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Biomedical subjects

A G Davison

Publications and source records attributed to A G Davison.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonitis.

Eight patients with histological intra-alveolar organization, but no evidence of an infective or other aetiological agent, are reported. They characteristically presented with a short history of severe dyspnoea, cough, malaise, weight loss, bilateral radiographic shadowing and a raised ESR. There was a dramatic response clinically and radiologically to prednisolone but relapse occurred quickly as the dose was reduced. Control was re-established with an increased dose of prednisolone. In order to avoid confusion with post-infective organizing pneumonia the term cryptogenic organizing pneumonitis is suggested.

Aged↗

Use and misuse of an accident and emergency department in the East End of London.

A study was made of all 587 new patients attending an accident and emergency department in the East End of London during one week. Two hundred and twenty-six (39%) cases were not accidents or emergencies; of these, 67% were self-referrals who had not previously seen their general practitioner (GP) and 21% were self-referrals who had previously seen their GP. The four main reasons that these self-referred patients had for attending were that they thought their condition needed immediate attention; they were insufficiently organized to see their GP; they were not registered with a GP; or they wanted a second opinion. Twenty-eight (12%) of the cases which were not accidents or emergencies were referred by a GP. Sixty-nine (12%) of all cases were not registered with a GP. The frequency of cases who were not accidents or emergencies was significantly higher in those not registered than in those registered (0.01 greater than P greater than 0.001). Nineteen (3%) patients were living rough or in hostels. Little abuse of the ambulance service was found.

Accidents↗

Smoking habits of long-term survivors of surgery for lung cancer.

The smoking habits of 52 patients who had survived more than five years after treatment for lung cancer were studied. Fifty-six per cent had stopped smoking before operation but this was not an early feature of the disease. No patients smoked in the immediate postoperative period but 48% became regular smokers again, usually within a year of the operation. Those who had stopped before, rather than after, their operation were more likely to remain nonsmokers. Doctors were usually unsuccessful in persuading those patients who had restarted after surgery to stop smoking. Patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer should be advised to stop smoking before the operation. Those in whom resection is successful should receive regular support and encouragement from doctors, especially in the first postoperative year, to continue as nonsmokers.

Adenocarcinoma↗

In vivo neutron activation analysis of organ cadmium burdens. Referent levels in liver and kidney and the impact of smoking.

In vivo neutron activation measurements of liver and kidney cadmium have been made in 77 exposed workers and 101 referents. Cadmium levels were higher in exposed workers than in referents; both in liver, 25.7 cf. 0.6 micrograms/g, and kidney, 17.9 cf. 2.7 mg. The 19 referents who never smoked had lower mean organ cadmium burdens than the other referents, the difference achieving statistical significance in the kidney, p less than .01. Cigarette smoking was estimated to increase cadmium body burden by 370 +/- 140 micrograms/pack year. These referent cadmium levels are similar to, although slightly below, previous in vivo and autopsy data.

Body Burden↗