Database

Tobacco smoke is an irritant which excavation asthma in asthmatics. But does it also cause or aggravate asthma? Literature review. Evidence from: J Bousquet and AM Vignola. Allergy. June (2001) Vol. 56 # 6 p 466. None of the reports can demonstrate with any certainty that new cases of asthma were not simply cases that no-one had noticed before. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#6 10

A study of a proposed association between exposure to trihalomethanes in water and birth defects. Chemicals are added during drinking-water treatment. Evidence from: LDodds and WDKing. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. July (2001) Vol.58 #7 p 443. Chemicals of interest were: Chloroform (CLF), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), bromoform and chlorodibromomethane. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#6 9

Reliable, sensitive and specific skin prick tests are on the way. However, some allergens are present in the environment as well as in the suspected sensitiser. Sensitisation can occur innocently. Evidence from: PS Grendelmeier et al. International archives of Allergy and Immunology. June (2001) Vol.125 #2 p 96. Tests for allergic sensitisation often rely on skin prick tests using preparations of suspect allergens. Standardisation of such preparations is difficult. This article reviews the success, so far, of producing recombinant allergens using the example of latex allergy. Latex (produced from Heveae Brasiliensis (Hev b)) contains more than 10 known allergens, some of which are identical to ones found in some fruits and moulds. Isolated artificial proteins – Hev b 5,6 and 7 when combined into a test preparation have been used to diagnose latex allergy with 93% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Such mixtures can be accurately and reliably reproduced. Comment Reliable, sensitive

Popular culture has it that back pain is a result of injury. Disability is a result of pain and injury. Objective records of actual activity during a normal day were compared with questionnaires designed to measure disability and pain. Evidence from: JA Verbunt et al. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. June (2000) Vol. 82 #6 p 726. There was no significant correlation between any of the three questionnaire scores and objective activity measures. There was no significant difference in objectively measured activity between cases and controls. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#6 4 Evidence from: T Jacob et al. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. June (2000) Vol. 82 #6 p 735. There was no correlation between high disability scores and low activity scores. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#6 5 Evidence from: JM Stevenson et al. Spine. June (2001) Vol. 26 #12 p 1370. Physical activity is protective against back pain. The Radar report i

The researchers measured the effect of a public information campaign. The aim was to change the popular beliefs about back pain and disability from one of passive to active coping. Setting = Victoria Australia. Compensation claims for back pain fell 15%. Evidence from: R Buchbinder et al. BMJ June (2001) #7301 p 1517. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#6 3

The relationship between interrupted sleep and risk of accidents is explored in this study of sleep apnoea. Evidence from: LJ Findley et al. Thorax. July (2001) Vol.56 #7 p 505. There is data that could be used to estimate the annual motor insurance risk. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#6 2