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Biomedical subjects

D J Shale

Publications and source records attributed to D J Shale.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Totally implantable venous access devices in adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

Between September 1987 and April 1995, 33 totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) were implanted at the Cardiff Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, U.K., for the purpose of intermittent antibiotic therapy, including 22 PORT-A-CATH (Simcare Ltd.) devices (PCs) to 18 patients, and 11 P.A.S.PORT (Simcare Ltd.) devices (PPs) to nine patients. There were 50 complications during 25 824 days of catheter function which were severe enough to lead to removal of the devices in eight patients (six PCs and four PPs). Overall, patients' acceptance of these devices was excellent. Despite a shorter functional time and a higher rate of complications in PPs compared with PCs, PPs were preferred by many patients for cosmetic reasons. Totally implantable venous access devices provide safe, effective and convenient means of venous access in cystic fibrosis patients requiring intermittent antibiotic therapy.

Adolescent↗

Resting energy expenditure and oxygen cost of breathing in patients with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Resting energy expenditure (REE) is often increased and may contribute towards energy imbalance in patients with cystic fibrosis. Several mechanisms may lead to increased REE including the gene defect, the effect of chronic infection, and abnormal pulmonary mechanics. Increased oxygen cost of breathing (OCB) has been demonstrated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but has not been the subject of extensive study in cystic fibrosis. METHODS: Ten clinically stable patients with cystic fibrosis and 10 healthy control subjects were studied. OCB was estimated using the dead space hyperventilation method. Mixed expired gas fractions were measured by online gas analysers and ventilation by a pneumotachograph. After measurement of resting ventilation and gas exchange, minute ventilation (VE) was stimulated by 6-10 1/min by the addition of a dead space and OCB calculated from the slope of the differences in oxygen uptake (VO2) and VE. REE and the non-respiratory component of REE were calculated from gas exchange data. To assess the repeatability of OCB all subjects had a further study performed one week later. RESULTS: The patients had lower weight, fat free mass (FFM), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and transfer factor for carbon monoxide (TLCO) than controls. Resting respiratory rate, VE, and oxygen uptake per kilogram of FFM (VO2/kg FFM) were higher in patients (20 (7), 10.4 (1.4) 1/min and 5.5 (0.8) ml/kg FFM/min) than in controls (13 (4), 7.0 (1.2), and 4.2 (0.5), respectively.) The error standard deviation for replicated measures of OCB was 0.5 ml O2/l VE in controls and 0.8 ml O2/l VE in patients with coefficients of variation of 24% in controls and 28% in patients. The mean OCB in patients was 2.9 (1.4) ml O2/l VE and 2.1 (0.7) ml O2/l VE in controls. OCB, expressed as ml/min (VO2resp) was 28.5 (11.7) in patients and 14.0 (3.6) in controls. REE was higher in patients (125.9 (14.0)% predicted) than in controls (99.0 (9.4)%). The estimated non-respiratory component of REE was 112.1 (14.9)% for patients and 93.0 (10.0)% for controls. CONCLUSIONS: In clinically stable patients with cystic fibrosis the OCB at rest is increased but is not the sole explanation for increased metabolic rate. This contrasts with the finding in COPD where the increase in REE is largely explained by increased OCB. This study also showed poor repeatability and OCB measurements similar to earlier studies, which indicates that the technique is not suitable for longitudinal studies.

Adult↗

Patient satisfaction with information provided at an outpatient clinic for respiratory diseases.

A survey of 374 unselected patients attending the Respiratory Outpatient Department of a teaching hospital revealed that most patients reported receiving information about the treatment of their disease, but only one-quarter received information about its prognosis. Patients reported receiving satisfactory answers to their requests for information on most occasions, and the overall satisfaction rate with information offered was 88.3%. Patients who had attended the clinic on five or more occasions felt that they had received more information on all items compared with those with fewer than five visits, although the increase was statistically significant only for information on treatment. Patients over 75 years of age generally reported less information than younger patients. The great majority (88.4%) of patients preferred verbal information, but 23% also expressed a desire for written information as well. More attention should be paid to the needs of the elderly and to education about the nature and prognosis of disease. Printed material should also be more widely used.

Adult↗

C-reactive protein is not a useful indicator of intermittent bacterial colonization in early lung disease of patients with cystic fibrosis.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a general marker of the systemic inflammatory response to bacterial infection. Serial measurement of CRP is useful in monitoring respiratory exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We hypothesized that regular monitoring of CRP in young children with CF prior to colonization with P. aeruginosa might provide an objective guide to the need for antibiotic treatment. Twenty-two children were studied prospectively over a 6 month period. We measured CRP every 2 months and at the beginning and end of respiratory exacerbations. In samples taken when the children were well, median CRP was 0.45 microgram/mL compared with 1.92 micrograms/mL when they were symptomatic with positive culture results (P < 0.05). Despite this difference there was considerable overlap between CRP levels for infected and noninfected patients. A CRP value of > 1.82 micrograms/mL (the upper 95% confidence interval for a control group of well children without CF) had a sensitivity of 49% and a specificity of 83% in determining a symptomatic exacerbation. We conclude that in this group of patients CRP measurements were of little value in monitoring respiratory exacerbations in patients who become intermittently infected with either Haemophilus influenzae or Staphylococcus aureus.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Heart-lung transplantation in cystic fibrosis: predictions for the next decade in England and Wales.

Heart-lung transplantation has become an established treatment for end stage respiratory failure secondary to cystic fibrosis. The success of this form of treatment, and the increasing survival of such patients, suggests there will be an increased need for transplantation over the next decade. We have used cystic fibrosis population predictions and all cause mortality data to estimate the number of cardio-pulmonary deaths, due to cystic fibrosis, over the next decade and to estimate the number of such patients who are likely to benefit from heart-lung transplantation. We estimate that there will be between 85 and 127 potential transplant recipients with cystic fibrosis each year over the next decade. During 1990, 1991 and 1992 there were less than 40 transplants each year in such patients. These data emphasize the need to expand transplantation services and to maintain the availability of donor organs.

Adolescent↗

Inflammatory markers of lower respiratory tract infection in elderly people.

Bacterial infections of the respiratory tract are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly people. The inflammatory response to such infection is an important protective process and has been suggested to be less effective in elderly patients. To investigate the inflammatory response in respiratory infections acquired in the community by elderly people we studied 52 consecutive patients who met the criteria for either a non-pneumonic chest infection or pneumonia. After exclusion, 41 patients were available for evaluation, with 25 fulfilling the criteria of pneumonia and 16 the criteria of chest infection. Pyrexia was a feature of the patients with pneumonia. Circulating levels of neutrophil elastase-alpha-1-antitrypsin complex and C-reactive protein were greater in the patients with pneumonia than in those with a chest infection and were reduced following antibiotic treatment. No changes occurred in the chest infection group for these markers of inflammation. In both groups, a further neutrophil granule protein, lactoferrin, was unaffected by antibiotic treatment. This study indicates that elderly patients with pneumonia can initiate an appropriate inflammatory response as demonstrated by clinical indicators and circulating mediators of the inflammatory response.

Age Factors↗

Host inflammatory responses to first isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from sputum in cystic fibrosis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of the respiratory tract in patients with cystic fibrosis is a major determinant of morbidity and mortality. However, it has been postulated that the earliest phase of colonization is not associated with injury. To test this hypothesis we determined the association of the first recorded isolation of P. aeruginosa from the sputum on circulating markers of the inflammatory response in 6 patients with cystic fibrosis. At this time circulating C-reactive protein was increased in all 6 and neutrophil elastase alpha 1-antitrypsin complex (elastase-complex) was increased in 5 patients compared with healthy controls. This inflammatory response was associated with a reduction in the FEV1 and FVC of all patients [FEV1, 1.42 +/- 0.87 L (mean +/- SD) at first isolation vs. 2.08 +/- 0.74 L before isolation; P < 0.05; FVC, 1.94 +/- 0.93 L vs. 2.87 +/- 1.01 L, P < 0.05]. At a median interval of 10 months, 5 patients had raised titres of positive IgG antibody to P. aeruginosa, indicating significant exposure to this organism. At this time, lung function had returned to preinfection levels, whilst 3 patients showed continuing features of an inflammatory response, and the group mean value for elastase-complex was raised. Our findings demonstrate that at the time of first isolation of P. aeruginosa from the sputum of patients with cystic fibrosis, there is a concomitant systemic host response and an acute deterioration of pulmonary function.

Adolescent↗

Systemic inflammatory responses to cardiopulmonary bypass: a pilot study of the effects of pentoxifylline.

The potential of pentoxifylline (PTX) to modify systemic inflammatory responses and lung injury following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was studied in 20 patients undergoing elective coronary artery surgery. Ten control patients were compared with ten patients who received a PTX infusion of 1 mg kg-1 h-1 during surgery. Intra-vascular pulmonary leukocyte sequestration was observed in neither group following discontinuation of CPB. Plasma elastase-alpha-1-antiprotease complex rose three-fold from baseline in both groups to peak at sternal closure. No significant plasma interleukin-1 (IL-1) response was detected. Plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) rose in both groups from baseline to peak 4 h postoperatively. There was no correlation between plasma levels of elastase complex, IL-1 or IL-6 and impairment of postoperative oxygenation. CPB was associated with significant postoperative hypoxaemia and systemic release of neutrophil elastase and IL-6 but PTX, at the given dose, did not abrogate these responses.

Cardiopulmonary Bypass↗

The host inflammatory response prior to death in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

The intensity of the host inflammatory response to pulmonary infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa immediately prior to death was determined in six patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Plasma concentrations of neutrophil elastase alpha 1-antiproteinase, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) were increased in the 7 days prior to death (P < 0.05) when compared with a period of clinical stability during the preceding 6 months. An increased inflammatory response was sustained for many weeks prior to death and was associated with poor symptom and lung function responses to apparently appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Adolescent↗

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha, resting energy expenditure and cachexia in cystic fibrosis.

1. We investigated the relationship between circulating tumour necrosis factor-alpha concentrations, resting energy expenditure, cachexia and altered intermediary metabolism in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic pulmonary infection. 2. Twenty adult patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchial sepsis covering a spectrum of severity of lung disease (forced expiratory volume in 1 s 30-100% of predicted) were compared with 10 age matched, healthy, non-cystic fibrosis subjects. 3. Circulating tumour necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein and neutrophil elastase-alpha 1-antiproteinase complex concentrations were determined simultaneously with glycerol, non-esterified fatty acids, catecholamines, anthropometric indices and resting energy expenditure (ventilated hood method). 4. Weight, body mass index and arm muscle mass were reduced in patients with cystic fibrosis compared with healthy control subjects (P < 0.01), whereas mean resting energy expenditure was increased [121 versus 101% predicted, mean difference 19.2% (95% confidence interval 11.0-27.4%), P < 0.001]. Circulating concentrations of glycerol (P < 0.01), non-esterified fatty acids (P < 0.01), adrenaline (P < 0.05), tumour necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein and neutrophil elastase-alpha 1-antiproteinase complex (P < 0.01) were increased in patients compared with control subjects [tumour necrosis factor-alpha 96.9 versus 24.7 pg/ml, mean difference 72.2 pg/ml [95% confidence interval 27.7-116.7 pg/ml), P < 0.001]. Resting energy expenditure was significantly related to tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels and forced expiratory volume in 1 s. 5. In patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic pulmonary sepsis changes in resting energy expenditure, body composition and intermediary metabolism are consistent with the systemic effects of the host inflammatory response, which may be responsible for cachexia in adult patients. In particular these changes are consistent with the action of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, which was detected in the circulation during a period of apparent clinical stability.

Adult↗