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Abstract
Background: Nano-sized water particles have been thought to moisturize the skin more effectively. However, clear benefits of humidifier generating nano-sized water particles on the skin have not been studied. Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of humidifier generating nano-sized water particles on the skin by measuring the levels of the skin hydration state and skin barrier function with an objective, quantifiable method. Methods: A 4-week, randomized, case-control study was conducted in 40 healthy Korean women, aged between 20 and 39, and they were divided into two groups, the experimental and control groups. The experimental group used humidifier generating nano-sized water particles for 8 hours every night, during 4 weeks. Skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured every week on the forehead and cheek using corneometer and tewameter, respectively. Safety evaluations were also performed at each visit. Results: The baseline skin hydration and TEWL values showed no significant differences between the two groups. After 1 week of use, the experimental group showed significantly increased skin hydration values (p<; 0.001, p < 0.0001) and decreased levels of TEWL values (p=0.017, p=0.025) as compared to the control group. During a 4-week study period, increased skin hydration and decreased TEWL were sustained in the experimental group. No adverse effects were observed in all the volunteers. Conclusion: These results show that humidifier, which generates nano-sized water particles, seems to positively affect skin hydration and skin barrier function. More studies and sufficient follow-up time are needed for the assessment of the humidifier generating nano-sized water particles.
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This study was performed to determine the effects of a humidifier with heated wire circuits on the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat (POST) and cough after thyroidectomy.
A total of 61 patients scheduled for elective thyroid surgery under general anesthesia were included in this prospective study. We randomized the patients in to two groups, "without active warming and humidification" (Group C) and "using a heated humidifier" (Group H). The patients were interviewed to obtain the POST and cough scores at 1, 6, 24 and 48 hours after thyroidectomy.
The incidence of POST was significantly lower in Group H compared to Group C at 6 hours (57% vs 84%, P = 0.041), 24 hours (37% vs 65%, P = 0.045), and 48 hours (10% vs 52%, P = 0.001). Also the incidence of cough was significantly lower in Group H at 6 hours (27% vs 71%, P = 0.001), 24 hours (13% vs 45%, P = 0.015), and 48 hours (7% vs 32%, P = 0.028). The severity of POST was significantly lower in Group H at all times. In addition, the severity of cough was lower in Group H at other times except at 1 hour.
This result suggests that an active humidification of inspired gases may have the appreciable effect on reducing the incidence and severity of sore throat and cough after thyroid surgery using the endotracheal tube.
Upper airway dryness is a frequent side-effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) therapy in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). In this situation, heated humidification is often used. Alternatively, oily nose drops are frequently applied to relieve dryness. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a heated humidifier in comparison with oily nose drops. Twenty-four OSA patients complaining of serious nCPAP-related upper airway dryness were randomized to 6 weeks of treatment either with heated humidification (HC 100, Fischer & Paykel, Inc., Auckland, New Zealand) or oily nose drops (Colda-Stop, Desitin, Inc., Germany). The patients completed questionnaires on the degree and frequency of upper airway dryness, compliance with nCPAP, intention to terminate nCPAP and comfort during the nCPAP therapy. All 12 patients treated with heated humidification improved in terms of the degree and frequency of upper airway dryness, and reported greater comfort when using the nCPAP device. All patients in the heated humidification group intending to terminate nCPAP therapy because of upper airway dryness persisted with nCPAP on addition of humidification. In contrast, only five out of 12 patients (42%) in the oily nose drops group reported their degree of upper airway dryness to be improved (P = 0.003), only three patients (25%) reported an improvement in the frequency of upper airway dryness (P < 0.001), and only five patients (42%) reported greater comfort when using the nCPAP device with oily nose drops (P < 0.001). In the group using oily nose drops none of the three patients who intended to terminate nCPAP therapy persisted with nCPAP. Heated humidification is highly effective and superior to oily nose drops in reducing the symptoms of upper airway dryness during nCPAP.
New bioengineering techniques provide noninvasive opportunities to evaluate clinically the application of various products on the skin. The skin barrier function and its integrity can be studied by transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum water content, transcutaneous flux of carbon dioxide and oxygen, and transepidermal movement of ions, particularly chloride, potassium, and hydrogen ions. The benefits of noninvasive techniques are due not only to their lack of skin barrier destruction but also to their potential for early detection of any subclinical effects not detected by the naked eyes.
Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and water content of the stratum corneum, when measured simultaneously, provide important information regarding skin function. On the basis of the model presented, it is possible to differentiate dry senile skin from dry pathological skin (such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, irritant reaction), clinically involved or uninvolved. Pathological dry skin, because of the impaired barrier function is associated with increased TEWL and low corneum water content. Senile skin, on the other hand, shows both, decreased TEWL and stratum corneum water content. It is suggested that with this model it may be possible to differentiate uninvolved pathologic from healthy skin.
Two commercially available electrical instruments which evaluate the hydration state of the skin surface were compared in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The skin surface hygrometer (Skicon-200) employs high-frequency conductance, whereas the corneometer (CM 420, CM 820) uses electrical capacitance to determine the level of hydration. In a simulation model of in vivo stratum corneum (SC), the high frequency conductance device showed a much closer correlation with the hydration state of the surface SC (r = 0.99) than the capacitance device (r = 0.79), suggesting that the former can accurately assess the hydration dynamics of SC, particularly that due to the accumulation of easily releasable secondary bound water and free water. Both devices were insensitive to changes of hydration taking place in deeper viable skin tissues, e.g. the accumulated tissue fluids in suction blisters. Although the capacitance device correlated poorly with the hydration dynamics in normal SC, its sensitivity to changes occurring in extremely dry skin, such as scaly psoriatic lesions, suggests its measurements characteristics at an extremely low state of hydration, consisting of mostly bound water, such as noted in pathologic SC.
The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of absolute and relative humidity, temperature and humidification on workers' skin and upper airway symptoms, and perceptions in the office environment. Associations between physical factors, and symptoms and perceptions were assessed in logistic regression models. At temperatures between 18 and 26 degrees C, relative humidity of 17-40%, and absolute humidity of 3.3-5.6 g H2O/kg air, skin symptoms and nasal dryness and congestion were alleviated by both kinds of humidity. Pharyngeal dryness increased when temperatures rose and was alleviated with a rise in relative humidity. Eye symptoms showed no dependence on humidity. Any kind of humidity increased odor sensation. Stuffiness increased when the air was humidified. In non-humidified conditions (21.3-22.7 degrees C, 20.0-31.7%, 3.3-5.6 g H2O/kg air), skin and nasal symptoms showed no association with humidity or temperature. Pharyngeal dryness diminished when humidity rose. In addition, the association between humidity and odor disappeared. In humidified conditions (21.5-23.7 degrees C, 26.6-41.2%, 4.2-7.0 g H2O/kg air), nasal dryness and congestion were alleviated by both absolute and relative humidity, and odor perception increased. Skin dryness and rash, pharyngeal dryness, and nasal dryness and congestion are alleviated in higher humidity. Steam humidification results in a risk for increased perception of odor and stuffiness.
The present investigation describes a comparative study for the design of innovative topical formulation for skin hydration. In particular, different colloidal forms based on lipidic components have been produced and characterized. Morphology and dimensional distribution have been investigated by means of electron microscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy. Nanoparticulate systems characterized by different morphology and dimensions depending on production procedures have been obtained, namely cubosomes, nanovesicles, solid lipid nanoparticles and liposomes. Hydration power has been studied by means of a corneometer, measuring the skin electrical capacitance before and after the application of opportunely viscosized nanoparticulate systems. It has been demonstrated that nanovesicle gel displayed a pronounced hydration power with respect to the other nanostructured forms, its hydration effect on skin was 3.5-fold higher, with respect to the untreated area, after 5 min from the application and 1.5-fold higher after 2 h.