Aims: The pulmonary outcome of extreme prematurity remains to be established in adults. We determined respiratory health and lung function status in a population‐based, complete cohort of young preterms approaching adulthood. Methods. Forty‐six preterms with gestational age ±28 wk or birthweight ±1000g, born between 1982 and 1985, were compared to the temporally nearest term‐born subject of equal gender. Spirometry, plethysmography, reversibility test to salbutamol and methacholine bronchial provocation test were performed. Neonatal data were obtained from hospital records and current symptoms from validated questionnaires. Results: When entering the study at a mean age of 17.7 (SD: 1.2) y, a doctor's diagnosis of asthma and use of asthma inhalers were significantly more prevalent among preterms than controls (one asthmatic control compared to nine preterms, all but one using asthma inhalers). Peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were decreased and the discrepancies relative to controls increased parallel to increased severity of neonatal lung disease. Parameters of increased neonatal oxygen exposure significantly predicted FEV1. Adjusted for height, gender and age, FEV1 was reduced by a mean of 580 ml/s in subjects with a history of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Fifty‐six percent of preterms had a positive methacholine provocation test compared to 26% of controls. Conclusion: A substantially decreased FEV1, increased bronchial hyperresponsiveness and a number of established risk factors for steeper age‐related decline in lung function were observed in preterms. A potential for early onset chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is present in subsets of this group.

Study objective-The aim was to examine causes for non-response in a community survey, and how non-response influences prevalence estimates of some exposure and disease variables, and associations between the variables.Design-This was a cross sectional questionnaire study with two reminder letters. In a postal survey on airborne occupational exposures and lung disorders in Hordaland county, Norway, we examined the causes for non-response, and the characteristics of respondents and nonrespondents. We also wished to investigate how non-response rates may change (1) the estimated prevalences of exposures (smoking and airborne occupational exposure) and lung disorders, and (2) the associations between these exposures and disorders.

There have been few community-based randomized, controlled intervention trials for cessation in high-risk smokers. In such a trial we evaluated the effects of postal smoking cessation advice in smokers with asbestos exposure and/or reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). All men aged 30-45 yrs (n=22,392) living in 34 municipalities in western Norway were invited to a cross-sectional community survey. Information on smoking habits and occupational asbestos exposure were obtained from self-administered questionnaires and measurements of FEV1 were performed with dry-wedge bellow spirometers. Among 16,393 participants we identified a group of 2,610 smokers with previous occupational asbestos exposure and/or adjusted FEV1 in the lowest quartile. A random half (n=1,300) received a mailed personal letter from a respiratory physician with a person-specific health advice to quit smoking and a pamphlet on smoking cessation. The remaining smokers (n=1,310) acted as controls and did not receive any information. Twelve months after the intervention, information on smoking habits was re-examined using a postal questionnaire. Among the respondents (n=2,282), smoking cessation was reported altogether by 13.7% in the intervention group versus 9.9% in the control group (p<0.01). The 1 yr sustained quit rate (no smoking at all during the last year) was 5.6 versus 35% (p<0.05), respectively. Measurements of carbon monoxide in expired air (with < or = 10 parts per million) confirmed self-reported nonsmoking in samples of the two groups. In a community this simple postal smoking cessation advice from a respiratory physician based on person-specific risk factors improved the 1 yr sustained success rate by 60% in identified high-risk smokers.

The ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids of fish, primarily eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), act as competitive inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism, thereby reducing the amount of active inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes from the cyclooxygenase and the lipoxygenase enzyme systems [1]. During the last decade, inflammation has increasingly been recognized as a major aspect of bronchial asthma and the leukotrienes generated from metabolism of arachidonic acid have a potent bronchoconstriction effect [2]. A study of dietary supplementation with fish oil lipids in patients with mild asthma did not improve clinical performance or symptom scores, but inhibition of leukotriene B 4 generation could be demonstrated [3]. Aspects of the relationship between dietary fish oil consumption and airways obstruction have been discussed [4] and the role of fish intake in the occurrence of bronchial asthma and asthma-like symptoms remains unclear.The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between dietary fish consumption and respiratory symptoms, among young adults of a Norwegian community with an overall high fish intake. Subjects and methods SampleThis cross-sectional study, in the city of Bergen, Norway, was performed as part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey [5]. A random sample of 4,300 subjects, aged 20-44 yrs, of a survey population of 82,227 subjects in that age category were sent a postal questionnaire on October 1, 1991. Those not returning the questionnaire received a second and, if there was still no response, a third questionnaire, after 3 and 8 weeks, respectively. Subjects not returning the questionnaire after three letters were classed as nonresponders. The reasons for nonresponse were: moved out of the study area (2%), unknown new address after moving (1%) and unknown (17%). A total of 3,450 subjects (80%) responded to the postal questionnaire. The response rate increased with increasing age and was 77% among those aged 20-24 yrs and 82% among those aged 40-44 yrs. Among the responders 51% were female. The mean age was 31 yrs in both males and Fish consumption and respiratory symptoms among young adults in a Norwegian community. Ø. Fluge, E. Omenaas, G.E. Eide, A. Gulsvik. ©ERS Journals Ltd 1998.ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between dietary fish consumption and self-reported respiratory symptoms among young adults.A random sample of 4,300 subjects, aged 20-44 yrs, living in Bergen, Norway, received a postal questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, of whom 80% responded. Mean fish consumption was assessed in a food-frequency questionnaire by asking how often the subject consumed units of fish (150 g) during the last year.Average fish consumption was 1.8 units·week -1 . Fish intake of <1 unit·week -1 was reported by 24%, 41% reported consumption of 1 unit·week -1 and 35% intake of >1 unit·week -1 . A high fish intake was significantly associated with increasing age after adjusting for sm...