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Biomedical subjects

E J Watts

Publications and source records attributed to E J Watts.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Haemostatic changes in long-distance runners and their relevance to the prevention of ischaemic heart disease.

Haemostatic changes may explain the paradoxical observations that regular exercise helps to prevent ischaemic heart disease but the risk of myocardial infarction and sudden death is actually increased during exercise. This study measured relevant haemostatic variables in 100 athletes before and after races of 10-26.2 miles duration and compared resting levels in athletes with 25 non-exercising controls. Prothrombin time, kaolin cephalin clotting time, fibrinogen, factor VII, factor VIII clotting (one and two stage), von Willebrand factor antigen, euglobulin clot lysis time, fibrin degradation products, full blood count, mean platelet volume, and platelet aggregation to collagen, adrenalin and adenosine diphosphate were measured. The immediate post-race results showed the familiar rise in platelet count and factor VIII clotting but there was no evidence of consumption or thrombin modification of factor VIII clotting. Platelet aggregation to adrenalin was reduced after the race and fibrinolysis was increased (P less than 0.05). The athletes at rest showed no significant differences from controls in their coagulation factor levels but showed increased fibrinolytic activity and reduced platelet aggregation to adrenalin (P less than 0.05). These results suggest a hypocoagulable rather than a hypercoagulable state during running and are consistent with the epidemiological evidence that such exercise is beneficial in the prevention of ischaemic heart disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Spurious polycythaemia--a study of 35 patients.

A study of 35 patients with elevated Hb and haematocrit but normal or borderline red cell mass has confirmed that the most common disease association was hypertension and that the peripheral blood findings are reversible when blood pressure is treated, especially when the body haematocrit is low. The situation is probably the result of abnormal distribution of red cells in the circulation. The red cell pool in these patients is normal and they show no evidence of progression to polycythaemia vera. Some cases are associated with smoking and obesity. It is more rational to treat the underlying disease than to attempt to alter the blood volume by venesection.

Diagnostic Errors↗