The importance of this study is the confirmation, within important statistical guidelines for a study of reproducibility, that the methods examined are reproducible and valid.

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of smoking among health care workers (HCWs) at King Hussein Medical Center (KHMC), the biggest tertiary-care center in Jordan.METHODS: Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire on cigarette smoking distributed among 760 HCWs. Questions were designed to collect various demographic parameters and different aspects related to cigarette smoking. RESULTS:Six hundred HCWs returned the completed questionnaire. Responders were divided into 3 groups; physicians, 260 (43%); nurses, 250 (42%); and other HCWs, 90 (13%). Mean age (AESD) for the whole sample was 35.3 AE 6.9 years.Men constituted 52%. The overall prevalence of smoking was 65%. Fifty-six percent of smokers smoked daily, with a mean consumption of 10 cigarettes per day.Smoking was more common among men (82%) than women (47%). The 31-to 40-year age group constituted nearly half the population studied; 58% of HCWs in this category were current smokers. In the physician group, the highest smoking rate was observed among family practitioners working in the emergency department (75%). Of the internists, 44% were current smokers. There was no statistical difference between the resident and specialist subgroups in this category (P 5 .45). All pulmonologists were nonsmokers, the second-lowest smoking rate was seen in the dermatologist subgroup (10%). The women in the nursing group had a smoking rate of 17% compared with the 49% of the men in the nursing group who smoked. In the other HCW group, 70% smoked cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS:

The aims of this study were to (1) record the changes of (arterial oxygen partial pressure) PaO2, (arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure) PaCO2, (percentage saturation of haemoglobin with oxygen in arterial blood) SaO2 and alveolar-arterial (A-a) oxygen gradiant resulting from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in asthmatic and normal subjects; (2) measure changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), vital capacity forced (FVC) associated with BAL; and (3) assess possible predictive factors for the degree of hypoxaemia and impairment of spirometry resulting from BAL. Bronchoscopy and BAL (150 ml) were performed in 24 asthmatics and 15 healthy subjects. Serial arterial blood samples (radial artery) were obtained in all subjects: T1 and before T2 after local anaesthesia; T3 at end of bronchoscopy; T4 after BAL and 5 min, 15 min, 1 h, 2 h, 8 h and 24 h (T5-T10) after the procedure, FEV1 and FVC were measured immediately before and 5 min afer bronchoscopy. Baseline PaO2 was lower in asthmatics (10.2 +/- 0.8 kPa) than in healthy subjects (10.8 +/- 0.8). Both groups showed a significant decrease in PaO2, and a significant widening in (A-a) oxygen tension gradiant at T3-9, with respect to T1 (P < 0.05). PaO2 reached a significantly lower value in asthmatics (7.1 +/- 0.6 kPa) than in HS (7.7 +/- 0.5; P < 0.05). In asthmatics, FEV1, FVC and the ratio FEV1/FVC decreased significantly after BAL (P < 0.001). In healthy subjects, FEV1 and FVC decreased significantly (P < 0.001), whereas FEV1/FVC did not. The fall in FEV1 after BAL was significantly greater in asthmatics (32.4 +/- 10.0%) than in healthy subjects (17.7 +/- 4.6; P < 0.001). Severity of asthma, basline FEV1 or initial PaO2 did not predict the degree of hypoxaemia or the fall of FEV1. It is concluded that BAL causes more severe hypoxaemia and a greater decrease in FEV1 in asthmatics compared to healthy subjects, strongly supporting the recommendation of special caution and careful monitoring when BAL is undertaken in asthmatics.

Abstractbronchodilatation, 1 reduction in diurnal variation in peak expiratory flow, improvement in Background -Salbutamol is the most widely prescribed short acting 2 agonist daytime and nocturnal symptoms, reduction in requirement for a short acting bronchodilator, 2 3and salmeterol is the first long acting inhaled 2 agonist. The dose equivalence of and increased quality of life 4 in asthmatic patients. Bronchodilatation 5 6 and protection salmeterol and salbutamol is disputed. Estimates of weight-for-weight dose ratio against non-specific bronchial challenge with histamine 7 or methacholine 8 are maintained for have ranged from 1:2 to 1:16. A study was undertaken to clarify the true dose ratio.at least 12 hours after a single dose of salmeterol compared with 4-6 hours after salbutamol. Methods -The bronchoprotection afforded against repeated methacholine chalSalmeterol and salbutamol have similar 2 receptor selectivity 9 but dose equivalence is lenge by inhaled salmeterol 25 g and 100 g and salbutamol 100 g and 400 g disputed, estimates of the weight-for-weight dose ratio ranging from 1:2 to 1:16 in single was compared in a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, crossover trial. dose studies.5 7 10 11 In the light of continuing debate regarding a possible association between Subjects were 16 stable asthmatics with a baseline forced expiratory volume in one the use of 2 agonists and increasing asthma morbidity and mortality worldwide and consecond (FEV 1 ) of [65% predicted, screening concentration provoking a fall in FEV 1 cern about relative potencies of different agents, 12 it is important that the relative poof 20% (PC 20 FEV 1 ) of Ζ8 mg/ml, and a shift in PC 20 FEV 1 of more than two doubling tencies of these two drugs be defined.Increased responsiveness to non-specific concentration steps following inhalation of salbutamol 400 g. On five separate oc-bronchoconstrictor agents is a characteristic feature of clinical asthma 13 and inhaled hiscasions subjects underwent methacholine challenge before and 30 and 120 minutes tamine or methacholine bronchoprovocation tests are commonly used in diagnosis in patients after drug administration. PD 20 FEV 1 was calculated for each challenge. FEV 1 at 90 who present with vague or atypical symptoms. 14The aim of this placebo controlled study was minutes after drug administration was also recorded.to compare the potency of salmeterol and salbutamol in asthmatic subjects by measurement Results -Bronchoprotection afforded by salmeterol was increased at 120 minutes of the protection afforded by salmeterol 25 g and 100 g and salbutamol 100 g and 400 g compared with 30 minutes and protection by salbutamol was decreased. Protection against repeated methacholine challenge. The

Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic granulomatous disease involving one or more multiple organ systems, characterised by the histologic finding of noncaseating epitheloid cell granulomas. This is the first report of familial sarcoidosis in Jordan. We report a mother and her son who Presented with bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy and lung infiltrates. Sarcoidosis is a rare disease in Jordan. We reported thirty-three cases of sarcoidosis(1). Although the familial tendency is reported in many studies(2), this was not the case in our study. Though the etiology is unknown; both Prevalence of sarcoidosis in different ethnic groups and familial occurrence of the disease strongly suggest the hypothesis of a possible genetic predisposition(3).