Flow-volume curves in children in health and disease

Pulmonary function studies were done in 136 children (5.5-17 yr old) of whom 39 had allergic type asthma, 26 chronic bronchorrhea, and 13 mucoviscidosis; the remaining 58 subjects were healthy. The children having respiratory problems were studied when they were clinically free from wheezing and pulmonary infection. Measurements of forced expiration were made with a pneumotachograph; the data were stored on a magnetic tape and analysed with a Hewlett-Packard programmed computer. Standards for the different ventilatory parameters were established for the healthy children. A step by step discriminant linear analysis of the data and application of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test demonstrated that V25, V50 and MMEF measurements were the best discriminating parameters of pulmonary function abnormalities in the respiratory problem children.

HBV markers in Chinese in Hong Kong

A study was carried out on 779 hospital patients in the Orthopaedic and Paediatric Unit of Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Patients who had no clinical evidence of liver disease, previous history of transfusion with blood or blood products and no major surgery in the past were entered into the study. Markers of previous exposure to Hepatitis B virus (HBV) were HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs (radioimmunoassay) were done. The results showed that (a) Chinese living in Hong Kong are exposed to HBV infection throughout life (b) horizontal transmission is the dominant mode of transmission and (c) cpronic HBsAg carriers probably do not carry HBV for life but may clear HBs antigenaemia with age.