amount of prescribed drugs is never used...

..Both non-invasive salivary and urinary cotinine determinations seem preferable in epidemiological studies, in view of their higher sensitivity, when compared to plasma cotinine...

..The aim of this observational study is to assess the impact of asthma and comorbid allergic rhinitis on individual/social burden, quality of life, and disease control in asthmatic patients of Italian GPs...

..In this general population sample, remaining or becoming obese increases the decline in lung function over 8 years, while becoming non-obese decreases it...

..Furthermore, the disease often is under-diagnosed and treated only at advanced stages, whilst it is a substantial health problem even among young adults. This needs to be taken into account by health personnel and decision-makers...

..To evaluate the impact of a medical education course (MEC) on the behaviour of general practitioners (GPs) to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR)...

..In addition to being a useful advocacy tool, the spirometry tent represents an unusual occasion for early detection of airway obstruction in large numbers of city residents with an important public health perspective...

..In conclusion, the results of the current study indicate that there is an association between relatively low doses of pollutants and acute respiratory symptoms and peak expiratory flow in adults...

..8% and 6.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that the annual CAP incidence rate in the general population of South Europe is about 2 per 1000 population and showed a wide choice of antibiotic treatment...

..A surprisingly high prevalence of very low (< or = 35 mg/dl) and high (> or = 66 mg/dl) HDL levels in Italian women further confirms the importance of studies on the HDL distribution in different population groups...

..Thus, respiratory physicians, as well as public health professionals, should advocate for a cleaner environment...

..Schools should be routinely tested through both culturable and non-culturable methods for global indoor molds' evaluation...

..Further efforts should be aimed at optimizing treatment management and increasing smoking cessation rates in the general population...

..A poor IAQ is frequent in European classrooms; it is related to respiratory disturbances and affects nasal patency...

..The association seems more evident in children than in adolescents. These findings may suggest the need for environmental prevention strategies...

..To evaluate the distribution of airways obstruction in a general population sample...

..Unfortunately, international standards for the diagnosis of COPD are lacking, which complicates the organization of appropriate epidemiological surveys...

..Both the presence of environmental tobacco smoke at home and exposure to the high respirable suspended particles-index were associated with a decrease in the mean daily peak expiratory flow...

..In conclusion, our findings show that, beside lifetime cigarette smoking, other host--or environment--related conditions are important risk factors for COPD, suggesting the need for a more thorough strategy for prevention...

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..Overweight patients with ventilatory impairment should be routinely encouraged to lose weight for improving their lung function...

..Conflicting results exist about the meaning of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) in epidemiologic studies, mainly because of the numerous factors that may affect the measurement...

..This may be evidence of a gene by smoking effect, and suggests that in families of smokers, a single locus gene may in part explain the inheritance of a compound phenotype (BHR x packyears)...

..Consequently, complex solutions need to be locally adapted, and involve the commitment and active participation of governments, scientific societies, nongovernmental organizations, and the general community...

..Several studies conducted during the 1990s indicated an increase in the prevalence of symptoms of asthma; more recent investigations suggest that the trend is stabilizing or may even be reversing...

..The levels of exposure to outdoor (traffic) and indoor (passive smoking) pollutants are still high, although a decreasing trend in parents' smoking habits is evident...

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..These results, confirming previous findings (SIDRIA, 1994-95), show that children living near streets with intense traffic of heavy vehicles are at higher risk for adverse respiratory effects, especially for productive cough...

..The complex relations between keeping a dog or cat at home and respiratory/allergic symptoms/diseases in childhood warrants further studies...

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..5% and 18% (among children and adolescents respectively) are potentially avoidable if exposure to ETS, molds in the home and high traffic in the street of residence are avoided...

..Since menopausal status is an important determinant of blood pressure, we evaluated the relationship between rhinitis, snoring and blood pressure taking into account the modifying effect of menopausal status...

..We conclude that in moderate to severe COPD patients, the combined use of ICS with LABA is more effective in reducing the risk of re-hospitalization or death than the combined use of ICS with SABA...