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Biomedical subjects

D A Watt

Publications and source records attributed to D A Watt.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Serum creatine kinase and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme responses of post-infarction patients after a graded exercise test.

The response of total creatine kinase (CK) and the creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK MB) was studied in 22 male post-infarction patients (three to six months after myocardial infarction) after a functional graded exercise test, before entering a rehabilitation programme. Eleven subjects (group A) completed the test without developing significant electrocardiographic abnormalities. Eleven subjects (group B) showed changes that necessitated premature termination of the test. No significant differences were observed before the functional graded exercise test between the groups in serum concentration of CK, CK MB, and the percentage of CK MB to CK (MB/ CK%). The two groups were significantly different (p less than 0.01) 24 hours after the graded exercise test in CK MB and MB/CK%, but not in CK. In group B, CK and CK MB rose significantly after the graded exercise test (p less than 0.05) as did MB/CK% (p less than 0.01). In group A only CK showed a significant rise (p less than 0.05). It is probable that increases in CK MB after exercise arise from myocardial tissue efflux, reflecting reversible ischaemia. It is concluded from this study that CK MB appears to be a specific indicator of myocardial ischaemia and could, therefore, be of significant assistance in the clinical and functional assessment of the post-infarction patient.

Clinical Enzyme Tests

Testicular pathology of Merino rams.

The scrotal contents of 2,281 Merino rams of wide age range examined at 3 abattoirs in Perth, Western Australia, showed a 40% prevalence of rams with 1 or more gross lesions. The percentage prevalence of gross lesions found on autopsy were: adhesions 21, testicular atrophy/hypoplasia 14, testicular calcification 13, congenital cyst of the epididymis 6, cryptorchidism 4, chronic epididymitis/scrotal abscesses 2, varicocoele 2, testicular aplasia less than 1, seminoma less than 1. The prevalence of lesions increased with age of rams. Testicular atrophy was often present when varicocoele, chronic epididymitis and scrotal abscess affected that side of the scrotal sac. Corynebacterium spp was the most frequent isolate from chronic epididymitis. Actinobacillus seminis was isolated once and Brucella ovis was not isolated. About 20% of the rams showed lesions compatible with a diagnosis of reproductive unsoundness. A large proportion of lesions were revealed only after removal of the scrotum and most of these did not appear to affect normal spermatogenesis except for an estimated 9% of rams, which showed mild atrophy/hypoplasia. Samples of these testes showed mild to moderate changes in spermatogenesis on histopathology. It was postulated that the latter group of rams might represent those ill-defined clinical cases which show equivocal results on appraisal of semen samples despite the presence of palpably normal testes.

Animals

Patient tolerance of long-term diuretic/potassium supplement therapy.

Forty patients with congestive heart failure or hypertensive heart disease were given long-term maintenance treatment with a combined bumetanide/slow-release potassium supplement preparation ('Burinex K'). Stabilised doses ranged from 0.5 mg to 2 mg bumetanide with from 7.7 mmol to 30.8 mmol potassium. Patients took doses either at 9 a.m. or at 5 p.m. daily during a series of alternate 2 to 4-weekly treatment periods. Analysis of patient preference for morning or evening diuresis showed that the majority (72.5%), including all 18 patients who went out to work, preferred the evening regimen. Bumetanide proved to be a highly effective diuretic, irrespective of time of administration. Evening diuresis was associated with a statistically significant increase in the 24-hour excretion of sodium. Serial laboratory analyses showed no clinically significant changes in serum potassium or other parameters examined an in contrast to other diuretics bumetanide produced no significant hyperuricaemic effects.

Adult