Letters to Editor
Imran Haider, Raghav Gupta, Shuang Song Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Luke’s Hospital, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America E‑mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.
Figure 3: Trans-esophageal echocardiogram with mid position view showing a 3.6 cm × 2.6 cm-sized mobile vegetation in the right atrium attached to the tricuspid valve. RA: Right atrium
Rossi SE, Goodman PC, Franquet T. Nonthrombotic pulmonary emboli. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2000;174:1499‑508. Iwasaki Y, Nagata K, Nakanishi M, Natuhara A, Harada H, Kubota Y, et al. Spiral CT findings in septic pulmonary emboli. Eur J Radiol 2001;37:190‑4. Cook RJ, Ashton RW, Aughenbaugh GL, Ryu JH. Septic pulmonary embolism: Presenting features and clinical course of 14 patients. Chest 2005;128:162‑6.
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Website: www.lungindia.com
to the development of pulmonary abscesses and empyema. [3] This vignette highlights how multiple peripheral nodular opacities, often with cavitation, are suggestive of pulmonary septic emboli in the setting of infective endocarditis.
DOI: 10.4103/0970-2113.142105
Relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution Sir, The recent report on the, ‘Relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution’ among rural women in the fishing community is very interesting.[1] Umoh and Peters noted that ‘chronic exposure to biomass smoke is associated with chronic bronchitis and reduced lung function in women engaged in fish smoking’.[1] Of interest, there is another publication by Umoh et al., focusing on the problem of chronic bronchitis in the same community and same period, in the Niger delta.[2] Umoh et al. have further mentioned a relationship between exposure to smoke and anxiety.[2] Overall, the number of subjects investigated in both reports (342 VS 342)[1,2] is equal, however, the number of the cases with chronic bronchitis is not equal (68 VS 63). This leads to the query on the reliability of the present report. In addition, there is no report on the environment of the community. The main query is whether there is any other pollution in this area, in addition to fish smoking.
430
Sora Yasri, Viroj Wiwanitkit1 Primary Care Unit, KMT Center, Bangkok, Thailand, 1 Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China E-mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES 1. 2.
Umoh VA, Peters E. The relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution among rural women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Lung India 2014;31:110‑5. Umoh VA, Ibok A, Edet B, Essien E, Abasiubong F. Psychological distress in women with chronic bronchitis in a fishing community in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.Int J Family Med 2013;2013:526463.
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Website: www.lungindia.com DOI: 10.4103/0970-2113.142106
Lung India • Vol 31 • Issue 4 • Oct - Dec 2014
Letters to Editor
Author’s reply Sir This is a response to the queries raised in a Letter to the Editor[1] concerning the article titled, ‘The relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution among rural women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.’ The authors of the letter raised four issues: (1) There are other publications[1,2] by Umoh et al., focusing on the problem of chronic bronchitis in the same community and same period in the Niger delta; (2) Umoh et al. mentioned no further relationship between exposure to smoke and anxiety;[2] (3) there is a discrepancy in the number of patients with chronic bronchitis in the two reports;[1,2] and (4) whether there is any other pollution in this area in addition to fish smoking. • The studies were carried out at about the same time, within the same community, by the same investigators. Therefore, the three reports came from the same population. In the article referenced as 1,[2] a sample of both males and females were used, while the other two involved only the female population. The index report focused on lung function and exposure. The article referenced as 1[2] focused on respiratory symptoms, while the article referenced as 2[3] focused on the psychological consequences of indoor air pollution. • In the article referenced as 2[3] the authors did mention the relationship between exposure and anxiety in the results section, as well as in the discussion. • Although the reports came from the same population there were slight differences in the samples. The psychiatrists were not satisfied with some responses and those were removed from the analysis and more subjects were subsequently recruited to make up the numbers.[2,3] • The study area is a fishing settlement in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. This report evaluated the relationship between biomass smoke and lung function. Other
sources of indoor air pollution were not recorded and the authors assumed that the influence of these would not be selective. The only other possible source of outdoor air pollution would have come from gas flaring during crude oil exploration. Although crude oil exploration occurred in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, the exact locations of these oil wells were far from the study area, thus the authors did not consider that as a factor. Moreover, as the effects of such pollution would not be selective it was unlikely to introduce any bias in the analysis.
Victor Aniedi Umoh, Etete Petersa1 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Uyo, Uyo, AkwaIbom, 1Department of Medicine, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria E‑mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.
Yasri S, Wiwanikit V. Relationshipd between lung function and indoor pollution. Lung India. Umoh V, Peters E, Erhabor G, Ekpe E, Ibok A. Indoor air pollution and respiratory symptoms among fishermen in the Niger delta of Nigeria. Afr J Respir Med 2013;9:17‑21. Umoh VA, Ibok A, Edet B, Essien E, AbasiubongF. Psychological distress in women with chronic bronchitis in a fishing community in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. Int J Fam Med 2013;2013:526463.
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Website: www.lungindia.com
Bhang - beyond the purview of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances act Sir, In the publication titled ‘Medical marijuana: A panacea or scourge’ the authors have reviewed an important and
widely debated issue.[1] The authors have stated that ‘in India, as per the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, cannabis and its various forms - hashish, ganja, charas, bhang - are banned and their possession is deemed
Lung India • Vol 31 • Issue 4 • Oct - Dec 2014 431
Copyright of Lung India is the property of Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Imran Haider, Raghav Gupta, Shuang Song Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Luke’s Hospital, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America E‑mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.
Figure 3: Trans-esophageal echocardiogram with mid position view showing a 3.6 cm × 2.6 cm-sized mobile vegetation in the right atrium attached to the tricuspid valve. RA: Right atrium
Rossi SE, Goodman PC, Franquet T. Nonthrombotic pulmonary emboli. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2000;174:1499‑508. Iwasaki Y, Nagata K, Nakanishi M, Natuhara A, Harada H, Kubota Y, et al. Spiral CT findings in septic pulmonary emboli. Eur J Radiol 2001;37:190‑4. Cook RJ, Ashton RW, Aughenbaugh GL, Ryu JH. Septic pulmonary embolism: Presenting features and clinical course of 14 patients. Chest 2005;128:162‑6.
Access this article online Quick Response Code:
Website: www.lungindia.com
to the development of pulmonary abscesses and empyema. [3] This vignette highlights how multiple peripheral nodular opacities, often with cavitation, are suggestive of pulmonary septic emboli in the setting of infective endocarditis.
DOI: 10.4103/0970-2113.142105
Relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution Sir, The recent report on the, ‘Relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution’ among rural women in the fishing community is very interesting.[1] Umoh and Peters noted that ‘chronic exposure to biomass smoke is associated with chronic bronchitis and reduced lung function in women engaged in fish smoking’.[1] Of interest, there is another publication by Umoh et al., focusing on the problem of chronic bronchitis in the same community and same period, in the Niger delta.[2] Umoh et al. have further mentioned a relationship between exposure to smoke and anxiety.[2] Overall, the number of subjects investigated in both reports (342 VS 342)[1,2] is equal, however, the number of the cases with chronic bronchitis is not equal (68 VS 63). This leads to the query on the reliability of the present report. In addition, there is no report on the environment of the community. The main query is whether there is any other pollution in this area, in addition to fish smoking.
430
Sora Yasri, Viroj Wiwanitkit1 Primary Care Unit, KMT Center, Bangkok, Thailand, 1 Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China E-mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES 1. 2.
Umoh VA, Peters E. The relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution among rural women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Lung India 2014;31:110‑5. Umoh VA, Ibok A, Edet B, Essien E, Abasiubong F. Psychological distress in women with chronic bronchitis in a fishing community in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.Int J Family Med 2013;2013:526463.
Access this article online Quick Response Code:
Website: www.lungindia.com DOI: 10.4103/0970-2113.142106
Lung India • Vol 31 • Issue 4 • Oct - Dec 2014
Letters to Editor
Author’s reply Sir This is a response to the queries raised in a Letter to the Editor[1] concerning the article titled, ‘The relationship between lung function and indoor air pollution among rural women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.’ The authors of the letter raised four issues: (1) There are other publications[1,2] by Umoh et al., focusing on the problem of chronic bronchitis in the same community and same period in the Niger delta; (2) Umoh et al. mentioned no further relationship between exposure to smoke and anxiety;[2] (3) there is a discrepancy in the number of patients with chronic bronchitis in the two reports;[1,2] and (4) whether there is any other pollution in this area in addition to fish smoking. • The studies were carried out at about the same time, within the same community, by the same investigators. Therefore, the three reports came from the same population. In the article referenced as 1,[2] a sample of both males and females were used, while the other two involved only the female population. The index report focused on lung function and exposure. The article referenced as 1[2] focused on respiratory symptoms, while the article referenced as 2[3] focused on the psychological consequences of indoor air pollution. • In the article referenced as 2[3] the authors did mention the relationship between exposure and anxiety in the results section, as well as in the discussion. • Although the reports came from the same population there were slight differences in the samples. The psychiatrists were not satisfied with some responses and those were removed from the analysis and more subjects were subsequently recruited to make up the numbers.[2,3] • The study area is a fishing settlement in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. This report evaluated the relationship between biomass smoke and lung function. Other
sources of indoor air pollution were not recorded and the authors assumed that the influence of these would not be selective. The only other possible source of outdoor air pollution would have come from gas flaring during crude oil exploration. Although crude oil exploration occurred in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, the exact locations of these oil wells were far from the study area, thus the authors did not consider that as a factor. Moreover, as the effects of such pollution would not be selective it was unlikely to introduce any bias in the analysis.
Victor Aniedi Umoh, Etete Petersa1 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Uyo, Uyo, AkwaIbom, 1Department of Medicine, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria E‑mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.
Yasri S, Wiwanikit V. Relationshipd between lung function and indoor pollution. Lung India. Umoh V, Peters E, Erhabor G, Ekpe E, Ibok A. Indoor air pollution and respiratory symptoms among fishermen in the Niger delta of Nigeria. Afr J Respir Med 2013;9:17‑21. Umoh VA, Ibok A, Edet B, Essien E, AbasiubongF. Psychological distress in women with chronic bronchitis in a fishing community in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. Int J Fam Med 2013;2013:526463.
Access this article online Quick Response Code:
Website: www.lungindia.com
Bhang - beyond the purview of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances act Sir, In the publication titled ‘Medical marijuana: A panacea or scourge’ the authors have reviewed an important and
widely debated issue.[1] The authors have stated that ‘in India, as per the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, cannabis and its various forms - hashish, ganja, charas, bhang - are banned and their possession is deemed
Lung India • Vol 31 • Issue 4 • Oct - Dec 2014 431
Copyright of Lung India is the property of Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
