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Biomedical subjects

C A Alderdice

Publications and source records attributed to C A Alderdice.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Mortality in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

Two hundred and thirty-seven patients with systemic sclerosis were followed prospectively in a scleroderma clinic. The overall 3, 6, and 9-year survival rates were 86, 76 and 61 per cent respectively. Renal, cardiac and pulmonary disease, and older age at enrollment were adverse prognostic factors associated with reduced survival. There were no significant differences in survival between males and females or in patients with restricted compared to those with diffuse skin thickening. Death from systemic sclerosis was most frequently due to pulmonary hypertension, with fewer than expected deaths from renal or cardiac causes. Twenty-eight per cent of deaths were due to causes unrelated to systemic sclerosis, most commonly cancer and ischaemic heart disease, and in older patients.

Coronary Disease

Protective HLA-DR phenotypes in rheumatoid arthritis.

In a study of HLA-DR phenotypes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and controls from the Saskatoon area and in Newfoundland, we found that certain phenotypes occurred more frequently in the patients than in healthy controls in both populations ("increased risk phenotypes"). The reverse was also true: certain phenotypes were reduced or excluded from patients with RA compared with controls. Three increased risk phenotypes with twice the expected frequencies or more were HLA-DR1,DR4; DR4 and DR4,DR5. Four "protective" phenotypes with half or less the expected frequencies were HLA-DR1, DR5; DR2; DR2,DR3 and DR3,DR7. We speculate that at least for the DR3,DR7 phenotype, the protective effect may be due to a hybrid DQw2 molecule.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid

The clinical significance of coagulation abnormalities in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

A coagulation screen and measurement of circulating factor VIII related antigen (VIII-RAg), factor VIII coagulant activity (VIII-C) and beta-thromboglobulin (beta TG) levels were carried out in 25 patients with systemic sclerosis and 25 age and sex matched controls. Both VIII-RAg and beta TG levels were significantly higher in the systemic sclerosis patients than controls. Fibrin degradation products were increased in 11 (44%) of the patients. There was a significant correlation between the VIII RAg/VIII-C ratio and severity of the vascular abnormalities noted on nailfold capillary microscopy. Those with VIII-RAg levels in excess of 200% of controls (10 of 25) had more severe disease with greater mean number of organ systems involved.

Adolescent