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Biomedical subjects

E A Mitchell

Publications and source records attributed to E A Mitchell.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Trends in sales of drugs for asthma in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, 1975-81.

As part of an investigation into the recent epidemic of deaths from asthma in New Zealand, trends in the sales of drugs for asthma in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom during 1975-81 were examined. Data on sales of drugs were obtained from an international pharmaceutical market research organisation. A striking increase in sales of sympathomimetic aerosols, steroid aerosols, and theophylline per caput occurred in all three countries, with the greatest increase occurring in New Zealand. Sales of sodium cromoglycate also increased in New Zealand and the UK but fell in Australia. By 1981 New Zealand had the highest sales of all these drugs per caput. Explanations for the rising mortality from asthma in New Zealand despite large increases in drug sales need to be explored. Although the temporal association between mortality and sales of drugs suggests that direct drug toxicity is unlikely, there may be more subtle adverse effects of drug use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Paediatric admissions to Auckland Hospital for asthma from 1970-1980.

Paediatric admissions to Auckland Hospital were examined for 1970 to 1980. The number of individual patients admitted for asthma each year increased significantly over the study period. The rate was higher in the 0-4 year age group than in the 5-14 year age group and was higher in Maori and Pacific Islander children than in Europeans. The male to female ratio was 1.4:1 over the period. The readmission rate increased between 1972 and 1980 and was higher for Polynesians than Europeans although there was no difference in the readmission rates of the 0-4 year age group compared to that of the 5-14 year age group. The mean length of hospital stay decreased significantly, but was longer in Polynesians than in Europeans.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Trends in hospital admission rates and drug treatment of asthma in New Zealand.

Trends in hospital admission rates from asthma and sales of anti-asthma drugs in New Zealand for the past two decades were examined. In this period there has been a marked increase in hospital admissions for asthma and in sales of anti-asthma medications. These findings and the recently reported increase in asthma mortality in New Zealand indicate that asthma is an important health problem in this country.

Asthma↗
PubMed1983

Essential fatty acids and maladjusted behaviour in children.

It has been suggested that hyperactivity may be produced by a deficiency in essential fatty acids (EFA) leading to a deficit in prostaglandin (PG) formation. The red blood cells EFAs levels were examined in 23 maladjusted children and in 20 normal children. Although no individual EFA showed statistically significant differences between the normal and maladjusted children, multivariate analysis showed that the levels of EFA series 2 PG precursors in maladjusted children were significantly lower than in controls as predicted (P = 0.0001).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Diabetic autonomic neuropathy in children: immediate heart-rate response to standing.

The immediate heart-rate response to standing was used to investigate possible autonomic neuropathy in a group of 38 insulin-dependent diabetic patients in the paediatric age group. The controls and most of the diabetics showed the characteristic response to standing of a rapid increase in heart-rate and a fall to the resting rate within 15 seconds. Some diabetics showed a flat response or a prolonged gradual increase of heart-rate on standing. The usual method of describing the change in heart rate that occurs in response to standing is to compare the R-R intervals at the 30th and 15th beats (30:15 ratio). This is considered less appropriate in children because of the wider variability in heart rate due to sinus arrhythmia. An alternative ratio, the "maximum R-R/minimum R-R ratio" is proposed. This ratio is calculated by dividing the length of the maximum R-R interval (which occurred after the minimum R-R interval during the 30 second recording) by the length of the minimum R-R interval. Compared to 38 index-selected age and sex matched controls, the diabetics showed a significantly lower mean "maximum R-R/minimum R-R ratio (P = 0.033). Six of the diabetics had results lower than the lowest control result. This test gives a prevalence rate of changes suggestive of diabetic autonomic neuropathy of approximately 15% in this age group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Hospital admissions for asthma in children: a prospective study.

One hundred consecutive admissions to hospital for asthma in children aged three to 14 were studied prospectively. There was considerable morbidity in these patients; the mean number of admissions for asthma was 5.7 and 46 percent of patients of school age had issued four weeks or more in the previous 12 months due to asthma. 27 percent of the patients were Polynesian Pacific Islanders (PI) compared to 7 percent in the Auckland urban areas (p less than 0.01). PI were readmitted more frequently during the study period compared to Europeans (p less than 0.005). No difference in the general form of asthma was seen between ethnic groups. However, there were marked socioeconomic differences implied by lower home ownership, larger families and relative overcrowding in the home of PI. The higher admission rates of PI may be related to these and to lower drug usage, in particular fewer patients were using sodium cromoglycate and different admission criteria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

HLA and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

HLA antigens were determined in 24 patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who had had splenectomy and in 524 normal blood donors. There was no significant association of any HLA antigen in patients with ITP as compared to controls.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Controlled trial of an electrostatic precipitator in childhood asthma.

A cross-over trial was conducted on 10 children with moderate to severe asthma, who had positive skin tests to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and nocturnal wheeze. An electrostatic precipitator was used during the night to remove airborne particles from the bedroom. During use of the precipitator peak expiratory flow rates were no better than in a control period.

Adolescent↗