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Biomedical subjects

A A Bloom

Publications and source records attributed to A A Bloom.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Spectrum of ischemic colitis in cocaine users.

Ischemic enterocolitis is a well-recognized entity occurring in cocaine users. Diagnosis is based on the presence of rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, a history of cocaine use, supportive endoscopic and histopathologic findings, and the absence of other etiologic mechanisms of ischemic colitis. In this study, we evaluated endoscopic and histopathologic findings in seven patients with cocaine colitis. Lesions seen by endoscopy, which were restricted to the left colon, included hemorrhagic edematous mucosa, pseudopolyps, and ulcerations. Rectal involvement, not a common feature of ischemic colitis, was seen in five patients. In two patients histologic lesions were classified acute/subacute, and in three patients as subacute/chronic. In the remaining two patients lesions were combined acute/subacute and chronic. The presence of subacute/chronic lesions suggested recurrent ischemic episodes and could reflect repeated use of cocaine. Future studies will be needed to define the long-term clinical and histopathologic significance of these subacute/chronic lesions.

Adult↗

Additive impact of in-hospital cardiac arrest on the functioning of children with heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the impact of a sudden cardiac arrest (CA) on the neurodevelopmental and adaptive functioning of young children with congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODOLOGY: Sixteen children with CHD who had sustained an in-hospital CA were compared with a medically similar group of children with CHD who had not incurred a CA. The contribution of CA, disease severity, and family socioeconomic status on the prediction of developmental outcome variables was evaluated. RESULTS: Children in the CA group displayed more impairments in general cognitive, motor, and adaptive behavior functioning as well as greater disease severity as measured by a cumulative medical risk index. With respect to all children in the study, a higher socioeconomic status was related to higher scores on cognitive functioning, lower levels of child maladjustment, and lower levels of stress within the parent-child relationship. Although the occurrence of a CA alone did not contribute to the prediction of outcome measures, a significant interactional effect between CA and cumulative medical risk index was found. Specifically, among children who had incurred a CA, as disease severity increased, decrements in abilities were observed. Few significant correlations between specific CA-related variables (eg, length of CA) and outcome indices were found. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study indicate that the impact of cardiac arrest on neuropsychological functioning may be mediated by the child's overall disease severity. These findings have implications for the identification of CA survivors at greatest risk for developmental difficulties.

Case-Control Studies↗

Illegal drug use.

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Drug and Narcotic Control↗

Markedly elevated creatinine phosphokinase, cotton wool spots, and pericarditis in a patient with leptospirosis.

We are reporting a patient with acute leptospirosis whose creatinine phosphokinase was markedly elevated secondary to an associated myositis. In patients presenting with acute hepatitis, an elevated creatinine phosphokinase should suggest the diagnosis of leptospirosis. Our patient's course of illness was made unusual by the appearance of cotton wool spots, previously unreported in leptospirosis as well as by pericarditis in the absence of uremia. This illustrates our ever widening recognition of the clinical manifestations of leptospirosis.

Adult↗