Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Corless.
Spontaneous retroperitoneal sigmoid diverticular perforation presenting as subcutaneous cervical emphysema is rare. We describe a case successfully treated by surgery. Patients presenting with subcutaneous emphysema with negative thoracic findings should be scrutinised for signs of retroperitoneal hollow viscus perforation to improve their outcome.
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BACKGROUND: HIV and AIDS continues to be a significant health problem with many patients requiring the attention of a general surgeon. METHOD: A retrospective case note review over a two-year period was undertaken. RESULTS: 237 patients underwent invasive procedures. The majority 100 patients (145 procedures) were for venous access. Anorectal problems in 69 patients presents a particular problem in this group and major surgery in 26 patients (30 procedures) has a definite role in selected patients. CONCLUSION: The surgical management of patients with AIDS is discussed with reference to safety. Recognition of specific disease patterns in this group is important and best managed by a dedicated team.
1. The pharmacokinetics of feprazone were studied in nine healthy volunteers and 10 elderly patients. 2. The mean elimination half-life of feprazone after a single oral dose in the healthy volunteers was 22.3 h, the mean apparent clearance 0.0051 1/h per kg and the mean volume of distribution 0.1681/kg. Corresponding values for the elderly patients were 22.6 h, 0.00561/h per kg and 0.1651/kg, which are not different from those for the volunteers. Thus, we were unable to detect any changes in feprazone pharmacokinetics which are related to age, or to the concurrent use of chronic medications, such as digoxin, diuretics, or hormones.
The results of a study to investigate possible underdiagnosis of hyperthyroidism in the elderly are reported. Four out of 24 patients with atrial fibrillation for which there was no obvious cause and who had normal thyroid hormone measurements were found to have subnormal thyrotropin responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone and abnormal thyroid scans. The implications of this finding are discussed.
1. The pharmacokinetics of loprazolam and its principal pharmacologically active metabolite, the piperazine N-oxide, were compared in young subjects (aged 21-25 years) and elderly patients (aged 63-86 years) following single oral evening doses (0.5 mg and 1 mg). 2. Plasma loprazolam was assayed by a specific h.p.l.c./g.c. method. The N-oxide metabolite was assayed by gas chromography. 3. Mean times to peak plasma concentration of loprazolam did not differ significantly between young and elderly subjects and ranged from 1.6-2.7 h. There was, however, a longer mean time to peak concentration of the N-oxide metabolite in the elderly but this was only statistically different after the 0.5 mg dose (4.5 mg young, 6.4 h elderly). 4. Mean peak plasma concentrations of loprazolam did not differ significantly between young and elderly nor did plasma concentrations of the N-oxide metabolite. 5. Although the mean elimination half-life of loprazolam was not statistically significantly different between young and elderly subjects (range 10.9-16.0 h) there was a trend towards somewhat longer half-lives in the elderly. Furthermore, there was a small but significant increase in the half-life of the N-oxide metabolite in the elderly after the 1 mg dose from 11.7 h to 16.7 h. 6. The areas under the plasma concentration time curves for both loprazolam and its N-oxide were greater in the elderly being some 50-68% (mean 132.0 and 111.5 ng/ml h) above those found in young subjects (mean 89.8 and 66.0 ng/ml h).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A randomized double-blind controlled trial of the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the abilities of elderly hospital patients to carry out basic activities of daily life is described. Those patients included in the trial had plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations which were low or low normal as judged by the normal range in young adults. After 2 to 9 months on the trial there was no significant difference in the performance of the control and treatment groups.
A photometric method which detects bacterial multiplication in urine is described. The apparatus is both inexpensive and easy to use, and results are obtained within four hours. A total of 217 urine specimens from 181 patients were assessed and the results compared with the corresponding laboratory tests, which showed a significant growth in 102 specimens. The sensitivity and specificity of the photometric method was 77% and 99%, respectively, with a positive accuracy of 99%. The photometer detected 83% of significant enterobacterial infections and 76% of mixed infections. It is suggested the false negative results (23%) may have included high laboratory colony counts not associated with active urinary tract infection.
Nineteen out of 21 patients with painful conditions of the locomotor system aged between 27 and 94 years completed a study in which they received 20 mg piroxicam daily for 14 days. Plasma piroxicam concentrations were estimated by high performance liquid chromatography. Pharmacokinetic analysis of the data showed the half-life and systemic clearance of piroxicam to be unaffected by age. The apparent volume of distribution in older patients was higher than that of younger subjects. Multiple regression analysis showed that creatinine clearance and plasma albumin concentration had insignificant effects on the systemic piroxicam clearance. Although improvement in joint pain and stiffness occurred during the 2 week study period, this could not be correlated with plasma piroxicam concentration.
Disposition of brotizolam in patients aged 71-93 years was compared with that of healthy young subjects aged 21-26 years. The mean elimination half-life of brotizolam was about twice as long in the elderly as in the young subjects: 9.3 (4.0-19.5) h and 4.8 (3.1-6.3) h respectively. Increase in elimination half-life was attributable to a decrease in hepatic clearance, i.e. 40 (20-58) ml/min in the elderly and 109 (77-156) ml/min in the young. Volume of distribution and protein binding were the same with mean values of 0.56 (0.45-0.72) l/kg and 9.0 (6.8-11.9) % in the elderly and 0.63 (0.40-0.77) l/kg and 8.4 (7.5-9.4) % in the young. Absorption rate of brotizolam was relatively slow in the elderly with a mean peak time of 1.7 h compared with 1.1 h in the young. Mean bioavailability was almost 70% for both groups. Normalized for body weight and dose (0.25 mg) mean peak concentrations were 247 (137-395) ng ml-1 kg in the young and 343 (251-446) ng ml-1 kg in the elderly. It is unlikely that substantial drug accumulation will occur if elderly patients ingest 0.25 mg brotizolam nightly.
1 During 1978--1980 general toxicological investigations were performed on specimens from 211 patients (62 male, 149 female) aged 65 years and over. 2 The investigations were an important factor in establishing the diagnosis in 32 of 91 (28 male, 63 female aged 65--92 years, median 73 years) poisoned patients, most (75) of whom had deliberately taken overdoses. 3 Seventy-one patients were severely poisoned (grade 3--4 coma) and 10 died. Benzodiazepines (49%) and barbiturates (43%) were the drugs encountered most frequently, although 54% had ingested more than one pharmaceutical preparation. 4 In the survivors the depth of coma was usually greatest in patients poisoned principally with barbiturates, whilst the duration of coma and the incidence of respiratory complications were greater in those poisoned with benzodiazepines. However, there was considerable variability in the depth and duration of coma associated with a given initial plasma concentration within both groups. 5 Although general toxicological investigations can provide useful diagnostic information when poisoning is suspected in elderly patients, unequivocal interpretation of the results obtained is not always possible.
Seventy-eight elderly patients in hospital were studied for up to four weeks to assess drug compliance. Forty patients received medication from individualized calendar packs ('C-Pak') and 38 received medication from standard bottles. There was no difference in compliance between the two groups, the percentage error for each group being 26%. This result suggests that C-Pak is unlikely to improve drug compliance in unselected elderly patients.
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The vitamin D status of residents of an old people's home and long-stay patients was assessed by means of plasma 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD) estimations. The residents of the old people's home had a higher mean plasma 25-OHD concentration than long-stay patients. Both groups had diets with vitamin D intakes of less than 2.5 micrograms (100 IU) per day and the conclusion is that solar exposure is the major determinant of the concentration of circulating 25-OHD.
The response of plasma-25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) to different exposures to ultraviolet irradiation has been studied in patients in long-stay geriatric wards. Increases sufficient to bring the plasma-25(OH)D into the normal range may be obtained with doses less than those required to produce erythema. The provision of such background irradiation may be a suitable method of preventing vitamin-D deficiency in elderly subjects who receive very little exposure to sunlight.
Plasma concentrations of vitamin D-binding globulin were measured by radial immunodiffusion in healthy subjects, pregnancy, and during oestrogen therapy. Subjects with disorders of vitamin D metabolism (dietary deficiency, malabsorption, anticonvulsant therapy, chronic liver disease) were also studied. Neither sex nor age influenced the plasma vitamin D-binding globulin concentration in healthy subjects, but there was a significant increase in concentration during pregnancy and oestrogen therapy. Elevated levels were found in vitamin D deficient elderly but not younger subjects, while levels in subjects with chronic liver disease were significantly reduced. Normal levels of vitamin D-binding globulin were present in hypervitaminosis D and no vitamin D-binding globulin was detected in human milk. No correlation was observed between plasma 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels and plasma vitamin D-binding globulin concentrations.
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