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Biomedical subjects

A T Axford

Publications and source records attributed to A T Axford.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1977

Clinical improvement of patients with emphysema after radiotherapy.

In advanced emphysema the reduced lung retractive force permits dynamic compression of the airways during expiration; this gives rise to breathlessness which is often refractory to conventional remedies. Radiotherapy causes shrinkage of lung tissue and has therefore been given as treatment to 10 patients with emphysema. They have been followed for two years, during which time three have died from various causes, but no adverse effect of radiotherapy has been observed. All the patients at some time experienced a reduction in breathlessness on exertion and an increase in the range of their daily activities; the distensibility of their lungs was on average reduced but the response to test exercise was not altered. The possibility that the clinical improvement may have been a placebo effect is now being investigated.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

Accidental exposure to isocyanate fumes in a group of firemen.

A total of 35 firemen involved in fighting a fire in a factory in which polyurethane foam was made were exposed to fumes of toluene di-isocyanate from two large storage tanks which were damaged during the fire, resulting in massive spillage. Most of the men experienced symptoms during the fire or during the three weeks after it. The symptoms were mainly gastrointestinal, respiratory, or neurological. Altogether 15 men described gastrointestinal symptoms which subsided within two days of onset. Respiratory symptoms were described by 31 men and were most pronounced during the three days after the fire, thereafter tending to improve. The neurological findings are described separately. When the men were reviewed at six months there was a suggestion that some of them might have sustained long-term damage to the respiratory tract, and almost four years later 20 men had persistent respiratory symptoms. Serial measurements of ventilatory capacity revealed a marked decline in the first six months although this was not sustained.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Neurological complications after a single severe exposure to toluene di-isocyanate.

A total of 23 men complained of neurological symptoms after a single severe exposure to toluene di-isocyanate. Effects of exposure were immediate in five men and consisted of euphoria, ataxia, and loss of consciousness. These men and nine others complained of headache, difficulty in concentration, poor memory, and confusion during the next three weeks. Four years later it was found that nine further men had experienced symptoms that they had not been aware of at three weeks. In all, 13 men still complained of poor memory, personality change, irritability, or depression after four years. Psychometric testing showed a selective defect for relatively long-term recall in those with persistent symptoms at four years.

Adult↗