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Biomedical subjects

A G Lawrence

Publications and source records attributed to A G Lawrence.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Successful treatment of four patients with recalcitrant vaginal trichomoniasis with a combination of zinc sulfate douche and metronidazole therapy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is no certain cure available for patients suffering from recalcitrant trichomoniasis. Zinc sulfate is reported to have antitrichomonal properties. We report our experience in treating four patients empirically with a combination of zinc sulfate douche and metronidazole. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case analysis. Patients who presented to the tertiary referral clinic with chronic recurrent trichomoniasis without evidence of reinfection were treated empirically with a combination of zinc sulfate douching (1%) followed by a metronidazole 500 mg suppository per vaginale twice daily and 200 to 400 mg three times a day orally. The douching and suppository were used prophylactically for 3 nights after menstruation for some months. RESULTS: Four patients who had a history of 4 months to 4 years of culture-positive symptomatic trichomoniasis and received a variety of therapies before referral were treated successfully. At the review of 2 to 5 months after therapy, all had remained asymptomatic and the results of clinical and laboratory examinations were normal. CONCLUSIONS: The exact role of zinc sulfate douching in the successful outcome is not certain, but the combination therapy requires only a moderate dose of metronidazole (1.6-2.2 g/day), avoiding the side effects of larger doses. The combination therapy therefore merits further evaluation.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

To test or not to test, could you repeat the question?

We aimed to investigate clinical practice in the offering of HIV tests and subsequent uptake in a central London genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. A random sample (n = 330) of attenders at 3 inner-London GUM departments was surveyed. Reasons for and rates of offering of HIV tests were recorded and analysed in relation to demographic, risk group information and uptake. The results were integrated with the latest unlinked, anonymous seroprevalence data for the clinic. After exclusion of patients known to be HIV-positive or to have recently undergone HIV testing, HIV tests were offered to 96% of homo/bisexual men, 55% of heterosexual men and 60% of heterosexual women. Comparison with anonymous HIV seroprevalence data showed an inverse relationship between seroprevalence rates for heterosexual men/women (2.5% vs 1%) and rates of HIV test offering. A lack of research into the policy of offering HIV tests may have resulted in inconsistencies in practice. An evidence based policy should offer HIV tests in line with seroprevalence.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Hepatitis A seroprevalence in homosexual and heterosexual men.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis A antibodies in homosexual and heterosexual males attending a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. DESIGN: Prospective study of male patients recruited from a GUM clinic during a 10 week period in 1993. SETTING: Central London outpatient GUM department at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. SUBJECTS: 255 patients were recruited, comprising 185 homosexual and 70 heterosexual males. Ninety two men were known to be HIV-positive, of whom 89 were homosexual. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum samples were screened for both IgM and IgG antibodies to hepatitis A by enzyme linked immunoassay. Results were matched to an anonymously completed questionnaire. RESULTS: 81 of the 255 subjects (31.8%) had been exposed to hepatitis A, two of whom were IgM positive. There were similar hepatitis A seroprevalence rates in homosexual (32.4%) and heterosexual men (30.0%). Although 48.1% of the homosexual men were known to be HIV-positive, compared with 4.3% of the heterosexuals. Hepatitis A seroprevalence remained comparable in both groups after patients with known HIV infection were excluded from the analysis. 11.4% of the heterosexual men admitted to oral-anal sexual contact compared with 62.2% of the homosexual men. This sexual practice was not associated with antibodies or a past history of hepatitis A exposure. CONCLUSIONS: There was no detectable difference in hepatitis A seroprevalence between male homosexual and heterosexual GUM clinic attenders, despite a much higher level of oral-anal sexual activity among the homosexual population.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of vaginal flora after treatment with a clotrimazole 500 mg vaginal pessary or a fluconazole 150 mg capsule for vaginal candidosis.

The effect of antifungal therapy on the vaginal microbial flora was studied in 23 patients suffering from culture-positive, symptomatic vaginal candidosis. They were randomly allocated to receive either a 500 mg clotrimazole vaginal pessary or a 150 mg fluconazole capsule. Quantitative microbiological examination was carried out on samples of vaginal secretions obtained prior, and at intervals up to 10 days after, treatment. No significant difference was found in the vaginal flora before or after therapy in individual patients or between the treatment groups. In patients with C glabrata or C krusei, the yeasts persisted longer in the vagina with poorer response to either of the medications.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Gonococcal arthritis caused by auxotype P in a man with HIV infection.

The development of gonococcal arthritis is reported in a man with HIV infection and CDC Stage IVC2 disease. The diagnosis of disseminated Neisseria gonorrhoeae was facilitated by microbiological examination of a joint aspirate. The auxotype identified by culture was moderately resistant to penicillin, a characteristic which is highly unusual for an organism causing disseminated gonococcal infection. This case serves as an example of the role of HIV infection in the modification of host response to common pathogens and the need for clinicians to modify their management of disseminated gonococcal infection especially in immunosuppressed persons.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Self-medication by women attending a genitourinary medicine clinic.

A questionnaire was completed by 103 symptomatic women attending a busy, walk-in genitourinary medicine clinic in London before seeing a doctor. This questionnaire asked about the patients' own diagnosis of symptoms, previous remedies and their source. The answers were compared to their past history and current diagnosis. Of symptomatic women 56% had used a self-administered remedy prior to attending the clinic. This was significantly associated with a history of a previous episode of genital infection which had produced similar symptoms to the current problem. Forty-three percent of those who used self-medication reported some improvement in symptoms and more than 50% tolerated longer than 10 days of symptoms before attending the clinic.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Single dose therapy of vaginal candidiasis: a comparative trial of fenticonazole vaginal ovules versus clotrimazole vaginal tablets.

An open, randomized comparative clinical trial was performed in 153 patients suffering from symptomatic vaginal candidiasis confirmed by mycological tests. Patients were allocated at random into two groups: the first group (consisting of 75 subjects) was treated with a single vaginal ovule of fenticonazole (600 mg) and the second group (consisting of 78 subjects) was treated with a single vaginal tablet of clotrimazole (500 mg). Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by microbiological and clinical criteria 7 days and 1 month (when possible) after the single dose treatment. At the first follow-up visit, complete disappearance of the signs and symptoms or a highly significant reduction of their intensity was observed in both treatment groups. No significant difference was evident between the two drugs. At 7 days, the mycological tests gave negative results in 92% of the patients in the fenticonazole group and in 88.5% of the patients in the clotrimazole group. The difference between the two treatment groups was again not statistically significant. The second follow-up visit was performed in 55 (73.3%) patients of the fenticonazole group and in 52 (66.7%) patients of the clotrimazole group. The results indicate that 83.6% of patients in the fenticonazole group and 69.2% of patients in the clotrimazole group were still disease free at the time of this visit. Both drugs were well tolerated. Mild, local and short lasting side-effects were reported in only 5 cases of the group treated with fenticonazole.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Intravaginal↗
PubMed1989

Clinical, immunological, and virological effects of sodium fusidate in patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex (ARC): an open study.

Fusidic acid has previously been noted to prevent syncytial formation by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. Since this drug is a cheap, usually well-tolerated substance with known toxicity profile, an open, uncontrolled trial was undertaken to evaluate its possible efficacy in HIV disease. Twenty HIV antibody positive patients (10 with AIDS and 10 with ARC) were treated with sodium fusidate 500 mg every 8 h for up to 3 months. One patient died during therapy and six ceased treatment due to adverse events. Rash, nausea, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain caused difficulties in all patients. There was no significant improvement in clinical state or T-helper cell levels, and no observed decrease in HIV p24 antigen during treatment. We conclude that in this open trial, sodium fusidate had no observable beneficial clinical, virological, or immunological effects.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMed1989

Rheumatological lesions in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

One hundred and twenty-three patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection have been referred to rheumatologists at our hospitals between October 1985 and April 1989 because of musculoskeletal symptoms. Thirty-four homosexual men presented with acute, peripheral, non-erosive arthritis (mean number of four joints affected) with the knees being involved in 23. Other features developing concurrently with arthritis included psoriasis, keratoderma blenorrhagica, plantar fasciitis, urethritis, conjunctivitis and anterior uveitis. Four of five patients investigated were HLA-B27-positive; none of 15 patients tested had raised titres of rheumatoid or antinuclear factors. Various infections were associated with the onset of arthritis and two patients with a recent history of diarrhoea had serological evidence of yersinia infection. No micro-organisms were identified within the joint except for HIV itself. At the time of onset of arthritis four of these individuals had the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); 11 were not known to be HIV-positive before testing which was performed following referral for arthritis. Six patients have since developed AIDS and four have died. In 15 individuals, including those who progressed to AIDS, joint symptoms have been severe, persistent and poorly responsive to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In only five patients has the arthritis been known to resolve. Synovitis has also been seen in two women: in one of these HIV infection was thought to have been acquired through intravenous drug abuse. Other rheumatic lesions included myalgia/myositis, non-inflammatory peripheral arthritis, spinal pain, soft tissue lesions, arthralgia or myalgia of unknown cause and infective lesions including septic arthritis and bony infection due to histoplasmosis and atypical mycobacterial infection. It appears likely that HIV infection is a risk factor for the development of seronegative arthritis and other rheumatic lesions.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Benign tertiary syphilis and HIV infection.

Benign tertiary (gummatous) syphilis has virtually disappeared [1]. Two homosexual men with gummata have presented to genitourinary medicine clinics in west London in recent months. They both had antibodies to HIV. It is possible that otherwise adequately treated syphilis has progressed to the tertiary stage as a consequence of HIV infection and modification of the immune response.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1986

Clinical investigations of lymphadenopathy, including lymph node biopsies, in 24 homosexual men with antibodies to the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III).

The findings of 27 lymph node biopsies performed on 24 homosexual patients with lymphadenopathy are presented. Six had acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and 18 lymphadenopathy only, of whom one subsequently developed AIDS. All these patients had antibodies to the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III) suggesting that HTLV-III is currently the commonest cause of lymphadenopathy in homosexual men. The histopathological findings of six of seven nodes from AIDS patients showed either follicular depletion alone or follicular and paracortical lymphocyte depletion. Nodes from four patients showed Kaposi's sarcoma, three of which also showed follicular hyperplasia. In two of these patients there were no cutaneous manifestations of this condition. One lymph node from a patient with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) showed Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Six nodes from six other patients have had features of toxoplasmosis although there was no serological or clinical evidence of recent toxoplasma infection. The remaining 11 lymph nodes from patients with PGL and one node from a patient with transient lymphadenopathy, showed reactive follicular hyperplasia only. We conclude that homosexuals with lymphadenopathy who are HTLV-III antibody positive do not need a routine node biopsy unless an alternative diagnosis is strongly suspected.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗