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Biomedical subjects

B Adam

Publications and source records attributed to B Adam.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

[Therapeutic goals in psychological medicine--state of research and development of a standardized self-rating instrument].

From the patient's as well as from the therapist's point of view goals of therapy undoubtedly play an important role in all fields of psychological medicine (psychiatry, psychotherapy, psychosomatic medicine). On the other hand, there is a substantial lack of systematic i.e. empirical studies on this issue. Giving an overview on the available scientific literature we start by characterising therapeutic goals as a secondary psychological construction. Therapeutic goals and their multiple associations and different aspects of psychotherapy are discussed. However, a variety of definitions of therapeutic goals, often influenced by the therapeutic orientation of the authors, make it difficult to integrate concepts and to compare findings. Hence, we focus on those results which were found in relation to general concepts, i.e. beyond specific theoretical approaches. Furthermore, we discuss the pros and cons of individual measures of therapeutic goals compared with standardised self-rating instruments. Finally, we underline the lack of studies on therapeutic goals in the psychiatric sphere and report on some results of our own pilot study on the Personal Goals Questionnaire in psychiatric inpatients.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Magnesium, zinc and iron levels in pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the change in erythrocyte and plasma magnesium, plasma zinc and serum iron concentrations in pre-eclampsia. METHODS: Twenty women with pre-eclampsia and 20 control subjects matched for gestational age were examined. The levels of magnesium, zinc and iron in all subjects were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. In the pre-eclamptic women, who were supplemented with magnesium salts, these measurements were repeated after delivery. RESULTS: The intraerythrocytic magnesium levels before supplementation were significantly lower in the pre-eclamptic patients than in the healthy pregnant women (0.98 +/- 0.15 vs. 1.35 +/- 0.30 mmol/l; p < 0.001) and increased (to 1.25 +/- 0.25 mmol/l) after treatment with magnesium. The plasma magnesium and zinc, and the serum iron concentrations were not significantly different between the pre-eclamptic and the healthy pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that low cellular magnesium levels in women with pre-eclampsia may contribute to the development of hypertension in these patients, and that the measurements of plasma zinc and serum iron concentrations are of doubtful clinical value in the management of pre-eclampsia.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The interaction between copper and coronary risk indicators.

We studied the effects of external copper exposure on plasma copper, serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in workers who have excessive contact with copper. Fifty-eight healthy Turkish males who were working in the copper processing industry and 33 control subjects were examined. Copper concentration was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, lipid and lipoprotein levels were detected by spectrophotometry and apolipoproteins were measured with a nephelometer. There was no significant difference in plasma copper between the workers and the controls. However, in the worker group, the mean levels of TC, LDL-C, apoAI, apoB and Lp (a) were significantly higher while the mean level of HDL-C was significantly lower than that of the controls. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between plasma copper and LDL-C only in the workers group. Our findings suggest that excessive contact with copper may contribute to coronary risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Cervical spinal cord intramedullary abscess. Case report.

A case of progressive symptoms and signs of cervical spinal cord damage due to intramedullary abscess is reported. The literature is reviewed and the radiological features, particularly magnetic resonance image, are analyzed.

Abscess↗
PubMed2000

Maternal serum interleukin 6 levels in preterm labor: prediction of admission-to-delivery interval.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of maternal serum interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and white blood cell (WBC) count for the prediction of preterm labor and length of admission-to-delivery interval in patients with preterm labor. METHODS: Maternal serum IL-6, CRP and WBC count were prospectively determined in eighty-two patients in preterm labor and 21 controls. Data was analyzed in study and control groups, and for the assessment of clinical and laboratory risk factors in the prediction of admission-to-delivery interval in the study group. RESULTS: Maternal serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the study group than controls. The IL-6 value associated with the highest percent of true positives and true negatives for the prediction of preterm labor was 5 pg/ml. The area under curve of maternal IL-6 was significantly higher than the area under curve of of CRP and WBC count. In the study group maternal serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients delivered within 2 and 7 days than the nondelivering ones and a cut off value of 8.3 pg/ml was determined for estimation of preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: Maternal serum IL-6 is a reliable marker in the prediction and management of preterm labor and delivery.

C-Reactive Protein↗
PubMed2000

[Percutaneous cholecystostomy in non-surgical patients].

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy and complications of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) in the treatment of acute cholecystitis in non-surgical patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 25 cases (16 males and 9 females) of PC. The average age was 82 years (range: 59-95). Eight had acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) and 17 had acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC). US-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy was performed in most cases; CT-guidance was required in 5 cases. RESULTS: One technical failure and one complication (abdominal wall hematoma) occurred. PC was successful for sepsis control in 21 patients (5 AAC and 16 ACC): delayed cholecystectomy was performed in one patient, and one patient had recurrent acute cholecystitis at one month that responded to medical management. For the 4 remaining patients: 1 corresponded to the technical failure, and failure of sepsis control was observed in the 3 others patients (2 AAC, 1 ACC). PC was the definitive treatment or resulted in sepsis control in 84% of cases. PC was the definitive treatment, without recurrence, in 76% of cases. CONCLUSION: US or CT guided percutaneous cholecystostomy is an effective treatment, with a low rate of complication, in elderly or critically ill patients. PC can be used as a definitive treatment or as a temporizing measure in critically ill patients allowing for delayed definitive surgical/endoscopic management.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Effects of misoprostol on lipoprotein (a) levels of ovariectomized rats.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of misoprostol on plasma lipoprotein (a) concentrations of ovariectomized rats. DESIGN: Controlled prospective study. SETTING: Animal research laboratory. ANIMAL(S): Four-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats. INTERVENTION(S): Blood samples were obtained before and 60 days after ovariectomy, and the rats were divided into three groups. Group I (five rats) was treated with vehicle (water); groups II and III (nine and eight rats, respectively) were treated with oral misoprostol at 100 and 200 microg/kg/d, respectively, for 60 days, after which blood was drawn again. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum lipoprotein (a) levels. RESULT(S): The median lipoprotein (a) level before ovariectomy was 10.8 mg/dL (range, 10.6-46.5 mg/dL). Sixty days after ovariectomy, the level increased significantly to 15.9 mg/dL (range, 10.6-36.9 mg/dL). After treatment, there was no change in lipoprotein (a) levels in the vehicle-treated group (range, 16.3-21.1 mg/dL); however, the lipoprotein (a) levels decreased significantly in the group treated with 100 microg/kg/d of misoprostol, from 15.4 mg/dL to 10.8 mg/dL, and in the group treated with 200 microg/kg/d of misoprostol, from 17.1 mg/dL to 10.6 mg/dL. CONCLUSION(S): Misoprostol caused a significant decrease in lipoprotein (a) levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Angiotensin converting enzyme gene polymorphism and activity in Turkish patients with essential hypertension.

Studies in various ethnic groups have shown contradictory evidence on the association of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/ deletion (I/D) polymorphism with essential hypertension. We conducted a case-control study in Samsun, Turkey, to examine the association between ACE genotype, ACE serum activity, and blood pressure. Serum ACE activity was measured and ACE I/D polymorphism performed in 165 hypertensive and 143 normotensive subjects. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR primers were flanking the polymorphic region in intron 16 of the ACE gene. The distribution of the DD, ID, and II ACE genotypes was 65, 77, and 23 in hypertensive patients and 42, 82, and 19 in normotensive subjects (P > .05). The estimated frequency of the insertion allele was 0.37 in hypertensive and 0.42 in normotensive subjects. Nevertheless, sensitivity analysis, based on positive family history and severity of hypertension, suggested that significant associations existed between more homogeneous groups of hypertensives and normotensives (P < .05). ACE genotype influenced ACE activity and the highest level was in DD genotype, being the lowest in II genotype. ACE serum levels were significantly higher in hypertensives as compared with normotensives (P < .01). A modest correlation was observed between blood pressure and ACE among hypertensive persons (r = 0.25, P < .05) and this did persist in multivariate analysis (P < .05 for systolic blood pressure and P < .005 for diastolic blood pressure). These data suggest that ACE DD genotype may have predisposing effects on severe hypertensives and cases with positive family history, and that ACE may be one of the independent factors on hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in healthy people in the central region of the Black Sea.

Lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins are among the risk factors for the most serious health problem of the age--coronary artery disease (CAD). They vary from country to country, from area to area within a country, depending on genetic, environmental, dietary and many other factors. Our aim was to determine the levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in healthy people in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. Subjects included 1348 volunteers (682 women, 666 men) referred to the Medical Faculty hospital from the study area. The population consisted of healthy people or those whose disease was not affecting the metabolism of lipids. Cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels in the obtained serum samples were measured spectrophotometrically, while apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein E and lipoprotein(a) levels were measured nephelometrically. The levels of lipid parameters were as follows: total cholesterol for men was 4.22 +/- 1.00 mmol/l (mean arithmetic +/- SD), triglyceride 1.20 mmol/l (0.30-4.44) [geometric mean (range)], HDL-cholesterol 0.88 +/- 0.22 mmol/l, LDL-cholesterol 2.69 +/- 0.85 mmol/l, apolipoprotein A-I 1.26 +/- 0.22 mmol/l apolipoprotein B 1.12 +/- 0.32 mmol/l, apolipoprotein E 0.037 +/- 0.012 mmol/l and lipoprotein(a) 0.25 g/l (0.03-2.75); total cholesterol for women was 4.53 +/- 1.00 mmol/l, triglyceride 1.05 mmol/l (0.28-4.50), HDL-cholesterol 1.08 +/- 0.26 mmol/l, LDL-cholesterol 2.87 +/- 0.88 mmol/l, apolipoprotein A-I 1.45 +/- 0.25 mmol/l, apolipoprotein B 1.11 +/- 0.31 mmol/l, apolipoprotein E 0.039 +/- 0.011 mmol/l and lipoprotein(a) 0.22 g/l (0.03 2.16). In conclusion, our study in four different regions in Turkey reflected that the people living in the central Black Sea region are less vulnerable to the risk of CAD, although at a relatively higher risk compared to some other countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Effects of interval training at the ventilatory threshold on clinical and cardiorespiratory responses in elderly humans.

This study assessed clinical and cardiorespiratory responses after an interval training programme in sedentary elderly adults using the ventilatory threshold (Vth) as the index of exercise training intensity. A selection of 22 subjects were randomized into two groups: 11 subjects served as the training group (TG) and the others as controls (CG). Maximal exercise tests were performed on a treadmill before (T0), each month (T1, T2) and after the 3-month interval training programme period (T3). The TG subjects were individually trained at the heart rate corresponding to Vth measured at T0, T1 and T2 as the breakpoint in the oxygen uptake-carbon dioxide production relationship. Their training programme consisted of walking/jogging sessions on a running track twice a week. The sessions consisted of varying durations of exercise alternating with active recovery in such a way that the subjects slowly increased their total exercise time from an initial duration of 30 min to a final duration of 1 h. During training the heart rate was continuously monitored by a cardiofrequency meter. Compared with the daily activities of the controls, no training programme-related injuries were observed in TG. Moreover, programme adherence (73%) and attendance (97.3%) were high. The maximal oxygen uptake and Vth were increased in TG, by 20% (P<0.05) and 26% (P<0.01), respectively. Interval training at Vth also significantly increased maximal O2 pulse (P<0.05) and maximal ventilation (P<0.01). A significant decrease in submaximal ventilation (P<0.05) and heart rate (P<0.01) was also noted. These results would suggest that for untrained elderly adults, an interval training programme at the intensity of Vth may be well-tolerated clinically and may significantly improve both maximal aerobic power and submaximal exercise tolerance.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1998

Plasma Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

> Objective: There is a reduction in intravascular volume in patients with preeclampsia and eclampsia. Since the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) by human atrial myocytes is stimulated by increased intraatrial pressure or atrial distention, we sought to determine whether circulating maternal plasma ANP concentrations were lower in patients with severe preeclampsia and eclampsia compared with normal pregnant women. Methods: Fifteen patients with mild preeclampsia, 15 with severe preeclampsia, 15 with eclampsia, and 38 normotensive pregnant women were taken as the control group. All the women were age-matched and in their third trimester. The level of ANP in these patients was measured during the third trimester and in the postpartum period by a specific radioimmunoassay. At the same time, routine laboratory tests for eclampsia and preeclampsia such as uric acid, creatinine, and urine protein levels were obtained. Results: ANP levels were significantly higher in the antepartum periods in women with mild preeclampsia (20.7 +/- 6), severe preeclampsia (28.9 +/- 9), and eclampsia (26.6 +/- 6.5) than those in normotensive pregnant women (15.7 +/- 3.5; P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). As the severity of preeclampsia increased, the mean values of ANP became higher. Conclusions: ANP levels in preeclamptic and eclamptic women were found to be higher than those in normotensive pregnant women. There is a correlation between the severity of toxemia and plasma ANP levels. The mechanism(s) responsible for the elevation requires further investigation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Effectiveness of individualized aerobic training at the ventilatory threshold in the elderly.

This study was designed to specify whether an individualized training program at the ventilatory threshold in elderly subjects produces greater training adaptations than a standardized training program performed at 50% of heart rate reserve. Sixteen subjects participated in the study. Maximal exercise tests were performed on a treadmill before and after the training program. Eight subjects trained at the ventilatory threshold (ITG) and eight trained at 50% of heart rate reserve (STG). The mean training heart rate was 129 +/- 14.2 bpm and 115 +/- 7.9 bpm in the individualized training group (ITG) and the standardized training group (STG), respectively. The maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) was improved significantly by 20% in ITG (within group p < .05), whereas no significant improvement was noted in STG. The improvement in ITG compared to the nonsignificant change in STG was significant (p < .05). In addition, submaximal ventilation and heart rate were more decreased in ITG than STG. We conclude that for elderly people an individualized training program at the level of the ventilatory threshold is significantly more effective in terms of VO2max and submaximal cardiorespiratory adaptations.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1997

The value of immunoglobulin and complement levels in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

Serum IgG, IgG1, G2, G3, G4, IgM, C3c and C4 concentrations were measured in 24 term neonates with sepsis and 17 healthy normal neonates of similar age, sex and weight (control group). The serum IgG, IgG1, G2, G3, G4, IgM, C3c, and C4 levels were similar in the patients with sepsis and the control group (p > 0.05). In the neonates with sepsis, serum IgG, G1, G2, IgM and C4 levels were not significantly different between the 1st and 10th days, while there were significant differences for IgG3, G4 and C3c (p < 0.05). We conclude that the serum levels of IgG, IgG1, G2, G3, G4, IgM, C3c and C4 concentrations are of no value for the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1996

Serum tumour markers in renal failure.

In order to assess the clinical value of six tumour markers in pre-dialysis patients with chronic renal failure as well as in patients on regular haemodialysis, we studied these markers in 35 predialysis patients, 35 patients on chronic haemodialysis and 35 healthy controls. Serum squamous cell antigen (SCC), CA 19.9, and CA 125 levels were found to be elevated in the uraemic groups as compared to the normal controls. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha foetoprotein (AFP), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were within normal limits in all groups.

Adult↗