PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Sumner

Publications and source records attributed to D Sumner.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Plasma [3H]-noradrenaline kinetics and blood pressure following regular, moderate ethanol consumption.

Normotensive male volunteers (n = 8) either abstained from ethanol for 4 days or consumed 66 g of ethanol per day in an open, crossed, random order study. Mean arterial pressures rose by an average of 5.4 mmHg following the ethanol phase of the study (P less than 0.001). Plasma noradrenaline (NA) concentration was higher during ethanol ingestion (P less than 0.01), principally because of a significant reduction in NA clearance of -1.51 l min-1 m-2 (P less than 0.05). In contrast, NA spillover or release rates did not significantly differ between the two study periods. Total plasma calcium levels were significantly lower (P less than 0.05) following the ethanol compared to the control period. These data do not appear to support the proposition that regular alcohol consumption raises blood pressure by producing a generalised increase in sympathetic activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Prevention of rickets in Asian children: assessment of the Glasgow campaign.

In March 1979 the Greater Glasgow Health Board launched a campaign to reduce the high prevalence of rickets in Asian children in the city. A precampaign survey had shown that voluntary low dose vitamin D supplementation would reduce the prevalence of rickets in Asian children. A survey carried out two and three years after the launch of the official campaign also showed a reduction in the prevalence of rickets in children taking low dose supplements equivalent to about 2.5 micrograms (100 IU) vitamin D daily. There was a considerable reduction in the total prevalence of rickets in this survey compared with the precampaign survey. Hospital discharges of Asian children with rickets declined rapidly after the start of the campaign.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Obstetric aspects of the use in pregnancy-associated hypertension of the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist atenolol.

The obstetric implications of the use of the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist atenolol have been evaluated in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study involving 120 women with pregnancy-associated hypertension. The clinical interpretation of antenatal and intrapartum cardiotocographs was uninfluenced by atenolol. Human placental lactogen concentration fell in the atenolol group, but this was not an indicator of subsequent fetal distress. Other obstetric indices, such as urinary estriol excretion, were the same in both groups. Spontaneous premature labor occurred in five women receiving placebo but in none who received atenolol. Together with previously reported findings on pregnancy outcome, our study leads us to conclude that beta-blockers such as atenolol can appropriately be used in the management of hypertension during pregnancy.

Atenolol↗
PubMed1983

Atenolol elimination in the neonate.

The elimination of the cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist atenolol has been studied in 35 neonates by measuring drug concentration in cord blood and in blood obtained at 24 h by heel stab. Elimination rate was assessed by calculating the slopes of lines joining these two concentration points. The slopes had a mean of 0.043 h-1 (equivalent to a half-life of 16 h) and were normally distributed with 95% of values being in the range 0.02-0.066. There was no relationship between slope and neonatal weight or skinfold thickness, but most babies were at term and the range of these indices was narrow. Babies who developed a bradycardia had cord atenolol concentrations and slopes which did not differ significantly from those in babies without bradycardia. We conclude that atenolol elimination in the neonate is reduced when compared to adults. This prolonged elimination is consistent with the physiological characteristics of this age group and with previous observations on drugs eliminated by renal excretion.

Atenolol↗
PubMed1975

Assessment of Peroheme-40 for the presence of occult blood in the faeces.

Peroheme 40, a chemical test for occult blood in faeces, has been assessed by comparing it with results obtained using 51Cr labelled red cells. The study was carried out in two parts. Initially testing was carried out on 75 stool samples from 20 patients on a restricted diet, and in the second part, testing was performed on 40 samples from 10 patients on a normal ward diet. All patients were suspected of losing blood from the gastrointestinal tract. On the restricted diet there were 29 per cent false positive and 13 per cent false negative results, while on the normal diet, there were 86 per cent false positive and 8 per cent false negative results. Peroheme-40 has therefore been shown, on a restricted diet, to compare favourably with previously available chemical tests.

2,6-Dichloroindophenol↗
PubMed1975

Alteration of hepatic acetylation in uraemia.

The rate of acetylation of sulphadimidine was estimated in 25 normals and in two groups of patients on intermittent haemodialysis. Group A consisted of nine patients who were about to commence or had already been on dialysis for less than one year. Group B consisted of eight patients dialysed for one to six years. There was a highly significant increase in the incidence of fast acetylators in group A (p less than 0.001) compared with a normal population. There is an alteration of hepatic acetylation in chronic uraemia. This trend appears to be reversed by prolonged intermittent dialysis. Alteration of hepatic metabolism may indicate an important compensatory role for the liver in uraemia.

Acetylation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low-level radiation--how dangerous is it?

The main delayed effect of ionizing radiation in the individual is the induction of cancer. However, for low doses (less than 100 mSv effective dose equivalent), there is no direct evidence of radiation-induced cancer, with the possible exception of childhood cancer following prenatal exposure to X-rays. The risk at low doses has to be estimated from the observed risk at high doses; there are considerable uncertainties in this extrapolation. Direct study of those exposed to low doses does not produce any more precise information, although it does impose boundary conditions on the risk. Currently the most important problem in environmental radiation exposure is the increased incidence of childhood leukaemia observed around some nuclear installations; the explanation for this remains unclear.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The food quality protection act: a public health perspective.

The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) includes provisions to consider the combined risks of chemicals that have similar toxicological effects from all sources of exposure. The organophosphate (OP) insecticides are drawing a great deal of attention under this provision. Significant challenges for the regulatory activities at the EPA may develop. Environmentalists will apply political pressure to ban most of these products. Farmers may fear they will be unable to control pests and may exercise their own political muscle. The regulatory decisions in the dilemma may prove to be complex and difficult. Three areas of concern about potential adverse impacts of FQPA on public health are discussed; these include: diseases caused or carried by pests, increased natural toxins because of poor pest control, and increases in food costs because of regulatory action. It is important that the EPA consider not only the risks arising from the use of chemicals, but also the risks of not having those same chemicals.

Humans↗