Background: The spirometric indices are important values in asthmatic patients. There are some reports indicating that IgE and serum eosinophilia could help to interpret spirometric status. The aim of this study was to determine spirometric indices, IgE and serum eosinophilia of asthmatic patients in Kashan.

Materials and methods: 154 patients were enrolled in this descriptive study. They were referred to a private clinic and Shaheed Beheshti hospital in Kashan. These patients were examined for spirometry , total serum IgE and eosinophilic count. Patients were assigned according to <5% eosinophilia, >5% eosinophilia and also IgE <150U/ml and IgE >150U/ml. Groups were compared with t-test.

Results : The study population included 76 male and 78 females with the mean age of 34.8 ± 16.8 years. Spirometric indices and serum IgE did not show a significant association (NS). FEV1 was 73.8 ± 21.6 in patients with <5% eosinophilia and was 62.9 ± 19.4 in patients with >5% eosinophilia (p<0.01). Other spirometric indices did not show a significant association with eosinophilia status. FEF_25-75% did not differ significantly between groups (NS).

Conclusion : In middle-ages asthmatic patients spirometric indices do not correlate with patient's IgE status. There is a reverse relation between IgE and spirometric indices except for FEF. Further studies are strongly recommended.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the most common complication and important intervention factors in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. It is presented by right-sided heart failure, hepatic congestion, hypoxemia, ascites and peripheral edema. This study was conducted to assess the correlation of pulmonary artery pressure with hematological and respiratory indexes in COPD patients.

Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out on 81 hospitalized COPD patients in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan during 2005-2006. The increase of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) by transthorasic echocardiography (TE), force expiratory volume in first second (FEV 1) by spirometry, PaO₂ and PaCO_2, with arterial blood gas analyzer (ABG), hemoglobin (Hb), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspirate aminotransferase (AST), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and serum albumin with blood samples were determined. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as increasing the mean of pulmonary artery pressure grater than 25 mm/Hg. The relationship between PAP and other parameters was evaluated by Pearson analyzing test and correlation index.

Results: Among 81 patients with COPD, 77 subjects (95.1 %) had pulmonary hypertension (PAP> 25 mm Hg). In this study the mean s± SD of studied parameters were as: age= 69 ± 9.2 yrs, FEV1 =38.1 ± 13.1% predicted, PaO₂ =54.6 ± 13.1 mm Hg, PaCO₂ =52.5 ± 10.5 mm Hg, Hb=41.58 ± 1.8 g/dl), AST =39.9 ± 70.5 IU/l, ALT = 39.7 ± 74.02 IU/l, serum albumin= 3.8 ± 0.49 g/dl, and ESR=6.6 ± 9.1.There was not significant correlation between PAP and the other parameters.

Conclusions: According to the echocardiography results PAP>25 mm/Hg was found in most COPD hospitalized patients, having no correlation with the respiratory and biochemical indexes. So, to predict PAP, routine echocardiography for COPD patients, instead of the mentioned indices, is recommended.

Background: Considering the effectiveness of nebulized furosemide in asthma crisis that were non-responsive to the inhalational β-agonists , this study aimed to examine the effect of concomitant administration of furosemide (10 mg) and nebulized salbutamol (2.5 mg) on spirometry parameters in persistent asthma.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 53 patients (age, 18-75 years) with a 6-months history of persistent asthma were randomly allocated to two groups, the salbutamol (n=27) and salbutamol + furosemide (n=26) groups. Participants in each group were classified into the mild, moderate and severe persistent asthma on the basis of FEV1 . Participants were administered salbutamol or salbutamol + furosemide, and then the spirometry parameters were recorded 15 minutes after the completion of nebulization treatment . Before and after the treatment, mean and standard deviation of the spirometry parameters and their changes were calculated .

Results: Results showed no significant difference regarding the mean percentage change for FEV1 in the salbutamol (27.5%) and salbutamol + furosemide groups (25.83%) after the treatment (P=0.72). Moreover, no significant difference was seen between the two groups regarding the mean percentage changes in other parameters after the treatment (FVC, FEV1, PEF, MMEF, FEV1/FVC, P>0.25).

Conclusion: Concomitant administration of furosemide and salbutamol has no advantage over salbutamol in normalizing the spirometry parameters of persistent asthma.