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The sick building syndrome includes irritation of the eyes and the respiratory tract neurotoxicity affectation and skin problems, which can occur in individuals under improperly ventilated buildings. Poor air quality, as shown in CO2 atmospheric levels of more than 1,000 ppm, results in a pathological exposure to biological and chemical products. We present a work-related case of multiple chemical hypersensitivity from a dialysis unit that had no air renewal. This person, who was summitted to continuous exposure despite having taken corrective measures in the ventilation, developed chronic fatigue syndrome. An acoustic voice observation alerted of the case which led to the analysis of the environmental conditions which confirmed the relationship between multiple chemical hypersensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome. This case stresses the neglected fact that all health service centres pose a high risk of chemical exposure and that there exists a lack of rigoroursness in putting in practice scientific medical knowledge.

A ten year longitudinal survey of 191 female elderly subjects (mean age 80 - Range 61 to 101 years) was set up to demonstrate that even a moderate isolated systolic hypertension is a powerful contributor to the incidence of cerebrovascular complications in the elderly. The incidence of cerebrovascular events was carefully recorded and was correlated with a number of parameters registered at entry into the study. The results show that isolated systolic hypertension as well as diastolic hypertension is significantly correlated to the incidence of strokes independently of other parameters (Blood Cholesterol, Blood Sugar) which do not appear in this population as risk factors of cardiovascular morbidity. This underlines the high interest of controlled therapeutic studies run in this field in elderly patients.

A ten year longitudinal survey of 191 female elderly subjects (mean age 80--Range 61 to 100 years) was set up to demonstrate that even a moderate isolated systolic hypertension is a powerful contributor to the incidence of cardiovascular complications in the elderly. The incidence of all cardiovascular events was carefully recorded and was correlated with a number of parameters registered at entry into the study. The results show that isolated systolic hypertension as well as diastolic hypertension is significantly correlated to the incidence of strokes and myocardial infarction independently of other parameters (Blood Cholesterol, Blood Sugar) which do not appear in this population as risk factors of cardiovascular morbidity. This underlines the high interest of controlled therapeutic studies run in this field in elderly patients.

In two groups of elderly women, the relationships between arterial compliance estimated by pulse wave velocity (PWV), and systolic blood pressure (SP), heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption and the time taken to run 400 m have been studies. Both at rest and with increasing levels of exercise, faster PWVs are associated with higher SPs. These is a tendency for resting HR to be higher with faster PWVs. The changes in HR and oxygen consumption from resting values are strikingly increased with faster PWVs. The time taken over 400 m rises as arterial compliance falls. Therefore, it seems that, with aging, reduced arterial compliance is a major factor affecting cardiovascular responses to exercise.