PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Burd

Publications and source records attributed to E Burd.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

High levels of hepatitis C virus RNA in native livers correlate with the development of cholestatic hepatitis in liver allografts and a poor outcome.

A subset of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive liver transplant recipients develop cholestatic hepatitis (CH). We investigated the role of pretransplantation disease activity (estimated by Knodell score and HCV RNA quantitation) in the native liver explant on the development of CH and graft and patient outcome. Eight patients with CH were identified among HCV-positive liver transplants and were compared with 20 consecutive patients with recurrent HCV hepatitis of noncholestatic type in liver transplants. We evaluated all 28 explanted native livers histologically using the Knodell scoring system. HCV viral load was measured in the native explant and 5 allograft explants from the CH group using Amplicor HCV RNA Monitor test. Six of 8 patients with CH had HCV RNA levels of 5,000 copies/microg of DNA or greater in the native liver explant, whereas only 1 of the control group had viral loads greater than this level. Greater HCV RNA levels correlated with worse graft and patient survival (P <.001). The 3-year survival rate in the CH group was 18% compared with 77% in the control group (P <.001). There was no difference in the primary immunosuppressive regimens used in the 2 groups. We conclude that (1) CH has a uniformly poor prognosis, (2) type of immunosuppressive therapy appears to have little influence on the development of CH, (3) high pretransplantation HCV RNA levels in the native explant may predict the development of CH, and (4) patients with high HCV RNA levels in the explanted native liver may be appropriate candidates for antiviral therapy to prevent the development of CH.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Middermal wound healing. A comparison between dermatomal excision and pulsed carbon dioxide laser ablation.

BACKGROUND: Continuous-wave carbon dioxide lasers are not widely used for the surgical removal of most skin lesions because it is difficult to control laser ablation and the extensive laser-induced thermal damage slows healing. Pulsed lasers provide means to reduce thermal damage produced during laser ablation and permit precise control of tissue removed during ablation. Using a swine model, we compared on a gross and microscopic level the healing of middermal wounds of similar depth and area created by a dermatome and a focused pulsed CO2 laser. RESULTS: Pulsed CO2 laser ablation removed skin precisely and bloodlessly with 85 +/- 15 microns (mean +/- SD) of residual thermal damage covering the surface of the wound. Compared with the dermatome, tissue reepithelialization was delayed in the laser wounds at day 3. By day 7, epithelial coverage of the laser-created wounds was not significantly different from the dermatome-created wounds. No significant difference in the appearance of the two wounds was noted at 42 days. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the focused pulsed CO2 laser is capable of precisely and bloodlessly ablating skin with conservation of residual subjacent adnexal elements, minimal early interference with epibolic epithelial outgrowth, and no pathologic effects on the wound healing process. Pulsed CO2 lasers may be a valuable instrument for the conservative ablation of skin and skin lesions.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Fortified antibiotic ointment in bacterial keratitis.

We conducted experiments to determine the effectiveness of fortified antibiotic ointment in the treatment of Pseudomonas keratitis in rabbits. We evaluated gentamicin ointment (3, 10, 20, and 40 mg/g), gentamicin solution (3 and 10 mg/ml), and placebo, each given every 30 minutes. We also examined the effectiveness of fortified ointment given in extended treatment intervals. In short-term trials, commercial-strength gentamicin solution (3 mg/ml) was therapeutically superior (P less than .001) to commercial-strength gentamicin ointment (3 mg/g) in reducing corneal bacterial colony counts. No significant difference in antimicrobial effect was noted between fortified gentamicin ointment and fortified gentamicin solution at 30-minute treatment intervals. Fortified gentamicin ointment reduced colony counts even at extended treatment intervals of up to four hours in a severe keratitis model.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The electric kettle flex--a cause for concern.

A study of 153 preschool children admitted to a subregional burns unit over a 4-year period revealed 23 who had sustained scalds by pulling on kettle flexes. The dangers of dangling kettle flexes have been noted in the past. However, identifying problems and undertaking education programmes to warn against them has a limited effect on accident prevention. The recent introduction of 'curly' cables makes the prospect of active prevention considerably simpler.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of bromocryptine-induced hypoprolactinemia on xenogeneic and allogeneic skin graft survival in a mouse model.

Bromocryptine-induced hypoprolactinemia produces immunosuppression capable of extending allograft survival in solid organ transplantation models, but its potential for delaying either xenogeneic or allogeneic skin graft rejection is as yet undefined. In this study the ability of bromocryptine to prolong the survival of either cutaneous human xenografts or murine allografts was compared with cyclosporin A in a mouse model. In xenograft experiments cryopreserved human cadaver skin was grafted to B6D2F1 mice. In allograft experiments skin graft donors (A/J mice) differed genetically from recipients (Balb-C mice) at the major histocompatibility locus. In the untreated control group xenograft survival averaged 7 days and allograft survival 8 days. Xenograft rejection was delayed significantly and nearly equally by both bromocryptine and cyclosporin A (mean 15 and 16 days, respectively). However, allograft rejection was delayed longer by cyclosporin A (mean 24 days; p = 0.0002) than by bromocryptine (mean 15 days; p = 0.066). Administration of porcine prolactin (1 mg) partially reversed the bromocryptine effect (mean xenograft survival, 11 days; mean allograft survival, 10 days). The results of this study suggest that the immunosuppression of prolactin release by bromocryptine may be an effective, benign means of prolonging the survival of biologic dressings (e.g., banked cadaver allograft or porcine xenograft) used for temporary wound coverage in massively burned patients.

Animals↗