nitrogen-dioxide and Hemoptysis

Background. The relationship between air pollution and exacerbation of respiratory diseases is well established. Nevertheless, its association with hemoptysis has been poorly investigated. This paper describes the relationship of air pollutants with severe hemoptysis. Methods. All consecutive subjects with severe hemoptysis during a 5-year period were included. The relationship between the contamination measurements and the frequency of embolizations was analyzed using Poisson regressions. In these regressions, the dependent variable was the monthly number of embolizations in a given month and the independent variable was either the concentration of an air contaminant during the same month, the concentration of the air contaminant during the previous month, or the difference between the two. Results. A higher total number of embolizations per month were observed over the months with increases in the concentration of NO. The number of embolizations was 2.0 in the 33 months with no increases in the concentration of NO, 2.1 in the 12 months with small increases, 2.2 in the 5 months with moderate increases, 2.5 in the 4 months with large increases, and 4.0 in the 5 months with very large increases. Conclusion. There is association between hemoptysis and increases in the concentration of atmospheric NO in Badalona (Spain).

Topics: Adult; Aged; Air Pollution; Bronchial Arteries; Bronchiectasis; Carbon Monoxide; Embolization, Therapeutic; Environmental Exposure; Female; Hemoptysis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Regression Analysis; Retrospective Studies; Seasons; Severity of Illness Index; Spain; Sulfur Dioxide; Tuberculosis

Topics: Adult; Air Pollution, Indoor; Chest Pain; Cough; Diagnosis, Differential; Dyspnea; Hemoptysis; Hockey; Humans; Inhalation Exposure; Lung Injury; Male; Nitrogen Dioxide; Time Factors; Young Adult

Twenty-four men were refueling a missile when a large spill of oxidizer occurred. Three crewmen were exposed to very high concentrations of the oxides of nitrogen. One died within minutes. Severe respiratory distress syndrome developed in the other two, one of whom survived. Twenty-one other workers were exposed to minimal to moderate concentrations of the gas. Most remained asymptomatic while six had shortness of breath, cough, or hemoptysis. The three with persistent symptoms received corticosteroid therapy; the complaints resolved in two. Corticosteroid therapy for four asymptomatic patients who had moderate hypoxemia two weeks after the accident may have aborted the second stage of nitrogen dioxide injury. Six patients with minimal exposure had persisting headaches, visual disturbances, and emotional difficulties. These latter findings may represent an unusual complication of exposure to these gases.

Topics: Accidents, Occupational; Adult; Cough; Environmental Exposure; Headache; Hemoptysis; Humans; Hypoxia; Male; Neurologic Manifestations; Nitrogen Dioxide; Respiratory Distress Syndrome; Time Factors