PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Rae

Publications and source records attributed to A Rae.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A comparison of buccal nitroglycerin and sublingual nitroglycerin in the prophylaxis and treatment of exertional (situation-provoked) angina pectoris.

Suscard is a buccally administered formulation which provides rapid introduction of nitroglycerin directly into the systemic circulation and, by virtue of its sustained-release properties, may confer protection against anginal attacks for several hours. Its efficacy has been established in angina pectoris and more recently its usefulness has been extended to include the management of unstable angina and acute heart failure. Buccal nitroglycerin combines the possibilities of short-term treatment and more extended prophylaxis. In a multicentre double-blind study the efficacy of buccal nitroglycerin and sublingual nitroglycerin were compared in patients with proven chronic stable exercise-induced angina as regards anginal attacks and capacity for physical activity. The conclusion is that the two formulations of nitroglycerin have a comparable effect in the treatment of acute attacks of angina pectoris. Buccal nitroglycerin has many advantages when used prophylactically. This is documented by less frequent anginal attacks and a more prolonged duration of effect resulting in an increased physical activity.

Administration, Buccal↗

Prognostic factors in diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis.

A number of clinical laboratory and biopsy-derived parameters were assessed for their prognostic significance in the short (24 months), intermediate (60 months) and long terms in 45 patients (43 female, 2 male) with diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis (DPGN). The factors evaluated were serum creatinine (SCr) and urinary protein at time of biopsy, initial dose of prednisone and immunosuppressive after biopsy, activity index (AI), chronicity index (CI), their individual components, extent of extraglomerular (tubulo-interstitial) immune deposits (EGD) and mean number of intraglomerular monocytes per glomerulus (NSE index). Using proportional hazards analysis to evaluate the parameters, SCr (P = 0.003), AI (P = 0.005) and NSE index (P = 0.038) were shown to be significant predictors of outcome when all variables except the components of AI and CI were considered. When AI and CI were omitted but their components included, SCr (P = 0.0005), NSE index (P = 0.024), extent of karyorrhexis (P = 0.035) and glomerulosclerosis (P = 0.033) were then demonstrated to be significant prognostic factors of DPGN. The results suggest that intraglomerular monocyte infiltration has a protective effect and confirm that AI index is a relatively powerful predictor of outcome. Histologic and nonhistologic biopsy factors contribute significant additional prognostic information to that provided by SCr.

Adult↗

Controlled environment unit in the care of the below-knee amputation stump.

A controlled environment unit has been compared with plaster dressings in the management of the below knee stump in 60 patients undergoing amputation for advanced vascular disease. The main criteria were stump healing and the speed of rehabilitation. There were 30 patients in each group. Three patients died within 10 days of operation. Primary healing was obtained in 65 per cent, secondary healing in 22 per cent and revision to above knee was required in 13 per cent. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Neither did they differ in the times taken to reach the various stages of rehabilitation from bed exercises to independent walking with final prosthesis. While the controlled environment unit was as effective as the plaster dressing it tended to impede the patients' early mobility and to hinder nursing care. In particular it is not recommended for patients who may be confused or restless in the early postoperative period.

Aged↗

Lupus glomerulonephritis with thrombotic microangiopathy.

Well-documented cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) are rare. Renal biopsy in a 25-year-old woman with SLE who was in renal failure demonstrated proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis with arteriolar thrombosis and the arterial intimal changes of TMA. No staining of vessels for immunoglobulins or complement was found by direct immunofluorescence. Fibrillar and flocculent deposits were seen in the widened and rarefied subendothelial space in a small artery and two glomeruli, one of which also contained electron-dense deposits. The vascular findings, which are those of TMA, are distinct from the immune complex vasculopathy of SLE.

Adult↗

Diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis. Determination of prognostic significance of clinical, laboratory and pathologic factors.

Clinical, laboratory and pathological factors in 35 females with diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis were analyzed to determine the prognostic significance of the individual variables. The clinical and laboratory variables were age, serum creatinine (Cr), serum C3, serum C4 and proteinuria at the time of biopsy while the biopsy ones included intraglomerular monocytic infiltration (NSE index), total glomerular deposits, extent of subendothelial deposits, extent of extraglomerular deposits, tubulo-interstitial inflammation, relative tubulo-interstitial volume and total pathologic score. Standard morphometric and counting procedures were used to determine the levels of all pathologic variables but pathologic score and extra glomerular deposits where grading estimates were done. Survival curves were determined by the life table method. Logrank and chi-square tests were used to establish levels of statistical significance. Seven patients developed established renal failure (Cr greater than or equal to 2.0 on two or more occasions at least 3 months apart) and nine showed significant deterioration of renal function (decrease in CrCl of 25% or more in between biopsy and last follow-up visit or an increase in serum Cr of 0.4 mg/dl or more over the follow-up period). The 5-year renal survival rate (absence of established renal failure) for the whole group was 77%. Serum Cr (p less than .005) and extent of extraglomerular deposits (p less than .025) were shown to be significant prognostic factors for renal survival. Of the seven patients who developed renal failure none had an NSE index greater than 3.0 and one had a C3 greater than or equal to 45 mg/dl. Statistically these factors were weak prognostic indicators (0.5 less than p less than .1). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the extraglomerular deposit factor contributed significant additional prognostic information to that provided by Cr. Although not important as a prognostic factor on its own, the NSE index significantly improved the prognostic performance of serum Cr. The product of the NSE index and serum C3 proved to be a strong prognostic factor (p less than .005).

Adolescent↗

Focal proliferative lupus nephritis. A clinicopathologic study using the W.H.O. classification.

Focal proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis has traditionally been considered to be more benign than the diffuse form. A recent study of lupus nephritis using the W.H.O. classification demonstrated no difference in 4-year survival between those with focal and those with diffuse disease. Because of this development, a comparative clinicopathologic study of 15 patients with focal proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis was done using the W.H.O. classification. Generally, patients with focal proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis presented with milder renal disease with respect to proteinuria and renal insufficiency. Involvement of the central nervous system was more prominent in focal proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis. Therapy for both types of disease was similar. Mean duration of renal disease was 48 months for focal and 50.7 months for diffuse disease. Three patients with focal proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis and two with diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis were dead at the end of the follow-up period. Established renal failure was present in one patient with focal disease and two with diffuse disease. Deterioration of renal function was noted in two patients with focal proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis and five with diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis at the end of the follow-up period. No statistically significant differences in cumulative five-year survival rates (focal = 0.751; diffuse = 0.858), cumulative five-year renal survival rates (focal = 1.00; diffuse = 0.846), deterioration of renal function and quantitative proteinuria at the end of the follow-up period were noted. although qualitatively milder, the focal form of renal disease followed a course similar to that of the diffuse type.

Adolescent↗

Acute interstitial nephritis associated with thiazide diuretics. Clinical and pathologic observations in three cases.

Renal failure insidiously developed in three patients treated with a combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene five to 10 weeks after commencing therapy. All had normal renal function prior to therapy and none had preexisting renal disease. Two of the patients had eosinophilia and two had a fever. One patient was oliguric. Renal biopsy demonstrated acute interstitial nephritis histologically. Direct immunofluorescence did not disclose evidence of either immune complex or antitubular basement membrane antibody deposition. Withdrawal of the drug led to remarkable improvement with renal function returning to normal in two patients and near normal in the third. The sequence of events and the histologic findings strongly suggest that the acute interstitial nephritis was due to a drug-induced hypersensitivity reaction. Although hydrochlorothiazide appears to be the drug responsible for the reaction, certain observations suggest a possible potentiating role for triamterene.

Aged↗

Thermal comfort of patients in hospital ward areas.

The patient is identified as being of prime importance for comfort standards in hospital ward areas, other ward users being expected to adjust their dress to suit the conditions necessary for patients comfort. A study to identify the optimum steady state conditions for patients comfort is then described. Although this study raises some doubts as to the applicability of the standard thermal comfort assessment techniques to ward areas, it is felt that its results give a good indication of the steady-state conditions preferred by the patients. These were an air temperature of between 21-5 degrees and 22 degrees C and a relative humidity of between 30% and 70%, where the air velocity was less than 0-1 m/s and the mean radiant temperature was close to air temperature.

Adolescent↗

Subjective odour levels in an air - conditioned hospital ward.

Tests were carried out in an experimental air-conditioned hospital ward to determine what effect the mechanical ventilation and recirculation rates had on subjective odour levels in the ward. Odour conditions in the ward were not found to deteriorate with decreasing mechanical ventilation rate or increasing recirculation rate, but to fall into two distinct categories, which have been termed 'Acute' and 'Intermittent Background' conditions. 'Acute' conditions, where a particularly foul malodour prevailed in one or more rooms of the ward, were a rarity in the experimental general surgical ward; they occurred only twice during the testing period of approximately two years, and the mechanical ventilation rates tested were incapable of dealing with them. 'Intermittent Background' conditions, which are not attributable to a general prevailing odour level but rather to specific low level odour producing events, were satisfactory even under the most extreme test condition of three mechanical air changes per hour and 80% recirculation.

Journal Article↗

Lift traffic patterns in a multi-storey residential block.

This paper describes an exploratory survey throughout the user-day of the free-demand lift traffic patterns in a residential block of flats as a step towards compiling a data set of such traffic patterns in various types of accomodation with a view to producing a lift design guide.

Journal Article↗