Search

Background: There is no validated Arabic version of the French questionnaire of quality of life, the VQ11. This study aimed to test the applicability of the Arabic version of the VQ11 in Tunisian patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Methods: It was a prospective and cross-sectional study, spread over seven months, that included 40 stable COPD male patients. The Arabic version of VQ11, translated by a bilingual expert, was used. The functional, psychological, relational and total scores were calculated. Patients were divided into two groups according to the GOLD classification: "A-B" (n=25) and "C-D" (n=15). A significant correlation-coefficient (r) of≥0.51, between the VQ11 total score and the ADO index (age, dyspnoea, obstruction), and higher quality of life scores in GOLD "C-D" when compared to GOLD "A-B" would be in favour of application of the Arabic version of the VQ11., Results: The mean±standard deviation of age, post-bronchodilator FEV 1 /FVC, ADO index and VQ11 total score were 64±8 years, 0.55±0.08, 4.8±1.7 and 2±10, respectively. A significant "r" (0.56) was identified between the ADO index and the total score. Psychological, relational and total scores of GOLD "A-B" patients were significantly lower than those in GOLD "C-D" patients: 10±4 vs. 12±3, 11±4 vs. 13±3 and 30±11 vs. 36±7, respectively., Conclusion: The Arabic version of VQ11 is applicable in Tunisian COPD patients with reliable results., (Copyright © 2020 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Studies of the spirometric profiles of narghile smokers are few, have some methodological limits (i.e. small sample size), and present contradictory conclusions., Aims: (i) To determine the percentage of narghile smokers with obstructive ventilatory defect (OVD) and/or restrictive ventilatory defect (RVD) or static hyperinflation (SHI); (ii) to compare the chronological and estimated lung ages., Inclusion Criteria: men aged 20 to 60 years, narghile smokers (>1 narghile-year [NY])., Exclusion Criteria: cigar or cigarette smokers and comorbidity. Narghile use quantification: NY and kg of cumulative tobacco use (1 NY=9.125 kg of cumulative tobacco use)., Definitions: Large airway obstructive ventilatory defect (OVD): forced expired volume in one second (FEV(1))/forced vital capacity (FVC) less than lower limit of normal (LLN). Small airway OVD: FVC more than LLN and decrease (less than LLN) of one or more peripheral flows. RVD: total lung capacity (TLC) less than LLN. SHI: residual volume (RV) more than upper limit of normal. SPIROMETRIC MEASURES: (Vmax 22 Series/6200 Autobox, SensorMedics, Yorba Linda, California, USA with measurement of functional residual capacity by nitrogen washout). Measurements were made according to international recommendations., Results: One hundred and ten narghile smokers were included (34±10 years; 1.76±0.07m; 84±14kg). Thirty-six percent of the subjects had SHI; 14% had small airway OVD; 14% had RVD, and 6% had large airway OVD. Estimated lung age was higher than chronological lung age (47±18 years vs. 34±10 years, P<0.05)., Conclusion: Narghile use accelerates lung ageing. This study provides the health authorities with valid arguments to fight this blight on society, which increasingly involves children and pregnant women., (Copyright © 2011 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: To assess the need for a 6-min walk distance (6-MWD) reference equation for healthy North African children 6-16 years old., Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study. Anthropometric data and 6-MWD were measured in 200 healthy Tunisian children (100 girls) from 6 to 16 years old., Results: Published reference equations did not reliably predict measured 6-MWD in North African children. The 6-MWD was significantly correlated with age, height, and weight (P < 0.001, each). The combination of these parameters explained 60% of the 6-MWD variability in the equation: 6-MWD (m) = 4.63 x height (cm) - 3.53 x weight (kg) + 10.42 x age (years) + 56.32. In an additional group of 41 children prospectively studied to validate the equation, the agreement between measured and predicted 6-MWD was satisfactory., Conclusion: This reliable 6-MWD reference equation enriches the World Bank and provides a useful reference for the care of pediatric patients., ((c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Introduction: Studies of the spirometric profile of narghile smokers are few, have some methodologic limits (ie. small sample size) and present contradictory conclusions., Objective: (i) To determine the percentage of smokers having an obstructive ventilatory defect (OVD) and/or a restrictive ventilatory defect (RVD) or static hyperinflation (SHI). (ii) To compare the chronological and the estimated lung ages., Inclusion Criteria: men aged 20-60 years smoking narghile (>1 narghile-year (NA). Non-inclusion criteria: cigar or cigarettes smoker and co-morbidity. Narghile consummation quantification: NA and kg of cumulated tobacco (1 NA=9.125 kg of cumulated tobacco)., Definitions: large airway OVD: FEV1/FVCLLN and forced mid expiratory flowupper limit of normal. Spirometric measures (Vmax 22 Series/6200 Autobox, Yorba Linda, California, USA with measurement of functional residual capacity by nitrogen washout). Measurements were made according to international recommendations., Results: 110 narghile smokers were included (34+/-10Yr; 1.76+/-0.07m; 84+/-14kg). 36% of subjects had SHI; 14% had small airway OVD; 14% had RVD and 6% had large airway OVD. (ii) Estimated lung age was higher than the chronological lung age (47+/-18Yr vs 34+/-10Yr, p<0.05)., Conclusion: Narghile consumption accelerates ageing of the lung. This study provides the health authorities with valid arguments to fight this blight on society which increasingly involves children and pregnant women.

The need for a 6-min walk distance (6-MWD) reference equation for healthy North African adults older than 40 years was assessed in a prospective cross-sectional study. Anthropometric data and 6-MWD were measured in 229 healthy Tunisian adults (125 women) over 40 years old. Two subgroups of 38 women were identified according to the parity (lowor=6). The published reference equations did not reliably predict measured 6-MWD. The 6-MWD was significantly correlated with gender, age, weight and height (p<0.001). The combination of these parameters explained 77% of the 6-MWD variability in the equation: 6-MWD (m)=-160.27 x gender (0: men; 1: women) - 5.14 x age (yr) - 2.23 x weight (kg)+2.72 x height (cm)+720.50. Parity accelerated the 6-MWD decline (r=-0.39, p<0.05) and women distinguished only by parity (or=6) showed different 6-MWD (589+/-60 m vs. 555+/-57 m, p<0.05). In an additional group of 30 adults prospectively studied to validate the equation, the agreement between the measured and equation-predicted 6-MWD was satisfactory. In conclusion, this reliable 6-MWD reference equation enriches the World Bank and provides an important element of interpretation for women with high parity.